When you think of horror films, you probably think of the monsters and maniacs that populate them. Michael Myers. Pinhead. The shark from Jaws. A lot of scary movies would be nothing without their antagonists, but what about their stomping grounds? These locations provide their films with atmosphere and substance. On that note, in no particular order, let’s take a look at my favorite horror locations.
The home from 1979’s The Amityville Horror is surely one of the most iconic horror houses ever put on celluloid. There’s something inherently creepy about the eye-like windows the house possesses. They’re always watching you. And the boat house! What lurks in the boathouse? The New York house that almost drove George Lutz to murder his family boasts swarms of flies, portals to hell, ghosts and pig monsters.
Not every location on this list is inherently creepy. In fact, Amity Island itself is charming and peaceful (except for those kids that keep karate-ing picket fences). But the quaint seaside town from the Jaws films hides something terrible in the black water, something colossal…and hungry. I’ve always wondered what Amity Island is like now, what with the Brody clan all but decimated by the great white sharks. Does anyone still go in the water? Sequel anyone?
This may be the granddaddy of all horror locations. Would you be able to pull up to the Bates Motel and stare up at that imposing house without flinching? Especially with the silhouette of Norman Bates’ mother in one of the windows? Speaking of Psycho’s motel, it’s got its own charms, and it’s when you’re viewing the house from the motel that it really chills your bones. Never mind those noises coming from behind the walls…
Camp Crystal Lake – or Camp Blood as it’s called by the locals – is the New Jersey summer camp from the Friday the 13th franchise. A zombie-like creature named Jason Voorhees (once an innocent but deformed child) guards the camp, ready to dole out revenge on anyone foolish enough to trespass on his turf. The creepy abandoned cabins, the glass-like lake, and a seemingly endless expanse of dark woods are all perfect places for the killer to hide. Out of all of these locations, Crystal Lake might be the one I most want to visit. Why? I dunno, I’m weird.
This remote isolated Colorado hotel from The Shining gets a little spooky in the off-season. Jack Torrance and his family called The Overlook home until he got himself a little case of cabin fever. Poor Jack just didn’t keep his mind occupied enough with the hotel’s amenities. He could have practiced with the Snow Cat or checked out that sweet hedge maze to pass the time.