north west films research

Hi John

I have as I say have an interest in North West Film. Last year the Manchester Evening News ran an article about my research and I received dozens of letters reminiscing about mostly two, Salford based, films Taste Of Honey and A Kind Of Loving. They told tories of being paid ten shillings by a stetson wearing Tony Richardson for the speaking actors and a bag of chips for the others!!
Teachers , Policeman even extras in the films told me their stories and consequently I was able to spend a few weeks touring what was left of the film sites. Incredible how certain shots were so tightly edited that even locals were confused. ie Actors leave a house and cross the road to a street which is in fact several miles away.I spoke to Norman Rossington many times before his death about his work on Saturday Night Sunday Morning and although it was mostly shot in Nottingham he insisted that several re-takes were done in Manchester.
Many of the Manchester / Salford sites have of course gone. However some are still recognisable and I photographed the canal , the swing bridge etc. I agree with your idea that film architecture is very interesting and important, esp as it maps the change in our social history. Apart from some very excellent stories etc we are able to see whole communities living in the past ... and they did things very differently there.
Kind regards
Ian