At the end of February, Leicester Square launched "Scenes in the Square", an interactive sculpture trail with statues of iconic film characters that come to life with lighting and a soundscape. Leicester Square has always been known for its cinemas and the film industry with many films premiering here. For many years when I first moved to the UK, the square, which was laid out completely differently then, was surrounded by trails of stars on the ground and handprints in concrete. This reminded me of Hollywood's handprint stars. I'm not sure where these are at now, but they were taken up several years ago when the groundwork was being prepared for the new square design. All of the sculptures represent an era of film and represent a diverse range of film: cartoons, super hero, comedy, musicals, action, and children's.
The film icons are a range of characters. First up is the animated Paddington Bear from the 2010s era, one of the UK's (and Peru's) favourite characters. The film "Paddington" and "Paddington 2" won BAFTAs, and the films premiered here in Leicester Square. Visitors can now have their lunch next to the marmalade sandwich-eating bear or post for photographs.
Starting with the 1920s (and ending in the 1940s) is Laurel and Hardy. They are atop the ticket kiosk on the southern part of the square. The scene they are depict is from 1929 "Liberty" where they are on top of a skyscraper. They starred in over 106 films.
Next up is the Looney Tunes' cartoon character Bugs Bunny. He is rising from a patch of carrots. Bugs Bunny dates from 1940 when he appeared in "A Wild Hare", and that makes him 80-years-old this year!
Next up and the only one not really in or seen from the main square in the middle of Leicester Square is DC Super Hero Wonder Woman. She is the most recent and represents the 2020s in cinema, and she is located on the side of the cinema, bursting through the wall in a halo of light from her lasso. The character appeared in All Star Comics in 1941, and this image of her depicts her from the film released in 2017.
Gene Kelly is also featured swinging on a lamp post with a closed umbrella in the 1952 musical "Singin' in the Rain". This is an appropriate one for London.
Mary Poppins is also on the list with her trademark umbrella and cloth bag, ready to fly up into the sky. The original film was released in the 1960s and remains popular and captivating today as it did then. It's even on stage at the moment; it's on my list of shows to see.
Mr. Bean sits on a bench in Leicester Square, and this is the ultimate posing photograph. Everyone loves Mr. Bean because his silent comedy translates so well, and he's become a global phenomenon. The television shows dating from the 1990s were much better than the films, but he's certainly an icon.
Batman, standing atop the Odeon cinema with a projection in the evening, is the 1980s film icon from DC Super Heros. He was introduced in Detective Comics in 1939 and has become a hugely iconic character throughout the 1980s to the current day. A new film will be launched next year.
The only decades that seem to be missing (as Laurel and Hardy span 1920s and 1930s) are the 1970s and the 2000s. But, we have a great representation here and a wonderful activity for visitors in Leicester Square. Unfortunately, the sculptures are only on display until the end of July, so see them before they are removed.
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