Weymouth gets ready for The Boat That Rocked (From Dorset Echo)

Weymouth gets ready for The Boat That Rocked

8:40am Friday 27th March 2009 in News By Joanna Davis

TONIGHT’S curtain-raising moment at the regional premiere of The Boat That Rocked will mark Weymouth and Portland’s journey to the big screen.

Guests will make their way down the red carpet outside Weymouth’s Cineworld to see the borough and many of its residents immortalised in celluloid.

Sixties costumes and music are promised – in keeping with the pirate radio theme of the Richard Curtis film.

The premiere – to be attended by original Radio Caroline DJ Johnnie Walker – will raise thousands of pounds for the RNLI.

An after-show party at the Lazy Lizard bar om Weymouth seafront will keep the celebrations – and fundraising – continuing into the night.

The Working Titles production has been nearly a year in the making since its crew arrived on Portland Port in May, 2008, to begin filming.

Producers chartered the MV Timor Challenger to use as the Radio Rock pirate ship in the film.

Portland Harbour was used as a substitute for the North Sea, from which rogue DJs played by Rhys Ifans and Bill Nighy broadcast illegally.

Stars were also spotted out and about as they made the borough their temporary base. Rhys Ifans and his then-girlfriend Sienna Miller were seen taking part in the pub quiz at the Old Rooms Inn on Weymouth’s harbourside.

Bill Nighy was said to have been reluctant to return to London after staying in the area.

Residents became involved in the production after casting sessions at the Hotel Prince Regent in Weymouth, in April, 2008.

Some 1,200 hopefuls queued on the Esplanade for hours for their chance to appear as extras in the film. The main characters’ body doubles were recruited locally and boats from Weymouth and Portland were used on set.

One of Weymouth Rowing Club’s racing gigs was used for a week of filming and rowers from the club were employed as extras.

Swinging Sixties street scenes were filmed at Castletown and Lyme Regis and Kimmeridge were also used as locations.

At one stage in the shoot, cast, crew and extras numbered more than 300. It is estimated that the filming brought £1.5 million to the local economy.

By June, 2008, cast and crew were back in London to complete filming at Shepperton Studios.

Tickets for tonight’s show sold out within four hours.

Days later, producers arranged a second free screening of the film for 4pm on Sunday at Weymouth Cineworld to thank extras for their part in the production.

The Boat That Rocked opens across the UK on April 1.