I am happy to report that yesterday I began the actual creation of the "Wall-O-Withnail". I started by positioning and hanging the several posters and pictures that I've acquired over the past year. I carefully left open spaces here and there in which I will install small floating shelves, to hold the various ephemera.
Rather than give it away with piecemeal photos, I am going to wait until the wall is completed before I show it off. Once it's done, I will take a photo, add numbers to the items, and a list of what each item is and where in the movie it appears.
I'm very excited about a few new items and revelations I've discovered along the way! During my fifty-hundredth viewing, in the "Crow and Crown" pub scene pictured above, I noticed a rather scary-looking black caped figure on the mantel over the fireplace. He looked familiar to me, and with some research I found that he was, in fact, the Sandeman "Don" port decanter - versions were made by both Royal Doulton and Wedgwood.
I acquired a Royal Doulton decanter, because it's blacker and shinier, like the one in the movie. The Wedgwood version had a satin finish, not quite glossy enough.
Also in the "Crow and Crown" picture, just next to the Sandeman decanter, is a Guinness toucan lamp base. After much research, I've found that these lamp bases (the real ones, mind) are very expensive - upwards of $200! I've found a fairly decent knockoff currently for sale on ebay, and I'm considering buying it just to have it for display, since I can't see myself ever splashing out over $200 for something like this. Notably, the toucan in the movie had its tail broken off (you can tell by the stumpy shadow on the wall behind it) but it's supposed to have a lovely perky tail. Apparently, finding a genuine Guinness toucan with an unbroken tail is rare - which drives the price up even higher.
A genuine Guinness toucan lamp base - with tail
(currently on UK ebay for L150 - which is $248.00USD)
A knockoff Guinness toucan lamp base - with tail
(currently on UK ebay, starting bid L.099)
You can totally tell the difference if you have them side by side like this, but standing alone it would still make a cool addition to the Wall-O-Withnail. Who knows... sometimes fakes and knockoffs become collectors items in and of themselves, after enough time passes!
And now... my latest "piece de resistance"...
During the shaving scene, Withnail barges right into the bathroom without knocking and deposits a saveloy and chips lunch wrapped in paper in front of Marwood, then throws himself down on the toilet lid to eat his own, all the while whinging about not getting cast in a cigar commercial.
I can't honestly believe I found this, but I came across a dollhouse-sized saveloy and chips lunch on ebay! Here it is:
Of course it's going to be very tiny and all, but it's actually a saveloy and chips lunch! If it's the right size, I may leave it on the front seat of the Jaguar. I'm gobsmacked that someone actually MADE this! And even moreso that I FOUND it!
(And don't think that I haven't spied that yellow and black striped vintage ashtray on the corner of the tub next to Marwood's mirror. I've been searching for one of those for ages.)
Are you sure a Wall of Withnail is going to be enough to hold everything...? I think you may need to move out and dedicate a whole House of Withnail!
ReplyDeleteKit - I suppose "Wall-O-Withnail" is a little pretentious. If I'm being completely honest, it's really only part of a wall that's also occupied by a bookcase and a closet door. But somehow "Nook-O-Withnail" just doesn't have the same ring to it. 8-) I think it will look more impressive for its compression. Sort of like Withnail's apartment.
ReplyDeleteOnce this extraordinary project is finished, we must get you on HGTV's "Extreme Homes" or something...Amazing work Marchie
ReplyDeleteHere we call ít sausage and chips and it's interesting that the model is wrapped in newspaper - which is realistic. All fish and chips were wrapped in one layer of greaseproof paper inside newspaper in those days. Is the one on the film???
ReplyDeleteB.U. - *blush* Why, thank you! Thing is, if a camera crew got upstairs to the "Wall-O-Withnail", they'd also see the rest of my house (tastefully decorated in a style known as "Early Vincent Price") and the men in white coats would arrive shortly thereafter. As if the W.O.W. (as it shall now be dubbed) isn't enough to have me carted away... ha!
ReplyDeleteScriptor - Not sure if the saveloy and chips in the film have white paper or newspaper on the outside, but they've definitely got that layer of greasy wax paper on the inside... in any case, a fake saveloy and chips lunch is flipping AWESOME! 8-) When I was in Scotland, the fish 'n chips I ate were in newspaper with wax paper lining. Very awesome, very greasy, damn I wish I was in Scotland again.