Alien Autopsy

With raindrops falling onto the lens, the camera records the arrival of documentary maker Morgan Banner (Bill Pullman) at the offices of Qwerty Films in London's Soho.

Soho streets appear through the windows of Michael Kuhn's office as Ray Santilli and Gary Shoefield's enter to meet with Morgan. Looking along Bateman Street from Dean Street W1 with Portland House on Greek Street in the distance.

Cropping the tops of the foreground buildings from street level. (PW)

The story unfolds, starting in Hackney on 14th April 1995. Beck Road in London E8 with Alden House on Sheep Lane in the right distance. The street also appears in 'Jude'.

Tris achieves a eerily similar lens flare.

Setting off to work, Gary Shoefield (Anthony McPartlin) leaves the house where he has a flat to discover that his Mk. II Ford Capri is missing. Beneath the bridge over Beck Road in Hackney that carries the railway between Cambridge Heath and London Fields stations.

The gate is actually an entrance to a home as Tris discovered.

Ray Santilli (Declan Donnelly) phones his friend Gary from the commandeered car.

Travelling to the office by bus, Gary answers the call. Facing north-east on Essex Road at the corner of Greenman Street in N1.

Tris found that the bookies is now a kitchen shop, but the traffic lights are still green.

At home, Ray answers the door to his Mother's date Maurice (John Cater) before returning inside to continue pirating video tapes. Steve Randall identifies this as the view from number 11 April Street in Dalston N16 looking eastwards along Perch Street.

Still driving Gary's Capri, Ray pulls out from behind a funeral cortege.

After passing several VHS tapes to Edgar (Lee Oakes) the Pallbearer, Ray speeds away. Steve Randall's research led him to discover that this is looking north along Whitmore Road from the New Era Estate in N1.

While Rozel Court is still visible in the left distance on De Beauvoir Road, Lancresse Court in the centre distance has been removed from view by construction in the early 2010s on the corner of Orsman Road. SJ

In the market, Ray sells cushions, pillows, sunglasses and pirated videos . . . until a Trading Standards Officer shows him his identification. Looking eastward along Chapel Market N1 from the corner of Grant Street. The Islington Street also appears in 'The Secret Place'.

Little has changed though Tris arrived in the evening when the street is less busy.

Ray legs it when the Trading Standards Officer calls two Police Officers over. Chapel Market in Islington, facing the gap that has since been been filled with number 98B.

Somewhat ironically, the pet shop is now a restaurant, next to the new building at the centre. Today's scene captured by Tris.

Jasmine (Morwenna Banks) serves in Melik's take-away as Ray asks Gary to accompany him to America to help find Elvis memorabilia for the market stall. Looking onto Chapel Market from inside number 9.

Taken from outside no9's door. No9 is no longer Angel Kebab but now Hot Stone a steak and sushi bar. SJ

Gary convinces himself that he can pay his own way to get through Law School when he's turned down for promotion at work. Looking west along Chapel Market with the corner of Godson Street to the left of centre.

Tris notes that the Indian buffet, advertised to the top left, is now unpriced.

Flying to the States with the money from Ray selling Gary's car, the two pals arrive in Cleveland. Facing the City Center Hotel at 1135 West 7th Street in Los Angeles, California.

After the pair meet Harvey, who has a film of Elvis Presley performing live, Ray is taken to the former U.S. Army cameraman's Florida home where he is shown footage dating from 1947 of an Alien autopsy being carried out following the crash of a UFO in Roswell, New Mexico.

As Ray explains to Gary that they need an investor to pay the $30,000 that Harvey is demanding for the film, in London, Laszlo Voros is driven to his Belgravia home by his boyfriend Zachary. The south-eastern side of Belgrave Square in SW1 with the corner of Upper Belgrave Street in the left distance. The location can be seen in 'Up the Junction'.

The embassy flags still fly. SJ

The Hungarian art dealer's Cadillac Fleetwood turns from the street into a driveway. Belgrave Place in Belgravia, various parts of which can be found in 'All Night Long', 'The Counterfeit Plan', 'Breaking Point', 'Dead Lucky' and 'Seven Days to Noon' amongst other productions.

Now. SJ

A shutter begins to close behind the car as it reaches the house. Skywood House on Halings Lane in Denham, Buckinghamshire.

A meeting is arranged and Ray is taken for a ride by Voros.

A fan of crop circles and believer in life on other planets, Laszlo Voros (Götz Otto) agrees to give Ray the money. Looking towards the Thames Barrier that crosses Woolwich Reach between Silvertown E16 and New Charlton in SE7 with the Thames Wharf jetty in the foreground. The Barrier also makes an appearance in 'Eastern Promises'.

The Thames Barrier as seen in the daytime. (SD)

Returning to Cleveland, Ray pays Harvey (Harry Dean Stanton) and the can of film is handed over.

In Qwerty's London office, Morgan Banner is told the history of the film before Ray describes how it had deteriorated and become completely unwatchable by the time he showed it to his family.

As the two pals make their way to see Jeffrey, a film restorer who's a friend of a friend, Ray recounts what he saw when Harvey played the footage.

Ray wonders how he will tell Laszlo Voros that he has no film for his $30,000 investment.

Finding Maurice with his Nan when he arrives home, Ray admonishes the embarrassed 102 year old.

When questioned further, Maurice tells Ray that his family business is making mannequins for department stores.

Having gathering a mannequin along with makeup from the funeral directors and meat and offal from a butcher, Melik (Omid Djalili) and Ray follow Gary into his sister Doreen's Islington flat where they plan to recreate the lost footage. The corner of Chapel Market and Godson Street with rear of 57 White Lion Street in the left background.

Tris tells us that Star Cars was here until at least 2019 but the premises at 94 are now occupied by a security consultant.

With shooting complete, Ray and Gary dispose of the 'alien' body before the fake film is taken to Voros.

After Voros is successfully duped, Gary and Ray decide to show the footage to corner shop owners at the Natural History Museum in the hope that they will buy VHS copies of the film. Cromwell Road in South Kensington SW7.

The surplus traffic lights were added in 2009. SJ

But the Natural History Museum refuse them access, so Gary and Ray arrange for the secret screening to take place at the Museum of London. Looking south on Aldersgate Street towards the Museum of London in EC2.

Apart from an added cycle lane, unchanged: even the tree peeping out from the museum's garden. SJ

More people than expected turn up. Facing the Museum of London from London Wall with Aldersgate Street to the left.

More ornate road markings. Taken from the westernmost highwalk over London Wall. SJ

The Museum Director (Jonathan Coy) worries about losing control of the crowd in front of the national press and two television crews. Inside the Museum of London at 150 London Wall EC2.

The museum closed in late 2022 and will transfer to West Smithfield for an intended opening in 2026. I took this looking directly at the entrance and a reverse pov but this shows the door and window arrangement quite nicely. SJ

Ray and Gary escape from pursuing camera crews and journalists after everyone is taken in by the film. The terrace above the Museum of London in EC2.

Some re-glassing in the background. This improves the angle of my shot from May 2023. SJ

Questions are asked in the Pentagon. Likely to be stock footage, this is the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.

In a hotel near Heathrow Airport, Mr. Gonzalez (Miguel Angel Plaza), a negotiator from Argentina, places his bid for a copy of the film.

With things looking good for the two entrepreneurs ahead of the film being broadcast on national television, Gary suspects that he's being followed by the CIA and Voros is killed after demanding a cut of the profits. Facing number 11 April Street from Perch Street N16 located by Steve Randall.

At the start of a television programme hosted by Jonathan Frakes, the scene is set before the Alien autopsy is shown to the viewing public. Lambeth Bridge with the Houses of Parliament in the distance.

A similarly overcast day. SJ

The morning after the show, Gary approaches Ray's house to find that fans and journalists have gathered outside. Outside number 4 Perch Street looking towards April Street identified by Steve Randall.

Looking north-west with Shacklewell Green behind me. SJ

Ray takes Gary along when he's asked to appear on an Argentinian chat show. Terminal 5 at Heathrow in Hounslow, Greater London.

Gary tells Melik and the friends that helped make the film about the threat of being sued by American television networks after Ray couldn't produce the original footage.

After seducing Ray to discover more about the film's authenticity, Channel 5 news reporter Amber Fuentes and her Crew arrive at Harvey's house, prompting him to run from the back of property.

Harvey phones Ray to tell him that a reporter has been asking questions despite a promise that no one would be told where the film came from.

Following the call, Ray runs to Gary's flat to tell him that the press have found Harvey. Facing west on Beck Road in Hackney E8.

Tris found Beck Road unchanged.

Ray and Gary again return to the U.S.A. in an effort to direct the attention of the media away from Harvey and prevent him from exposing them. Looking north on North Gower Street with the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood at the corner of Carlos Avenue in Los Angeles 90028.

The camera tilts up to find the iconic Hollywood sign. Facing north on North Gower Street.

Cruising the streets, the two search for a suitable looking Man for their plan.

When Gary points out a likely candidate, Ray stops the car. This is outside Stage 4, Sunset Gower Studios, at the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Gower Street in Hollywood, California. (SR)

Ray asks a Homeless Man how would he like to earn $500 and spend the night in a clean hotel room. Sunset Gower Studios, Hollywood. (SR)

Amber Fuentes (Nichole Hiltz) and her Crew watch an interview with the Homeless Man playing Harvey, who recalls filming the Alien autopsy in 1947. Sunset Gower Studios. (SR)

With everyone satisfied that Ray's film is genuine, Jeffrey (David Threlfall) turns up with the restored footage. The view from the front door of number 11 April Street in Dalston N16 located by Steve Randall.

From the front door, with Perch Street on the right running down to Shacklewell Green. SJ