LOCATION: Manchester
FILM: 24 Hour Party People

“It was like being on a fantastic fairground ride, centrifugal forces throwing us wider and wider. But it’s all right, because there’s this brilliant machine at the centre that’s going to bring us back down to earth. That was Manchester. That is the Hacienda. Now imagine the machine breaks. For a while, it’s even better, because you’re really flying. But then, you fall, because nobody beats gravity”

 

This movie is all about the Manchester music scene between 1977 and 1992 centres around the Factory Records record label and a nightclub called the Hacienda. The cast reads like a who’s who of British TV with a cast list that includes Steve Coogan, John Simm, Ralf Little, Andy Serkis, Peter Kay, Simon Pegg, Dave Gorman and John Thompson among others. There is also a host of cameo’s from the actual musicians of that generation.

 

The thing about 24 hour Party people is that even though it is quite recent the story is intrinsically part of the history of Manchester. Once you have seen the movie you can walk around the town and see where things were and how the city has changed.

 

Manchester: Manchester is Manchester and even though finding parts of the city that still resemble the years between 77 and 92 is hard it’s not a big city and you will stumble across them if you keep your eyes out.

 

The Hacienda: The nightclub is dead the Hacienda was torn down in 2002 and has been replaced with a block of flats. The club interior was re-created for the movie in a warehouse not far from Salford. The exterior of the club with its curved façade was used in the film and the new block of flats (Called the Hacienda Building) has retained that feature but not the character. The façade can be found at 15 Whitworth St, West Manchester.

 

The Russell Club: The scene that were set inside the Russell Club were actually shot inside Jilly’s Rockworld which can be found on Oxford St in central Manchester.

Filed under: Manchester