Film Names(S): Borley Rectory: The Awakening / Sweeney Todd: Slice & Dice
Director: Steven M Smith
Writer(s): Christopher Jolley, Steven M Smith
Starring:
Borley Rectory: The Awakening – Julian Glover, Patsy Kensit, Helen Lederer, Vicki Michelle, Mark Wingett
In 1900, young Reverend Henry Bull and his sister, Kitty, are tasked with taking over the duties of their family home in Essex, a majestic Victorian mansion built on the site of an old monastery. Unaware of the sinister forces that lurk within, the pair are soon confronted by terrifying paranormal activities that threaten their loved ones.
Sweeney Todd: Slice & Dice – Terry Bird, Jo Dyson, Alexander Simkin, Steven Brandon, Lee Brown
Presenting a fresh spin on the tale of the infamous Demon Barber of Fleet Street, this period-set psychological thriller sees Todd and his unlikely associate, Mrs. Lovett, leading a deadly charge for justice against the Victorian upper class.
In a new exclusive interview on Blazing Minds, I got a chance to ask Director/Co-Writer-Director Steven M Smith a few questions about his films which have been selected to play at the Horror-on-Sea Festival.
Borley Rectory: The Awakening will play at the Horror-on-Sea Festival on Saturday 24th January at 10:00hrs.
Sweeney Todd: Slice & Dicewill play at the Horror-on-Sea Festival on Sunday 25th January at 17:30hrs.
Q. You have two films which have been selected to play at the Horror-on-Sea Film Festival. Can you tell us what we can expect from Borley Rectory: The Awakening and Sweeney Todd: Slice & Dice?
A. I always try to create interesting “hi-concept” ideas that can engage with audiences that are normally shot on a micro budget. I was lucky enough to put these two films together on what I call “micro budget+” as the intention was to create films that punch way above their budgets.
We shot Sweeney Todd in January 2024 and Borley Rectory in January 2025 and as is sometimes the case, the post-production and distribution times can vary, hence I have two films being released within six months of each other. What do audiences expect from watching my films? atmosphere, tension, and good storytelling. We don’t have money for big set pieces or VFX and these films are character drama driven. Todd has a good lot of blood kills. Gory moments in between the cat and mouse detective investigation. Borley Rectory has a few jump scares and loads of creepy suspense based around a true story. I’d hope that my films can engage everybody in different ways.
Q. You co-wrote both scripts with Christopher Jolley. What was the process of you writing together and what were your inspirations for writing the scripts?
A. I always have the ideas, too many of them sometimes. It’s like I am making a 3-layer sandwich, I normally write the whole treatment, the beginning, middle and end of the screenplay and Christopher is very good at filling in the middle sections. This isn’t always the case, as sometimes it is just me who writes everything and Christopher enhances the dialogue.
Q. Did you have any of the cast in mind for the characters when writing the scripts?
A. With Sweeney Todd I wanted Steven Brandon to play Tobias as I used to be his carer 15 years ago in my previous profession. I also suggested to Terry Bird that he would make a great Todd which worked out perfectly. With Borley Rectory, I wanted to cast new fresh people along with established named talent like, Julian Glover, Patsy Kensit, Vicki Michelle, Helen Lederer and Mark Wingett.
Q. What were some of your influences for the look and style of each film?
A. My influences for Sweeney Todd were 1980’s award winning TV dramas like Jack The Ripper (1998) with
Michael Caine. Having no budget, we were lucky that we found a Victorian village location in Cornwall and this help production value of the movie. With Borley Rectory, films like the 1989 version of The Woman in Black which used old fashioned horror ideas to push suspense and horror to a more linear approach, what you see in frame is actually there.
Q. Did you make any changes from the original scripts during filming?
A. We always have to make alterations to the screenplays due to many factors, including overrun of filming, condensing scenes, like in Todd, I wrote one scene overnight and we filmed it the next morning. The scene used all the information in three original scenes that we just didn’t have time to shoot.
Q. What were some of your favourite moments during filming?
A. Having a family feel on set. Me having a cameo as “drunk man” and then killed horribly under Todd’s razor! I always like to create a calm family friendly environment on set. Working with some amazing cast and crew who are so talented also helps.
Q. Did you experience any issues during filming?
A. The cold! Filming in January gives you some beautiful crisp light, but bitter dark nights! There is always the odd strange thing that happens on set, it’s all in the planning, if you get this right, it limits the things that might go wrong. We did have a few ghost encounters; this is normal for my films!
Q. What makes your films stand out as something different in the horror genre?
A. I just try to make films that are entertaining for everybody. Having never enough money or time, I’d hope they stand out as very good for the budgets we have. I also think that my stories are original or true, and this makes them stand out a little more.
Q. What do you hope people take away after watching the films?
A. I hope at least one of the audiences senses is activated like fear, nerves, joy. I’m hoping they get a sense that we put a lot of effort into making our films.
Q. Do you have any other projects which you are currently working on?
A. Yes, but nothing I can legally talk about.
Q. If someone was looking to write and direct their own film what advice would you give them?
A. Just do it! Start by writing something you know about or that interests you. Then write it as if you have zero budget! Cameras are on our phones, go out there and experiment, build your confidence and all those so called “rules of film making” throw them away and be your own educator.
You can find out more about Borley Rectory: The Awakening and Sweeney Todd: Slice & Dice on the Greenway Entertainment Website and following IMDB pages – Borley Rectory – Sweeney Todd
Borley Rectory: The Awakening will play at the Horror-on-Sea Festival on Saturday 24th January at 10:00hrs.
Sweeney Todd: Slice & Dice will play at the Horror-on-Sea Festival on Sunday 25th January at 17:30hrs.
You can find out more about both films and purchase tickets here
Published in various websites, Philip is a reviewer who is best known for his interviews and media coverage of independent projects including; films, books, theatre and live events. Always on the lookout for something different to cover!
