# Deluxe Film Processing Laboratories, Denham July 2016



## mookster (Jul 17, 2016)

It's been a pretty slow year for me this year, apart from my mad two and a bit week dash to America there hasn't been a huge deal going on here for me which is disappointing but that's just what happens sometimes I guess. So when I saw this place pop up a couple of weeks back and it's imminent demise I knew I should make an effort. So on a scorchio day as part of Landie Man's slightly delayed birthday celebrations we ventured just beyond the M25 and went for it, without knowing anything about access, possible security or much else. Driving past we were immediately disheartened to see a multitude of large skips outside, and the ground floor windows along one stretch of the frontage completely removed, as well as glimpsing the sight of heavy demolition equipment out back. We also saw at least one person and a car on site, at the far end, whether or not there is some small business operating out of a building on site I don't know but it put me on edge a little.

As far as history goes, this place is steeped in it. Constructed in 1936, it was one of only five buildings in the UK designed by the founder of the Bauhaus movement Walter Gropius, this one for film producer Alexander Korda. The film processing laboratory - formerly Rank before being taken over by Deluxe - is the last surviving building from the original Denham Film Studio complex, it's one of the only surviving examples of industrial architecture from the Modern Movement of the 1930s and was Grade II listed in 1985. During it's heyday it was the most expansive and advanced film processing facility outside of Hollywood processing more than 500 million feet of film a year which was distributed to cinemas all over the world. Films processed and edited on site included Brief Encounter, The Great Escape, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, Tomorrow Never Dies, ET, Superman 1,2 & 3, GoldenEye, Eyes Wide Shut, Quantum of Solace and Skyfall. After Avatar was released in 2009 the film industry shifted hugely towards digital rather than film, and the resurgence of modern-day 3D didn't help at all. In 2014, Deluxe shut down with the loss of around 70 jobs, at it's peak there had been over 1200 people working in the facility.

After a walk around and a quick scramble to scope out the access and deciding it was very doable we scampered back to the car to grab our gear and headed inside. We caught it just in time, large areas of the listed building are completely stripped bare ready for conversion, but it's a massive place and there is still a lot to see that hasn't been touched by the contractors yet. If you want to see it though you had better be quick, as things look to be moving at pace. 














































































































































Thanks for looking, more on my Flickr here https://www.flickr.com/photos/mookie427/albums/72157671090166456 ​


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## jsp77 (Jul 17, 2016)

Nice one, i went past this place on Friday, was very busy with the demo boys everywhere, I went elsewhere. Glad you got in ok, great set there Mookster. cheers.


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## mookster (Jul 17, 2016)

jsp77 said:


> Nice one, i went past this place on Friday, was very busy with the demo boys everywhere, I went elsewhere. Glad you got in ok, great set there Mookster. cheers.



Yeah they've certainly made a mess since the photos went up last month, I reckon they'll be stripping out the listed parts first before going full speed into the more modern additions with the demolition equipment out back. So glad I got to it just in time.


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## Sam Haltin (Jul 17, 2016)

Nicely done. A lot of movie history within these walls.


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## Derelictheart (Jul 19, 2016)

Ive just realised where this is, we have quoted to do the decorations on the conversion........I thought I knew the name!


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## smiler (Jul 19, 2016)

Sound Job, Loved It, Thanks


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## HughieD (Jul 19, 2016)

Top job there Mook.


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## Potter (Jul 20, 2016)

Very nice that it's the building is being kept, but some of that stuff should go in a museum. I wonder if the Queen's coronation is still in that can? I can't believe all those DVDs have been left. I bet the builders will take a few.


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## mookster (Jul 20, 2016)

They did a very good job of clearing a lot of it out, there was evidence of an auction being held after the place closed and I guess they left behind whatever didn't sell.


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## Ollieroo123 (Jul 20, 2016)

please be careful guys this place is a live demolition site now


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## Ollieroo123 (Jul 20, 2016)

jsp77 said:


> Nice one, i went past this place on Friday, was very busy with the demo boys everywhere, I went elsewhere. Glad you got in ok, great set there Mookster. cheers.


 please stay clear of this site please it is a live demolition zone now not safe to be wondering around stay safe and stay away


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## Ollieroo123 (Jul 20, 2016)

I am the supervisor of the demolition company doing the work it is not safe to be walking around we don't want people getting hurt please stay away and stay safe guys


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## mookster (Jul 21, 2016)

We heard you the first time, lol.

Nobody about on the Sunday we went and we know what we are doing personally, but you're right there is a lot of 'stuff' going on there now and I bet a lot has changed in the days since I went.


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## Brewtal (Jul 22, 2016)

Great report Mookster, really enjoyed that.


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## urbancleetus (Jul 23, 2016)

good site this went there the other week, don't look like you found the dinosaur tho


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## Winch It In (Jul 26, 2016)

Cracking set of photos Mookster, So much to see there a?,
I bet your glad you went when you did... most of the out buildings have gone now...


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## Dirus_Strictus (Jul 26, 2016)

mookster said:


> We heard you the first time, lol.
> 
> Nobody about on the Sunday we went and we know what we are doing personally, but you're right there is a lot of 'stuff' going on there now.



In the first post we have no idea that it is a responsible person with factual knowledge of the site giving the information; in my opinion the repost was needed. Sadly during my working life, I have been involved in the recovery of the body parts from five of the 'we know what we are doing' brigade who entered active rail tunnels and paid the price. My concerns were always with the driver, especially when suicide was involved - the sound of a body being broken as it is thrown about between the ballast and the underside is something one never forgets! Remember it is always some other poor sod who has to recover your body or remains, if you get it wrong.


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## mookster (Jul 26, 2016)

Winch It In said:


> Cracking set of photos Mookster, So much to see there a?,
> I bet your glad you went when you did... most of the out buildings have gone now...



Yeah we got it just in time, only a small part had really been stripped right back. I had a couple of friends of mine visit on Sunday and a massive amount has changed in just a few days. I feel so glad I'll be one of a privileged few to have seen the place pre-demolition.


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## Sam Haltin (Jul 26, 2016)

Dirus_Strictus said:


> In the first post we have no idea that it is a responsible person with factual knowledge of the site giving the information; in my opinion the repost was needed. Sadly during my working life, I have been involved in the recovery of the body parts from five of the 'we know what we are doing' brigade who entered active rail tunnels and paid the price. My concerns were always with the driver, especially when suicide was involved - the sound of a body being broken as it is thrown about between the ballast and the underside is something one never forgets! Remember it is always some other poor sod who has to recover your body or remains, if you get it wrong.



Quite right Dirus. After nearly 40 years as on-train staff I have been witness to 14 suicides on the train I've been working. Not only bodies breaking up underneath but flying over the top of the carriage. (Croy, Scotland 2012).


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## Winch It In (Jul 27, 2016)

mookster said:


> Yeah we got it just in time, only a small part had really been stripped right back. I had a couple of friends of mine visit on Sunday and a massive amount has changed in just a few days. I feel so glad I'll be one of a privileged few to have seen the place pre-demolition.



Ive been past several times over the last couple of weeks, now they have started taking the boarded window frames out of the listed part. Steel fencing is up at the front now aswell...


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