www.isleofmanfilm.com Since 1995, Isle of Man Film has been producing feature films and television dramas using the many locations of the Isle of Man. Renowned for its beautiful countryside, sweeping coastlines and pretty seaside towns, the sheer range of locations on the Island have made a great contribution to a successful film industry. The wide diversity of locations have doubled as a Cornish fishing village, the Scottish Lowlands, London and Ireland. Indeed, the Isle of Man’s landscape has been the star of many great films; from romantic comedies to action adventures; sci-fi thrillers to period dramas. Sean Bean at The Sound in The Dark (2004) 1 Baldwin Lassie (2005) Keeping Mum (2004) Chromophobia (2004) 2 Castle Rushen I Capture the Castle (2001) 3 Castletown Lassie (2005) Churchill: The Hollywood Years (2003) Island at War (2003) Five Children and IT (2003) 4 Cornaa Island at War (2003) The Martins (2000) 5 Cregneash Lassie (2005) Waking Ned (1997) 6 Druidale A Bunch of Amateurs (2007) 7 Eary Cushlin The Dark (2004) 8 Gaiety Theatre, Douglas Me and Orson Welles (2007) 9 Glen Mooar Beach Five Children and IT (2003) 10 Island Studios The Disappearance of Alice Creed (2009) Wild Target (2008) Mutant Chronicles (2006) The Libertine (2005) Stormbreaker (2005) Mistress of Spices (2004) On A Clear Day (2004) Piccadilly Jim (2003) Trauma (2003) Suzie Gold (2002) 11 Isle of Man Steam Railway Legend of the Tamworth Two (2003) 5 Children and IT (2003) Thomas and the Magic Railroad (1999) 12 Kerroodhoo Plantation The Cottage (2007) Severance (2005) 13 Laxey Island at War (2003) 14 Marine Drive Stormbreaker On a Clear Day (2004) 15 16 10 21 9 Niarbyl Keeping Mum (2004) The Heart of Me (2001) Waking Ned (1997) 6 4 The Nunnery Stormbreaker (2005) Relative Values (1999) 17 Peel Castle I Capture the Castle (2001) Severance (2005) 18 Port Erin Stormbreaker (2005) On a Clear Day (2004) The Dark (2004) 19 St Johns Keeping Mum (2004) Thomas and the Magic Railroad (1999) 20 The Sound Keeping Mum (2004) 21 Ramsey Sparkle (2006) 17 13 19 1 15 12 7 16 8 14 11 18 5 20 3 2 www.isleofmanfilm.com Baldwin The Baldwin valley is one of the most picturesque locations on the Island. Its resemblance to the Scottish Lowlands has seen it used on several films including Lassie (2005) and Keeping Mum (2005). Castle Rushen Castle Rushen sits at the heart of Castletown, the ancient capital of Mann, and is one of Europe’s most finely preserved medieval castles. The interiors were used in 2001 for the filming of Dodie Smith’s classic tale I Capture the Castle. The castle is now operated by Manx National Heritage and is open to visitors Monday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm, Easter to October (closed during the winter months). Castletown Castletown’s charm as a film location lies in its ancient buildings. The town has a port, harbour, market town, castle, narrow streets and period buildings. It has featured extensively in films as a fictional Nazi-occupied Channel Island in Island at War (2003), a country town during WWII in 5 Children and IT (2003), an east end street in Churchill: The Hollywood Years (2003), and a Scottish town in Lassie. Cornaa Cornaa is a tiny inlet situated between Ramsey and Laxey. It was used in The Martins (2000) starring Lee Evans and alsofeatured strongly in Island at War (2005) in an episode which saw the main characters having to hide from Nazi soldiers in a saltmarsh. Cregneash Tucked away on a hillside of the Mull peninsula, is the lovely village of Cregneash. The village is the oldest in the Isle of Man and its 19th Century thatched crofter’s cottages provides a living, working illustration of lfe in a typical Manx upland crofting community. It’s best known for its use in Waking Ned (1997) as the fictional Irish Village Tullymore after the production company failed to find a village in Ireland that was Irish enough! Druidale Situated in the heart of the Island, Druidale is a beautiful stretch of moorlands popular with walkers and tourists. Its landscape doubled for sleepy Suffolk in A Bunch of Amateurs (2007) starring Burt Reynolds, and was the lanscape for the BBC’s Hound of The Baskervilles in 2002. Eary Cushlin Formerly an old isolated farmstead, Eary Cushlin has now been transformed into an outdoor activity centre. It is accessible only by foot and the coastal scenery is breathtaking. Eary Cushlin featured in The Dark (2004) starring Sean Bean. Gaiety Theatre, Douglas Promenade The Gaiety Theatre was designed by Frank Matcham in and opened in 1900 as a Grand Opera House and Theatre. The Isle of Man Government acquired the Theatre in 1971 and restoration work began in 1976. The Gaiety is at the centre of the Island’s Arts scene, staging performances and events throughout the year. It starred as the New York Mercury Theatre in Richard Linklater’s Me and Orson Welles starring Zac Efron. Glen Mooar Beach This beautiful stretch of white sand which runs down the North West coast was the setting for 5 Children and IT in 2003. The sunsets on this side of the Island are famous and well worth a visit towards the end of the day. Island Studios Island Studios opened in 2002 with its first film Suzie Gold. When the Johnny Depp film The Libertine was nearly cancelled due to a change in UK Film tax legislation, Isle of Man Film with the help of Island Studios were able to rescue the film and it shot in the studio in 2005. The studios are privately owned and are not open to the general public. Isle of Man Steam Railway Running from Douglas to Port Erin, the Steam Railway passes through beautiful unspoilt countryside and Victorian stations. The railway lines were the hiding place of Butch and Sundance in The Legend of the Tamworth Two (2003) whilst Port St Mary Station was better known as Muffle Mountain in Thomas and the Magic Railroad (1999). Kerroodhoo Plantation The Island has nearly thirty plantations. Kerroodhoo’s dense woodland features in horror films such as Severance (2005) starring Danny Dyer and The Cottage (2007) starring Andy Serkis and Jennifer Ellison. The plantation meets a reservoir which holds a variety of wildfowl in winter. Visitors are reminded to stay away from signed areas where works are being carried out. Laxey The village of Laxey is one of the prettiest seaside resorts on the Island and the picturesque beach was used in Island At War. Laxey has many attractions to vist including the Laxey Wheel, Old Laxey and the Laxey Mine Railway. Marine Drive The precarious cliff-side road was a former tramline between Port Soderick and Douglas. The road was used for a high-speed motorcycle chase during the opening sequence of Stormbreaker (2005) which saw Ewan Macgregor being pursued by a gang of leather-clad villains. Niarbyl The tiny thatched cottages at Niarbyl bay make this fisherman’s hamlet one of the most scenic on the Island. Niarbyl is famous for its role in Waking Ned (1997)in which its traditional Manx cottage starred as Ned Devine’s home. It was also used more recently in the films The Heart of Me (2001) starring Helena Bonham-Carter and was the scene for the infamous red thong scene in Keeping Mum (2005) starring Kristin Scott Thomas and Patrick Swayze. The Nunnery Now an International Business School, The Nunnery in Douglas is one the most imposing houses on the Island. In 1999, Relative Values used the Nunnery for the majority of its shoot and more recently it was used as Darius Sayle’s manor house in Stormbreaker (2005). The location is also home to the Island’s annual ‘Under The Stars’ outdoor cinema screenings. Peel Castle Peel Castle, one of the Isle of Man’s principal historic monuments occupies the important site of St Patrick’s Isle at Peel. The ruins of the castle were the setting for I Capture The Castle (2001) starring Romola Garai and Bill Nighy. The castle is administered by Manx National Heritage and is open from Easter to October. Port Erin The beach at Port Erin is one of the most popular on the Island and the fabulous views up to Milner’s tower have inspired many productions to use Port Erin as a location. In On A Clear Day (2005) the beach became the training ground for an ex-shipyard worker’s challenge to swim the English channel, whilst in Stormbreaker (2005) the beach was used in a high action speed chase at the start of the film. St Johns St Johns is a charming Island village set against the backdrop of Slieau Whallian hill. It is also home to the world’s oldest continuous parliament, at Tynwald Hill where the Manx people celebrate their national day on 5th July. The village was known as ‘Shining Time Village’ in the children’s film Thomas and the Magic Railroad, filmed in 1999. The most recent film to use the village was Keeping Mum when it doubled up as the village green to film Nether Poppleton’s football match. The Sound The views form the southern most tip of the Island are arguably the most dramatic on the Isle of Man. Looking across from the Sound visitor centre and café, the Calf of Man is home to seals, seabirds and many more wildlife species. Keeping Mum took advantage of the 360 degree panoramic views during a scene featuring Kristin Scott Thomas, Dame Maggie Smith and Patrick Swayze. Ramsey Ramsey is the second largest town in the Island, set on the coast with a magnificent backdrop of the North Barrule hills. The high street and shops can be seen in Sparkle (2005) starring Stockard Channing and Bob Hoskins. Ramsey’s Victorian pier has featured in On A Clear Day (2005) and Me Without You (2000); currently there is a local campaign to have the pier restored to its former glory. Other Useful Links www.isleofmanfilm.com Official Isle of Man Film Website wth details of all films plus latest news and events www.visitisleofman.com Isle of Man Tourism website with a guide to the Island, thiings to do and see, and a list of events. www.gov.im/mnh Manx National Heritage website with details on all MNH properties, opening times and events. www.gov.im/airport Ronaldsway airport website with details of all flights to and from the Island. www.iombusandrail.com Information and times for the Island’s bus and rail network. www.steampacket.com The Island’s ferry service’s website including timetables and online booking
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