Ex-Siouxsie and the Banshees bassist Steven Severin these days devotes himself to making new music for old movies, composing and performing scores to decades-old silent films. Now, though, he’s involved in a brand-new production, creating the score to “Borley Rectory,” an animated documentary about the so-called “most famous haunted house in England.”
Ashley Thorpe, writer/director of the 20-minute short, has launched an Indiegogo campaign in an effort to raise £20,000 (about $30,440) to fund the project. Fans who contribute at least £150 (about $220) will receive, among other incentives, a limited-edition vinyl pressing of Severin’s score, signed by the former Banshee as well as Thorpe and the film’s narrator, Julian Sands.
Working with Severin was “an obvious choice,” Thorpe writes, adding, “I’ve always fucking loved the Banshees so I couldn’t be happier really, it’s very exciting to be working with Steven and I’m looking forward to seeing what we can create together.”
Of creating a vinyl pressing for contributors, Thorpe writes:
“The idea of doing a limited edition vinyl of the soundtrack was Steven’s idea. I was playing around with some poster ideas and for fun did a mock up of what an old LP would look like if this film had come out during the ’70s and Steven absolutely loved it and instantly suggested that we should make a vinyl as a reward for backers. Something really special. A genuine labour of love. So we’re getting a very limited amount pressed and each record will be signed by Steven, our narrator Julian Sands and myself…but don’t let that put you off!”
The film, expected out next year, will tell the story of the Borley Rectory, an old Victorian mansion in Essex that gained infamy for its alleged haunting after a 1929 story in the Daily Mirror about a visit from paranormal researcher Harry Price, who claimed to document the former rectory’s haunting.
The building burned in 1939 and was torn down in 1944.
Below, check out the intro video for the film’s Indiegogo campaign.
LINK: BORLEY RECTORY – Animated Short Production
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- ‘The feud is over’: Steven Severin says The Banshees talking again after nearly a decade
- Video: Siouxsie closes 2nd Meltdown gig with Banshees classic ‘Spellbound’
- Siouxsie plays ‘Kaleidoscope’ in full at first concert in 5 years (SETLIST, PHOTOS, VIDEO)
- Siouxsie to play first concert in 5 years this summer as part of Yoko Ono’s Meltdown
- Siouxsie and the Banshees 20-disc ‘mega’ box set with 11 albums, live DVDs in works
- Steven Severin: Siouxsie and the Banshees’ reissue program dumped by Universal Music
This seems fabulous! I only have a bunch of questions and comments:
1. Mr. Thorpe, what a GREAT prospect for you! Congratulations! Love the period outfit, BTW.
2. Steven Severin, HOW FREAKIN’ GREAT IS IT THAT YOU HAVE A BRAND NEW, ORIGINAL SHORT FILM PIECE TO WORK ON?!…I BELIEVE YOUR FIRST SINCE 1989. If what we heard in the promo trailer was by you, Steve, it sounded very much of the world that S&TB and Creatures fans have traveled through before. I’m so happy for you. Hopefully, this will lead to more chances for you to score new films.
3. LOVE THE COVER ART FOR THE WOULD-BE ALBUM! It’s as much Banshees-like as it is Hammer-esque. I wonder what you have in mind for the poster for the film itself, or will they both be one-and-the-same? I also LOVE the idea of a limited edition vinyl EP of the score (though I don’t have a working turntable in my music library). I hope a CD version of the EP will also come w/ the package?
4. Why only a 20-minute film? It sounds like it could make a great 50-90min. extravaganza! Funny to think that The Conjuring just got released, and now this.
5. I’m surprised that Steven Spielberg doesn’t fancy getting in to this racket w/ you, since he’s all for indie-films and animation. I’d be inclined to suggest that Lucasfilm Ltd. be involved as well, but now that they’re owned by THE MOUSE, it probably wouldn’t be a good thing, since I couldn’t imagine them “sharing” a work w/ anyone, though maybe Pixar has managed to do it. Maybe J.J. Abrams could get in on this w/ his BAD ROBOT company. What about Ridley Scott’s company? AND what about Mr. Tim Burton?…This sounds TOTALLY UP HIS ALLEY! Or maybe, since Universal Music is already “in bed” w/ Severin’s(S&TB’s) discography from 1978-1995, maybe both branches of Universal (film and music) could contribute in kind of a “joint venture” w/ you, and co-finance the film and co-release the soundtrack through RE: and Universal’s W14/Decca labels (like they do w/ Madame Sioux); or is that hitting a hornet’s nest w/ a big stick for Severin (since Polydor hasn’t been crazy about the Banshees’ catalog over the years)?
5. How is it that I don’t recall ever hearing about this ghost story before? Then again, I’m American, so that’s understandable; plus, America is fully-ripe w/ its own great Gothic lore to be explored and lavished over. It’s all good, either way.
*6. Um…call me a Gothic Romantic, but, am I the only one who TOTALLY thinks that Siouxsie Sioux should have SOME kind of a role in this wicked witchery (financially, vocally, and poetically)? The minute I read a snippet of info about the premise, I thought, “Siouxsie and Steven need to collaborate on an original closing song for the end of the film and its credits.” If Siouxsie could contribute any of her truly ghostly vocals/and or voice to the film and or dialogue (I could totally hear her performing a cover of some of those old 1920s songs playing in the background of this promo…reminds me a lot of the promos for AMERICAN HORROR STORY, BTW), that would be ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS!!! (Now, IF we took the horror one step further, and had Siouxsie & The Banshees write and perform a song for the short (hopefully longer) film, THAT WOULD BE TRULY MONUMENTAL!!! AND, a great way for the film to get greater exposure and notoriety. My God! Could you imagine if we could get an EP of original music composed and performed by Severin w/ a brand new original song written and performed by Siouxsie & The Banshees?!!! The sales of that soundtrack would go through the roof, and probably break a record for best-selling short film score sales. I know Severin has rather emphatically stated that that great musical collaboration era is “dusted”…but, oh, man! If that could happen…)
7. Mr. Thorpe, I also like the other scripts you have on the backburner. I’m intrigued. Hopefully, this is start of something good, if not great.
8. This news just bumped my day up a few notches. Destitute as I am, I may have to throw some coinage in to this project.