Stanley Kubrick, the great American filmmaker of the 20th century, made England his adopted home in 1961 in order to film his production of Lolita (1962) after which he remained living here until his death in 1999.
Living in England meant that Kubrick also chose to produce many of his films here. Historic buildings and places feature prominently in several of his films, with historic locations in England even standing in for places as far afield as Vietnam and New York on the silver screen.
Here’s a film-by-film breakdown of some of the heritage locations cinematically reimagined by Kubrick. These films might include names like Tom Cruise, Matthew Modine, and Nicole Kidman, but we think the heritage is the real star of the show.
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A Clockwork Orange (1971)
Kubrick’s controversial adaptation of Anthony Burgess’ 1962 dystopian masterpiece, which was banned from being shown in the UK from 1973 until after the director’s death in 1999, adopted the post-war architecture of London’s Thamesmead Estate and Brunel University as the backdrop for Alex and his droogs’ ‘ultraviolence’.
Thamesmead is significant as one of England’s post-war new towns (the only one in Greater London), built on marshland on the south side of the River Thames on land that was once part of the Woolwich Arsenal. The area had been flooded by the Great North Sea Flood of 1953, and remained vulnerable to future floods, so much of the accommodation was built above ground and linked by elevated concrete walkways.
Barry Lyndon (1975)
Kubrick’s acclaimed adaptation of William Makepeace Thackeray’s novel ‘The Luck of Barry Lyndon’ (1844) about the colourful life of a fictional Irish adventurer, Redmond Barry, features a smorgasbord of historical locations, including some of the most famous in the country.
Blenheim Palace, the ancestral home of Winston Churchill built by the Duke of Marlborough to commemorate his famous victory at Blenheim in 1704 features. Other Grade I listed buildings bringing star quality to the screen include Castle Howard in North Yorkshire, Longleat House, Corsham Court and Wilton House in Wiltshire, Petworth House in West Sussex, and the Guildhall in Lavenham, Suffolk (which also features as Godric’s Hollow in the Harry Potter films).
Landscapes featured in the film include the Grade I registered Stourhead in Wiltshire, where Barry first sets eyes on the Countess of Lyndon, and the Grade II* Italianate gardens at Compton Acres in Dorset.
Full Metal Jacket (1987)
Just how can England be used as the backdrop for a film about the Vietnam War? Well, Beckton Gasworks in East London operated from 1870 to 1976 and was the largest gasworks in Europe.
By the time Kubrick was filming ‘Full Metal Jacket’ in 1985, the gasworks was no longer operational and was scheduled to be demolished. Beckton was used to depict the ruined city of Huế after intense fighting for the citadel. To accomplish this, Kubrick had some buildings demolished and the film’s art director used a wrecking ball to knock holes in others.
Today, little has changed. With the ruined buildings of the set now demolished, the site is largely derelict with only the skeletal frame of the gasholder standing. Part of the site is used as a depot for DLR trains. There is now virtually no other trace of the gasworks that stood for over a century, one of many once-vital sites of industrial heritage, including similar gasworks in Bromley-by-Bow and King’s Cross. As a large, underused brownfield site close to central London, it is set to be redeveloped to deliver thousands of new homes for the capital. For more about gasholders see our blog on the subject.
Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
Kubrick’s final film ‘Eyes Wide Shut’ features scenes shot in some of England’s grand country houses. His most mysterious and divisive work, the film’s production lasted more than 400 days and it holds the Guinness World Record for longest continuous film shoot.
Interiors of Luton Hoo, Hertfordshire (which also featured in Four Weddings and a Funeral), Highclere Castle in Hampshire (most famous for starring as Downton Abbey) and the Grade II* Listed Elveden Hall in Suffolk, all feature in the film. The exterior of the Grade I Listed Mentmore Towers (1852-54 which also stood in for Wayne Manor in Batman Begins) in Buckinghamshire is used as the location of the masked ball.
And the famous Hamley’s toy store on London’s Regent Street in which the final scene of the film takes place is part of a Grade II listed Portland Stone shops and office block built in a Flemish Renaissance style.
So, next time you’re watching a Stanley Kubrick film keep an eye out and you might just spot some of England’s wonderful historic buildings and places on the big screen. Let us know in the comments if you think we’ve missed any.
Further reading
More of our blogs on historic places as locations in Film and TV.
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