Robin Hood comes to town
The Ridley Scott Hollywood blockbuster Robin Hood starring Russell Crowe is being released in cinemas across the UK tomorrow on Wednesday, 12 May.
The film makers found the perfect location for their epic adventure right here in Wales in Pembrokeshire.
The National Trust's beach at Freshwater West was used to help create a major battle scene in the film.
600 extras and 150 horses staged an impressive Robin Hood battle scene on the beach which represented the south coast of England, where a climactic battle scene complete with longboats and medieval landing craft took place right on the beach.
Image courtesy of the National Trust:
Nearby an outcrop of soft cliff to the south of Freshwater West stood in for the Brittany coast off France.
Extensive unit bases - including temporary stabling for the horses were erected, as well as replicating the historic seaweed drying hut above Middle Bay with several more, to create Breton peasant hovels.
Mike Davies was on hand to snap a few pics too:
The National Trust's Head Warden Richard Ellis said "The dunes, which are a sensitive area of wildflowers and ground-nesting birds, had visitor pressure taken off them for a month because of security during filming, so, environmentally it was also a huge success. We would love to have the film crew back."
Another pic from Mike Davies showing the longboats coming ashore:
Take a look at our Robin Hood photo gallery courtesy of our man at the beach - 'Scotty' who was on hand to capture exclusive pictures for me during filming last year.
I came so close to being an extra in it too..I made it through the auditions and if I'd just managed to get the time off work for filming - I could have been in a Hollywood blockbuster!
Ah well, it'll be fun seeing friends from Pembrokeshire 'taking some arrows' as extras in some of the battle scenes.
Gull
Comment number 1.
At 18th May 2010, Mike Davies wrote:We went to see the 1st showing in the Apollo cinema in Port Talbot it was an excellent film and good to see Wales on the map
it's an entirely different take on the man in tights but now the story begins and they are thinking of a follow up again being filmed in Fresh Water West
thanks for the photos Gull it was amazing to watch how it's put together and certainly puts Wales on the map, we have superb locations right here in Wales no wonder they want to do a follow up.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 1)