This got the team at PRG thinking about other times Eastbourne has been in the spotlight. After all, we are spoilt with natural beauty and are one of the sunniest towns in the UK! So, looking at the big screen, what films have been shot in Eastbourne?
Beachy Head
Beachy Head is an iconic point of Eastbourne. It is the UK’s highest chalk sea cliff situated in the South Downs National Park and the Seven Sisters Country Park. Beachy Head was used to film a part of the opening scene from The Living Daylights in which the world’s most famous spy, James Bond, parachuted out of a Land Rover destined for the sea!
It was filmed using fibreglass Land Rover models. They were launched from a catapult at the top of the cliffs! These cars were made as light as possible because they had to fly far enough out to sea, while filled with explosives – a challenging combination! In one of the shots, the remote-controlled stunt dummy, which was sat in the car, lots its head when it parachuted out of the burning Land Rover!
Seven Sisters
The rolling white chalk cliffs of the Seven Sisters have had their fair share of screen time too! One of the biggest film series in the world, Harry Potter, was filmed down here on the south coast. In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the Seven Sisters was the backdrop to the portkey scene. Beachy Head was then used as the grounds for the Quidditch event.
Rolling back the years now to 1968, the Hollywood hit Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, featuring Dick Van Dyke and Sally Ann Howes, also made use of the beauty of the Seven Sisters. Chitty took flight from the famous cliffs. Chitty can be seen flying past the Beachy Head lighthouse, and as Chitty gains altitude, the white cliffs can be seen in the distance behind.
Eastbourne Seafront
Eastbourne Seafront is known for its stunning promenade and when the sun is shining there is no better place for an ice cream and a seaside stroll. The 2008 film Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging made use of Eastbourne seafront in its opening scene.
Directed by Gurinda Chadha, this scene saw main character Georgia running along the seafront in an olive costume. Landmarks such as Eastbourne Pier and the Bandstand make an appearance and are both seen later in the film as well! Other Eastbourne locations such as the start of the South Downs Way, Holywell Beach and the Sovereign Sailing Club also had cameo appearances.
The 2010 film Brighton Rock, starring Sam Riley and Helen Mirren, filmed multiple scenes in Eastbourne. Scenes were shot on the Seven Sisters, along the Beachy Head Road, on Eastbourne Seafront and on Eastbourne Pier. The film crew even had the Eastbourne Pier signage changed to say ‘Palace Pier’ to keep it consistent with Brighton.
We love our seaside town, and it is great to see people travelling from all over the world to capture Eastbourne’s unique beauty and use it on the big screen. Congratulations again to the Towner Art Gallery for securing the 2023 Turner Prize, we can’t wait to see Eastbourne thrive while in the spotlight of such a prestigious award.
The team here at PRG have been working on something around Eastbourne over the past few weeks…so keep any eye on our social channels for an announcement! If you need help using Eastbourne and the surrounding areas in your next marketing campaign, get in touch with our experts today.
