MIDSOMER MURDERS
FILMING NEWS & MEMORIES
SERIES 9 FILMING
August 2005
Thame was again the setting for Midsomer Murders recently when the crew were at 'The Spread Eagle Hotel' in Thame to film episode 3 of Series 9, 'Vixen's Run'. which is due to be shown early in the New Year. The hotel was renamed The Swan for the benefit of the script and Salsa dancing was filmed in the hotels Fothergill's Brasserie. There were also some bedroom scenes, filmed in the hotels Brides Head Wing. John is pictured below with Hotel Proprietor, Sarah Barrington who found him to be just as "good looking and charming as in the programme"!
with thanks to Oxfordprospect.co.uk-Headington
forum for the photo & info.
MORE SERIES 8 NEWS
Thursday, 1st July 2004
Filming has taken place at the 2004 Henley Regatta. The film schedule made significant use of the press facilities, including the catwalk leading to the Press Box as well as the box itself and one of the boating pontoons.
SERIES 8 FILMING
Friday, May 14, 2004
John Nettles In Town
A FILM crew from Pinewood Studios have been attracting a lot of attention in the Upper High Street this week.
The first of a new series of 'Midsomer Murders', starring John Nettles, is currently being filmed in the area, and 34 Upper High Street, formerly inhabited by Sheild Recruitment, has been temporarily turned into a morgue for an episode called 'Things That Go Bump In The Night.'
The friendly film crew were unaware of the appropriateness of the title, until told about the Civil War ghost who inhabits the top right-hand room.
They will be back in Thame in
June, with a 'cherry picker', filming in the town centre.
From 'Thame News net'
Long Crendon
With thanks to www.thame.net
for the picture
FILMING MEMORIES
Thursday, 22nd June 2000
Midsomer Madness -
Filming of the T.V. series Midsomer Murders has caused a row in the
village of Long Crendon near Aylesbury. Neighbours say that filming
at a local's house, sometimes in the early hours of the morning, was
OK for her because she was paid but disruptive for them and they
received nothing.
Locations Manager, Georgina True-May has said that the company picked the village for it's beauty.
ITN also spent three days filming in Long Crendon and Thame, and took over the village library to record debates on village life and hunting, hosted by Aylesbury-born Channel 5 newsreader Rob Butler.
MEMORIES FROM THE FILMING AT HADDENHAM (seen in Judgement Day as 'Little Kirkbridge'
Photo - Mick
Whitney
Between the time the location was chosen and filming took place the church tower was covered in scaffolding and the Director had to get the scaffolding taken down just for the day of the shoot - probably at vast expense!
The Town Crier's speech was filmed first from a number of angles then the camera was set up behind the judges for our bit. We had asked the Director what sort of dance was wanted but all they said was something with plenty of movement so we settled on a stick dance called Young Collins, from the Bledington tradition. We had to stand on our marks, in the same places and then walk on as the Town Crier called us on. I can't remember how many times we did that but it seemed like hundreds!! We weren't allowed to move from our marks between takes despite pleas to take a few minutes to get a beer -but they did bring us some bottled water and Nicholas Grace came and had a chat about Morris Dancing.
Then the camera was moved to behind the musicians for close up shots of feet etc. And we had to do the start of the dance a good few times again. We never actually completed more than the first verse.
Whilst the camera was being moved we had a cup of tea and my wife and I had a nice chat with Josephine Tewson and Maggie Steed. All the cast and crew were very friendly and all of us agreed we had a very enjoyable day.
The dancers were Alan Thorn in his
Crendon Morris fools outfit, Tony Merry - it's his voice you hear
calling the dance, Pete Summerskill (me -the large bearded one), Mick
Whitney, Andy Hardy, Jon Pawsey and Jim Robinson. The musicians were
Gill and Cliff Dyer, and Penny Heydon.
Pete
Summerskill, Haddenham Morris
DEATH'S SHADOW
with thanks to John Pladdys
for these filming memories
Most of the gravestones seen in the churchyard scenes were glass fibre fakes. The churchwarden would not let them dig a hole in the churchyard, so they used two large mounds of earth. Richard Briers and John Nettles actually sat at the side doing crosswords during the filming of the memorial service scene.
The (real) vicar at the church used Stephen Bryce's "gravestone" in a sermon to illustrate that things are not always what they seem! Richard asked the churchwarden if he looked convincing as a vicar and he replied by "booking" him to do a wedding if the vicar was on holiday!
Bledlow tower does not have an internal stone staircase, so the vicar was seen running behind a red curtain (erected specially) with Troy in pursuit, and this was cut in with a staircase from another church.
AUGUST 2005