Death Walks

Death Walks is a zero-budget horror film directed by Spencer Hawken.[1] The film stars Jessie Williams, Lucinda Rhodes-Flaherty, and Francesca Ciardi, and centres on a group of people trying to survive inside a shopping center that is under attack by the dead. Death Walks is Ciardi's first horror film since her role as Faye Daniels in the 1980 film Cannibal Holocaust and her first film role in over 20 years, her previous film being 1991's Safari.[2][3]

Death Walks
Film poster
Directed bySpencer Hawken
Produced bySpencer Hawken
Lucinda Rhodes
Written bySpencer Hawken
StarringLucinda Rhodes
Francesca Ciardi
Jessie Williams
Music byTom Wolfe
CinematographyMarcus Uthup
Frazer Loveman
Edited bySpencer Hawken
Production
company
Views From The Edge Films
Release date
15 July 2016
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Synopsis

In an East London shopping centre, a group of people are warned by a strange Italian woman (Francesca Ciardi) that they are all going to die. Her warnings prove to be all too real, as the shopping center is then attacked by zombies fueled by an evil supernatural power. The 25 people remaining in the shopping centre must band together to survive the night. This is made more difficult by the rising tensions as well as the fact that the surrounding town is oblivious of their torment due to a street party.

Cast
  • Francesca Ciardi as Lucrezia
  • Lucinda Rhodes-Flaherty as Louise
  • Jon Guerriero as John
  • Jessie Williams as Poppy
  • Joanna Finata as Alice
  • Daniel Smales as Steve
  • Scott Mullins as Rob
  • Karis Pentecost as Beth

Production

Hawken began work on Death Walks in the summer of 2013.[4] Filming took place in Romford, London, during 2013, and included multiple extras, many of whom were volunteers from the surrounding community.[5]

Hawken used the town's Mercury Mall shopping center – which donated the use of its space – and was able to complete the film through crowdsourcing techniques.[6] Other supporters either loaned Hawken their supplies for free or donated them.[6]

Hawken initially planned for the filming to take place over a 24-hour period, but it instead took place over four months.[2] During this time the cast swelled from 300 extras to nearly 1,000.[7]

Editing for Death Walks was expected to complete in February 2013 so the film could be submitted to various film festivals,[2] and a successful Kickstarter campaign was launched in early January 2013 to help with the submission costs.[8] A trailer was released in August 2013.[9][10]

On 16 January 2014, Famous Monsters Of Filmland acknowledged the film's completion as the first zero-budget horror film and posted that Hawken was already working on a sequel.[11]

The premiere of Death Walks was held in the centre it was shot in on 15 July 2016, exactly three years from the time shooting begun.[12]

Reception

After the premiere, the Romford Recorder newspaper was quick to herald the movie a success, calling it funny, unsettling and surprising.[13]

On 29 October 2016, the film played at the British Horror Film Festival. It was nominated for Best Film, the British Horror Award, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress and Best Music. The film won two awards, Best Supporting Actor (Jon Guerriero) and Best Music (Tom Wolfe). It narrowly missed out on the British Horror Award, after judges decided The Barber's Cut's use of visual effects on 35mm film was a bigger achievement.[14]

In September 2016, the Monkey Bread Festival gave the film a special mention for its zero-budget achievement.

The film was screened as part of the Terror Film Festival on 20 October 2016.[15]

Death Walks was released on Amazon Prime on 18 January 2017.[16]

Awards
Year Nominee / work Award Result
2016 Jon Guerriero / Best Supporting Actor British Horror Film Festival Won
2016 Lucinda Rhodes / Best Supporting Actress British Horror Film Festival Nominated
2016 Spencer Hawken / Best Feature Film British Horror Film Festival Nominated
2016 Spencer Hawken / British Horror Award British Horror Film Festival Nominated
2016 Tom Wolfe / Best Music British Horror Film Festival Won
2016 Spencer Hawken / Best Director Puerto Rico Horror Film Festival Nominated
2016 Marcus Uthup / Best Cinematography Terror Film Festival Nominated
2016 Tom Wolfe / Best Original Music Score Terror Film Festival Nominated
2016 Spencer Hawken / Best Feature Film Screenplay Terror Film Festival Nominated
2016 Spencer Hawken / Best Motion Picture Editing Terror Film Festival Nominated
2016 Shaun Lee / Best Sound Design Terror Film Festival Nominated
2016 Spencer Hawken / Excellence in the craft of Screenwriting Terror Film Festival Nominated
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References
  1. Russell, Ricky. ""Death Walks" Film Completion Details". Moviepilot. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
  2. "Death Walks Wraps – Bringing A horror Legend And Children's TV Star With It". HN.n. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
  3. Francesca Ciardi#Filmography
  4. Meyler, Piers (7 August 2013). "Zombies Prove There Is Life in Essex Film Scene; Spencer Hawken's Death Walks to Kick-Start Local Movies". Brentwood Gazette. Archived from the original on 11 June 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
  5. Ward, Michelle. "Film Director Spencer Hawken talks about his new film, DEATH WALKS". Phoenix FM. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
  6. Alwakeel, Ramzy. "Spencer Hawken prepares to turn Mercury Mall, Romford, into the set of a horror film - literally". Romford Reporter. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
  7. Norris, Michelle. "Essex lands starring role in new films". The Enquirer (UK). Archived from the original on 11 January 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
  8. Hawken, Spencer. "Death Walks - New Horror Movie". Kickstarter. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
  9. "Zero-budget Romford-based zombie movie is released". The Enquirer (UK). Archived from the original on 11 January 2014. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  10. Savage, Chris. "New Official Trailer for Death Walks". HorrorMovies.ca. Retrieved 11 January 2014.
  11. ""DEATH WALKS," THE WORLD'S FIRST ZERO BUDGET HORROR MOVIE, COMPLETED". Famous Monsters Of Filmland. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 17 January 2014.
  12. Anderson, Hayley. "Zombie thriller premiere at The Mercury Mall cinema". Romford Recorder. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
  13. http://www.romfordrecorder.co.uk/news/zero_budget_zombie_move_shot_in_romford_mall_has_its_premiere_1_4624805
  14. http://www.thefilmfestivalguild.com/copy-of-bhff-template?hc_location=ufi
  15. http://www.terrorfilmfestival.net/clawawards.html
  16. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N7TAHZV/ref=sr_1_171?s=instant-video&ie=UTF8&qid=1484735979&sr=1-171
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