Shepperton Studios

Shepperton has been the home of maverick and independent film production for nearly 75 years. Owned by a succession of famous brothers—the Kordas, the Boultings, the Lees, and the Scotts—some of the most successful films ever produced have been made here. Billy Liar, Dr. Strangelove, Oliver!, Alien, A Passage to India, the Pink Panther films, The Omen, The Wicker Man, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Gandhi, Evita, The Crying Game, Troy, Four Weddings and a Funeral, and Bend It Like Beckham are but a small selection of the classic films featured in this first comprehensive, fully authorized history. With exclusive contributions from directors, actors, and producers; 300 images, many never-before seen; and a DVD featuring trailers from a dozen major films made at the studios, this is an essential work for all fans and students of the cinema.

Shepperton has been the home of maverick and independent film production for nearly 75 years. Owned by a succession of famous brothers—the Kordas, the Boultings, the Lees, and the Scotts—some of the most successful films ever produced have been made here. Billy Liar, Dr. Strangelove, Oliver!, Alien, A Passage to India, the Pink Panther films, The Omen, The Wicker Man, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Gandhi, Evita, The Crying Game, Troy, Four Weddings and a Funeral, and Bend It Like Beckham are but a small selection of the classic films featured in this first comprehensive, fully authorized history. With exclusive contributions from directors, actors, and producers; 300 images, many never–before seen; and a DVD featuring trailers from a dozen major films made at the studios, this is an essential work for all fans and students of the cinema.

Library Journal

This lavishly produced coffee-table history commemorates the 75th anniversary of Shepperton Studios, a leader in the British film industry and a haven for independent filmmakers like Roger Corman and Peter Jackson. Producer and broadcaster Bright (The Lost "Carry Ons": Scenes That Never Made It to the Screen) traces the evolution of the studio from its inception to the present. Comments from directors, makeup artists, and other technicians who worked at Shepperton enhance the text, which is illustrated with more than 300 black-and-white and color images, many never before published. Especially interesting are the chapters on the Pink Panther films starring Peter Sellers and the Hammer horror features filmed at Shepperton. A free DVD containing 12 classic film trailers (e.g., The Wicker Man, Billy Liar) is a bonus. This exceptional book for movie history fans also includes a foreword by the late Sir John Mills, an introduction by director and producer Ridley Scott, an extensive filmography, and high-quality posters and stills. Though its size and weight might be a drawback for libraries, it is highly recommended where there is interest.-Rosalind Dayen, South Regional Lib., Broward Cty., FL Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.