Writer/actress talks THE GHOST OF SLAUGHTERFORD

By Michael Gingold

We reported the other day on an upcoming supernatural feature called THE GHOST OF SLAUGHTERFORD, but the news break omitted one very important name: screenwriter Axelle Carolyn, who will also star in the movie. A former Fango scribe who has since appeared in a number of features and short films (including DOOMSDAY and CENTURION for GHOST executive producer Neil Marshall, as well as THE DESCENT: PART 2), Carolyn dropped us a line to give us a bit of background about the project.

“THE GHOST OF SLAUGHTERFORD is a throwback to classic ghost stories and British horror,” she tells us. “It was inspired by movies like THE HAUNTING and THE INNOCENTS, with a touch of THE WICKER MAN and Hammer films. It was also born out of frustration, in a way: frustration as an actress with the lack of strong female roles to play, and as a writer, with the fact that movies have, in the past few years, too often gone for gore and jump-scares instead of atmosphere and emotion.”

Carolyn will play novelist Audrey Barker, who is grieving the loss of her husband when she travels to the remote town of Slaughterford to seek inspiration for her latest book. When she moves into the abandoned Rolph Manor, she encounters the ghost of Victor Rolph, who committed suicide in the old place. Instead of threatening Audrey, however, Victor’s spirit becomes her ally when it turns out that Slaughterford’s residents have satanic secrets. “We’re hoping to close the financing soon,” adds the writer/actress, who also penned the genre study IT LIVES AGAIN! HORROR FILMS IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM, “and shoot this spring in the UK.” Ian D. Fleming, who has numerous TV, feature and short-film and 2nd-unit directing credits, will helm THE GHOST OF SLAUGHTERFORD, which is co-produced with London’s Intandem Films, which also has worldwide distribution rights.

Adds Marshall in a statement, “THE GHOST OF SLAUGHTERFORD reminds me of a kind of film that Britain doesn’t make any more, a creeping menace full of great characters, heart-stopping terror, intrigue, suspense and even romance. I want to make this movie mainly because I want to see this movie.” We do too, and we’ll keep you informed as SLAUGHTERFORD moves toward production.