Wanstead News roundup, 16.12.10; Harry, Year, Windows

• It may seem like ancient history, but the case of former Leyton and Wanstead MP Harry Cohen, who was censured after the MPs’ expenses scandal, is not over. New evidence has come to light, the House of Commons Standards and Privileges committee has said, meaning Mr Cohen could yet claim a £65,000 award usually made to MPs who step down. More details

• The Mike Leigh film Another Year, which is set in Wanstead, is one of the films of the year as chosen by the New Statesman’s excellent film critic, Ryan Gilbey (who is also set in Wanstead).

• Who would have thought some new windows in flats above a shop could be interesting? Wanstead’s Smarter High Street campaign, now with an introductory video, below, tells the tale behind the new frames above Judith of Wanstead.

The Smarter High Street Campaign for Wanstead from Smarter High Street on Vimeo.

Another Year review, I

Your reviews of Mike Leigh’s new film, starring Jim Broadbent and Wanstead, are welcome. More on the film here.

New Mike Leigh Film is so well done, not to mention the wonderful views of Wanstead Flats.less than a minute ago via web

See Wanstead on film

[picappgallerysingle id=”9990618″]Mike Leigh’s new film, Another Year, which is going on release today (Friday) is set in Wanstead. The film, starring Jim Broadbent, Lesley Manville and Ruth Sheen, was filmed in a house in St Margaret’s Road, also using the front of the house and garden as locations, and on the allotments.

These clips on Film4 give a taster of the tone of film, which will be shown in Enfield, Holloway Road and the Barbican (full listings for Friday from Google here)

Here’s a taste of the film’s entourage on Wanstead Flats during filming last October, taken by Peter Aylmer and featured on his website. In a memorable quote which gives a vivid a taste of Mike Leigh’s film-making style, an actress on the film told him what was going on.

“It’s the new Mike Leigh film,” she told him.

“Has it got a title yet?” asked Peter.

“No,” she said, “it hasn’t even got a story.”

Leigh himself told the Guardian last week:

“I remember when we were shooting the scene in Happy-Go-Lucky where Poppy goes to visit her pregnant sister in Southend. I said to Dick Pope, my director of photography, ‘This is the last time I stand outside a suburban house.’ But then came Another Year and we were shooting in Wanstead. Dick turned to me and said, ‘I thought you said that was the last time you’d shoot outside a suburban house.'”

So, as is Wansteadium tradition, your reviews of the film are welcome, especially if they focus on the role Wanstead plays. To kick off, here’s Wanstead stalwart @dollycreative ‘s verdict.

Wanstead is perfect for a bitter-sweet Mike Leigh film set in a nice house in a conservation area, but still in E London http://is.gd/gIsoaless than a minute ago via web