Rupert Everett and Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
I had been chatting with a friend online about books and he mentioned that I should walk over to Portholland to see some movie magic going on, he promised I would not be disappointed so Steve and I grabbed the dogs, parked at Porthluney and headed over the coast path toward Portholland. At any time of year this is a gorgeous walk, large open fields falling down to the cliff edges, the gorse is always in bloom and butterflies bask on the sun warmed path. The dogs ran around like loons and we gradually walked down the path and onto Portholland or so we thought. Hang on, goes Steve, since when was there a pub here? Forget the pub, says I, when did they get a post office and a Welsh one at that? and together we walked down towards a church and entire ancient graveyard that hadn’t existed a month ago. When Hollywood go to town, they take the village and turn it inside out, and then they place it in a whole other country.
The village of East Portholland had become the filming location for Tim Burton’s adaptation of the book Miss Peregrine Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs. Miss Peregrine’s is a magical tale of a special school for special children who are under attack from sinister creatures. It’s a great tale and is perfect for a Burton treatment.
We wandered through the village front which was basically an open set and took the dogs onto the beach to go jump in the waves. The dogs being dogs did their business and we scooped it up and headed back through the village to go home. As I walked through I spotted a bin and popped the dog bag in it. I had only taken two steps away when a charming man dashed up to me and asked me to remove said article. I must admit I looked confused as there was already rubbish in there, ah yes, says he, but that is prop rubbish in a prop bin. A chap was sitting on the wall by the bin grinned at me as if to confirm the gaffer’s assertion. By now I had managed to attract an audience, including a scowling Tim Burton, and had to return to the bin and retrieve my bag of poo. I walked back past the chap on the wall to share a grimace and a “what are Hollywood like?” eye roll when I suddenly realised that the chap was Mr Rupert Everett. I hadn’t thought I could be any more mortified, but there we are. Quite frankly I’d have felt less stupid if I tucked my skirt into my knickers and walked into Waitrose.
And with my brush with frame securely ruined I rejoined Steve who was crying with laughter further along the wall, gathered up the dogs and headed back along the cliffpath laughing all the way home.
The film will be released this September and should be worth a look. I shall be paying close attention to the bins!
Look at that gorse! That’s proper Cornish gorse.
Miss Peregrine’s is available in the shop for £7.99 and really is very good. Books two and three are also available.
