The word had already spread among fans that George Clooney’s crew uses Berlin as a backdrop almost daily and now scenes for his current project “The Monuments Men” were filmed in the Nikolai Quarter.
Yesterday afternoon, the already idyllic “Nikolaiviertel” was transformed into a vernal French village, although before filming, ice had to be painstakingly removed from the streets due to unusually cold weather this time of year. Voila – faded billboards, green trees in front of St. Nicholas church in the evening and a quiet lane with warm light.
George Clooney is said to have fallen in love with the Nikolai district, was recently rumored from Babelsberg Studios where the production is headquartered. No surprise, since the faithfully reconstructed houses in the historic center have a very special flair.
Spectators and fans tried to get a glimpse of the Hollywood star despite the fact that the location was cordoned off with olive green tarp. However, it did have gaps here and there and with a few tricks you could sneak a peek at the alley. But even outside the heavily guarded ring the visitors got their money’s worth.
The area between “Brauhaus Georgbraeu” and interior design store “froehlich wohnen” served as a holding area for nearly 250 costumed male and female extras in military uniforms, silk stockings, artfully arranged hairstyles and cherry-red lips. Then there was the props department next to the Dragonslayer monument, outfitting the extras with old bicycles, baby carriages, old boxes, suitcases and weapons from the 40’s. In the end, all this might be even more interesting than waiting for an ailing George. And he sure lived up to his reputation of being a fast worker because by 10 pm the scenes were all wrapped up.
“The Monuments Men” tells a barely known but true story of a spectacular treasure hunt at the end of World War II. Clooney himself wrote the screenplay, directs and stars in the film. Other cast members include Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett and Bill Murray in this $ 80 million production. Charming, historic venues like the Nikolaiviertel: one of the reasons why producers like Clooney love Berlin as a filming location!
Here’s some coverage on TV channel rbb