Director: Mitchell Altieri, Phil Flores
Starring: Cory Knauf, Elizabeth Henstridge, Joseph McKelheer, Mackenzie Firgens
Production Company: Film Harvest, Industrial City Films, San Francisco Independent Cinema, Sawhorse Productions, Snowfort Pictures, Straightwire Films
Kent Locations Used: Ringlestone Inn – Harrietsham, Romden Castle, Ashford
The Thompsons (2012) follows the Hamiltons, America’s most wanted vampire family. On the run from the law, the family travel to England to find an ancient vampire clan with the knowledge and skills to save their lives. Unbeknownst to them, what the clan has planned is quite the opposite.
Directed by Mitchell Altieri and Phil Flores (The Hamiltons, The Violent Kind) also known as The Butcher Brothers, the film stars Cory Knauf (Grown, A Beginner’s Guide to Snuff) as Francis, Elizabeth Henstridge (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, Suspicion) as Riley Stuart, Joseph McKelheer (The Hammer, Godspeed) as Wendell and Mackenzie Firgens (Rent, Groove) as Darlene.
Most of the film was shot in Kent. The Ringlestone Inn in Harrietsham features as the pub owned by the Stuart vampire clan and Romden Castle in Smarden doubles as the home of the Stuarts. Tufton Street in Ashford is the setting for a fight scene between David (Samuel Child), Lenny (Ryan Hartwig) and Stuart crony Cyrus (Sean Cronin), doubling for London.
Dating back to 1533, The Ringlestone Inn is a Grade II listed building, originally used as a hospice for monks. Now a country pub, the building has beamed ceilings, large inglenook fireplaces, stone floors and original brick and flint walls. The village of Harrietsham features in Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949).
Romden Castle is a large guest house situated between the villages of Smarden and Bethersden. The site benefits from an outdoor swimming pool, tennis court, barn, woods and fields.
Ashford is a busy market town with a bustling town centre that boasts two shopping malls, vibrant cafés and pubs, alleyways, and a partly pedestrianised high street.
The Thompsons (2012) was released on Sunday 26th August 2012 and is now available to purchase on DVD.
For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map.
