"They built a big barn and a bunkhouse and stayed for the best part of six months."
The film was written and directed by Ti West and stars Martin Henderson, Mia Goth, Jenna Ortega, Scott Mescudi (aka Kid Cudi), Brittany Snow, Owen Campbell and Stephen Ure.
Joan Sutherland, 89, was on hand during filming to make sure props were realistic.
"A girl was very busy making bloody guts and I said 'that's not right'.
"There was a dead sheep on the farm, so I opened up its belly and showed her that guts weren't all covered in blood.
"I had to drag her along to look because it was too 'squirmish'."
Aside from a couple of minor arguments, they got on very well with their guests, Joan Sutherland said.
"We have a speed restriction on the drive because it's getting rutted. I followed the producer up and he was doing 30 [km/h] so I told him off.
"He said it wouldn't happen again."
Spin Sutherland (left) and Joan Sutherland at home in Fordell. Photo / Supplied
Originally, the Sutherland's working dogs weren't allowed to go down to the farm's woolshed but a chat with "the hierarchy" quickly resolved the issue.
"We needed to do ordinary farm work. It mightn't be very clever, but we're there."
The film is showing at Embassy 3 Cinema in Whanganui from April 14 and Spin Sutherland, 91, said the pair would make the trek into town to watch it this weekend.
"I don't think we made an appearance in the movie anywhere, unless by mistake.
"We were on standby to provide one of our hands but they didn't need them in the end."
The pair made use of the crew's meal tent from time to time, Spin Sutherland said.
"The power had gone off at our house so we thought we would go and join them for breakfast.
"Unfortunately the chappy came to clean out the portaloos, which were upwind a bit. I've never seen so many people disappear so fast.
"We had smelled worse so it didn't faze us too much."
Spin Sutherland said the film's stars placed an order for her to make a pavlova, which she promptly baked.
"I've got a very good recipe. They all had two helpings and there wasn't any left.
"The leading lady, Mia [Goth], was really pleasant."
A prequel called 'Pearl', which was written by West while he was in managed isolation, was also made at Lambhill.
Once shooting had finished, 55 tonnes of demolition waste was taken to the Bonny Glen Landfill in Turakina.
"In the first film they had to make the wood look aged by using vinegar and steel wool," Joan Sutherland said.
"The house looked old, then they had to paint it to make it look new again. People were rushing around everywhere.
"It was a very interesting experience."
The horror genre wasn't something that worried them too much.
"We've seen lots of old stuff on the TV that has blood and guts."
Having the crew in Whanganui was good for the local economy, Spin Sutherland said.
"There were generators all over the place and they got diesel from the garage in Fordell.
"They had an awful lot of pies as well."
Actors Stephen Ure (left) and Martin Henderson on the porch of the Lambhill homestead. Photo / Christopher Moss
A typical day on set usually started early in the morning and could stretch through to the early hours of the next.
First to arrive were the chefs, followed by the makeup team.
Actors would be ferried in and out when required.
"There was also a bit of filming down the road in a maize crop, and they had an alligator in a lake down in Otaki," Spin Sutherland said.
"In one scene they were shooting out our front gate with old army trucks they had borrowed from Peter Jackson.
"We had to tell them to go faster, to get the dust flying. They got better after that."
The films weren't the first to be shot at Lambhill.
"They did a bit here for 'Came a Hot Friday'," Joan Sutherland said.
"I managed to say a few words to Billy T James but he seemed very shy. He was very quiet."
