We take an exclusive look at the new trailer for A String of Naked Lightbulbs, a new film by Ridley Scott Associates on London's famous nightclub, as remembered by Anna Wintour, Goldie Hawn, Naomi Campbell and Bryan Ferry
Dark vaults, exquisite decor and an impeccably exclusive clientele, Annabel’s nightclub is a London institution. Founded in 1963 by Mark Birley, it was London’s very first members-only nightclub, catering for the crème of society and reviving the lost glamour of the post-war city. Over the past fifty years, the A-list haunt has become a closely-guarded Hollywood sanctuary and aristocratic playground, where Diana Ross and Jerry Hall would mingle with Aristotle Onassis, Jacqueline Kennedy and Elizabeth Taylor, while Frank Sinatra ordered Jack Daniels by the bottle. It remains the only nightclub that the Queen has ever been to, while The Beatles were once refused entry for not wearing ties. The club exuded all of the wealth, glamour and scandal of the owner himself and his exuberant family — Birley was brother to Maxime de La Falaise and the club was named after his wife, Lady Annabel Vane-Tempest-Stewart, who famously left him for banking tycoon Sir James Goldsmith.
A String of Naked Lightbulbs, directed by Greg Fay and produced by Ridley Scott, is a new documentary giving an insider glimpse into London’s most famous basement and its notorious history, from its debut in the 1960s, its sale in 2007 and consequential revival and subtle rebrand. There has been no drop in standards – in recent years, the club has been the backdrop for several exclusive events, including a number of AnOther Magazine launch parties. Above all, the film manages to capture the heartwarming memories of those who worked at Annabel's, and the sense of fierce loyalty held within the club.
“The 60s was an extraordinary time to be in London... and at the centre of all that was Annabel's" — Anna Wintour
“The 60s was an extraordinary time to be in London,” recalls Anna Wintour. "All those different worlds were starting the collide. Hairdressers were equally as famous as duchesses, and at the centre of all that was Annabel's — standing for the old world but also representing the new.” Here, AnOther takes an exclusive look at the trailer for the new flim.
A String of Naked Lightbulbs is released on October 28th. Contact Annabel's for more information.
Words by Mhairi Graham
