The Escapist is a great film by Rupert Wyatt (2008) about a bunch of desperados running away from a British prison.
Frank Perry and his inmates escape by oppressive underground tunnels. One of it is an abandoned tube station in Central London, Union Street. The station is the perfect stage for a moment of suspended reality in the film. It looks phantasmagorical and just as sad and hopeless as the drama of the film.
I have not found any information or picture about the station. It is not on the list at http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/. It might as well just be a fictional stage of the film.
6 comments ↓
I can add a bit more information to this, after a bit of sleuthing. The London Underground map that’s shown on the wall of the station in the film has been subtly altered to include the fictional station. The station has been inserted into the Northern Line between Borough and Elephant & Castle. Whereas in the actual map it’s a straight diagonal between the two stations, in the film there’s a bend added, with “Union Street” on the bend. After that the map returns to normal. As to where it was filmed (if anywhere other than just a set), I’ve been unable to find out.
I have just watched the DVD, with directors commentaty. The clip of Union St Underground station was filmed in Holborn underpass old tram station. The background and tunnel etc. was CGI
I recently visited the Kingsway tram tunnel for a temporary art installation. You can still see quite a lot of the material used in this film, including the fake Union Street sign and a Tube map with the station added. Pics of the visit here: http://londonist.com/2009/10/in_pictures_chord_at_kingsway_tram.php
The Kingsway Tram Subway is hosting an art installation 8th October – 8th November 2009. Remains of posters and underground signs + the original tram station can be seen.
http://www.measure.org.uk/show11/ex_11_open.html
Wrong! I have photo’s from Union Street underground where my friends went exploring. It IS there and have pictures of it.
Feel free to email me if you want a look
justinsapple @ mac . com
No, you don’t have photos from a real station named Union Street – it never existed. It was an invention purely for the film, as rightly stated above.
Leave a Comment