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MG MGA - Midsomer Murders MGA

Light Blue MGA at the beginning of the new series of Midsomer Murders. Missed the number plate but it looked like 4 numbers. Still watching so will see if it reappears.

Steve
Steve Gyles

That's not good. They crashed it. Reg No. 2326 EL

Steve
Steve Gyles

Sounds like they really did murder it!
Mike Parker

Hi Steve, looked like a nice car and unusualy it was it's genuine reg. no I think they often put false plates on for filming, interestingly though on one of the insurance checking sites it comes up as a coupe!


Gordon
g c pugh

The car's demise.

Steve


Steve Gyles

Steve, that looks suspiciously like David Cameron in the picture, walking away from the scene of the accident!

Didnt know he was an MGA owner.

(Hope that doesnt offend anyone!)

Colyn
Colyn Firth

Was it really Demised? Bit of dirt and unscrew the bonnet...Bob's your uncle. (I have not seen the programme, down here it is usually a case of wait 12 months).

Matthew.
Matthew Magilton

Most of these movie cars are never really damaged in these "wrecks", just remove a wheel and leave a door ajar and the bonnet up, add some smoke and you have a terrible accident. I've seen several over the years both on Midsommer Murders and also Agatha Christy Mysteries. Haven't seen that episode yet over here, what's that little car in front of the MGA in the first shot? An Austin 7 special?
B Young

The same car with the same 2326EL registration was used in "The Life and Death of Peter Sellers" a 2004 HBO film. I doubt that it was truely wrecked.


Chuck Schaefer

There are masses of old cars in this brand new episode (new Inspector Barnaby). The plot is built around an old Cooper racing car and a major concours event - Bentleys, Austins, Alvis etc.

For those in the UK it is on ITV I-Player.

Steve
Steve Gyles

The same car also appeared in an episode of "Miss Marple" last year.

Search for "Miss Marple" from last year's MGA archive.


Mike

No, it's not all smashed up. I went back to the beginning of the film and it was all in one piece once more.

Looks like there is money in this business. Must register my car as a film extra.

Steve
Steve Gyles

There was a gent on the Sprite midget board that had a nice business renting cars to the movies and BBC. He's since moved to Australia so the market is open there you just need the right contacts.
B Young

It seems to be taxed till 1 April next year.
Geoff E

...and appearing again in the movie 'Cemetery Junction' last year http://www.imcdb.org/movie_1196204-Cemetery-Junction.html
Mike

With so many appearances in different films, it makes you wonder if the car is actually owned by a film production company.

Steve
Steve Gyles

There may be money in it but I gather it involves turning up at sparrow fart only to stand round for hours watching actors fluff their lines on twenty takes or, worse stil, fluff their gear changes in your precious car.

Malcolm
Malcolm Eades

I lived in Los Angeles for a long time so know a lot of folks in the film/tv industries.

They don't smash cars, as said above some very clever camera work and prop department work does the trick.

Even though it's a multi-billion dollar (or whatever) industry they don't like spending money unnecessarily.

This also means that they won't pay you very much for filming your car or for shooting on your property.

Crashed cars are usually completely totaled junkyard wrecks cut and shut and painted as a double to the working car. When you see them in person you don't feel very sorry for them!

Good example is check out the Miura at the beginning of the Italian Job. If you freeze frame as it goes over the cliff and "breaks apart" you can just spot that there's no engine mid-mounted in the rear chassis. Obviously a wreck they picked up for cheap as it was a new car then.

A little quick paint, panel beating and welding from the art department is sufficient to make it look like a new car with good camera work. Otherwise as above, doors open, bonnet dismounted, maybe a broken windscreen put in place for the shoot, etc.
Sylvester Harvin

Movie studio prop departments are adept at making junkers appear like nice cars just long enough to wreck them. (Or taking a junk yard car and cleaning it up so it looks like a freshly-wrecked car.) Since this car has appeared in other shows, it's pretty obvious that the wrecked one was probably already wrecked before the studio got it.
David Breneman

I never believed that the car was 'smashed up' - just a bit of poetic license while I was watching the episode.

I have since looked at the crash scene clips and there is no apparent damage in any of shots. They have just placed it cleverly in the undergrowth at a tilted angle and, as mentioned above, an open bonnet and door adds to the effect. They focussed in on the characters, allowing only partial glimpses of the car body.


I have a tally of 4 films so far listed on my website of this particular car.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Gary, this is the site I was looking for.. you may find more of the MGA here....

http://www.imcdb.org/search.php

Mark.
M T Boldry

This thread was discussed between 23/03/2011 and 31/03/2011

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