Maryland movies to make you scream: Check out this list of horror flicks shot here
CORRECTION: This story has been updated to state that Burkittsville is in Frederick County.
In search of a good scare? Look no further than these 10 frightening local horror flicks.
From murderous circus clowns to ravenous zombies to genetically-engineered fish, check out this ghoulish round-up of horror films all shot on location in Maryland.
Maryland: The home to horror movies
The Blair Witch Project (1999, R)
Acclaimed horror film The Blair Witch Project, released in 1999, was primarily filmed in, yes, Maryland. Specifically, the movie was filmed in Seneca Creek State Park and Frederick County's very own Burkittsville.
The Blair Witch Project follows three film students who suddenly vanish after traveling into a secluded Maryland forest to film a documentary on the local Blair Witch legend. After their disappearance, they leave only their footage behind, which is found one year later.
The found footage horror film, directed by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez, has been hailed as one of the best of its kind, and left its viewers questioning whether or not what they were seeing on-screen was real.
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Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 (2000, R)
Like its predecessor, Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 was filmed in Maryland. The film, released in 2000, was shot on location right outside of Baltimore.
Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2, directed by Joe Berlinger, follows a group of tourists who travel to Burkittsville, Maryland, after witnessing The Blair Witch Project. Together, they set out to explore the mythology and phenomenon, only to come face to face with their own neuroses and the witch herself, according to IMDB.
Since the initial release of the film's predecessor, the historic village of Burkittsville has attracted the uninvited attention of mischievous fans of the film trilogy.
Swarm of the Snakehead (2006, NR)
The 2006 comedy and horror feature film Swarm of the Snakehead was shot in and around Easton, Maryland, in Talbot County.
Swarm of the Snakehead, directed by Frank Lama and Joel Denning, follows a dysfunctional family — made up of one father and three daughters — that finds itself vacationing on the Maryland shore amidst a deadly attack of genetically-engineered snakehead fish.
Altogether, the film was shot over the span of two or more years — between 2002 and 2005 — on the quiet Eastern Shore.
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Fear of Clowns (2004, R)
Fear of Clowns, directed by Kevin Kangas of Glen Burnie, is yet another movie filmed entirely in Maryland.
In Fear of Clowns, an artist with coulrophobia — "fear of clowns" — attempts to conquer her fear by painting clowns. She is then stalked by a murderous circus clown closely resembling one of those that she has painted.
The clown-centered horror film, released in 2004, was later followed up by its 2007 sequel titled Fear of Clowns 2.
The Invasion (2007, PG-13)
American science fiction horror film The Invasion, directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel and released in 2007, was predominately filmed in Baltimore, Maryland.
In The Invasion, a Washington, D.C., psychiatrist — played by award-winning actress Nicole Kidman — unearths the origin of an alien plague that alters human behavior, before discovering that her son may be the only way to stop it.
In addition to being one of the movie's primary filming locations, Baltimore, often referred to as "Charm City," was the actual setting for most of the film.
The Dead Ones (2019, R)
Many filmmakers are often inspired by their hometowns. For Baltimore-raised filmmaker Jeremy Kasten, there was no better place to film his psychological horror movie, The Dead Ones, than in — yes, you guessed it — Baltimore, Maryland.
The Dead Ones, released in 2019, follows four students who are locked in a school and hunted by a gang dressed as the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. While fighting to survive, each student must confront past traumas, according to IMDB.
Lovely Molly (2011, R)
American supernatural horror film Lovely Molly, directed by Eduardo Sánchez, was filmed in Washington County's Hagerstown, Maryland.
Lovely Molly follows newlyweds Molly and Tim, who move into Molly's deceased father's house and childhood home in the countryside. During their stay, painful memories and a supernatural presence begin to haunt Molly.
The film, released in 2011, features Hagerstown's very own Dahlgren Chapel, a gothic-style chapel which sits atop South Mountain.
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From Within (2008, R)
Much of the filming for From Within, directed by Phedon Papamichael and released in 2008, took place in Perry Point, Maryland.
In From Within, a small evangelical Maryland town is gripped by a curse which causes residents to commit suicide, causing fear and panic to erupt. As the curse engulfs the town, one girl's faith is put to the ultimate test.
The horror mystery film stars popular award-winning actress Britt Robertson, as well as actors Thomas Dekker and Jared Harris.
Deadlands: The Rising (2006, UR) & Deadlands 2: Trapped (2008, UR)
Filming for Deadlands: The Rising, the unrated zombie horror flick directed by Gary Ugarek and released in 2006, took place in the big city of Baltimore.
In Deadlands: The Rising, a biochemical weapon explosion causes a freak chain of events and brings the dead back to life. Then, it is up to five people to make a stand for survival against an ever-growing army of the Living Dead, according to IMDB.
The film was followed up in 2008 by its sequel, Deadlands 2: Trapped. The sequel was filmed all across Maryland, from Hagerstown to Pasadena to Gaithersburg.
Olivia Minzola covers communities on the Lower Shore. Contact her with tips and story ideas at ominzola@delmarvanow.com.
This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: Check out this ultimate list of horror movies shot on site in Maryland
