QUADROPHENIA
Love it or hate it there’s no doubt that Quadrophenia provided a much needed injection of new custom to scooter shops across the UK. Giulio recalls that Armando’s benefited from the film in more than just increased trade. “By the late 1970s scootering had more or less died out in the south but was still strong in the north. The producers needed large numbers of scooters for filming so approached the northern clubs.
“They paid £25 a day for a scooter with rider and £15 for a pillion plus accommodation. Guido wasn’t old enough to ride so he went down with me. All the clubs met at our shop and we rode down together. I hadn’t realised there was so much hanging about involved in filming. We soon worked out that it was possible to sign on and then sneak off but still make it back in time for the shots. The wardrobe department smartened us up and there was a glamour attached to being involved in the filming. I’ll just say that we had a great time and leave it at that!”
The selection of Quadrophenia memorabilia held at the shop ranges from an ultra-rare, mint, film poster produced for the Italian market, one of only three known to exist, to stills of the brothers taken during filming. Both can be seen clearly in several scenes including the ffamous clash withi the police.i “It was strange, play fighting for the cameras. The directors kept telling us and the coppers to stop laughing, but if you look closely they weren’t that successful.”