Guns ’n’ poses as US army invades Glasgow

IT WAS once said that when there is no more room in Hell, the dead will walk the earth.

Yesterday in Glasgow’s George Square the march of the zombies came a few steps closer as the director of World War Z filmed a major crash sequence.

While today the city centre is expected to witness the mass ranks of the undead, with 700 extras expected to be called in, George Square, which is doubling for Philadelphia in the £120 million movie starring Brad Pitt, was yesterday the scene of panic and an armed insurrection.

Two US military Humvees were parked on North Frederick Street, behind wooden barriers guarded by soldiers armed with M-16s. The grand frontage of the City Chambers was dressed with American police cars, yellow taxis and an array of citizens, who upon the cry of “action” over a loudspeaker immediately ran in terror.

The scenes had been scheduled to be filmed on Sunday, but filming was delayed because of good weather. The bright sunshine clashed with the grey sky and sodden atmosphere the crew required and the city can usually be relied upon to provide. Even yesterday the film crew were having to spray the streets to achieve a suitably sodden effect.

Among the spectators was Max Brett, 10, who was holidaying with his family and had convinced his father, Terry, that the museums of Glasgow could wait.

“It’s so cool,” he said, but confessed that his favourite actor was not Pitt but Alan Rickman, who plays Professor Severus Snape in the Harry Potter films.

Meanwhile Gail O’Connor, 29, was in town with her mother and was delighted to have secured a snap of one of the undead as he emerged from John Street holding an umbrella.

“They were just coming out of make-up and were trying to cover themselves up with a large umbrella, but I managed to get a pic,” she said.

The key shots that director Marc Foster wished to achieve were a pair of car crashes. Most of the morning was spent setting up the first in which a grey Volvo sped past the outside of the City Chambers and slammed straight into the side of a red and white US ambulance.

At The Piper On the Square, which has a view overlooking the set, and whose bar lunches have proved popular with the cast and crew, staff are now selling souvenir T-shirts to tourists that declare: “I was here to see World War Z”.

Strathclyde Police, whose officers have been monitoring the filming and ensuring the public do not interfere, said they were being paid to provide a service by the film company, much as they would at football matches.