Ten Horror Movies Filmed in the Midlands

Boo! What monstrous movies were shot right here in the Midlands? Well, we head on a (ghost) hunt this Halloween to try and uncover the horror films that were made in the region...

Zombie Undead (2010) Directed by Rhys Davies

First up we start with a low-budget zombie flick filmed right on my doorstep. Zombie Undead was shot entirely in Leicester and stars Ruth King, Kris Tearse, Barry Thomas and Christopher J. Herbert. Written by Tearse, the film tells a story of the aftermath of a terrorist attack and how the survivors struggle to defeat a horde of rampaging zombies. Premiering in Leicester in January 2010 at the city’s independent Phoenix Cinema, the film received mixed reviews but like many on this list, some joy comes from spotting the locales we all know and love during the undead’s attacks.

The Girl with All the Gifts (2016) Directed by Colm McCarthy

Starring Gemma Arterton, Paddy Considine, Glenn Close and Sennia Nanua, this critically acclaimed horror is another zombie based film, this time shot in the West Midlands. The movie shows a dystopian future following a breakdown in society after most of humanity is wiped out by an infection. Shooting took place in Birmingham city centre, the former Powergen site in Shirley, Cannock Chase, Dudley and Stoke-on-Trent. With the addition of aerial views of the Ukrainian town Pripyat (uninhabited since the 1986 Chernobyl disaster) the film scores an excellent 85% on Rotten Tomatoes and good luck in spotting the locations which have been altered heavily with set dressing and CGI additions.

The Lair of the White Worm (1988) Directed by Ken Russell

It’s called Thor’s Cave but rather than the God of Thunder, this location in the Peak District was used in the opening shot of this 80s horror (loosely) based on the novel of the same name by Bram Stoker. The movie stars Amanda Donahoe, Hugh Grant, Catherine Oxenburg and even Peter Capaldi and updates Stoker’s original story (which was based in the Peak District in the 19th century) to a modern-day setting. Whilst a lot of the film was shot at Shepperton Film Studios, the production did venture out on location but director Russell forever laments the difficulty of shooting the film’s special effects which “take forever to do”.

Devil's Tower (2014) Directed by Owen Tooth

Shot in Nottingham, Devil’s Tower is a frightful feature where two people are forced to fight against zombies. (I’m seeing a Zombie theme running through these films – what’s it about the Midlands, eh? We’re not all the walking dead!) The film stars Roxanne Pallett and Jason Mewes – he of Kevin Smith’s Jay and Silent Bob franchise – with the run-down apartment set in a Nottingham building.

Here Comes Hell (2019) Directed by Jack McHenry

Taking a different angle to many of the films on this list, Here Comes Hell is an indie comedy filmed in black and white that sees a 1930's dinner party descending into carnage. A Ronseal tagline of “Downton Abbey meets Evil Dead” prefaces what the audience are in for and the whole movie was shot for just £20,000. The film has scenes set at Revesby Abbey, a country house built in 1845 in the “Jacobethan” style. Not only can you visit the house, which is currently being restored, but you can also go on a ghost hunt there too. Sign up here if you dare! https://www.hauntedhappenings.co.uk/revesby-abbey

Dracula (2006 TV Movie) Directed by Bill Eagles

A second appearance on this list from Bram Stoker, this film is another (200 movies and counting) take on the author’s most famous villain. The cast includes Marc Warren as the Count himself and has great support turns from David Suchet as Van Helsing and Dan Stevens as Lord Holmwood. The film sticks (closely enough) to the original novel’s time period and story beats and although released for Christmas, Eastnor Castle in Herefordshire was used over summer as a filming location. Scenes were filmed in The Gothic Drawing Room, the Long Library and the main entrance to the castle while it remained open to the public.

The Haunting (1963) Directed by Robert Wise

This historic horror film was adapted by Nelson Gidding from Shirley Jackson's 1959 novel The Haunting of Hill House (yes, that same one as Mike Flanagan’s Netflix series). The frightful flick stars Julie Harris, Claire Bloom, Richard Johnson and Russ Tamblyn, and sees a group of people invited to a purportedly haunted house to investigate. Ettington Park (now the Ettington Park Hotel) in Warwickshire was used for the exterior shots of Hill House with director Wise personally selecting the location from a number of suitable options. And during shooting, some of the cast and crew were housed there too. Additionally, if you want to investigate the paranormal sometime yourself, why not book a room for a night: https://www.handpickedhotels.co.uk/ettingtonpark

The Haunting (1999) Directed by Jan De Bont

Wait? The Haunting again? Well, yes! The classic 60s movie was remade in the late 90s with Hollywood superstars Liam Neeson, Catherine Zeta Jones and Owen Wilson. Its plot again follows a group who gather at a sprawling estate plagued by ghostly goings on, and originally began as a collaboration between Steven Spielberg and Stephen King. Though they dropped out, Spielberg’s Dreamworks went on to make the film where the majority was shot on sets in Los Angeles made by Argentine production designer Eugenio Zanetti. However, some location shooting did take place and for a suitably spooky mansion vibe, Harlaxton Manor’s Great Hall (in Grantham, Lincolnshire) and Belvoir Castle in Rutland were chosen.

The Wolfman (2010) Directed by Joe Johnston

A box office bomb on release, this remake of the 1941 film of the same name stars Benicio del Toro who is bitten by a werewolf and turns into a hairy (hairier?) beast. Despite the great support of Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt and Hugo Weaving, extensive reshoots and inflated budgets saw the film delayed many times. It was less of a surprise that Rick Baker won an Academy Award for Best Makeup for this film, but it couldn’t save the $150 million mess. Pinewood Studios was utilised for most interiors but the production headed to the Midlands to seek out appropriate manor houses for the film. The famous Chatsworth in Derbyshire was used and over 5 weeks of filming the house became almost unrecognisable with mud smeared on the windows, vines and creepers draped from the roof and crumbling statues in the grounds. The dome on the house and the architectural damage were added later using CGI and the scene where the house is on fire at the end was actually a 24-foot tall scale model set on fire.