Category Archives: Entertainment news

April 19, 2017 · 1:26 pm

News of 2nd edition of ‘The Making of SWALLOWS and AMAZONS (1974)’ published by The Lutterworth Press on 25th May 2017

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The long-awaited second edition of ‘The Making of SWALLOWS AND AMAZONS (1974)’ is being published in paperback by The Lutterworth Press on 25th May. Pre-orders are now available from their website here
This memoir of an odd thing that happened in the early 1970s is similar to the first edition but has a new cover and includes a few more stories, photographs and names from the ‘seventies that have floated to the surface. It compliments StudioCanal’s 40th Anniversary DVD and Blu-ray and makes a good present for anyone who has grown up watching the 1974 film.
StudioCanal DVD cover
The new paperback edition will be stocked by the vast majority of book retailers including Amazon, Waterstones, Blackwells, Paperback Bookshop, Books Etc. and is available direct from The Lutterworth Press  who also publish ‘Swallows, Amazons and Coots’ by Julian Lovelock that has a forward by Sophie Neville.  Those in North America can order copies from the US distributor Casemate Academic
 Swallows & Amazons flags for book

Sophie hopes to be signing copies at events around the country this summer.

Please click here for details

Roseland Festival 2017
Last weekend Sophie was signing copies of her books at the Tavistock Festival and gave a talk at the Roseland Festival in St Mawes before a screening of ‘Swallows and Amazons’ (1974) on Sunday evening at the lovely Hotel Tresanton cinema.
Arthur Ransome Pin Mill Jamboree
We are hoping copies of the 2nd Edition will be available by Saturday 13th May when Sophie will be opening the Arthur Ransome Pin Mill Jamboree in Suffolk, to celebrate the  20th Anniversary of the Nancy Blackett Trust and Visit England’s Year of Literary Heroes. As we Discover the Land of Literary Greats, Sophie will be giving a talk on the adaptations of Ransome’s books set in East Anglia and the English Lake District.

Map of the Jamboree

 this Saturday 22nd May at 2.00pm

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November 10, 2016 · 9:45 am

‘Swallows and Amazons’ launch of the 2016 film on DVD and Blu-Ray

The new Harbour Pictures film of ‘Swallows and Amazons’ starring Rafe Spall, Andrew Scott and Kelly Macdonald is now available on DVD and Blu-ray in the UK.

Saga are giving away one copy on Blu-ray. Please go to the Saga Facebook page and follow the instructions – you just might win the prize draw!

or you can attempt to win a copy by entering their prize draw competition on Twitter, which you can reach by entering the #SwallowsandAmazons into your Twitter search box.

You can order the film from Amazon by clicking here (also available from other outlets).

It makes a great Christmas present.

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October 24, 2016 · 11:37 am

‘An A-Z of Cumbria and The Lake District on Film’ has been launched

by Hayloft Publishing, written by David Banning with a forward by Sophie Neville.

‘This is the finest comprehensive guide to the history of movies filmed in Cumbria and the Lake District, since the early twentieth century to the present day… it  will take you on a journey through the filmic landscape of one of the world’s most beautiful places.’

A-Z Cover image

‘You will be able to immerse yourself in the lush green world where Star Wars created an alien landscape or take a trip around Swallows and Amazons country, not to mention joining the ranks of Withnail and I pilgrims or sampling the nostalgic Breif Encounter tea rooms where a tiny piece of grit kick-started an enduring romance.’

To read more, please click here for Cumbria Today or click on this image for a review in the Cumberland & Westmorland Herald:

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There is also a feature in the Westmoreland Gazette here

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For more information from Hayloft Publishing, and to buy this book, please click here

Terry Abraham, who made the film Life of a Mountain, writes: There are countless books covering aspects of the most beautiful corner of England but none which reveal little known facts regarding it as a location for filming. David thoroughly and interestingly brings to light the great number of films both large and small that have featured Lakeland on camera. Some less obvious than others but no less absorbing, you may well wish to seek out and visit where productions have captured the scenic delights of Lakeland. David’s book is an engaging and enlightening read and definitely one for the shelf alongside other works celebrating England’s finest landscape.

Be the first to review this book on Amazon.co.uk

David Banning lists ten of the best films made in Cumbria. Please click on these links for the International Movie Database details and film trailers:

Brief Encounter, 1945

The Dambusters, 1955

Swallows and Amazons, 1974

The French Lieutenant’s Woman, 1981

Brazil, 1985

Withnail & I, 1987

28 Days Later, 2002

Miss Potter, 2006

Sightseers, 2012

Star Wars Episode VII – The Force Awakens, 2015

You can see a shot of Derwent Water at 1.23 mins into the official film trailer for Star Wars after ‘This Christmas’ graphics, here:

 

 

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September 30, 2016 · 12:07 pm

Launching the second edition of The Secrets of Filming ‘Swallows and Amazons'(1974)

 

front-cover-1974

A second edition of the ebook ‘The Secrets of Filming ‘SWALLOWS & AMAZONS'(1974) is now avaialble on Amazon Kindle, Smashwords, itunes, Kobo, and Nook for £2.99 . You can download this free of charge if you already own the first edition.

If you would like a copy but don’t have a Kindle, worry not. We have added a link whereby you can download a free Kindle app. Please go to my Book Page and scroll down for the details.

If you already have a copy of the ebook, contact a Customer Advisor and ask for a free update. You just need to give Kindle the ebook’s ASIN number. The ISBN for all online editions except Kindle is: ISBN 9781311761927

ASIN is: B00GNFYZJS. The full instructions are: Select “Help” from the right hand end of the top grey bar on your online Amazon account page on the main site. Click on ‘Contact us’ on the right. Under ‘What can we help you with?’ select Amazon Content and Devices. Tap on your Kindle device in the boxes shown, then scroll down the page to ‘Select an issue’ and in the drop down menu select ‘My Kindle books and subscriptions’ Follow the prompts to connect to a Customer Advisor on live chat. Tell them that there is a newer version of the book than when you originally purchased and ask them to deliver the latest updated edition to all of your devices. This is free, although it takes a few minutes. There may be a different proceedure to download new versions from other booksellers – I advise doing whatever is similar. From other sellers you will need to supply the book’s Smashwords ISBN: 9781311761927

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A beautiful photograph of Virginia McKenna taken on location in the Lake District in 1973 by Philip Hatfield

Since being contacted by others who were involved in the filming, I have been able to add a few more anecdotes and images, including this beautiful shot of Virginia McKenna kindly sent in by the photographer Philip Hatfield.

I found a copy of my original contract for the film and when Jean McGill rang from Bowness, a few more secrets floated to the surface.

Sophie Neville and David Wood

CBBCTV’s Cinemaniacs  interviewed the screenwriter David Wood and myself on how the original movie of Arthur Ransome’s ‘Swallows and Amazons’ was made back in the summer of 1973.  The idea was to use 30 second clips, so please excuse my over-the-top reactions, but you can watch the whole recording below.

‘This has to be one of the most delightful interviews in my recent memory.’ Tim Lewis, USA

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September 8, 2016 · 9:38 am

‘Scottish Mussel’, a new British movie featuring our tame otters

A new British film is being launched on 23rd September starring Talulah Riley, Martin Compston, and Joe Thomas of In Betweeners fame, along with our tame otters.

I travelled up to Dunoon in Scotland to help with the scenes that, in the story, entail an injured otter brought into a wildlife conservation centre set in a beautiful location outside Glasgow.

Sophie Neville with Beanie the Otter

Belinda the Otter with Sophie and Daphne Neville

The romcom is written and directed by Talulah Riley who also stars in what promises to be an amusing movie. Talulah was keen to feature our very energetic young male otter Rudi in a scene where the otter is released back into the wild.  To achieve this on film, without losing him altogether, was quite a feat but he enjoyed himself and the result looks endearing.

When one of the producers asked if I had worked on any other films featuring animals, I had to admit there have been quite a few. We had a baboon in the studio once and I became quite used to filming with trained elephants. I worked with a whole variety of exotic animals on the vet series ‘One by One’ from a pelican to a full grown leopard. In the mid 1980’s I was lucky enough to spend four months on Corfu making the first BBC adaptation of Gerald Durrell’s autobiography ‘My Family and Other Animals’ with Brian Blessed and a huge number of tortoises. As it happens, Rudi will appear in the next series of The Durrells, with filming due to start soon.

To see more about what the otters have been up to, please go to Daphne Neville’s website here.

You can read about living with tame otters in my book ‘Funnily Enough’ available in the UK here in paperback or on Kindle here

There are more photographs of the otters here

The DVD, which will be released on 3rd October, is available for pre-order here

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One of our hand-reared otters who stars in ‘Scottish Mussel’

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August 19, 2016 · 8:33 pm

Swallows and Amazons films profiled on BBC South Today

‘Can you be in Cowes at 9.00am tomorrow morning?’ I was asked.

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BBC South Today explained that they’d like to interview me about being in ‘Swallows and Amazons’ back in 1974.

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‘They’re pirates!’ I found Sarah Farmer filming on the Parade.

Sophie Neville with BBC South Today

Seren Hawkes who plays Nancy Blackett in the new movie ‘Swallows and Amazons’ was with her.

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I was asked what advise I could give Seren about what might happen next.

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All I could say was, ‘Watch the wind and sail with it!’

Sophie Neville with Sarah Farmer and Seren Hawkes

Seren Hawkes, Sarah Farmer and Sophie Neville

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It was great to meet up with the producer Nick Barton, who showed me ‘Swallow’ the RNSA dinghy that also stars in the film.

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I went on to join fans of the film for lunch at the Royal London Yacht Club, where I once gave a talk, before going out on the Solent.

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Telegraph bag

 

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August 11, 2016 · 10:43 am

Swallows and Amazons (2016) – appearing in an opening scene

Kelly Macdonald starring as Mrs Walker and Andrew Scott as Lazlov, with me, Sophie Neville, as a dithering lady in a hat and rusty-coloured jacket getting into the steam train behind Roger at Portsmouth Station. Blink and you’ll miss me.

So opens the new film version of Arthur Ransome’s story ‘Swallows and Amazons’ (2016) directed by Phillipa Lowthorpe, which is coming out in cinemas around the UK on 19th August.

Meanwhile, here’s one I made earlier:

For news of all things ‘Swallows and Amazons’ please click here

Steam train 1928

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