Bloody Bastards—A Guy Ritchie Film Festival—Catalog by Zhen Jimmy Li

S HO OU Y G H I N YON D RY T E BE V E ND A W K NO

ULD

Ay-up, mate! Welcome to London, the capital of crime! “Bloody Bastards” is a film festival paying tribute to British film director Guy Ritchie. Guy Ritchie’s films are fun, fast paced, street, and hilariously violent. Since the language in these films are very “cockney“, we chose the Genesis Cinema at east London as the venue. The film festival includes a two day trip from San Francisco, U.S. to London, and if you are buying the ticket, the flight and lodging is included. The festival has also a music exhibition of soundtracks from Guy Ritchie’s films. It will take place after the films, at the same cinema. To echo the spirit and theme of the films, the festival is advertised with a vibrant campaign of posters, a suit case containing: a board game, a toolkit, a catalogue, a DVD collection, a soundtrack, tickets & Schedule and a Bastard Badge.

THE DIRECTOR 02 04 08

Who’s this guy Talk to the guy What’s funny

THE FESTIVAL 12 13 14 16 18 20 22 24

Filmography Schedule What it’s like The Hard Case Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels Snatch Revolver RockNRolla

THE MUSIC

Soundtrack

THE CITY 32 36 38 40 42 44 46 48

History A city of contrasts Museums & galleries The Cinema Accommodation Attractions & sightseeing Transportation Language

THE DIRECTOR

“He thinks going to drama school is the worst thing in the world.” —Jason Statham

THE DIRECTOR

WHOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S THIS GUY Guy Stuart Ritchie (born 10 September 1968) is an English filmmaker known for his crime films. He left secondary school and got entry-level jobs in the film industry in the mid-1990s. He eventually graduated to directing commercials. He directed his first film in 1995, a 20-minute short which impressed investors who backed his first feature film, the crime comedy Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998). He then directed another crime comedy, Snatch (2000). His next two films, the romantic comedy Swept Away (2002) and the crime drama Revolver (2005) were not commercial or critical successes. The next crime drama, RocknRolla (2008), received mixed reviews and a modest box office return. In 2009, he directed his first films in the action mystery genre, with Sherlock Holmes (2009) and its sequel Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011). Both films were major box office successes, and the two films received positive, and moderately positive reviews, respectively.

Guy Ritchie was born in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, UK on September 10, 1968. After watching Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) as a child, Guy realized that what he wanted to do was make films. He never attended film school, saying that the work of film school graduates was boring and unwatchable. At 15 years old, he dropped out of school and in 1995, got a job as a runner, ultimately starting his film career. He quickly progressed and was directing music promos for bands and commercials by 1995. The profits that he made from directing these promos was invested into writing and making the film The Hard Case (1995), a twenty minute short film that is also the prequel to his debut feature Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998). Sting’s wife, Trudie Styler, saw The Hard Case (1995) and invested in the feature film. Once completed, ten British distributors turned the film down before the film eventually was released in the UK in 1998 and the US in 1999; the film put Ritchie on the map as one of the hottest rising filmmakers of the time, and launched the careers of actors Jason Statham, Jason Flemyng, and Vinnie Jones, among others. Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) was followed up by Snatch. (2000), this time with a bigger budget and a few more familiar faces such as Brad Pitt, Dennis Farina, Benicio Del Toro alongside returning actors Jason Statham, Vinnie Jones and Jason Flemyng. At the end of 2000, Ritchie married the pop superstar Madonna in Scotland, and proceeded to work with his famous wife on a variety of film and video projects, including the short Star (2001), made for BMW and co-starring Clive Owen, and the controversial video “What It Feels Like for a Girl,” which was called out for its violence. In 2002 the

couple embarked on a remake of the 1974 Lina Wertmüller film Swept Away (2002); the new film was a critical and commercial flop, winning five Razzie Awards. Ritchie followed up with the Vegas heist film Revolver (2005), which was panned, but won favor with the crime thriller RocknRolla (2008), which featured a game, energetic cast and brought American attention to rising stars Gerard Butler and Tom Hardy.

Date of Birth 10 September 1968, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England, UK

The next year saw the release of Sherlock Holmes (2009), starring Robert Downey Jr. in the title role and Jude Law as his cohort Dr. Watson. The film received mostly good reviews but, more importantly for Ritchie’s career, was a solid blockbuster hit that grossed more than $520 million dollars worldwide and spawned a sequel, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011). Ritchie is tentatively scheduled to direct an adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island.

Height 5’ 11” (1.8 m)

Birth Name Guy Stuart Ritchie

Ritchie has two sons with Madonna: Rocco, born in 2000, and an adopted son, David, born in 2005. In late 2008, the couple confirmed reports that they were splitting up, and agreed to a divorce settlement that was finalized in December of that year. In September 2011, Ritchie’s girlfriend, model Jacqui Ainsley, gave birth to a son, Rafael, and in July 2012 the couple announced they were expecting their second child. –IMDb Mini Biography By: mikedavies86

TALK TO THE GUY

Toronto Interview: RocknRolla’s Mastermind by Alex Billington October 8, 2008

It may have been a few months back that I screened RocknRolla, but I definitely haven’t forgotten it. It’s one of my favorite films of the past few months and that’s all thanks to Guy Ritchie - the mastermind writer and director behind such previous cult classics as Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch. After the film premiered up in Toronto, I was lucky enough to catch up with Guy Ritchie for a chat about making movies, RocknRolla, Sherlock Holmes, and even Beowulf. Even if you’re not that interested in RocknRolla, delving into the mind of a brilliant filmmaker is always an interesting experience. One of my favorite aspects of Ritchie’s films is always the music, which is why at one point I made sure to ask him about his inspirations. I wanted to focus on his filmmaking style and what he brings to the behindthe-scenes experience that always makes his movies so distinct in their look and feel. I’m a huge Guy Ritchie fan and loved RocknRolla (read my review). I really can’t get enough of his movies. I’m even expecting Sherlock Holmes to be fantastic as well. Without any further delay, let’s dive in to the interview.

Starting at the base - how did you come up with the idea for the story in RocknRolla? Guy Ritchie: It was inspired by an amalgamation of ideas. I suppose the real character of this film is London itself, because it’s changed so much over the last 20 years. I read an article about some New Yorkers that lived in London for five years and said, “Golly, hasn’t London become New York? Someone should make a film about it.” At the time I was writing about these different characters. They conspired to work into one film. It was an amalgamation of reasons. Are there actual people like that that you’ve met over the years? Ritchie: Sure. Really? Ritchie: I’m always rather surprised. Anyone that lives in an urban environment – how is it that they don’t come into contact with characters like this, even if it’s arm’s length? Right. What made you decide to turn this into a trilogy? Ritchie: Because there were so many interesting characters and so many interesting stories that I enjoy telling.

People seem to get rather excited about the telling of them. There seems to be a market and enthusiasm from me. It just seems to make sense. As long as people come see them, I’ll keep making them.

into it. I, as a director, try and steer out of the way and only get involved if I think things are going awry and I don’t think the audience is going to be able to enjoy or appreciate what it is that they’re doing.

Did you write it that way to begin with?

Is it a challenge for you, as the director, to manage so many actors?

Ritchie: No, actually, I don’t think I did. I realized as I was writing about it and people kept asking, “Tell me about this character and that character.” I came up with the idea of these guys and those guys. Then I realized, let’s just make another one. As I was writing out the second one, I went, “Let’s just do three.” So that’s where I was at. With that cast for RocknRolla, I’m wondering how you came up with Gerard Butler and Tom Wilkinson and everyone in it? Ritchie: They’re all the people that I found most interesting in that world. At the time they were the most interesting actors I thought were most appropriate for the piece. Was it hard for them to get into the characters that you had written? Did they just naturally go into it? Ritchie: They seemed to pretty much naturally fit

Ritchie: To manage the stories, yes, not the actors. I can imagine - you’re shooting out of order and there’s all kinds of things going on and it’s hard to keep pulling the scenes together. Ritchie: It is. I think it’s impossible to do that without narration. There’s just too much going on. Unless someone holds your hand through that, I don’t think you’ll get through it. Narration - I guess Gerard Butler was doing it in this one, right? Ritchie: No. Archie was doing it in this. That was Mark Strong. You have that in the script, right? That’s how you’re working through scenes? Or are you working it out during editing? Ritchie: Yes. It’s in the editing that I realized the size of the battle which I’ve set for myself.

THE DIRECTOR

On set is it a challenge when you’re shooting specific scenes to keep things together? Ritchie: No. That’s not a challenge. The challenge is making sure they all ducktail together in the end. How often do you make changes when you’re shooting, since this is your own script and story? Is it just scripted and you shoot exactly as you’ve written? Ritchie: Pretty much. I’ll allow the environment or the circumstance to inform me if any changes need to be made. Often there’s happy accidents because of that. I’m not too religious about exactly which route I’ll take. As long as I’ve got a map, that will be my fundamental route. But then if it’s informed by detour then as long as I think the detour can work in its favor, then I’m more than happy to embrace it. Does that go for improv a well? Ritchie: Absolutely, yes. As long as they give me the road map first and then improvisation thereafter is a welcome input. Was there a lot of improv in this? Ritchie: Not a lot, no. I felt like Gerard’s scenes

had a lot of that. It just was natural comedy then? Straight from the script?

I like the choice that was made there. I think it set up that whole...

Sherlock Holmes a month from now. He has no prisoners, I’m afraid.

Ritchie: Mostly from the script, yes.

Ritchie: That dynamic.

I can’t even suggest anything to you from the festival yet. The only one I’ve seen that was good was a short from Sam Taylor Wood.

I have to admit one of my favorite parts of your films is the music. I’m curious how you get into your choices and how you make those choices and where the inspiration comes from? Ritchie: It’s simply me going through loads of DVDs and a nostalgia to the tunes I used to listen to in my youth. Is it tough to find the right song for the right moment? Do you rotate through a couple? Ritchie: Yes, it is. Oh, yes. I’ll put 10 to 20 songs up to each scene before I find one that I like. Is there ever a time when you’re shooting and you’ve got the song in mind? Ritchie: Yes, there is. I’ve probably done it on 20 percent of the songs - where the songs, I knew I was going to put in there. Probably the scene with Gerard Butler when he’s being attacked in his house. Is that one of them? Ritchie: That was 22-20s. No, actually. I had put salsa on there originally. But that didn’t quite work.

Yep. Ritchie: It’s funny. I was watching it at the premiere the other night and I realized that was the right choice. Definitely. Another inspiration question – are there any particular movies that inspire your style or is it just something you do on your own? Ritchie: I think it’s an amalgamation of all the different things that I was influenced by, be that music videos, because that was in my film school, and be that commercials, which was also in my film school, and be that short films, which was also in my film school. Just the directors who were around at that time. I pinched and proliferated concepts from wherever I could. Say you’re here in Toronto do you see any other shorts or anything? Ritchie: No. I’m not going to be here long enough. You’re moving on I guess to go shoot Sherlock Holmes, right? Ritchie: Right. I’m in the middle. I start shooting

Ritchie: Oh really? I know Sam Taylor Wood. It was Love You More, if you’ve heard of it. Ritchie: No, I haven’t. It was just a 15-minute short about this Buzzcocks song and these kids in 1978. I saw it at Telluride. Out of all the films I saw, it was one of the most memorable things I saw. Ritchie: Was it really? Yes. Ritchie: She lives a couple streets down from me. I should inquire. You should. I actually just wrote about it today. Ritchie: Is she here? I don’t know. I don’t know if that short is going to be anywhere in Toronto, since I saw it previously at another festival. I’m not sure. Sorry I don’t have the answer. Ritchie: No, but thanks for telling me. I like that tip. I like to get something out of these interviews as well.

No worries. If I may jump to Sherlock Holmes briefly. Ritchie: Certainly. I’ve been curious whether it will be hyper-stylized and energetic like RocknRolla and your other films. Ritchie: It will probably be energetic. I think it unlikely to run at the same pace as RocknRolla. But the action, I hope to deliver a fresh approach to some action scenes. Will it be more character driven? Will it be more action? Ritchie: No. It’s highly motivated by both. In that respect, it will be quite intense, because there is lots of character and lots of action. Interesting. I’m looking forward to it. Ritchie: Good. A lot of people seem to be. There seems to be a good following for Sherlock Holmes. I think you’ve addressed this previously, but you obviously are not concerned about the comedic version that they’re working on as well? Ritchie: No. Probably quite funny. They’re a couple of characters, those two. Definitely. Do you find it easier to work independently or

“…the work of film school graduates is boring and unwatchable.” with a studio?

Ritchie: So far, with a studio. Really? Ritchie: Yes, so far. It’s like having a big brother. Are there more limitations or do they step in a lot? Ritchie: Not yet. I suppose, working with Joel -- he allows me my independence anyway. I think I have the best of both worlds. Exactly. He’s the kind of guy that would let you do that, obviously, with his films. What’s your take on the independent cinema world at the moment? Ritchie: It’s funny, isn’t it? What’s your take? When I was coming up with this question, my original inspiration to ask this was that there was an editor at Variety who wrote that independent cinema is dead. Ritchie: I don’t think it’s dead, but its taken a beating. I don’t think it could die, because we wouldn’t have film festivals. Things like this wouldn’t exist. Ritchie: Yes. But I think it’s changing and developing. Ritchie: Yes. But there’s no question it’s taken a beating. Independent films

don’t break out like they used to break out. I don’t know why that is. Do you know why that is?

people go and see this one I’ll be making the next one.

Apocalypse Now?

Ritchie: Oh really?

What is your favorite part of the filmmaking process?

Ritchie: Yes.

Yea.

Star Wars?

Ritchie: Making the film, directing.

Ritchie: Not an influence. Star Wars is not my cup of tea.

Ritchie: Screw that. Make a sequel!

If I had to pitch an idea, I think the big factor is the theatrical world. I see films at festivals that I love and I want to promote them and turn them into the next hit. We do as much as we can. But then their release is limited to New York, LA, something like that. The marketing budget is really low. It doesn’t have the ability to take off, even though it should.

I hear a lot of people tell me editing.

Ritchie: Genius.

Ritchie: Okay, good. I enjoy doing this game. Keep going.

The Pixar film?

Oldboy?

Ritchie: No, directing for me.

Ritchie: Genius.

If you can, what are your five favorite movies of all time?

Do you like all the Pixar films?

Ritchie: I can’t.

Ritchie: It’s tough, but it’s a significant issue.

You can’t even name a top one?

Ritchie: Pretty much, actually.

Ritchie: Interesting, there’s some good stuff in there, good set pieces in there. Okay, I’m enjoying this game. I could play this game for hours now.

Me, too.

What about 300?

I wanted to bring it up, because I think for you and your films, you’re on the borderline. I want this to be a wide release, but they’re almost saying it shouldn’t be. Who determines it?

Ritchie: Oh, no, no. I change my mind every week. By the time I read this article I’ll be thinking, “Oh, I wish I hadn’t have said that. I should have said this.”

Ritchie: But The Incredibles is genius.

Ritchie: I thought 300 was great.

I hope they make a sequel, for that matter.

Does it inspire much with you?

You can name at least a couple?

Ritchie: Me, too. It’s set up for one. I know.

Ritchie: No, I can’t. That will give me trouble, trouble with me.

Ritchie: It’s the mole, the Underminer or whatever that is.

How about films that have inspired any part of your life?

I thought they put him into a game or something. I don’t know.

Ritchie: I like their world, I must say. I thought their world was genius. I thought it was good. Madame du Source and Jean de Florette. Class. All had bad ass movies. Have you seen those two bad boys?

Ritchie: I don’t know. I’m not sure. You’re right. I’m on the borderline, because I’m not hot and I’m not a conspicuous commercial film in the obvious sense. So I’m on the borderline. We’ll have to wait and see what happens. Would you return to finish this trilogy after Sherlock Holmes? Do you have a plan for it? Ritchie: Sure. I’ve already written it, so as long as

Like shooting on set? Ritchie: Yes.

Ritchie: You have to ask me some films and I’ll have to nod. Sergio Leone? Ritchie: Yes, Sergio Leone influenced.

The Incredibles?

Ritchie: It was genius. It must have made about a gazillion dollars, too. Pixar has their whole idea about not making sequels except for Toy Story.

I know! Raiders of the Lost Ark?

I haven’t, no. Ritchie: Oh, they are fuckin’ treats. Did you like The Dark Knight? Ritchie: I loved The Dark Knight. Beowulf?

THE DIRECTOR

Ritchie: Genius. Really? I only could enjoy it in 3D. Ritchie: I’m telling you, you missed the movie, man. I saw it in 3D and I saw it a couple times. Ritchie: You didn’t see the movie. I would have to see it in 2D to see it? Ritchie: No. You didn’t see the movie. That movie is about you. It’s about your ego and the dragon is your ego. It’s about the hollow victory of the material world. Get into it, brother. I’ll have to watch it again, then. Ritchie: It’s a bad movie. That movie is serious. I’ve seen it three times. Each time I realize, “Oh, that’s deeper.” That’s deep. That’s just about the psychology of man. What movies do you really like right now? The only two recent movies I saw that I really liked were Slumdog Millionaire and The Good, the Bad, and the Weird. Those were both at Telluride. Ritchie: That’s the Korean movie? Yes. Kung Fu Hustle? Ritchie: Yeah, I did like

Kung Fu Hustle. Then I saw it again. It tickled me the first time. What about Fincher’s movies, like Seven and Fight Club? Ritchie: Seven was good. Fight Club was pretty fuckin’ good, yeah. Did you like Zodiac? Ritchie: I didn’t see it. Really? Ritchie: No. It’s a good game to play, this game. I’m trying to think of everything. It’s tough. Ritchie: Beowulf is the bad boy. That’s the film I’ve enjoyed most in the last couple of years. Because it is fucking deep and everyone missed the point. Now I remember why I’ve seen it twice in IMAX 3D. That was the whole point. The whole point was first of all, King Hrothgar, he’s obviously made a deal with his own conceptualized self and Grendel is the consequence of that. Then he realizes that his own vanity is Grendel and he wants to kill his own vanity, because he’s hostage to it. It’s a hollow victory. Once he gets rid of that, he passes the horn to the next man with the biggest ego who’s also very capable. His

ego is proportionate to his ability. He’s just more than happy to pump up his own pride and the dragon represents his pride. Going into the bowels, he’s going into his own psyche. He makes a deal with his own pride that “I want stories to be told of me for 1,000 years.” That is the illusion of victory, that you own nothing and then he has everything but nothing. I loved it. Of course, his ego or his pride comes back to haunt him, the consequences of that. He realized the whole thing was a hollow victory. Then he has to kill himself because he became the dragon. Now that you explain it that way… Ritchie: Oh no. I’m telling you, it’s unbelievable. It’s completely uninteresting until you understand it that way. That’s why he jumps off the cliff in the end and because he was the king. The dragon destroys all his subjects. And then his best mate, who’s going to become king, then also has temptation come to him in the shape of what’s her name with the big tits and the nails -- Angelina Jolie. She is the temptation of pride. So now he’s going to be the big maca. Temptation comes to him and says, “Listen, make a deal with me and I’ll give

you everything.” He was the next to be screwed. It’s the human dilemma. That’s Neil Gaiman for you I guess. Ritchie: Neil Diamond? Gaiman. He wrote-Ritchie: Yes. The graphic novelist. Apparently. Someone told me he’s clever.

didn’t. Ritchie: Yes, because they missed the point. This should be published for people. Now they’ll be able to understand that. Ritchie: You have no idea how many people I’ve converted to rewatching that movie. If you watch it in that light, it takes on a whole new meaning.

He’s the one who co-wrote that. Ritchie: Right. Someone told me he was clever. But also the original story is that story. I take my hat off to those boys. That’s a good inspiration. Or was it just a good movie and it didn’t inspire you? Ritchie: Yes. I think it inspired me. For me, I like Vikings for a start. People running around with big swords and horns on their head. Were you ever going to make a Viking movie? Ritchie: Yes. I wanted to make a Viking movie. Did you have anything on your mind? Ritchie: I thought I’d tell you. I thought that was the best Viking movie ever. I seriously enjoyed it, even though a lot of people

WHAT’S FUNNY

His first child with Madonna, a son Rocco John, was born by emergency C-section - 3 weeks early. [August 2000]

to Madonna.

Is dyslexic.

Matthew Vaughn was Best Man at his wedding to Madonna.

Dropped out of school when he was 15.

Parents divorced when he was 5 years old.

During the MTV Movie Awards, Will Smith arrived on a horse to perform the song from Wild Wild West (1999) and the horse accidentally stepped on Guy’s foot, injuring him.

After months of speculation, he and Madonna announced their separation. [October 2008]

Stepmother, Shireen Ritchie, is chairwoman of the ultrachic Kensington and Chelsea Conservative Association (UK). Holds a black belt in Judo. Former brother-in-law of Christopher Ciccone, Martin Ciccone, and Paula Ciccone., Anthony Ciccone, Melanie Ciccone, Mario Ciccone, and Jennifer Ciccone. Was first introduced to his wife Madonna by Sting & Trudie Styler at their Country Estate. Sting was later made godfather of their first born son Rocco Ritchie. He and Madonna adopted a boy from Malawi, David Banda Mwale Ciccone Ritchie (born September 24th 2005). They filed the adoption papers on October 10, 2006 and the adoption was finalized on May 28, 2008. Godmother of his son Rocco is Trudie Styler. Gwyneth Paltrow was the Maid of Honor at his wedding

Godfather of his son David is Rupert Everett. Former stepfather of Lourdes Leon. Father, with Madonna, of son Rocco Ritchie. Former son-in-law of Silvio Ciccone. Robbie Williams’ song, “She’s Madonna”, is about him and how he broke up with his former partner, to be with Madonna. He and Jacqui Ainsley had a son, Rafael Ritchie, on September 5, 2011. He was delivered via emergency Cesarean section. Attended Catherine Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William’s wedding. Engaged to Jacqui Ainsley [October 9, 2012]. Welcomed a daughter, Rivka Ritchie, with fiancé Jacqui Ainsley on November 29, 2012. Is an avid fan of the English football club Chelsea FC.

THE DIRECTOR

THE FESTIVAL

FILMOGRAPHY 1995 The Hard Case 1998 Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels 2000 Snatch 2001 The Hire: Star 2001 Mean Machine 2002 Swept Away 2005 Revolver 2007 Suspect 2008 RocknRolla 2009 Sherlock Holmes 2011 Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows 2015 The Man from U.N.C.L.E. 2017 Knights of the Roundtable: King Arthur

THE FILMS

SCHEDULE There is going to be five films showing in total during this Guy Ritchie Film Festival. The start showing time and the runtime of each film is shown in the chart above, and for most of the times, there is going to be a fifteen minute break between each two films. The flights, transportation and lodging are also arranged. DATE August 26, 2016 PST August 27, 2016 GMT

August 28, 2016 GMT

August 28, 2016 PST

TIME 04:30 PM PST 11:05 AM GMT 12:00 PM GMT 02:00 PM GMT 03:00 PM GMT 05:00 PM GMT 05:15 PM GMT 07:00 PM GMT 07:30 PM GMT 07:46 PM GMT 03:00 AM GMT 03:30 AM GMT 05:21 AM GMT 05:35 AM GMT 07:29 AM GMT 07:45 AM GMT 09:00 AM GMT 10:00 AM GMT 11:10 AM GMT 02:05 PM GMT 04:59 PM PST

EVENT Departure (SFO) Arrival (HLR) Commute Lunch (Near the cinema) Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels Break Snatch The Hard Case Commute Hotel Recess (Feel free to go shopping) Commute Revolver Break RockNRolla Break Music Show Breakfast Commute Airport Lunch + Recess Flight Back to SF Arrival at SFO

DURATION 10h 35m 1h 50m 60m 2h 0m 15m 1h 44m 20m 16m 7h 14m 16m 1h 51m 14m 1h 54m 16m 60m 60m 1h 10m 2h 55m 10h 54m

WHAT IT’S LIKE Based on Kurt Vonnegut’s work about “the shapes of stories“, this is how Guy Ritchie’s stories looks like. The guys in his films usually find themselves in deep trouble at first, but they have a plan to get out. Just when they think they had it, everything goes south even more. In the process of trying to get out of the deeper trouble, they get involved with more people who seems to have no business in the mess, but actually has everything to do with it. Eventually, those guys in the beginning get out of trouble by reasons they don’t even know, which we can only blame chance.

THE HARD CASE Plot Keywords Genres

british | gangster | english

Crime | Short

Rating

Benedick Bates Benedick Bates was born in 1971 in England. He is an actor and producer, known for Woundings (1998), Deadly Advice (1994) and Real Women (1998).

Storyline A metal suitcase was purchased to store the wager in cash in a game of poker, which was accidentally switched with an identical but empty one after the game. The player and the gambler started a series of chase surrounding this case. Who won the fight? Who finally got the case? Was the cash still in it?

Cast

Wale Ojo

Benedick Bates—The Player Wale Ojo—The gambler

Wale Ojo began acting with the first television station in Africa as a child prodigy and star. He turned professional in the United Kingdom at the age of 21. He is the pioneer and founder of the New Nigeria Cinema whose aim is to improve the quality of Nigerian films. To date, he runs a yearly festival titled New Nigeria Cinema day at the British Film Institute in London.

THE FILMS

“…THESE LADS DON’T TAKE LOSING LIGHTLY...” Introduction The Hard Case is a 1995 short film directed and written by Guy Ritchie and featured Wale Ojo as the gambler. A twenty-minute film, it precedes Ritchie’s better known Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. Trudie Styler saw The Hard Case and invested money into Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (her husband Sting would play a role in this feature film).

Review Before British director Guy Ritchie invaded American movie theaters in the late ‘90s, the then-27-year-old filmmaker created the short film The Hard Case in 1995. The 20-minute short grabbed the attention of the rock star Sting when his wife Trudie Styler made him watch it; Sting then met with Ritchie and agreed to invest in the director’s feature, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, which was based on The Hard Case. The crime film was released in the United States in 1999 and launched the careers of Ritchie, Jason Statham, and Vinnie Jones. —Rudie Obias, 19 Short Films That Were Made Into Feature-Length Movies

Plot Keywords Genres

cockney accent | shotgun | hatchet

Comedy | Crime

Rating

Cast Jason Flemyng—Tom Dexter Fletcher—Soap Nick Moran—Eddy Jason Statham—Bacon Vinnie Jones

Introduction

“JU OF BO

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels is a 1998 British crime comedy film written and directed by Guy Ritchie. The story is a heist film involving a self-confident young card sharp who loses £500,000 to a powerful crime lord in a rigged game of three card brag. To pay off his debts, he and his friends decide to rob a small-time gang who happen to be operating out of the flat next door. The film brought Guy Ritchie international acclaim and introduced actors Vinnie Jones, a former Wales international footballer, and Jason Statham, a former diver, to worldwide audiences. Based on a $1.35 million budget, the film had a box office gross of $28.3 million, making it a commercial success.

Jason Flemyng

Nick Moran

Jason Flemyng was born on September 25, 1966 in Putney, London, England as Jason Iain Flemyng. He is an actor, known for Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998), The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) and Snatch. (2000). He has been married to Elly Fairman since June 6, 2008.

Nick Moran was born on December 23, 1969 in East End, London, England as Nick James Moran. He is an actor and writer, known for Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998), Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010). He was previously married to Sienna Guillory.

UST LIKE ONE F THOSE JAMES OND MOVIES...”

THE FILMS

LOCK, STOCK AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS

Jason Statham

Vinnie Jones

Jason Statham was born in Shirebrook, Derbyshire. Statham has done quite a lot in a short time. He has been a Diver on the British National Diving Team and finished 12th in the World Championships in 1992. He has also been a fashion model, black market salesman and finally of course, actor.

Vincent Peter Jones was born on January 5, 1965 in Watford, England. He first came to public notice as a professional footballer, playing in the English Football League. Noted as one of soccer’s hard men, he leaped to fame when a photographer, at a match, snapped him “marking” Newcastle United’s Paul Gascoigne, by grabbing his testicles. He made his first acting appearance in the British comedy/thriller, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998), at age 33, although he had previous presented a video on football’s hard men (for which he was censured by the Football Association).

Review Guy Ritchie’s directorial debut is a verbally explosive crime-caper, with lots of clever and witty dialogue and a top notch cast. Original in style and highly entertaining, there’s really no film quite like it. The only one that comes close to it is Snatch - which is another gangster gem by Ritchie, but that doesn’t really match the brilliance of this one. So if you haven’t seen it yet, I suggest you do so at first opportunity. Because it’s so far above the median line that it plays in a whole different league. One of the coolest films you’ll ever see and a personal favourite mine that never gets old. —Mike S.

Dexter Fletcher Dexter Fletcher made his way in many screen and television performances, the most well-liked and well-known of the latter being in Press Gang (1989) where he played opposite real-life love (at the time) Julia Sawalha (Lynda Day on “Press Gang”). His career began at the age of 10, with a small role in Bugsy Malone (1976).

SNATCH

Plot Keywords Genres

Diamond | Fight | Boxing | Gypsy

Comedy | Crime

Rating

Introduction Snatch (stylised as snatch.) is a 2000 British comedy film written and directed by Guy Ritchie, featuring an ensemble cast. The film contains two intertwined plots: one dealing with the search for a stolen diamond, the other with a small-time boxing promoter (Jason Statham) who finds himself under the thumb of a ruthless gangster (Alan Ford) who is ready and willing to have his subordinates carry out severe and sadistic acts of violence. —Wikipedia

Cast Benicio Del Toro—Franky Four Fingers Dennis Farina—Cousin Avi Vinnie Jones—Bullet-Tooth Tony Brad Pitt—Mickey O’Neil

Benicio Del Toro

Dennis Farina

Benicio Monserrate Rafael Del Toro Sánchez, better known as Benicio Del Toro (born February 19, 1967), is a Puerto Rican-American actor. He has won an Academy Award, BAFTA Award, Golden Globe Award, and Screen Actors Guild Award for his portrayal of Javier Rodríguez in the film Traffic (2000). He is also known for his roles as Fred Fenster in The Usual Suspects (1995), Dr. Gonzo in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998), Franky Four Fingers in Snatch (2000), Jackie Boy in Sin City (2005), Che Guevara in Che (2008).

Dennis Farina (February 29, 1944 – July 22, 2013) was an American actor of film and television and former Chicago police officer. He was a character actor, often typecast as a mobster or police officer. His most known film roles are those of mobster Jimmy Serrano in the comedy Midnight Run and Ray “Bones” Barboni in Get Shorty. He starred on television as Lieutenant Mike Torello on Crime Story and as NYPD Detective Joe Fontana on Law & Order. He also hosted and narrated a revived version of Unsolved Mysteries.

THE FILMS

Brad Pitt William Bradley “Brad” Pitt (born December 18, 1963) is an American actor and producer. He has received a Golden Globe Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and three Academy Award nominations in acting categories, and received three further Academy Award nominations, winning one, as producer under his own company Plan B Entertainment.

Yes, London. You know: fish, chips, cup ‘o tea, bad food, worse weather, Mary fucking Poppins... London! Vinnie Jones See p09.

Review

Incredibly funny and entertaining story of four young “criminals” out for big money. This is one of the most intelligently written stories I’ve ever seen. If you like to write screenplays, let this one take you for a spin. Very fast paced film with great editing techniques and a hilarious cast and storyline thats sure to entertain, as long as you can handle the accents. Great cinematography as well. This story will send you through a cork screw. See it once, then see it again to see what you missed. —Shannon Duston

REVOLVER

Plot Keywords Genres

Casino | Prison | Flashback | Disease | Cash

Action | Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Rating

Introduction

Ray Liotta

Revolver is a 2005 crime thriller film co-written and directed by Guy Ritchie and starring Jason Statham, Ray Liotta, Vincent Pastore and André Benjamin. The film centres on a revenge-seeking confidence trickster whose weapon is a universal formula that guarantees victory to its user, when applied to any game or confidence trick.

Intense is the word for Ray Liotta. He specializes in psychopathic characters who hide behind a cultivated charm. Even in his nice guy roles in Field of Dreams (1989) and Operation Dumbo Drop (1995), you get the impression that something is smoldering inside of him. Liotta maintains a steady stream of work, completing multiple projects per year.

This is the fourth feature film by Ritchie and his third to centre on crime and professional criminals. It was released in UK theatres on 22 September 2005, but performed poorly at the box office. A reworked version was released to a limited number of US theatres on 7 December 2007. —Wikipedia

Storyline After seven years in solitary, Jake Green is released from prison. In the next two years, he amasses a lot of money by gambling. He’s ready to seek his revenge on Dorothy (Mr. D) Macha, a violence-prone casino owner who sent Jake to prison. He humiliates Macha in front of Macha’s lieutenants, leaves, and keels over. Doctors tell him he has a rare disease and will die in three days; Macha also puts a hit out on him. Loan sharks, Zack and Avi, demand Jake’s cash and complete fealty in return for protection. Jake complies, and through narration and flashbacks, we watch him through at least three days of schemes, danger, and redemption. Who is his greatest enemy? –J. Hailey

Cast Jason Statham—Jake Green Ray Liotta—Dorothy Macha Vincent Pastore—Zach André Benjamin—Avi

Vincent Pastore Vincent Pastore was born on July 14, 1946 in Bronx, New York, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for One Life to Live (1968), Revolver (2005) and Goodfellas (1990).

GREED IS THE ONLY SNAKE THAT CANNOT BE CHARMED. THE FILMS

André Benjamin

Jason Statham

André Benjamin was born on May 27, 1975 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA as Andre Benjamin.

See p09.

Review It kicks off intriguingly enough with no doubt deliberate echoes of The Usual Suspects (via repeated references to a Keyser Soze-esque underworld phantom), introducing us to some fun, skewed characters, like André Benjamin’s chess-dabbling loan shark and Mark Strong’s stuttering, balding hitman. But it’s not long before an overload of red herrings start stinking up a show already hindered by Statham’s overused voiceover, Ritchie’s tiresomely tricksy editing and Ray Liotta’s seeming desire to shout himself to death. By the final act, all pretense at logic is shrugged off, Revolver’s plotline contorting itself into the cinematic equivalent of a scribble on a maze in a child’s puzzle book. You’d do better to skip attempting this conundrum and stick with your Su Doku. A confusing, frustrating and failed attempt to intellectualise the Lock, Stock formula. Anyone know what this movie’s about? —William Thomas

ROCKNROLLA

Plot Keywords Genres

Painting | Accountant | Homosexual | Killed In An Elevator | Finger Gun

Action | Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Rating

Introduction

Gerard Butler

RocknRolla is a 2008 British-American crime comedy film written and directed by Guy Ritchie, and starring Gerard Butler, Tom Wilkinson, Thandie Newton, Mark Strong, Idris Elba, Tom Hardy, Jimi Mistry and Toby Kebbell. It was released on 5 September 2008 in the UK, hitting #1 in the UK box office in its first week of release.

Gerard James Butler was born in Paisley, Scotland, to Margaret and Edward Butler, a bookmaker. His family is of Irish origin. Gerard spent some of his very early childhood in Montreal, Quebec, but was mostly raised, along with his older brother and sister, in his hometown of Paisley. Butler attended Glasgow University, where he studied to be a lawyer/solicitor. He was president of the school’s law society thanks to his outgoing personality and great social skills.

—Wikipedia

Storyline Lenny Cole, a London mob boss, puts the bite on all local real estate transactions. For substantial fees, he’s helping Uri Omovich, a Russian developer. As a sign of good faith, Omovich loans Cole a valuable painting, promptly stolen off Cole’s wall. While Cole’s men, led by the dependable Archie, look for the canvas, three local petty criminals, the Wild Bunch, steal money from the Russian using inside information from his accountant, the lovely Stella. Meanwhile, a local drug-addled rocker, Johnny Quid, is reported drowned, and his connection to Cole is the key to unraveling the deceits and double crosses of life in the underworld. –J. Hailey

Cast Gerard Butler—One Two Tom Wilkinson—Lenny Cole Thandie Newton—Stella Mark Strong—Archy Idris Elba—Mumbles Tom Hardy—Handsome Bob

Thandie Newton Thandie Newton was born in London. She is the daughter of a Zimbabwean mother, Nyasha, a health-care worker from the Shona tribe, and Nick Newton, a British father who worked as a lab technician. She lived in Zambia until political unrest caused her family to move back to the UK. She then lived in Cornwall in the southwest of Britain until the age of 11. At that time she enrolled in London’s Art Educational School, where she studied modern dance. However, a back injury forced her to quit dancing. This led to her auditioning for films and receiving her first role in John Duigan’s Flirting (1991).

Tom Wilkinson Popular British character actor Tom Wilkinson was born in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, and comes from a long line of urban farmers. He is the son of Marjorie (Percival) and Thomas Wilkinson. Economic hardships forced his family to move to Canada for a few years when Wilkinson was a child; after he had returned to England, he attended and graduated from the University of Kent at Canterbury with a degree in English and American Literature.

THERE’S NO SCHOOL LIKE OLD SCHOOL, AND I’M THE FUCKING HEADMASTER. THE FILMS

Mark Strong

British actor Mark Strong, who played Jim Prideaux in the 2011 remake of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011), is often cast as cold, calculating villains. But before he became a famous actor, he intended to pursue a career in law. Strong was born Marco Giuseppe Salussolia in London, England, to an Austrian mother and an Italian father. His father left the family not long after he was born, and his mother worked as an au pair to raise the boy on her own. Strong’s mother had his name legally changed when he was young in order to help him better assimilate with his peers.

Idris Elba An only child, Idris Elba was born and raised in Hackney, London, England. His father, Winston, is from Sierra Leone and worked at a Ford motor factory. His mother, Eve, is from Ghana and had a clerical duty. Idris went to school in Canning Town, where he first became involved in acting. He gained a place in the National Youth Music Theatre - thanks to a £1,500 Prince’s Trust grant.

THE MUSIC

Hundred Mile High City Hortifuckinculturist Police & Thieves Spooky The Boss Walk This Land Blaspheming Barry I Wanna Be Your Dog Why Did You Do It Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve Been Shot Oh Girl Zorba the Greek

THE MUSIC

SOUNDTRACK

Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels

Snatch

Revolver

RockNRolla

Hundred Mile High City Hortifuckinculturist Police & Thieves Spooky The Boss Walk This Land Blaspheming Barry I Wanna Be Your Dog Why Did You Do It I've Been Shot Oh Girl Zorba the Greek The Payback It's Been Emotional 18 With a Bullet

Diamond Vere Iz Da Storn? Supermoves Hernando's Hideaway Zee Germans Golden Brown Dreadlock Holiday Hava Nagila Avi Arrives Cross The Tracks Disco Science Nemesis Hot Pants Lucky Star Come Again! Ghost Town Shrinking Balls Sensual Woman Angel RRRR ...Rumble Fuckin' In The Bushes Avi's Declaration Don't You Just Know It

Revolver Later That Night Atom's Bomb The Heist Fear Me Mucchio Selvaggio Chess Room Sorter Shoot Out Purple Requiem 3 Eddie Story End Casino Opera Casino Jack Accident The Mental Traveler To Never Miss Ask Yourself Gnossienne No. 1

I'm a Man Have Love Will Travel Bankrobber Alley-Oop Ruskies Outlaw Waiting for a Train Rock & Roll Queen The Gun The Stomp We Had Love Mirror in the Bathroom Funnel of Love Such a Fool Dopilsya Negra Leono

THE CITY

LONDON IS A MODERN BABYLON. —BENJAMIN DISRAELI

THE CITY

HISTORY

Tower of London engraving by William Miller after Turner , 1831.

London (the capital city of England and the United Kingdom) has a history dating back over 2,000 years. During this time, it has grown to become one of the most significant financial and cultural capitals of planet Earth. It has experienced plague, devastating fire, civil war, aerial bombardment, terrorist attacks, and widespread rioting. The City of London is its historic core and today is its primary financial district, though it now represents a tiny part of the wider metropolis of Greater London. According to the legendary Historia Regum Britanniae, of Geoffrey of Monmouth, London was founded by Brutus of Troy about 1000–1100 B.C. after he defeated the native giant Gogmagog; the settlement was known as Caer Troia, Troia Nova (Latin for New Troy), which, according to a pseudo-etymology, was corrupted to Trinovantum. Trinovantes were the Iron Age tribe who inhabited the area prior to the Romans. Geoffrey provides prehistoric London with a rich array of legendary kings, such as King Lud (see also Lludd, from Welsh Mythology) who, he claims, renamed the town Caer Ludein, from which London was derived, and was buried at Ludgate. However, despite intensive excavations, archaeologists have found no evidence of a prehistoric major settlement in the area. There have been scattered prehistoric finds, evidence of farming, burial and traces of habitation, but nothing more substantial. It is now considered unlikely that a pre-Roman city existed, but as some of the Roman city remains unexcavated, it is still just possible that some major settlement may yet be discovered. London was most likely a rural area with scattered settlement. Rich finds such as the Battersea Shield, found in the Thames near Chelsea, suggest the area was important; there

may have been important settlements at Egham and Brentford, and there was a hillfort at Uphall Camp, Ilford, but no city in the area of the Roman London, the present day City of London. Some discoveries indicate probable very early settlements near the Thames in the London area. In 2010 the foundations of a large timber structure, dated to 4000BC, were found on the Thames foreshore, south of Vauxhall Bridge. The function of the mesolithic structure is not known. In 1999, the remains of a Bronze Age bridge were found, again on the foreshore south of Vauxhall Bridge. This bridge either crossed the Thames, or went to a now lost island in the river. Dendrology dated the timbers to 1500BC. In 2001 a further dig found that the timbers were driven vertically into the ground on the south bank of the Thames west of Vauxhall Bridge. All these structures are on the south bank at a natural crossing point where the River Effra flows into the River Thames. In terms of society, there is so much hostility everywhere, as if the claustrophobia of city life makes people resent the others they are competing with for space. People flash you venomous looks as soon as you happen to accidentally nudge them on the tube, or look at you in suspicious surprise should you thank them for letting you off the train. I’ve seen the same guy at my stop a few times now, and he only receives my smile of recognition with a look that makes me wonder if I have two heads. Taxi drivers seem to spend half their day with their hand on a horn, whilst confrontations between white-van drivers and cyclists are part of the scenery. Every few weeks, a cyclist will be killed in a collision. I seem to encounter so many scenarios that make me feel sad – scenes of poverty, illness and loneliness. The other

CROSS FROM ON ANOTHER AND YO A COMPLETE CHA SOCIOECO OF THE

THE CITY

week, I helped a lady cross a busy road after she twice walked out at tortoise-pace in front of rapidly approaching traffic. Clinging onto my arm, she said simply, “I’m 92 and think I’m going a bit crazy.” I wondered how many people she has here that actually care for her. Then there’s the youthful gang culture which only last weekend saw a 16 year old boy be stabbed to death on my road, supposedly for his bike. However, sometimes London has its nice socio-cultural moments. I’ve been making notes of the times pleasant things have happened on the way to work, like the time I spoke to a stranger on the tube or witnessed a man offer to help a woman lift her buggy up the station stairs. The fact that these are occasions worthy of note-making is a sign of how rare they are. London is full of contrasts. Cross from one street to another and you’ll find a complete change in socioeconomic status of the residents. Likewise you’ll encounter something cheerful minutes after something unpleasant.

NE STREET TO YOU’LL FIND ANGE IN ONOMIC STATUS RESIDENTS. — Shannon Colman, Editor of soleseeking.com

A CITY OF CONTRASTS —March 8, 2015 by shannonelizabeth

Having been in London for almost two weeks now, the one aspect which stood out for me is the absolute contrast in experiences and environments which the city contains. While parts of the city feature one towering skyscraper after another, parts of it are dedicated to plush green meadows, farms and even artificial forests and lakes. Whereas some parts are teeming with millions of people, others are absolutely deserted with acre after acre of desolate land. This feature is something which struck me after visiting two places in quick succession- Canary Wharf and Ruislip Lido, both presenting an absolute contrast to each other. Let me first start with Canary Wharf. As we first exited the tube station and went over ground, we were greeted by numerous staggeringly tall skyscrapers surrounding us on all sides. In front of us lay a courtyard of sorts overlooking the Thames surrounded by various food stalls serving some of the most delicious foods possible ranging from hot dogs to salads, people dressed in formal suits were swarming all over the place, in fact it seemed to me that I was the only tourist there. Ahead lay a bridge on which ran one of London’s most famous over ground tubes, known as the DLR. Ahead of the bridge one can witness scenic views of the Thames banks. The skyscrapers, the bridge and the Thames combine to form a scene which one can never forget, a perfect mix of man made and natural beauty. Canary Wharf to me seemed like a place which can make even the most boring job seem a little bit more interesting and it certainly is my dream to work here one day. I’m sure a picture will make it easier for you to envision it. Next, I’m going to talk about Ruislip Lido, located in greater London. Ruislip Lido is basically a massive park, which contains a man made lake and forest, which gives one the impression that he is in a different world altogether. The lake houses hundreds of white swans which swim gracefully on its crystal clear waters, and is surrounded by sandy shores on two sides where there are a number of rides and activities for kids. An artificial forest lies on one side of the lake, and although the forest lacks any major wildlife it houses an array of flora and fauna. A path cuts through the forest, offering an opportunity for a beautiful and peaceful walk with the lake on one side and a charming toy

THE CITY

train running on the other side. The park also houses a beautiful park café; overlooking the lake this café serves delicious British fast food like English breakfasts and fish & chips. There are also a number of jetties placed on the water, which seem as if they’re floating on the water and contain picnic tables where families can enjoy a lovely meal while looking at the beautiful scenery of swans swimming and the dense forest beyond. Ruislip Lido is like an escape into nature’s lap, a short drive from Harrow, a beautiful getaway especially if you are travelling with kids.

MUSEUMS & GALLERIES

British Museum

V&A

One of the world’s oldest museums, the British Museum is vast and its collections, only a fraction of which can be on public display at any one time, comprise millions of objects. First-time visitors generally head for the mummies, the Rosetta Stone, Lindow Man, the Lewis Chessmen and the Sutton Hoo ship burial.

The V&A is one of the world’s most magnificent museums, its foundation stone laid on this site by Queen Victoria in her last official public engagement in 1899. It is a superb showcase for applied arts from around the world, appreciably calmer than its tearaway cousins on the other side of Exhibition Road. Some 150 grand galleries on seven floors contain countless pieces of furniture, ceramics, sculpture, paintings, posters, jewellery, metalwork, glass, textiles and dress, spanning several centuries. Items are grouped by theme, origin or age: for advice, tap the patient staff, who field a formidable combination of leaflets, floor plans, general knowledge and polite concern.

Indeed, the Sutton Hoo finds provide the centrepiece for the new Sir Paul and Lady Jill Ruddock Gallery (Room 41), designed to display the museum’s exceptional early medieval collection. Covering finds from across Europe from AD 300 to 1100, the Ruddock Gallery shows off not only the Anglo-Saxons’ iconic Sutton Hoo masked helmet, but also late Roman mosaics and such extraordinary objects as the fourth-century Lycurgus Cup, made to change colour in different lights, and the Kells Crozier, a holy yew wood staff decorated and adapted many times from the ninth century onwards.

THE CITY

National Gallery

Tate Modern

Founded in 1824 to display a collection of just 36 paintings, today the National Gallery is home to more than 2,000 works. There are masterpieces from virtually every European school of art. The modern Sainsbury Wing extension contains the gallery’s earliest works: Italian paintings by early masters like Giotto and Piero della Francesca. The basement of the Sainsbury Wing is also the setting for temporary exhibitions. In the West Wing are Italian Renaissance masterpieces by Correggio, Titian and Raphael; in the North Wing, seventeenth-century Dutch, Flemish, Italian and Spanish Old Masters. In the East Wing (reached via the street-level entrance in Trafalgar Square) are some of the gallery’s most popular paintings: works by the French Impressionists and post-Impressionists, including on of Monet’s water lily paintings and one of Van Gogh’s sunflowers series. You can’t see everything in one visit to the National Gallery, but the free guided tours and audio guides will help you make the most of your time. There’s also a wonderfully atmospheric café stocked with Oliver Peyton goodies, and a fine-dining restaurant, the National Dining Rooms.

In the main galleries themselves, the original cavernous turbine hall is still used to jaw-dropping effect as the home of large-scale, temporary installations. Beyond, the permanent collection draws from the Tate’s collections of modern art (international works from 1900) and features heavy hitters such as Matisse, Rothko and Beuys – a genuinely world-class collection, expertly curated. There are vertiginous views down inside the building from outside the galleries, which group artworks according to movement (Surrealism, Minimalism, Post-war abstraction) rather than by theme.

THE CINEMA

THE CITY

OUR STORY Interview with Tyrone Walker-Hebborn, owner of Genesis cinema, about the fascinating history of the building and the East End of London. —Zarina Rimbaud-Kadirbaks Offering entertainment in the East End since 1848 When you google the history of the cinema, you will find out that the site has been used for entertainment purposes since the mid-19th century. The first building on the site opened in 1848 and was a pub that turned into a music hall. After that building was destroyed by fire in 1884 the owners at the time hired the architect Frank Matcham to design a replacement theatre that opened in 1885 under the name Paragon Theatre of Varieties. Matcham’s revolutionary design made him the most popular architect of the time and he was commissioned to build many more London theatres. Why? Because he had made the Paragon into the best ventilated theatre in London! The air quality in theatres used to be very poor at the time due to overcrowding, poor ventilation and gas-lamp fumes. The theatre welcomed many stars on its stage including Charlie Chaplin just before he left for Hollywood and received worldwide fame. The building has been used as a cinema from 1912. The cinema changed hands and names many times till it eventually closed down in 1989. After having been derelict for a decade, current owner Tyrone revived the cinema and gave it its fitting name: Genesis.

I read about the long and fascinating history of the building and won’t ask you too much about this, but can you tell me some inside stories? We recently found out that when this place was the Paragon Theatre of Varieties, not only Charlie Chaplin performed here, but also Laurel & Hardy. In 1963 there was the royal premiere of the film Sparrows Can’t Sing here, starring Barbara Windsor. She also attended the Genesis opening in 1999 and told the backstory to that premiere. Princess Margaret was supposed to be at that premiere, but because she knew the Kray twins were going to be there, she wasn’t coming as she couldn’t officially be seen at a party where the Kray brothers were. [The Kray twins were notorious East End gangsters. Tom Hardy will be playing them both in the new feature film about them.] Instead of princess Margaret, her husband Lord Snowdon came as the official royal representative. But the Kray twins had a pub across the street called the Kit Kat Club and after the premiere everybody went there. Princess Margaret had been there all the time having a good time with the Kray twins, getting drunk. This is a story that was never ever publicly known.

“GREAT LITTLE INDIE CINEMA, OLDSCHOOL INTERIORS, GOOD PRICES DURING THE WEEK.” 41

ACCOMMODATION Avo Hotel, Dalston Founded in 1824 to display a collection of just 36 paintings, today the National Gallery is home to more than 2,000 works. There are masterpieces from virtually every European school of art. The modern Sainsbury Wing extension contains the gallery’s earliest works: Italian paintings by early masters like Giotto and Piero della Francesca. The basement of the Sainsbury Wing is also the setting for temporary exhibitions. In the West Wing are Italian Renaissance masterpieces by Correggio, Titian and Raphael; in the North Wing, seventeenth-century Dutch, Flemish, Italian and Spanish Old Masters. In the East Wing (reached via the street-level entrance in Trafalgar Square) are some of the gallery’s most popular paintings: works by the French Impressionists and post-Impressionists, including on of Monet’s water lily paintings and one of Van Gogh’s sunflowers series. You can’t see everything in one visit to the National Gallery, but the free guided tours and audio guides will help you make the most of your time. There’s also a wonderfully atmospheric café stocked with Oliver Peyton goodies, and a fine-dining restaurant, the National Dining Rooms. In the hip Hackney neighborhood, this eclectic hotel with a casual vibe is a 4-minute walk from Dalston Junction’s Overground train service and a 7-minute walk from the funky Ridley Road Market Shopping Village. It’s 3.1 miles from the Tower of London.

Intimate rooms with traditional wood furnishings and modern accents have en suite bathrooms with showers. All come with flat-screen TVs, iPod/iPhone docks, DVD players and free WiFi, plus tea and coffeemaking equipment. A studio adds a kitchenette and a living area with a sofa. Paid breakfast is available. There’s also a DVD library and payas-you-go mobile phones to borrow. Address: 82 Dalston Ln, Hackney, Greater London E8 3AH, United Kingdom

THE CITY

“There’s a hole in the world ... And it goes by the name of London. —Stephen Sondheim

THE CITY

ATTRACTIONS & SIGHTSEEING Discover London There are many different ways to enjoy all of London’s top sights and activities: from our inspirational itineraries to specialist guide-led tours, or on your own with expert guidance from visitlondon.com.

The Millennium Dome is a huge white tent-like structure in Greenwich, London. It was built to mark the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st. It cost more than £700m and was designed as a futuristic day out for the whole family.

The London Pass® The London Pass® is the ultimate sightseeing package that has been especially tailor-made for visitors to the city. It gives holders the ability to make the most out of their trip visiting top sights and attractions whilst saving time, money and stress.

• Free 160+ page guidebook packed with helpful tips, info

What is The London Pass® and what do you get?

• The London Pass Saves You Money

• Free entry to over 60 attractions, tours and museums • Fast Track Entry - skip the lines at selected attractions to save time

• Free Hop on Hop off Bus Tour to explore London • Optional Oyster Travelcard to cover all of your transport needs

Tower Bridge is a combined bascule and suspension bridge in London. The bridge crosses the River Thames close to the Tower of London and has become an iconic symbol of London.

and maps

• Free Money Back Guarantee for all online orders • Over 20 exclusive special offers

We have designed the London Pass so that you can cut costs and start saving from the start as entry fees are already paid for and included in the price of the pass. This helps when costs of attractions are sometimes over £20 to enter. Here are the normal gate prices for 10 of London’s most popular attractions - don’t forget all of these are included in the price of the London Pass.

The Palace of Westminster is the meeting place of the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Commonly known as the Houses of Parliament after its occupants, for ceremonial purposes, the palace retains its original style and status as a royal residence and is the property of the Crown.

Buckingham Palace serves as both the office and London residence of Her Majesty The Queen, as well as the administrative headquarters of the Royal Household. It is one of the few working royal palaces remaining in the world today.

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TRANSPORT The London Underground London Underground’s history dates back to 1863 when the world’s first underground railway, the Metropolitan Railway, opened between Paddington and Farringdon serving six intermediate stations. Since then the Underground network, affectionately nicknamed the Tube by generations of Londoners, has grown to 270 stations and 11 lines stretching deep into the Capital’s suburbs, and beyond. The development of London into the preeminent world city during the nineteenth, twentieth and twenty-first centuries would not have been possible without the mobility provided by the Underground. Much of the central London network was completed in the first 50 years, all through private development. In this period the first group of routes were built in shallow cut-and-cover tunnels along existing thoroughfares and needed plenty of vents to allow smoke and steam from the engines to escape. Around the turn of the twentieth century the development of electric traction allowed much deeper tunnels to penetrate the heart of the city, leading to a second wave of construction. In the subsequent 50 years the focus turned to extending lines ever further into London’s suburbs. Indeed, many suburbs were created by the coming of the Underground, and were even developed by the railway companies themselves, becoming known famously as Metroland. In 1933, the various private companies running different lines were nationalised and integrated into a single body, the London Passenger Transport Board.

THE CITY

LANGUAGE

General Example

Cockney Rhyming Slang Rhyming slang is a form of phrase construction in the English language that is especially prevalent in dialectal English from the East End of London; hence the alternative name, Cockney rhyming slang. The construction involves replacing a common word with a rhyming phrase of two or three words and then, in almost all cases, omitting the secondary rhyming word (which is thereafter implied), in a process called hemiteleia, making the origin and meaning of the phrase elusive to listeners not in the know.

I was going for a ruby down the frog in the jar when the bone went. Cor blimey if it weren’t the trouble. She’d had her barnet done and bought a new tit for tat now her plates were giving her jip. Well she gave me a real north and south full ‘bout the porkies I told her ‘bout the waitress that I had rested my mince pies on, so I puts on me new whistle and peckham rye ‘nd we went down the rub a dub dub and she had a cuppa rosey and I had a jar. Sorted. —From Hancock’s Half Hour. Sid James to the Lad ‘imself (Tony Hancock) I can’t went to get into my pointed Italian two-tones and off down the High Street. Makes you feel like a king. Clean Dickie dirt, new peckham, pair of luminous almond rocks, new whistle, nice crease in my strides, barnet well greased up, and flashing my hampsteads at all the bonnie palones. I didn’t understand a single word you said but it sounded marvellous.

THE CITY

GR612.02 INTEGRATED COMMUNICATIONS ZHEN (JIMMY) LI INSTRUCTOR: HUNTER WIMMER

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