AustenBlog . . . she’s everywhere » Northanger Abbey to start filming in August in Ireland

26 July 2006

Northanger Abbey to start filming in August in Ireland

Filed under: Northanger Abbey 2007 — Mags @ 7:51 pm

Alert Janeites Heather L., Sylvia M. and Jessica all wrote to tell us about this article from the Irish Film Board, which says that NA2 will begin filming in August, with some of the filming to take place at Dublin Castle (more at Wikipedia–thanks to Heather L. for the links). No news as to the cast yet.

Heather L. expressed concern, which we share, that a castle will be used as the Tilney estate rather than an actual, you know, ABBEY. Like this one, located conveniently NEAR BATH. We’re just saying.

Not that we’re bitter or anything. Of course not!

10 Responses to “Northanger Abbey to start filming in August in Ireland”

Lynne Says:
July 26th, 2006 at 9:39 pm
Anyone know how long they’ll be there for? I’m going to be in England August-December which will include a bit of time in Ireland in October. Might be fun to do some set stalking
Robyn Says:
July 26th, 2006 at 11:00 pm
Perhaps the filming is just interior shots. You know shooting certian rooms just because they fit in with the time setting of the film.

~R
Heather L Says:
July 27th, 2006 at 12:00 am
Ooh, set stalking! They might still be filming as late as October; depends on when they start in August.

The press release says “in” Dublin Castle, so I do hope that means interiors, and I hope at least one of “a number of OPW locations” is an abbey for some exterior shots.

But I also assumed they would film the Bath exteriors in Bath.
Teresa Says:
July 27th, 2006 at 12:22 pm
Correct me if I’m wrong, but Northanger Abbey isn’t really supposed to be all that “abbeyish:

As they drew near the end of their journey, her impatience for a sight of the abbey — for some time suspended by his conversation on subjects very different — returned in full force, and every bend in the road was expected with solemn awe to afford a glimpse of its massy walls of grey stone, rising amidst a grove of ancient oaks, with the last beams of the sun playing in beautiful splendour on its high Gothic windows. But so low did the building stand, that she found herself passing through the great gates of the lodge into the very grounds of Northanger, without having discerned even an antique chimney.

[...]

An abbey! Yes, it was delightful to be really in an abbey! But she doubted, as she looked round the room, whether anything within her observation would have given her the consciousness. The furniture was in all the profusion and elegance of modern taste. The fireplace, where she had expected the ample width and ponderous carving of former times, was contracted to a Rumford, with slabs of plain though handsome marble, and ornaments over it of the prettiest English china. The windows, to which she looked with peculiar dependence, from having heard the general talk of his preserving them in their Gothic form with reverential care, were yet less what her fancy had portrayed. To be sure, the pointed arch was preserved — the form of them was Gothic — they might be even casements — but every pane was so large, so clear, so light! To an imagination which had hoped for the smallest divisions, and the heaviest stone-work, for painted glass, dirt, and cobwebs, the difference was very distressing.

From this description, I always thought of it as a more “modern” sort of building–one that had possibly been renovated.
Mags Says:
July 27th, 2006 at 12:25 pm
Well, yes, from the INSIDE. But from the outside, it should still look (at least partly) like an Abbey. Gothic windows, etc. There is at least one completely modern-built wing, if memory serves.
Kathleen Says:
July 27th, 2006 at 5:10 pm
They really should have used Lacock. It’s ideal! It is an ex-abbey (Augustinian nuns if memory serves) but inside it all cosy, with ‘modern taste’ furniture. Apart from the rather terrifying hare’s head that was stuffed on a wall, I thought it was the closest I’ve ever seen in approaching Northanger.

Don’t tell me we’re going to get ANOTHER tv version of NA in which the director doesn’t realize it’s a parody. I mean, we already that version in the 80s, and its vision of Mrs Allen sewing her fingers together still gives me nightmares.
Sylvia M. Says:
July 28th, 2006 at 10:37 am
Felicity Jones and J.J. Feild have been cast as Henry and Catherine.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/showbiz/bazbamigboye.html?in_page_id=1794&in_article_id=398028

I’ve been trying in vain to find a good photo of J.J.Feild. Here’s a photo of Felicity Jones.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/images/servants3.jpg
Sylvia M. Says:
July 28th, 2006 at 10:39 am
Never mind. Here’s J.J. Feild’s website.

http://www.jjfeild.com/
Heather L Says:
July 28th, 2006 at 5:36 pm
More production details from the Irish Film and Television Network:

“Top Talent Enlisted for ‘Northanger’ Shoot”
http://www.iftn.ie/news/index3.htm?fuseaction=getbody&file_ID=4481

Filming will begin late August and last 5 weeks.
Mags Says:
July 28th, 2006 at 5:40 pm
AUSTEN! WITH AN E! SHEEEEESH!