Horror film made in Westbury to premiere at Westbury Festival

The latest film from Westbury’s award-winning film-maker, John Wheeler, is to be shown during the Westbury Festival.

The film, ‘Renfield Unbound’, tells the story of Renfield who is Count Dracula’s deranged and fanatically devoted servant in Bram Stoker’s 1897 Gothic horror novel.

John has written the screenplay and shot the feature-length film in and around Westbury using local Westbury people as actors.

“The film is essentially Renfield’s story; Bram Stoker was very vague with his back story, so that gave me a lot to work with,” said John, “It took me seven months to write and I have been filming it for about a year and a half. I’m a fan of Hammer horror films and thought the Renfield character would have made a great story for them so I’ve made the film as Hammer would have done. I’ve adopted their style so it looks like a film from an earlier era, from the golden age of horror films in the 1950s.”

There will be a chance to see an exclusive screening at the Westbury Festival on Friday 26th July at 2.30pm in the Laverton.

“The film will have its premiere screening at the Westbury Festival with an exclusive sneak peak,” added John. “It’s not quite finished, there’s still a bit to do, but it will very much watchable and I’d love for people to come along and see it. There will also be a chance for questions.

“I am filming it with the kind support of The White Horse Equestrian Centre, their generosity has essentially made the film possible. I’ve used their old stables and the land around, plus a couple of old houses in Westbury.

“There are some well-known local people appearing in the film including Ian Cunningham, the chair of Westbury Festival himself.

“When it’s finished, I’m hoping to find a distributor to release it. The aim is to put the West Country on the map; it’s my home and I’d like to see more cinema from this neck of the woods.”

John has sold two other films to film distributors – The Last Road, about a bare-knuckle fighter who died in the ring, which was bought by film distributors in America; and Reboot; sold to film distributors in Vancouver, Canada.

Local people can still be involved in helping to make the film either in front or behind the camera. For more information, see John at the Westbury Festival screening or email him at johnwheeler_film@yahoo.com

• Renfield Unbound – Premiere Screening. “An exclusive sneak peak at the film made in Westbury, starring local people in a loving homage to Hammer and its Dracula films.” Westbury Festival. Friday 26th July at 2.30pm in the Laverton. Free.