The location where our favorite horror films take place becomes just as iconic, if not more than the actual killer. It’s hard to imagine Jason without Crystal Lake or Freddy with no Elm Street. This week the WODC pays homage to our favorite horror settings and locations.

#5 A cabin in the woods, Various

In general, the woods have always played a role in folktales and lore, but the addition of a cozy cabin becoming a place of violence and bloodshed lands this classic location at #5. It’s a simple location, but the simplicities create endless possibilities.

 “A cabin in the woods (or even the woods in general) is my favorite horror movie location because it is the one place I will never find myself. Therefore, I can enjoy those types of horror movies without having to worry about finding myself in those horrific situations in real life.” Angela Thomas, The WODC

 #4 Santa Carla, The Lost Boys

Santa Carla, aka Santa Cruz. Joel Schumacher shot the entire cult vampire classic around picturesque Santa Cruz county. The film took the beauty and fun of the local beaches and famed boardwalk and twisted them into the feeding grounds of our favorite glam rock vampire gang.

#3 Tanz Dance Academy/Helena Markos Dance Co., Susperia

Both dance academies in the original and remake are hauntingly beautiful and the perfect mecca for the bizarre. The original film’s location is based on a well-known bright red house in Freiburg, Germany, called the Haus Zum Walfish. Dario Argento, the original director, loved the kitschiness of the building. Both locations are supposed to be set off the beaten path in secluded locations, as many private boarding schools are, making it easy to accept that there are horrors within.

 #2 Vision Quest - Santa Cruz Pier from Us (2019)

 Santa Cruz is clearly the superior beach city location for horror.

“I love any excuse to do a creepy mirror maze on a pier, and Vision Quest from Jordan Peele's Us is no exception. Though the film isn't solely set in this maze, this setting is integral to the film and absolutely horrifying. There's nothing like a creepy walk alone at night through one of these bad boys to put you on edge. And that's why it's my absolute favorite horror movie setting.” Mercedes Milner, The WODC

 #1 The Overlook Hotel, The Shining

 Although Stephen King wasn’t a huge fan of the film, Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining is a staple in horror cinema thanks largely to the Overlook Hotel. In both the novel and the film, the actual hotel is the villain torturing visitors’ minds using its past victims. The grandeur of the hotel is simultaneously inviting and foreboding. The inclusion of a giant, creepy maze plays on the tradition of horror tales using what should be non-threatening objects and activities to elicit dread. The film used the exterior of Timberline Lodge at Mt. Hood in Oregon and various other hotels for the interior.

“The idea of being alone in this secluded, empty giant hotel is already terrifying. So many what-if fears would pop up for me. At the same time, it’s one of those places you just want to explore, even though you know something isn’t right, you can’t seem to leave. How could it not be on our list? It’s iconic; people who haven’t seen the movie know what it is, or at least what the carpet looks like.” Deanna Gomez, the WODC.

 About the Writer

Deanna Gomez is Editor in Chief of the WODC blog. She helms the Spooky Bitches horror column is the co-creator and showrunner for The Bad Feeling Podcast. (2020)