Awhile back I blogged about London as seen in film. But this week I’m going to broaden the horizons and reminisce about England in film. If you can’t afford to come visit me in England pop one of these into your DVD player for a dose of England via Hollywood magic.
I’ve tried to differentiate this list from the London list, but there is some crossover!
Make a cup of tea, fix a plate of scones and clotted cream and pop in some of these films over the weekend to travel to England cheaply.
13. Shakespeare in Love.
London. To be honest, I think Gwyneth Paltrow is really….so-so….But I think Joseph Fiennes is really good in this film and Geoffrey Rush, Judi Dench and Colin Firth all have great character parts.
12. 28 Days Later.
London. In my opinion, it’s the best and most intelligent zombie film out there. I really recommend it. Also the shots of abandoned London are amazing and eerie.
11. The Lady Vanishes.
Hitchcock’s complicated thriller largely takes place outside of England and the plot is too convoluted to even attempt to summarize. But towards the end, you can spot Hitchcock himself in a scene outside Victorian Station in London.
10. Pride & Prejudice (Or any other Austen movie really.)
Period costumes. Romance. Grand sweeping shots of luxurious countryside. What’s not to love?!
9. Love Actually.
London. Cheesy, overdone. Whatever. I love it. When Emma Thompson opens the Christmas present from Alan Rickman and it’s a CD and she cries in her room and goes out and pretends everything is fine, it kills me. Every. Single. Time.
8. Harry Potter.
True most of Harry Potter takes place in Hogwarts which we know to be in Scotland, not England. But can anyone ever forget some of the HP shots of London, including when the Millennium Bridge was destroyed?
7. Atonement
I might get some flack for what I’m about to say, but I extremely dislike most of the characters in Atonement. In fact, I think the film really really drags in parts and is most certainly not one of my favourite romances. However, it is so beautiful to look at: the costumes, the countryside, the homes, even WWI is shot stunningly.
6. Death at a Funeral (the 2007 version NOT the American remake.)
The funniest film about the death of a family member that anyone has ever made. I say this in all seriousness.
5. Four Weddings and A Funeral
I think this film was one of the highest grossing British films in the history of cinema at the time it came out. Which is a bit crazy to me, but I guess that it goes to show you that everyone loves a bit of comedy, romance and Hugh Grant.
4. Brideshead Revisited
Oxford, Wiltshire, London. Summary: everyone is miserable. But scenically everything is beautiful!
3. Bright Star
A film about the last 3 years of Keats’ life. And he has a pretty juicy last 3 years, considering he died at the age of 25.
2. The Omen
Confession: If I had to name one of my really, really strange crushes it would be my Gregory Peck crush. As this is the only traditional horror movie on the list, prepare to see the life of an American diplomat in England absolutely fall apart.
1. Wuthering Heights
Yorkshire Moors. I hate Heathcliff and Cathy, but that’s part of the appeal of the book right? Seriously, two people never deserved each other more than those two.
