Summer 2021 Timeline
There are a lot of people involved in the story of Soho.
Workers, baristas, filmmakers, photographers, writers, artistes, (take a breather) musicians, advertising creatives, tailors, shop owners, waiters (take another breather), actors, drinkers, punters, residents and regulars.
They have all been for decades Soho's legendary characters. Many have been and gone and many will come again soon.
They are known by the generic name of 'Sohoites'.
F I L M S
Last Night In Soho, 2021.
Directed by Edgar Wright.
Adrift in Soho, 2019.
Directed by Pablo Behrens. Based on the novel by Colin Wilson.
Available on Amazon Prime, iTunes, Google Play, Microsoft Movies and on DVD.
The Look of Love, 2013.
Directed by Michael Winterbottom.
Absolute Beginners, 1986.
Directed by Julian Temple. Based on the novel by Colin MacInnes.
The Small World of Sammy Lee, 1963.
Directed by Ken Hughes.
DOCUMENTARIES
Free Cinema, 1954-63, Documentary Series.
Directed by Lindsey Anderson, Tony Richardson, Claude Goretta, Alain Tanner, Lorenza Mazzetti, Karel Reisz and others.
Murder in Soho: Who Killed Freddie Mills?, 2018. Directed by Simon Dales. BBC documentary.
More information: Adrift in Soho is available on Amazon Prime Video, iTunes and DVD. Website www.adriftinsoho.com. The Look of Love , Absolute Beginners, The Small World of Sammy Lee are available on Amazon Prime Video according to the latest distribution information. Free Cinema Documentaries can be found on a BFI DVD released in 2006. The closest to Soho of this fantastic series is Night Time, about Piccadilly Circus and Every Day Except Christmas about Covent Garden market. The Free Cinema manifesto was written in a coffee shop on Charing Cross Road in 1954. For full cast and crew of all films go to IMDB search engine.
OTHER FILMS SET IN SOHO
Piccadilly, 1929, directed by EA Dupont.
Murder At The Windmill, 1949, directed by Val Guest.
Night and the City, 1950, directed by Jules Dassin.
Street of Shadows, 1953, directed by Richard Vernon.
Passport to Shame, 1958, directed by Alvin Rakoff.
Expresso Bongo, 1959, Val Guest.
Where Has Poor Mickey Gone? 1964, directed by Gerry Levy.
Ping Pong, 1986, directed by Leong Po-chih.
Love is the Devil: Study for a Portrait by Francis Bacon, 1998, directed by John Maybury.
More information on the list: here and IMDB.
Directed by Edgar Wright.
Adrift in Soho, 2019.
Directed by Pablo Behrens. Based on the novel by Colin Wilson.
Available on Amazon Prime, iTunes, Google Play, Microsoft Movies and on DVD.
The Look of Love, 2013.
Directed by Michael Winterbottom.
Absolute Beginners, 1986.
Directed by Julian Temple. Based on the novel by Colin MacInnes.
The Small World of Sammy Lee, 1963.
Directed by Ken Hughes.
DOCUMENTARIES
Free Cinema, 1954-63, Documentary Series.
Directed by Lindsey Anderson, Tony Richardson, Claude Goretta, Alain Tanner, Lorenza Mazzetti, Karel Reisz and others.
Murder in Soho: Who Killed Freddie Mills?, 2018. Directed by Simon Dales. BBC documentary.
More information: Adrift in Soho is available on Amazon Prime Video, iTunes and DVD. Website www.adriftinsoho.com. The Look of Love , Absolute Beginners, The Small World of Sammy Lee are available on Amazon Prime Video according to the latest distribution information. Free Cinema Documentaries can be found on a BFI DVD released in 2006. The closest to Soho of this fantastic series is Night Time, about Piccadilly Circus and Every Day Except Christmas about Covent Garden market. The Free Cinema manifesto was written in a coffee shop on Charing Cross Road in 1954. For full cast and crew of all films go to IMDB search engine.
OTHER FILMS SET IN SOHO
Piccadilly, 1929, directed by EA Dupont.
Murder At The Windmill, 1949, directed by Val Guest.
Night and the City, 1950, directed by Jules Dassin.
Street of Shadows, 1953, directed by Richard Vernon.
Passport to Shame, 1958, directed by Alvin Rakoff.
Expresso Bongo, 1959, Val Guest.
Where Has Poor Mickey Gone? 1964, directed by Gerry Levy.
Ping Pong, 1986, directed by Leong Po-chih.
Love is the Devil: Study for a Portrait by Francis Bacon, 1998, directed by John Maybury.
More information on the list: here and IMDB.
Soho was where a few planted the seed of inconformity in the 1950s that exploded into modern London with the Singing Sixties. This process had worldwide repercussions and can still be felt today.
The real Soho can be discovered researching the films and books listed here. SOHO IMAGES will rediscover them during 2021.
Get to know Soho via the films and books that tell the story of Soho. A most unusual story.
The real Soho can be discovered researching the films and books listed here. SOHO IMAGES will rediscover them during 2021.
Get to know Soho via the films and books that tell the story of Soho. A most unusual story.
B O O K S
THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY.
The following books can be found or ordered in second hand bookshops. They are also on eBay and Amazon. If we missed one, please let us know.
Soho in the Fifties, by Daniel Farson.
Adrift in Soho by Colin Wilson.
The Surrender of Silence by Iron Foot Jack, edited by Colin Stanley.
The Writing of Colin Wilson's 'Adrift in Soho', edited by Colin Stanley.
Absolute Beginners by Colin MacInnes.
Soho: Street Guide to Soho's History by Dan Cruickshank.
Tales From the Colony Room, Soho's Lost Bohemia by Darren Coffield.
Rock'n'Roll London by Max Woodbridge
Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell play by Keith Waterhouse.
Reach for the Ground by Jeffrey Bernard.
Low Life: Irreverent Reflections from the Bottom of a Glass by Jeffrey Bernard.
Soho: The Heart of Bohemian London by Peter Speiser .
Soho in the Eighties by Christopher Howse.
The Guilded Gutter of Francis Bacon by Daniel Farson.
Soho Cooking by Alister Little.
Members Only: The Life and Times of Paul Raymond by Paul Willetts.
The Story of Soho: The Windmill Years 1932-1964 by Mike Hutton.
A Souvenir of the Windmill Theatre compiled by Jill MIllard Shapiro.
Soho Past by Richard Tames.
Soho in the 1950s and 1960s by Jonathan Fryer.
A Scribbler in Soho by Naim Attallah.
Dog Days in Soho by Nigel Richardson.
Soho: A History of London's Most Colourful Neighborhood by Judith Summers.
I Know This Much: From Soho to Spandau by Gary Kemp.
Gangland Soho by James Morton.
Soho by Keith Waterhouse.
Soho Black by Christopher Fowler.
Margaret Thatcher Queen of Soho by John Brittan.
Soho Square: Stories, Essays, Poems, Pictures by Philip Roth.
Music in Soho: A Brief History by Kenneth Dunn.
The Seven Noses of Soho by Jamie Manners.
The Hidden Lives of London Streets by James Morton.
London Made Us by Robert Elms.
Inside Soho by Mark Edmonds.
Moon Over Soho by Ben Aaronovitch.
Soho by Richard Scott.
Shakespeare in Soho by Jeremy Reed.
Soho Nights Series by Ronnie O'Sullivan.
Night and the City by Gerald Kersh
Soho Lives by Catherine Garcia.
The Soho Don by Michael Connor.
Soho House Guide by Shena Mason.
Soho 4 A.M. by Nuala Casey.
Goodbye to Soho by Clayton Littlewood.
Lord Soho by Richard Calder.
Soho Angel by Greg Keen.
Soho Blues by Neil Blackmore.
Garçon Style by Jonathan D Pryce
Soho Square, African Anthology series by Simon Ogude.
Soho Square: New Writing from Ireland, Anthology.
SOHO IMAGE ARTS MAGAZINE IS A REGULAR HERE.
Little Italy Soho: restaurant, next door to Bar Italia.
Maison Bertaux: patisserie.
Bar Italia: café, drinks, food. Instagram page.
Lina Stores: Deli.
Camisa & Son: Deli.
My Place Soho: café and drinks.
The Arts Theatre Club: drinks.
Ronnie Scotts: music, drinks, food.
The French House: pub, wine bar, food.
Algerian Coffee Stores: café and coffees, teas, mates.
Gerry's Off Licence: wine and spirits.
Andrew Edmonds: restaurant.
INTERNET SITES: SOHO IS BACK.
Bar Italia: Cafe, food and drinks. Twitter Page.
Soho Stories: celebrating six decades of sex, drugs and rock'n'roll, by Laurence Lynch, intro by Colin Vaines, Guardian Internet.
8 of the Best Music Venues in Soho, London, by The Culture Trip Internet.
The battle to save the Curzon Soho, Guardian Internet.
Pictures of a run-down Soho and Covent Garden in 1979 by Rob Baker.
Soho 1972 - from our story 'Hot Pants Galore' by Rob Baker.
Night and the City by Gerald Kersh
The 50 Greatest Cafes on Earth, Daily Telegraph
Soho, London: the Ultimate Guide to the Neighborhood, by Time Out Internet.
Soho 24 Hour Guide, by The Nudge Internet.
Inspiration Soho, by Culture Trip Internet.
The Soho Guide by The Nudge
London Soho Guide: Where To Go And Things To Do, by Last Minute Internet.
Things to do in Soho - London Guides, by Visit London Internet.
Things to do in Soho by Tours By Foot.
Ultimate Guide to Visiting Soho, by Strawberry Tours Internet.
London Soho Guide, by Katie Berrington, Vogue Internet.
The Music Hall and Theatre History Site Dedicated to Arthur Lloyd 1839-1904 by Arthur Lloyd Website
In recent times the film Bohemian Rhapsody was launched with a huge neon display occupying the entire length of Carnaby Street. A couple of years earlier the Catalogue Raisonnee of artist Francis Bacon was launched with a collection of his paintings worth together more than £100 million in an unassuming first floor on Lexington Street known only to locals.
But the everyday Soho has to make do with the money spent by punters from all over London, the UK and the world. Their support is essential for the weekly survival of the place.
Note: the list of books and films will be updated regularly.