London from 28 Days Later
| “ | There's a hole in the world like a great black pit, and the vermin of the world inhabit it, and its morals aren't worth what a pig could spit, and it goes by the name of London. | „ |
| ― Sweeney Todd |
London is the capital and most populous city in England and the extended United Kingdom. It has been a provincial setting for many horror films since the inception of the genre. It could be argued that modern horror itself was born of the "Gothic" literary movement that dominated England's Victorian era. Many elements of Victorian era horror also originate from actual events, the most famous of which is the notorious Jack the Ripper slayings that took place in the summer of 1888 in Whitechapel in London's East End. In terms of film history, the city's first appearance in a mainstream horror film was the lost silent film classic, London After Midnight starring silent film icon Lon Chaney, Sr.. London's first major appearance during the sound film era was in Tod Browning's 1931 adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula. One of the primary settings in the film is Carfax Abbey in Whitby; an estate purchased by Count Dracula and the main setting used in the film's climax. London was also used in the title for the 1935 Universal Pictures film Werewolf of London.
In modern times, London has been a major backdrop in at least two different "monster" franchises. The first was Universal's action-packed remake of The Mummy, which included scenes showcasing the British Museum. The film's sequel, The Mummy Returns, gave audiences a broader view of the city and included a chase sequence through the streets of London involving the main characters and a horde of pursuing mummies. London was also a major setting in the 2002 post-Apocalyptic film 28 Days Later. One of the more memorable sequences from the film was when the main character, Jim, was wandering through the abandoned, desolate streets of Piccadilly Circus shouting "Hello!" London, as well as other regions in England were also used as the backdrop in the film's 2007 sequel 28 Weeks Later.
Points of Interest[]
| Location | Description | Source |
|---|---|---|
| British Museum | Where they keep all the mummies and stuff | The Mummy |
| Carfax Abbey | Estate purchased by Dracula | Dracula |
| Mrs. Lovett's Pie Shop | Home of Benjamin Barker, aka, Sweeney Todd | Sweeney Todd |
| River Thames | River that flows through Southern England | Geographical record |
| Westminster Palace | Where Parliament convenes | Geographical record |
| Whitechapel | Scene of the 1888 Jack the Ripper murders | From Hell; Historical record |
Films that take place in London[]
- 28 Days Later
- 28 Weeks Later
- An American Werewolf in London
- Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde
- Dracula (1931)
- Dracula (1992)
- From Hell
- London After Midnight
- The Mummy (1932)
- The Mummy (1959)
- The Mummy (1999)
- Mummy Returns, The
- Phantom of the Opera (1962)
- She-Wolf of London
- Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (1936)
- Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)
- Werewolf of London
Characters from London[]
- Arthur Holmwood
- Lucy Westenra
- Jack Seward
- Jonathan Harker
- Mina Murray
- Renfield
People who were born in London[]
- Boris Karloff
- Cary Elwes
- Christopher Lee
- Claude Rains
- Elsa Lanchester
- Kate Beckinsale
- Lionel Atwill
- Mary Shelley
- Terence Fisher