Death Walks

{{Infobox film

| name = Death Walks

| image = File:Death-Walks-Poster-2016.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Film poster

| director = Spencer Hawken

| producer = Spencer Hawken
Lucinda Rhodes

| writer = Spencer Hawken

| starring = Lucinda Rhodes
Francesca Ciardi
Jessie Williams

| music = Tom Wolfe

| cinematography = Marcus Uthup
Frazer Loveman

| editing = Spencer Hawken

| studio = Views From The Edge

| released = {{Film date|2016|07|15|df=yes}}

| country = United Kingdom

| language = English

}}

Death Walks is a zero-budget horror film directed by Spencer Hawken.{{cite web |last1=Russell |first1=Ricky |title="Death Walks" Film Completion Details |url=http://moviepilot.com/posts/2014/01/29/death-walks-film-completion-details-1226724?lt_source=external,manual |archive-url=https://archive.today/20141103042427/http://moviepilot.com/posts/2014/01/29/death-walks-film-completion-details-1226724?lt_source=external,manual |url-status=dead |archive-date=3 November 2014 |publisher=Moviepilot |accessdate=3 November 2014 }} 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.Francesca Ciardi#Filmography

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.{{cite news |last=Meyler |first=Piers |title=Zombies Prove There Is Life in Essex Film Scene; Spencer Hawken's Death Walks to Kick-Start Local Movies|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-34984672.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140611024002/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-34984672.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 June 2014|accessdate=8 January 2014|newspaper=Brentwood Gazette|date=7 August 2013}} Filming took place in Romford, London, during 2013, and included multiple extras, many of whom were volunteers from the surrounding community.{{cite web|last=Ward|first=Michelle|title=Film Director Spencer Hawken talks about his new film, DEATH WALKS.|date=30 June 2013|url=http://www.phoenixfm.com/2013/06/30/film-director-spencer-hawken-talks-about-his-new-film-death-walks/|publisher=Phoenix FM|accessdate=8 January 2014}}

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.{{cite web|last=Alwakeel|first=Ramzy|title=Spencer Hawken prepares to turn Mercury Mall, Romford, into the set of a horror film - literally|date=29 June 2013|url=http://www.romfordrecorder.co.uk/news/spencer_hawken_prepares_to_turn_mercury_mall_romford_into_the_set_of_a_horror_film_literally_1_2256129|publisher=Romford Reporter|accessdate=8 January 2014|archive-date=11 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140111171301/http://www.romfordrecorder.co.uk/news/spencer_hawken_prepares_to_turn_mercury_mall_romford_into_the_set_of_a_horror_film_literally_1_2256129|url-status=dead}} Other supporters either loaned Hawken their supplies for free or donated them.

Hawken initially planned for the filming to take place over a 24-hour period, but it instead took place over four months.{{cite web|title=Death Walks Wraps – Bringing A horror Legend And Children's TV Star With It|date=21 November 2013|url=http://horrornews.net/79353/death-walks-wraps-bringing-horror-legend-childrens-tv-star/|publisher=HN.n|accessdate=8 January 2014}} During this time the cast swelled from 300 extras to nearly 1,000.{{cite web|last=Norris |first=Michelle |title=Essex lands starring role in new films |url=http://www.theenquirer.co.uk/read.aspx%20id=13405 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140111152830/http://www.theenquirer.co.uk/read.aspx%20id=13405 |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 January 2014 |publisher=The Enquirer (UK) |accessdate=8 January 2014}}

Editing for Death Walks was expected to complete in February 2013 so the film could be submitted to various film festivals, and a successful Kickstarter campaign was launched in early January 2013 to help with the submission costs.{{cite web |last=Hawken |first=Spencer |title=Death Walks - New Horror Movie|url=http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/444022008/death-walks-new-horror-movie?ref=live|publisher=Kickstarter|accessdate=8 January 2014}} A trailer was released in August 2013.{{cite web|title=Zero-budget Romford-based zombie movie is released |url=http://www.theenquirer.co.uk/read.aspx?id=13078 |publisher=The Enquirer (UK) |accessdate=10 January 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140111165929/http://www.theenquirer.co.uk/read.aspx?id=13078 |archivedate=11 January 2014 |df=dmy }}{{cite web|last=Savage|first=Chris|title=New Official Trailer for Death Walks|url=http://www.horror-movies.ca/2013/12/new-official-trailer-death-walks/|publisher=HorrorMovies.ca|accessdate=11 January 2014}}

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.{{cite web |title="DEATH WALKS," THE WORLD'S FIRST ZERO BUDGET HORROR MOVIE, COMPLETED|url=http://famousmonsters.com/archives/sludge/death-walks-the-worlds-first-zero-budget-horror-movie-completed|publisher=Famous Monsters Of Filmland|accessdate=17 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202161638/http://famousmonsters.com/archives/sludge/death-walks-the-worlds-first-zero-budget-horror-movie-completed|archive-date=2 February 2014|url-status=dead}}

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.{{cite web|url=http://www.romfordrecorder.co.uk/news/zombie_thriller_premiere_at_the_mercury_mall_cinema_1_4543692|title=Zombie thriller premiere at The Mercury Mall cinema|last=Anderson|first=Hayley|website=Romford Recorder|date=21 May 2016|access-date=2016-06-21|archive-date=30 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160530030059/http://www.romfordrecorder.co.uk/news/zombie_thriller_premiere_at_the_mercury_mall_cinema_1_4543692|url-status=dead}}

Reception

After the premiere, the Romford Recorder newspaper was quick to herald the movie a success, calling it funny, unsettling and surprising.{{Cite web|url = http://www.romfordrecorder.co.uk/news/zero_budget_zombie_move_shot_in_romford_mall_has_its_premiere_1_4624805|title = Zero budget zombie move shot in Romford mall has its premiere|date = 20 July 2016|access-date = 20 July 2016|archive-date = 21 July 2016|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160721114714/http://www.romfordrecorder.co.uk/news/zero_budget_zombie_move_shot_in_romford_mall_has_its_premiere_1_4624805|url-status = dead}}

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.{{Cite web|url=http://www.thefilmfestivalguild.com/copy-of-bhff-template?hc_location=ufi|title = The Film Festival Guild | Home}}

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.{{Cite web |url=http://www.terrorfilmfestival.net/clawawards.html |title=Archived copy |access-date=31 October 2016 |archive-date=1 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161101102241/http://www.terrorfilmfestival.net/clawawards.html |url-status=usurped }}

Death Walks was released on Amazon Prime on 18 January 2017.{{Cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N7TAHZV/ref=sr_1_171?s=instant-video&ie=UTF8&qid=1484735979&sr=1-171|title=Watch Death Walks | Prime Video|website=Amazon UK}}