Image via Wikipedia
Robin Hood is shunning Sherwood Forest again. First Ridley Scott’s Nottingham won’t be filmed in Robin’s Traditional home, now it seems that the fourth season of BBC’s Robin Hood will be filmed at Hewan Wood, near Roslin, Midlothian according to The Sunday Mail.
The first three series, staring Jonas Armstrong as Robin, have been filmed in Hungary. The current economic climate means that The BBC are “feeling the pinch” and plan to cut-back on overseas filming.
The Sunday Mail quotes “A BBC Insider” as saying:
“Location scouts have been to Hewan Wood and it will make an ideal Sherwood Forest.
“One of the attractions is that it has an ancient fortress in the heart of the wood and it is near Roslin Chapel, which may be used in a storyline.”
I think that it’s a shame that Sherwood Forest no longer makes “an ideal Sherwood Forest”
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Tags: bbc, jonas armstrong, sherwood forest
Ridley Scott, kind of, explains Russell Crowe’s dual role of Robin Hood and The Sheriff of Nottingham in his upcoming Robin Hood movie Nottingham:
“In the context of the story he starts off as one thing, becomes the guise of another and then has to retire to the forest to resume his name Robin,” he explained. “So he was momentarily the Sheriff of Nottingham.”
While this sounds very similar to Scott’s Gladiator, there are actually very few basic plots and it’s the details that make the story.
Ridley Scott will begin filming Nottingham, the latest movie adaptation of Robin Hood’s adventures, in February 2009.
In The Times Scott says that Nottingham will breathe new life into the Robin Hood story and recreate the outlaw as an all-action hero. He claims that previous versions, such as Errol Flynns The Adventures of Robin Hood and Kevin Costner’s Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves have failed to ‘hit the target’.
“Think of Gladiator,” said Scott. “Everyone sniggered because they thought I was going to do a sandal and toga movie. But I knew exactly how to do it. And I know how to do Robin Hood.”
Some of the classic Robin Hood Adventures will be included in the film, especially the fight between Robin Hood and Little John on the log over the river and Robin’s amazing marksmanship. Russell Crowe, who will play both Robin Hood and The Sheriff of Nottingham, won’t be wearing tights. He is quoted in The Sydney Morning Herald as saying:
“I will not wear tights because according to our research they weren’t invented for another 300 years. I apologise to you all”
Crowe is also committed to making Nottingham the best version ever:
“I spent 10 months just reading Robin Hood books – the history, the mythology, the original ballads, the legend – and then you’ve got 100 years of cinematic history as well. So this has got to be the best one ever done, otherwise I should be doing something else.”
Sadly filming won’t be taking place in Sherwood Forest, the traditional home of Robin and his band of merry men. Instead woodland in the south of England will be used.
Nottingham Logo
It was reported earlier this month that Robin Hood is making a comeback in Nottingham as the official logo of Nottingham City Council – replacing the slanty ‘N’ that cost £125,000 to develop.
Nottingham North MP Graham Allen said: “We need to get rid of the ‘wonky N’ and capitalise on our internationally renowned Robin Hood brand.”
The N logo was originally developed to show the county is “capital” for shopping, culture, entertainment and countryside. The problem is it doesn’t say any of those things. If you were to show it to someone, they wouldn’t immediately think “Ah, shopping” or “Hmm, culture”. It’s doubtful they’d even think “Nottingham”. Show someone an image of Robin Hood, however, and Nottingham is one of the first things that come to mind.
Deputy city leader Graham Chapman said “A Chinese delegation came over a few weeks ago and the thing they knew about was Robin Hood. We gave them some cufflinks with the ‘N’ on and we had to explain to them that it was not a ‘Z’.”
I’m pleased that Nottingham City has decided against fighting 700 years of branding in favour of working with it.
Tags: logo, nottingham
Robin Hood and Little John
Robin Hood’s adventures started 700 years ago and continue to capture the imagination today. There can’t be many people who have not heard of Robin Hood who, along with his band of merry men and his love interest, Maid Marion, stole from the rich to give to the poor; the people’s champion who fought against the injustices applied by the Sheriff of Nottingham and Prince John; the loyal supporter of King Richard The Lion-heart.
The adventures of Robin Hood provide action, romance, comedy and, perhaps most importantly of all, the suggestion that, just maybe, someone out there is looking after the interests of ordinary people. In a time of World governments and big business this thought is just as reassuring as it was to the medieval serfs who first started circulating tales of Robin Hood’s adventures. The story of Robin Hood has been told and retold throughout the ages. Each retelling is moulded to fit the current time and mood and adds further layers to the legend. There have been several attempts to identify the real historical Robin Hood, but for me the important thing is that the idea and concept has survived and flourished throughout the generations.
I’ve lived in Nottingham, the traditional home of Robin Hood, for most of my life and so I’ve grown-up with the tales. I played Robin Hood as a child and owned numerous bows and arrows and Robin Hood caps. I’ve been to Robin Hood festivals and banquets where I cheered the heroes and booed the villains. I feel just a little bit proud when a new Robin Hood movie or TV show comes out and just a little bit indignant when somewhere else tries to claim him as their own.
Robin Hood Adventures is a blog with the goal of looking at the legend and how it has changed and adapted. It will also look at how Robin Hood is still making the news today. I hope you enjoy reading and your comments and suggestions will be most welcome.
