The Full Monty: Photographer steps into scenes from the Yorkshire film to see what's changed since 1997
What he does is line up the shots. Stand-out images, from some of the world’s most famous films, captured in a single picture from where they were first set.
There was Tuscany, for the Twilight movies. Puglia, to be by James Bond, and Spiderman in Hollywood’s Tinseltown. Then to Sheffield, for the original Full Monty.
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Hide AdWith a new Disney+ series released from the now Yorkshire classic, Mr Duke took a trip to God’s Own County, to step back in time - charting what might have changed from then to now.
The images, in their own right, share a story. A carpet shop on Idsworth Road stands out. To Mr Duke, this is what it’s all about. To ‘see the invisible in the everyday’.
“It still looked recognisable since filming, but it was quite bizarre to see how vegetation had slowly overtaken the front of the building,” he said. “It was painted with a striking red paint in the film which has since faded after all these years.
“The Full Monty has certainly stood the test of time,” he added, reflecting on the original movie from 1997. “I suppose it’s stuck around for so long because it was simply such a huge hit back then.
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Hide Ad"It’s about people finding themselves when they thought they may never do so again.”
Mr Duke, 24 and based in Hertfordshire, started exploring film locations in 2011 with London’s Skyfall and Atonement before studying Film & TV at Brunel University.
Showcasing his work on Instagram, @steppingthroughfilm, he has amassed a huge following.
There have been stately home visits for The Crown. Teaming up with Universal for the World of Downton Abbey. Working with Disney in the pandemic, for Cruella, Luca, and Free Guy. And travel worldwide, following his favourite shows.
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Hide AdMalham Cove, for Yorkshire, stands out as one of his favourites. Used on location for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Mr Duke said the views and visuals were just “stunning”.
“I’ve always loved escaping into the world of movies,” he said. “It’s been a safe space and one that is always there when I need a break or departure from the real world.
"You can basically go and live out any story you can think of... how incredible is that?!”
It never gets old to see a place in reality, Mr Duke said. What’s fascinating is charting the changes. A setting’s use, or the decor, or if a location has been long-since demolished.
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Hide Ad“It’s always fascinating to find the exact same brick or pipe etc from a scene, and crazy to think how some things remain,” he said.
But when it comes to the ‘picture-perfect’ ending, it can be more tricky than it looks to line it all up.
“It often takes hours,” he laughed. “Sometimes I just stand there and take a few snaps and it’s all done. It’s always very satisfying when a shot lines up so perfectly.
“I feel that film connects us all and we all love cinema,” he concluded. “That’s it really. It’s something that we can all relate to because everybody enjoys watching movies, it’s simply a part of all our lives.”