Talk:Notting Hill (film)

Clarification of the Lead

"The film was well received by critics, and became the highest grossing British film released." The highest grossing British film released when? Of all time? That year? Opening weekend? It really needs some clarification, and a source at that. --Joker1189 (talk) 15:27, 2 October 2010 (UTC)

Budget

I got the $42 Million (US) figure from http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=nottinghill.htm

Should this be in the lead?

"Upon release the movie was heavily criticised by some for presenting an 'ethnically cleansed' vision of West London despite being set in one of London's most diverse and multicultural areas."

Is this so important that it should appear in the lead paragraph, even before the story synopsis? I don't think so. I would also like to know who the mentioned "some" are. Surely not the average viewer - at least I can't remember thinking "gee, what an 'ethnically cleansed' vision of West London" after seeing the movie. Shinobu 13:30, 16 January 2006 (UTC)

The 'some' were the press reviews at the time as well as discussions that occured in other sections of the media. The movie location was chosen because that area of london was, for lack of a better term, 'fashionable' at that time (arguably it still is), it had the ethnic multiculturalism and vibrancy that London (and Britain in general after the era of 'cool britainia' had begun) was seeking to celebrate. The movie used the marketability of the location without addressing it in great detail, presumably to make it more appealing to american audiences (Richard Curtis has been critised for taking the bumbling british persona to unheard of levels). This aspect (or failing depending on your pov) of the movie is also mentioned in wiki history of british cinema.

Id agree that 'some' should ultimately be replaced with a more detailed listing of were the critisim came from, but the information is certainly relevant and important enough to warrant a mention.82.46.144.194 15:00, 18 January 2006 (UTC)

You mean "some political and community leaders in London (and Britain in general)"; it is doubtful if every single person in the country was seeking to do so. Further, the area was chosen by Richard Curtis because that's where he lived at the time (and hence the film was seen by some as an extended real estate ad, since prices went up after the film and he duly sold his property). It was also rumoured that the 'whitewash' of the film was so that it would appeal to American audiences whose idea of Britain had been formed from postcards and other eclectic sources. The point should not be made in any event without a quoted source.

Location of Shop

Does anybody know where the actual bookshop used for the film is based, if indeed it existed at all? --Supergussy 21:39, 11 March 2007 (UTC)

The following is noted on IMDb.com, but seem to contradict each other (and are not sourced):

• Thacker's bookshop is actually an antiques shop in real life, next to a butcher. One or two doors down from the butchers is an office for Richard Curtis' production company.
• The real Travel Bookshop had a sign in its window saying "We're almost famous." It would sell non-travel books when it fitted in with a theme. For example, selling Martin Amis' London Fields when doing a Notting Hill theme. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by TAnthony (talk • contribs) 22:54, 11 March 2007 (UTC).

Profit

Does anyone know of how much money the film made at the box office? Could someone please find out? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.0.69.6 (talk • contribs) 5 September 2006

IMDB.com says $116 million, I'll add that in ... TAnthony 23:42, 11 March 2007 (UTC)

GA

The really long quotes in the text are hard to follow, so I set off the one in "Filming" with cquote. The others at the end of "Casting" and "Filming" are borderline. This seems fairly complete according to WP:MOSFILMS. I'm not really sure what "losing out to Star Wars" means in the "Box office" section. The lead sentence says that it won a BAFTA, "and both won and was nominated for several others." This is unclear, as it implies it was nominated for a other BAFTAs and won a few. Likewise "...the request was declined due to huge problems that fans attending a Leonardo DiCaprio premiere had caused the police." What problems? When? Why is this related? Assuming these issues will get fixed, seems GA quality to me. Gimmetrow 01:17, 25 May 2007 (UTC)

I've made all of the fixes you have suggested, aside from the other quotes, which I think are fine. Thanks for the review! Gran² 05:38, 25 May 2007 (UTC)

Looks good. On the "fake premiere" sentence, how about: "Police had found the fans at a recent Leonardo DiCaprio premiere problematic, and the police were concerned the same problems might occur at the staged premiere." Gimmetrow 14:12, 25 May 2007 (UTC)

That's better, so I've implemented it. Gran² 14:27, 25 May 2007 (UTC)

Too Much Detail

The article's well written, but gives away too much of the film's detail. Even though this film is not that recent (1999), I think there'd still be people wanting to see the film who're just looking to this article for some info.

I personally would take out some of the parts of the article that gives away the ending. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.146.96.176 (talk) 23:07, 12 October 2007 (UTC)

No, I'm sorry but if you don't want spoilers, then don't read the plot section. Gran² 07:44, 13 October 2007 (UTC)

"Walking through the seasons"

To show the passing of a year's time, William is seen walking past outdoor markets, with the weather changing every few yards. In "winter", it not only is "snowing", but the street is covered in white. I've never been to London, but I know it is very unusual for it to get accumulating snow. I've seen pictures of large date palms growing in London. 207.210.134.83 (talk) 17:37, 26 April 2009 (UTC)

The accumulation of snow shown in the scene is relatively modest, and certainly less than was experienced in Notting Hill in, for example, January 2009. It is not particularly unusual for there to be a light accumulation in Central London, though often unsustained for more than a few hours. It is snowing today (16/12/09) as it happens, but melting on contact with the ground. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Oinky (talk • contribs) 12:24, 16 December 2009 (UTC)

Just thought I would say that there has been another brief snowfall in Central London this afternoon, leaving an accumulation as night falls very similar to that depicted in the film.Oinky (talk) 17:52, 21 December 2009 (UTC)

GA Sweeps

This article has been reviewed as part of Wikipedia:WikiProject Good articles/Project quality task force. I believe the article currently meets the criteria and should remain listed as a Good article. The article history has been updated to reflect this review. Lampman (talk) 02:21, 15 August 2009 (UTC)

Notting Hill House Prices

I'm not sure the comment on house prices is helpful. Average prices rose in Notting Hill between 1999 and 2006 by roughly 100%, but this was not untypical of London as a whole. In any event, by the time of the film's release, Notting Hill was already a relatively expensive part of London. Indeed I can recall that one of the criticisms of the film at the time was that if Hugh Grant's character owned a house in Notting Hill and could afford to live as he did despite his bookshop being loss-making then he presumably was independently wealthy and thus the apparent gap between his circumstances and those of the film star Anna Scott was not as great as the audience was supposed to think.Oinky (talk) 12:32, 16 December 2009 (UTC)

I've haven't been watching this article closely enough, I didn't notice that had snuck in. I've removed because it isn't realy relevant. Gran² 14:06, 16 December 2009 (UTC)

Cast

Omid Djalili is listed as having a cameo role, however, the definition of a cameo role is "a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts" (taken from wikipedia.) At the time of the film's release he had only been on the stand up scene for a few years. This is more an example of the small roles jobbing actors play before 'hitting the big time' for example Robbie Coltrane in 'Flash Gordon' or Courtney Cox in Springsteen's 'Dancing in the Dark'95.146.6.51 (talk) 23:44, 21 January 2013 (UTC)