Abbey Road studios host festival

The Beatles recorded 90% of their hits at number 3 Abbey Road

London's legendary Abbey Road studios has opened to the public for a series of screenings to mark 25 years in the business of recording film soundtracks.

Made famous by The Beatles, the studios have been transformed into a temporary cinema for a two-week season of films that were scored there.

Scoring involves the soundtrack being added onto the film.

The season opened on Saturday with Raiders Of The Lost Ark - the first movie scored at Abbey Road in 1981.

Beatles films A Hard Day's Night and Yellow Submarine will end the season.

Historic recording

The season will also include The Talented Mr Ripley, The Lord Of The Rings trilogy and Gangs Of New York.

"In these unique surroundings, the season will give a glimpse of the role that Abbey Road plays in maintaining London's pre-eminence as the world's greatest centre for film scoring," a spokesman said.

Sir Edward Elgar conducted the historic recording of Land of Hope and Glory by the London Symphony Orchestra at the opening of studio one in 1931.

Since then the studios in St John's Wood, north-west London, have played host to hundreds of best-selling artists.

The Abbey Road Film Festival runs until 3 April.