There's London and then there is Richard Curtis' London. The 62-year-old filmmaker has spun the city into a cosy, romantic oasis in back-to-back cinematic hits — from "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and "Notting Hill" to "Love Actually." His latest film is "Yesterday," a comedy about the enduring power of
Kiwi director Richard Curtis' London in five filmic stops
What London spots inspire him? Here, Curtis recommends five places.
1. Abbey Road
If you're quick to write off Abbey Road as a tourist trap, Curtis encourages you to think again. The crossing was featured on the cover of the Beatles' 11th album, "Abbey Road," and runs just next to Abbey Road Studios, a stately looking, Georgian building where the band recorded 190 of its 210 songs. Curtis, who did the music recording for "Four Weddings and A Funeral" inside the studio, pointed out that it is one of the few remaining relics of the Beatles era.
"If you go to Strawberry Fields, there's just nothing. There's a red gate and, at the moment, there's nothing behind it. It's just a strange bit of land," he said. "Abbey Road has the cross road, there's the beautiful studio with the lovely steps leading up to it. It's satisfyingly real."
3 Abbey Road; abbeyroad.com
2. Alfred Hitchcock Ceramics
Since 2001, the Leytonstone Station Tube stop has been the home of a colorful, large-scale tribute to Alfred Hitchcock, who grew up just a short distance away in the East London neighbourhood of Leytonstone. Sixteen vibrant mosaics, designed by artists at the Greenwich Mural Workshop, are found at the station, each an homage to the director and his films. Curtis, who is fond of both Hitchcock and ceramic art, stumbled upon the display when he was on his way to watch his son perform at a nearby music gig.
"I was so taken aback that there was this really wonderful thing, which I think people would pay to see if it was put up in an art gallery," he said.
His favorite is the "North by Northwest" mosaic, which recreates the famous scene of Cary Grant sprinting from a plane, framed with splashes of bright yellow, blue and red tiles.
Leytonstone Tube Station; tfl.gov.uk
3. Lutyens & Rubinstein Bookshop
For a decade, this bookshop has sat on a lively stretch of Notting Hill, lined with colourfully painted storefronts. Head inside and you'll find a moment of quiet in the bright, well-organised store. There are intricately folded book pages hanging from the ceiling, handmade painted cards for sale up front, and a winding staircase that leads to more books and a table for reading.
Curtis, a neighbourhood local, likes to browse on the weekends, usually with one of his four children, ages 15, 17, 22 and 24. "I really encourage the kids to go there and buy books because it does make them better people," he said.
21 Kensington Park Road; lutyensrubinstein.co.uk
4. Primrose Hill
Make the small uphill trek to the top of Primrose Hill in northwest London and you'll be rewarded with a stunning, 360-degree panorama of London. The summit — which stands at 206 feet — was used for duels in the 18th century. These days, visitors lounge on the lantern-lined grass, dogs roam, and a circular lookout point offers sweeping views of the city.
It's also great for sledding. "It's the place to go when it snows here. It has the perfect curve to take a 7-year-old child," Curtis said. "Primrose Hill, the little village, is also really adorable. There's a gorgeous bookshop there and a lovely Greek restaurant and an amazing old newsagent. It's a very satisfying day out."
Primrose Hill Road; royalparks.org.uk
5. British Film Institute, Southbank
There's a lot of movie magic packed into this glass-sheathed building nestled along the Thames River. The four-screen cinema offers old and contemporary movies and hosts a series of film and television festivals. It also houses the BFI Mediatheque, a free library of more than 30,000 film and television titles, including rare television broadcasts and British cinema classics.
"Backing onto the river is an entrance to the cinema bit, but if you go down the side, there's this brilliant common space and a brilliant movie bookstore," Curtis said. "The other day I went there and they have these very bold series of T-shirts with just the names of women directors."
Belvedere Road; whatson.bfi.org.uk
Stacey Hunt 9:49 AM
Written by: Thea Glassman
Photographs by: Tom Jamieson
© 2019 THE NEW YORK TIMES