Barbara Hershey is haunted by a sinister presence in new Blumhouse horror movie The Manor
Insidious actress and all-around screen legend Barbara Hershey returns to the horror genre with writer-director Axelle Carolyn's new gothic terror tale The Manor (out Oct. 8 on Amazon Prime Video).
In it, Hershey plays Judith Albright, who moves into an assisted living facility named Golden Sun Manor after a mild stroke diminishes her ability to care for herself. Despite the best efforts of the staff, and a budding friendship with fellow senior Roland (Bruce Davison), strange occurrences and nightmarish visions convince Judith that a sinister presence is haunting the massive estate.
As residents begin to die mysteriously, Judith's frantic warnings are dismissed as fantasy. Even her devoted grandson Josh (Nicholas Alexander) thinks her fears are the result of dementia, not demons. With no one willing to believe her, Judith must either escape the confines of the Manor or fall victim to the evil that dwells within it.
Amazon Studios Barbara Hershey in 'The Manor'
"The inspiration for the story came from seeing members of my family in nursing homes, or dealing with dementia," says Carolyn, whose directing credits include 2013's Soulmate, The Haunting of Bly Manor, and the current season of American Horror Story. "Seeing them change, seeing them in a different environment being treated differently. Besides the fears we all have of getting old, there's also the fact that nursing homes are places you can't escape, where you are by definition vulnerable, which is perfect for a horror story. I didn't want this to be a depressing story though. It's a supernatural mystery and a creature feature, so while I would love for people to reflect on the way we treat our elders, I want them to be entertained first and foremost."
Carolyn describes working with Hershey, whose many acting credits include Beaches and Black Swan, as "such a joy." Says the director, "She really embodies everything I was hoping to see in Judith: charismatic, fun, determined, strong and vulnerable all at once."
The Manor costars Jill Larson, Fran Bennett and Katie Amanda Keane. The film's executive producers are Jason Blum, Jeremy Gold, Marci Wiseman, Lisa Bruce, Richard J Bosner, and Sandy King. The film is being released under the Welcome to the Blumhouse umbrella alongside three other Amazon Prime horror movies: Bingo Hell (out Oct. 1), Black as Night (out Oct. 1), and Madres (out Oct. 8).
Watch the exclusive trailer for The Manor above.
Blumhouse
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