Just before the supposed end of the world, what would be a greater way to spend it than looking at the history of London’s great export, the film? The guys over at London Film Museum have brought together a top exhibition, highlighting London’s film history from London communities to literary London.
Exhibitions like this do not come along very often, in fact the last showcase was the Museum of London’s LONDON ON FILM back in 1996. But the long wait has been worth it, with LIGHTS, CAMERA, LONDON! bringing some of the greatest film’s true star to the forefront: London itself! Using a mixture of stills, extracts and original props, we see the history of London in a complete different way.
The exhibition itself is very slick without throwing too much information in your face. It is split into sections, dealing with London’s diverse cultures and communities, ranging from working London to musical London and even destroying London itself. We see just how London has made its mark on the film industry…and it’s been an incredible backdrop. From films like THE ELEPHANT MAN to SPICE WORLD to 28 DAYS LATER, the exhibition shows that yeah, some of the films might not have been a hit acclaim (but the notion that SPICE WORLD should have been nominated for an Oscar is still up for a debate) one setting has been vital and still stands tall whatever is thrown at it.
One of the truly distinctive things about this exhibition is the costumes and artifacts, many had been donated from the actors that starred in the films them selves. Ron Moody’s hat and gloves, from when he played Fagin in the musical OLIVER! sit in the heart of the ‘Musical London’ section of the exhibit, also Gary Kemp, who played Ronnie Kray in THE KRAYS, donated a shirt with the initals R.K. embroidered near the buttons. We don’t want to spoil everything for you, but get down there to see the great collection.
LIGHTS, CAMERA, LONDON! is a must exhibition for lovers of film but also lovers of London in general. The exhibition ends with a lovely quote from Samuel Johnson which says: “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life, for there is in London all that life can afford” and with exhibitions like this, you do truly see what London has to offer. The best thing about this exhibit? IT’S FREE! LIGHTS, CAMERA, LONDON! opens to the public on 21st December 2012 and will be on display at the London Film Museum Covent Garden throughout 2013.
Still not sure? Check out some exclusive images below:
