Movie fails to mention county
James Shaw takes a look at a new film which was shot almost entirely in Shropshire - but which virtually ignores that fact.
Featuring X-Files star Gillian Anderson and Danny Dyer, it was described as a potential blockbuster, with Shropshire playing a starring role.
Unfortunately, that simply is not the case.
I was given a sneak preview of Straightheads and found Shropshire does not get a single mention, despite the film being set almost entirely in the county.
Well, at least the area is not given a bad name.
The scenes of Shropshire could have been shot anywhere and with Anderson's character being based in London, most observers will associate such anonymous images with an area much closer to the capital.
There is, however, one glorious exception - the beautifully-appointed Mawley Hall, near Cleobury Mortimer.
Unfortunately, viewers are given only a fleeting night-time glance of one of Shropshire's jewels as the movie steams headlong into an orgy of violence.
And that is where much of the film fails to impress - the story itself. The basic storyline of boy-meets-girl is given a ragged going-over by wholly unnecessary amounts of sex, perversion and violence.
Thankfully, the movie lasts only a few moments beyond the final scenes of violence as Shropshire waves goodbye to its latest set of famous visitors.
Straightheads opens in Shropshire cinemas on April 27.
