It’s a scream for Dave, as horror flick filmed in the Black Country and Staffordshire wins top award

The House of Screaming Death, starring Ian McNeice who has appeared in the likes of Doctor Who and Game of Thrones, won Best Feature Film at the 2018 Midlands Movies Awards.

Shot on a budget of just £4,000, it involved around 100 people, including cast and crew, all of whom provided their services free of charge and was filmed at West Bromwich’s Manor House Museum as well as sites in Walsall and Staffordshire.

The plot is based on McNeice’s character, The Architect, who tells the audience four short stories, each set in different time periods and each exploring a different part of the supernatural world from ghosts to vampires.

Director Dave Hastings, who lives in Darlaston and is a film lecturer at Walsall College said he was delighted the film had been recognised.

“I think more than anything, myself and co-producer Kaushy Patel are just overwhelmed, especially because it has recognised such an amazing cast and crew who worked on the film.

“There is no way this film would exist without each and every one of them who helped bring the final picture to life, whether they were behind the camera or in front of it. It was a complete team effort, and this award reinforces just how brilliant everyone is.

“As well as this, it shows that there is great talent in the Midlands film-making scene, and that you don’t need to go to London, or even Hollywood to find it. It’s right here on your own doorstep.We’ve been entering it into film festivals across the globe with our fingers crossed.

“Festivals are always brilliant and supportive.

“Feature films are especially difficult to get recognition as they are naturally a longer length, and it takes more time to view them when there are around 85-300 other submissions to see, so it’s especially more endearing when your own film gets picked even as an official selection.

“A lot of us are fans of the old British Horror films from Hammer Studios or Amicus, as well as stars such as the legendary Peter Cushing (my ultimate idol), and Christopher Lee.

“We all grew up on those films, and wanted to not only pay homage to them, but create our own version.

“There are lots of nods to those films within ours as well as other classic horror films such as American Werewolf in London. Even Ian McNeice’s character, the sinister Architect, had his costume modelled on aspects of Peter Cushing’s similar one in the chiller Beyond The Grave,” he said.

The House of Screaming Death was one of 85 films entered for the awards.