REVOLUTION REMEMBERED: Reporter was an extra in Al Pacino film

Another look back at the filming of Revolution, starring Al Pacino, in the 1980s…During the first month of Revolution filming in March 1985, Lynn News reporter Richard Parr had the chance to put away his notebook and pen to become an extra.He was on set for a day, taking a journey back in time more than 200 years to bring life to an imaginary New York waterfront.

But he soon discovered that the chance to appear in a major motion picture, if only fleetingly, carries its own sacrifices as he wrote: “Mine came in Goldcrest’s make-up department at 7.30am when I was given the ultimatum – the beard must come off or no part.”Richard had spent six years sporting a full beard, but had to grimace and bear it as a make-up artist got to work with electric clippers.His part to play was as a member of New York’s rank-and-file of the 1776 period, which meant putting on tatty breeches and an even tattier dress coat.

Despite the best efforts of the wardrobe department, Richard still had to make adjustments: “I put my costume on all right, but there was one problem – my tights kept falling down revealing a bare leg.” A couple of elastic bands did the trick, but then he realised that going to the toilet would also present difficulties with numerous buttons to undo and do up again.Richard and his working class colleagues were positioned on the Purfleet Bridge where he remained throughout the day while the same scene – depicting the victorious British army marching into New York – was rehearsed and filmed seven times. He also realised that being a film extra meant there was a lot of waiting around for something to happen, but he reported: “The time went amazingly quickly; there was so much to see and, of course, it was great fun.“First assistant director Derek Cracknell, who was working with director Hugh Hudson, kept asking the extras to keep interested and not to get bored. And there was a buzz of excitement among the extras when superstar Al Pacino walked casually through the set.“Even when Revolution is shown at the Majestic at Lynn and I blink and miss seeing myself, I will still consider my day as an extra to have been a marvellous experience.”