Lexington film featured on national platform

On Oct. 7 2017, a horror movie filmed by Distilled Media in Lexington, Kentucky was released. House of the Witch premiered on SyFy (Spectrum television channel  70), as part of their annual 31 days of Halloween marathon programming. The film was aired along with other well-known classics such as Nightmare on Elm Street, and Scream. Not very often does one get to see Lexington on the big screen, and even less on a major TV network.

The movie is centered around a group of teenagers who break into an abandoned home to play Halloween pranks on their friends, but things get scary as the house is found to truly be haunted by a witch whose plan is to kill those who enter her home.

Originally named “The Wiccan,” the film was later re-named “House of the Witch.” It was filmed at the abandoned Madden Estate at Meadowcrest off Winchester Rd. The once grand home was a perfect location for the movie due to its current decrepit state and rich history.

Many directors and others who worked on set claimed that the house truly is haunted; many claiming to see ghosts. That was not the only problem the directors faced. Some of the scenes were shot in the basement, and while on set they discovered a snake infestation which obviously made filming more difficult.

Creating a horror movie is a difficult task. Many modern scary movies tend to be cheesy, relying more on special effects and jump scares than plot, especially those made by lesser known movie producers. However, this film was surprisingly a success. With its first premier on SyFy, the movie was relatable and funny in some scenes, yet frightening in others. There are no dull moments and it keeps you hooked from the beginning. While still ending on a cliff-hanger, the ending remains satisfying, which isn’t the case among most horror movies. The film received many positive reviews, and is said to be a success by many.

House of the Witch has a good plot, enjoyable from start to finish. While it is not the scariest movie of the year, it is none the less a great film. Check it out on channel SyFy on Oct. 30 at 2:30 p.m., or anytime on SyFy.com.