Hush (2008)- What makes it a British horror?

Hush is a British horror/thriller film first shown in the UK in 2008. Although the film flopped at the box office, it features an all-star British cast and the majority of the crew are also British. The director, Mark Tonderai, who, before Hush, had no experience in directing films and was commonly associated with BBC Radio 1 as he used to be a DJ on there. The film was both funded and produced by Warp X, the UK Film Council and Film4- three completely British organisations. Unusually, though, the film had its first showing at the Berlin Fantasy Filmfest, even though the film has no connections with the country at all.

The nationally famous motorway, the M1, also provided the main setting for the film. It was this stretch of road that caused the main characters to face a huge dilemma when they spotted what appeared to be a screaming, naked girl in the back of a lorry. Other settings for the film included a service motorway, situated alongside the motorway, a country farmhouse and a lorry park. All of these settings are commonly associated with Britain and can be recognised by anyone living in the UK or even, maybe, abroad.

The cash is also predominantly British and even includes British legend, Sheila Reid as Mrs. Coates. She stars alongside William Ash, Christine Bottomley and Claire Keelan. Andreas Wisniewski, who plays the Tarman, however, is a famous German stunt actor. It is also worth noting that William Ash, Sheila Reid and Shaun Dingwall have all starred in episodes of Doctor Who- a worldwide British phenomenon.

Although the film is classed as a horror, it is somewhat difficult to see why. The events have a huge psychological impact on the lead character Zakes, who goes to great lengths to save his girlfriend from the evil figure. The fact that we never learn the true identity of this figure also makes it a horror. The only truly gory moment we see in this film is when Thorpe stabs Chimbonda when he realises that he knows something is wrong.