BEHIND THE SCENES - Pinewood Studios

06 | BEHIND THE SCENES – Pinewood StudiosBEHIND THE SCENES – Pinewood Studios | 07The story so far...It’s my heritage, my personal heritage, I film everywherein the world and I think all things considered what we haveto offer here are as good as anything you’re going to get inHollywood.Sir Ridley ScottDirector: Alien, Blade Runner, Gladiatorand PrometheusIn 1934, Heatherden Hall Estate inBuckinghamshire was purchased by Sheffieldentrepreneur Charles Boot. Initially used as anup-market country club, the estate was turnedinto a film studio in partnership with J. ArthurRank. Boot officially named the studio Pinewoodto echo the name of Hollywood and thewoodland surrounding the estate.The Studios were officially openedon 30 September 1936 followed bya successful period of British filmmaking. Initially the studioscomprised five stages, which remainat the heart of the current site. Thestudios played an important role inthe developing British film industry,with 42 films made between 1936-39.Notable films made at the studiosover the following years includedTalk of the Devil (1936), The Red Shoes(1948), Oliver Twist (1948)and A Town Like Alice (1956).In the 1940s, the Studios wererequisitioned by the armed forcesprimarily to produce war timedocumentaries. After reopening, the1950s and 1960s saw the start of twofamous film series to be produced atPinewood Studios, the Carry On filmsand the James Bond films.The 1970s saw the constructionof the iconic 007 stage for the filmThe Spy Who Loved Me and todaythe stage is the largest in Europe.More recently Pinewood Studioswas acquired from The Rank Group.Early in 2001, Pinewood Studios andShepperton Studios merged. In 2005the company floated on The LondonStock Exchange.The Pinewood Studios Group now alsooperates studio complexes in Canada,Germany, Malaysia and the DominicanRepublic as part of its global offer ofover 1million sq ft of stages.1946Pinewood Studios reopened1947Two iconic Pinewood productions, Oliver Twist andThe Red Shoes are released1948John Davis appointed managing director,taking over from J. Arthur Rank1958Carry On Sergeant, the first film of theCarry On... series, released