25 London Movie Locations

Mapping out the best of London

The 54th London Film Festival starts this week, and to celebrate we've scoured Google's streetview to find 25 famous movie locations from some of the capital's most memorable films for you to visit and explore online.

They come from all over - the uptown glam of The Long Good Friday, South of the river grime in My Beautiful Laundrette, and roadside attractions from Radio On.

And don't forget the maps are interactive - don't just stare at them, explore. See how one location blends into another, how filmmakers cut corners (sometimes around corners) and how the bustling sprawl of London has given us some of the most unforgettable settings in cinema.

To the ministry - Children Of Men (2006)

In the film: A grand but heavily guarded checkpoint passed by Clive Owen's bewildered Theo as he's driven through dystopic future london to the Ministry Of Arts.

The Google view: It's Admiralty Arch, the imposing office building completed in 1912 and situated close to Trafalgar Square.

New York, New York - Sleepy Hollow (1999)

In the film: With the scary headless fuss of Sleepy Hollow behind them, Ichabod Crane and his new beau Katrina arrive in their new home of New York to begin their lives together.

The Google view: It's actually not New York at all, but Somerset House in The Strand. A favourite movie location, the courtyard inside the building's walls also doubled as St Petersburg in Goldeneye.

Power vacuum - 28 Days Later (2002)

In the film: Cillian Murphy's rage-plague survivor Jim strolls through chillingly deserted London streets at dawn after waking in an empty hospital.

The Google view: Jim walks through the heart of London's political patch, strolling over Westminster Bridge and up Whitehall, the deserted seats of power speaking symbolic volumes about the chaos wrought while our man was sleeping.

Home sweet home - Billion Dollar Brain (1967)

In the film: The opening shot of the Ipcress File sequel shows us the new independent offices of Michael Caine's cheeky international agent, Harry Palmer.

The Google view: Harry's first-floor digs are right in the middle of King's Cross, just outside the station. You can actually recreate the film's opening shot in Google - pan left from the St Pancras clocktower until you see the boarded up shop front and you're there.

Taxi! Dermist! - The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)

In the film: James Stewart tiptoes down a London street while chasing a dead-end lead in an impossibly tense and classicly Hitchcockian scene.

The Google view: Unusually for Hitchcock, this is a real location - Plender Street in Camden - as was the taxidermist which Stewart visits after his tortuous stroll.

Limp ending - Naked (1993)

In the film: David Thewlis' caustic philosophising wanderer leaves as simply as he arrived in Mike Leigh's sharp urban drama, spilling from his ex-girlfriend's distinctive corner house and limping furiously down the road.

The Google view: The house is real, and tucked away in a leafy street just off Shacklewell Lane in Hackney.

Later, ladies - Blow-Up (1966)

In the film: David Hemmings' Bailey-esque free-floating photographer is swarmed by a pair of eager young things as he exits his studio, but leaves them trailing as he makes a getaway in his convertible.

The Google view: The tumble-down bohemian studio seems too good to be true, but the location was real and situated in the brilliantly named Pottery Lane in Holland Park. Check out this matching shot of the junction at the end of the lane, then have a wander down.

Alex in lock-up - A Clockwork Orange (1971)

In the film: Vicious gang-leader Alex is imprisoned after a spree of crimes, with a looming aerial shot showing us the intricate star-shaped building in which he's to be detained.

The Google view: And the building is a prison in real life too - Wandsworth prison, the largest in Britain.

Russian restaurant - Eastern Promises (2007)

In the film: Viggo Mortensen works for a Russian mob outfit which does most of its business through an upmarket restaurant called Trans-Siberian.

The Google view: The restaurant is actually the Farmiloe Building in Farringdon, a studio space which has also been used as the Gotham City Police headquarters in Christopher Nolan's Batman films.