Blitz Industry Trends: Behind The Scenes | IBC365
Steve McQueen’s latest film, Blitz, now available for streaming on Apple TV+, offers a poignant and haunting look at life during the turbulent times of World War II. Set in war-torn London, the film follows the journey of nine-year-old George (played by Elliott Heffernan), who is evacuated to the English countryside by his mother, Rita (portrayed by Saoirse Ronan). Determined to reunite with his family in East London, George embarks on a brave adventure back into the devastated city.
Director Steve McQueen, known for his work on acclaimed films like 12 Years A Slave and Small Axe, first became interested in the Blitz in the early 2000s. It was a photograph he discovered while researching Small Axe that sparked the idea for Blitz. The image of a young Black boy with a large suitcase at a train platform stayed with him, prompting him to delve deeper into the stories of the Blitz era.
McQueen’s attention to detail and commitment to authenticity shine through in Blitz. The film incorporates real-life anecdotes from the time, such as the experiences of young firefighters and the bombing of the Café de Paris in 1941. These stories, combined with exclusive archival footage and images from the Imperial War Museum, help bring the wartime setting to life on screen.
To capture the atmosphere of London during the Blitz, the production team faced the challenge of recreating the city as it was in the 1940s. Exteriors were filmed in Hull, with a cobbled street and close-knit houses standing in for wartime London. The production also reconstructed iconic locations like the Café de Paris at Leavesden Studios, and a flooded tube station on a soundstage.
Incorporating over 140 invisible visual effects shots, the team at Cinesite worked to enhance the authenticity of the film, adding in elements like smoke, dust, and burning buildings to create a visually stunning portrayal of wartime London. The attention to historical detail, combined with a focus on emotional authenticity, brings a sense of realism to Blitz that is both captivating and poignant.
From its meticulously designed sets to its powerful storytelling, Blitz offers viewers a unique perspective on a dark chapter in history. Steve McQueen’s evocative film is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity, making it a must-watch for fans of historical dramas and wartime narratives.
