When it came to recreating an early ’80s-era cinema in a British coastal town for Sam Mendes’ “Empire of Light,” a vital part of the success lay in the most seemingly minuscule details.
The film is the first collaboration between the filmmaker and acclaimed production designer Mark Tildesley.
Childhood memories instantly proved to be a perfect jumping-off point for the fellow Brits.“We started to chat about our cinema experience growing up, and I told him about a holiday I went on to the Isle of Wight,” Tildesley told IndieWire.
“It was as miserable as buggery, freezing cold, and my mum said, ‘Let’s go to the cinema.’ You’d move out of that green, blue, dark, cold thing into this warm space.
It was almost like a womb.” Tildesley recalled warmth and brightness with lush carpets, red velvet curtains, and “a sense of glory that says something amazing is going to happen.
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