Film Focus on Stirling Castle

10/03/2010

170 years ago, during the first half of the 19th century, the citizens of Edinburgh were gripped in fear by an unexplained series of murders.  Eventually the killings were linked to the demand of emerging medical science for dead corpses with which to investigate the human body.

Such was the demand that grave robbers began to make a lucrative trade out of disinterring corpses to sell to unquestioning medical institutions.  William Burke and William Hare, however, took temptation beyond robbing graves to committing murder; a total of 17 murders, in fact, in the period of a year, between 1827 and 1828. 

Historic Setting

Not much of laughing matter, you might think but these macabre events have provided the story line for a new black comedy. 

Guided by Hollywood director John Landis (Blues Brother, Thriller) the stars include diminutive Scottish TV comedian, Ronnie Corbett.  And Landis chose Stirling Castle as the backdrop for recreating the feel of Scotland of old.

The film crew worked hard to recreate the look and feel of 19th century Scotland (although much of the castle is of course much older).  The Stirling Observer reports that film scenes included highland cows plodding through the castle courtyards, horse hooves drumming on the cobbles and Ronnie Corbett at the head of the crowd, all resplendent in period costume.

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