Comments on: David Hemmings, Blow-Up and the Red Buildings on the Stockwell Road

By: dgm

dgm — Wed, 05 Apr 2017 13:10:04 +0000

Whilst the audience member looks similar facially to Michael Palin, one can see from the screen capture here that it clearly is not him-

http://acephalous.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341c2df453ef0148c78e35ba970c-500wi

By: Henry Holland

Henry Holland — Tue, 05 Jan 2016 09:00:40 +0000

A typically fantastic post. Hemmings was one of Britten’s “corpses”, Britten was notorious for cutting people out of his life who displeased him or were no longer of use to him.

It’s a little sad to see that scene at the Ricky Tick club for me because that version of The Yardbirds (Relf, Beck, Page, Dreja, McCarty) had the potential to be a really great band, but Jeff Beck was sacked in October 1966.

By: Michael O'Sullivan

Michael O'Sullivan — Tue, 24 Nov 2015 13:03:31 +0000

I remember too a television interview with David Hemmings discussing his time with Benjamin Britten much as you describe above. Hemmings’ autobiography is a great read, luckily he completed it before he died too young. He is marvellous in Blow-Up, particularly at the end. In the summer of 1966 when I was 20 I had a great conversation with actress Jane Merrow, who was doing a play in London, she was Hemmings’ girlfriend at the time (they are both in Michael Winner’s rather good “The System” made in 1964, not a Swinging London film but it captures that early 60s vibe perfectly. The BBC documentary :Hollywood UK” from a decade or so ago takes film-makers back to the locations of key 1960s movies so we get to see the Woolwich park as it is now and again, Hemmings was interviewed watching the movie, and the production manager discussed how they painted the street red and the park so very green.

By: Michael O'Sullivan

Michael O'Sullivan — Tue, 24 Nov 2015 12:57:34 +0000

Super article. Blow-Up is one of my key movies, as per own blog. I was 21 in 1967 in London and the film was the sensation of the time, as much as The Beatles Sgt Pepper album when it came out that summer. Seeing Hemmings in that white trousers and jacket was like seeing oneself up on the screen. I lived in Clapham then and knew that red-painted road in Stockwell. Later in the early 70s I lived in Chelsea near that restaurant they used in the film.

By: Craig

Craig — Fri, 09 Oct 2015 10:15:21 +0000

I know someone who was in the club scene audience. It’s his jacket that Beck’s wearing at Antonioni’s insistence. The guy appears wearing the guitarist’s blazer in the scene where Hemmings is running from the venue – it’s his girlfriend who DH knocks over. The audience was made up mostly of crew from The Marquee. I’m told that JSP was pain in the ass to deal with.
In which scene does Michael Palin appear?

By: nickelinthemachine

nickelinthemachine — Fri, 18 Sep 2015 09:18:46 +0000

You’re in luck. It’s coming out as a book called “Beautiful Idiots and Brilliant Lunatics” in November!

By: Guy

Guy — Thu, 17 Sep 2015 21:21:31 +0000

So good to have you back. I wish this site was a book so I could buy it and keep it on my shelf forever.

By: Aidan McManus

Aidan McManus — Wed, 09 Sep 2015 08:37:17 +0000

Hi, nice to see you back mate and with another cracker. Is that Keith Relf behind Hemmings as he walks towards JSP? How humiliating would Britten’s behaviour have been to a !5 year old? Hemmings ended up a huge pisshead, would that have anything to do with it? A strange childhood to have and sounds a bit Jacko, did he have a fubfair?menagerie in the back garden? More of this stuff please.

By: Peteski

Peteski — Wed, 09 Sep 2015 04:00:47 +0000

Sounds like Peter Evans was dead on, and that’s why I love this movie. Great stuff.

Someone clipped the drive down Stockwell Road: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QXi-a8-MnY

Also, I saw a screening here in Hollywood about 10 years ago where someone in the film, I forget who, talked about strife on the set between Hemmings and Antonioni and Hemmings cutting his hair in protest – thus the weird wig in some scenes.

Side note: I thought the only people dancing in the scene with the Yardbirds are an interracial couple (incl. Jane Street Porter).

By: Ken

Ken — Tue, 08 Sep 2015 18:01:54 +0000

Hurrah! I had almost giving up coming here to look for new blogs. Fascinating stuff as always.