Rye has a tasteof Hollywood asmovie gets shot

The movie Monuments Men is directed by George Clooney, who also stars in it along with big names like Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett and Bill Murray. Filming has been taking place at Camber and Winchelsea and continues at the Strand and Strand Quay area of Rye today (Friday). The film, which is due to be reeleased on December 18 this year, is a war-time thriller about an Allied group, tasked with saving pieces of art and other culturally important items before their destruction by Hitler. As preparations for shooting got underway people were confronted by the strange sights of a crashed German Messerschmitt on Camber Sands and an empty antiques shop at Rye’s Strand being converted into what appears to be a German butcher’s shop. Period fishing luggers appeared at Strand Quay, which is rumoured to represent a French fishing port in the film. Filming was taking place at Winchelsea on Thursday where the interior of the New Inn had been painstakingly converted to resemble a 1940’s pub. A Rye businessman involved with the filming, but who did not want to be named, said: “I think this is terrific for Rye. There has been a real buzz down here, even early in the morning when it is usually dead. It has been really interesting to see them at work and what they can achieve.” Rye Heritage Centre manager Peter Cosstick said: “There has been a lot of interest.” The Strand car park was closed for filming yesterday and today (Friday 7). Clooney, who has filmed in the area before, is rumoured to have a love for Rye. Filming first started in Germany in early March. Scenes have also been shot in Cambridgeshire. A spokesperson for Rother District Council said: “The filming is expected to attract extra income to Rye and will help advertise the town to a wide audience.”