Alan Moore: First film is a 'love letter' to Northampton

Renowned comic book writer Alan Moore says the first film he has written is a "love letter" to his home town of Northampton.

The Show was filmed in the area and tells the story of a man hired to track down a stolen artefact.

It stars Moore himself, as well as Strike actor Tom Burke and Ellie Bamber who starred in The Serpent.

The Watchmen and V for Vendetta author said: "Northampton is incredibly beautiful but nobody knows it."

Moore said the town had "got some of the strangest architecture [and] the best selection of architecture in the country".

The film depicts Burke as a mystery man, who arrives in Northampton on a mission to locate an artefact for his menacing client. He then discovers a surreal nocturnal world hidden just beneath the surface.

The movie production office was based in the old Northamptonshire County Council buildings, with its rooms and courtyard used in filming.

Key parts of the film, part financed by the British Film Institute, were shot at St James World Men's Club and other locations.

The 67-year-old told BBC Radio Northampton: "It is certainly a love letter [to Northampton].

"We've got all this fantastic history and I think we've capture the feel of the town.

"Northampton is very much the star of the film [as is] the incredible creative talent that is in this town.

"I don't think we'd have got that anywhere else other than Northampton."

Moore has been described as one of the most important figures in cinema today, even though he has never worked on a film before.

Many of his graphic novels and works have been adapted into movies, such as Watchmen, V For Vendetta, From Hell and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. His work in comics has also influenced modern superhero blockbusters.

But Moore has distanced himself from the big-screen adaptations of his work and said The Show was "probably a one-off".

He said: "I'm probably not going to be doing a lot more in terms of cinema. This may be the only film that I actually put my name to, but if that is the case then I am really glad this is the film we made."

The film, directed by Mitch Jenkins, had its UK premiere at FrightFest in London last month and will be released on digital platforms on 18 October.

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