Ohio makes a guest appearance in these six spooktacular movies
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Six horror films with ties to Ohio — real or imagined!
Horror movie fans in Ohio have good reason to be proud: Over the years, the Buckeye State has proved to be an irresistible setting for filmmakers seeking to induce scares in audiences.
From “A Nightmare on Elm Street” to “Super 8,” perhaps Ohio’s reputation as a Midwestern bellwether state makes for an ideal contrast for uncanny or unsettling stories.
“It’s very Everytown in a really wonderful way,” Daria Polatin, the creator of the recent Netflix series “Devil in Ohio,” said in a recent interview with The Dispatch.
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To help give your Halloween movie marathons a local flavor, we offer several of the best, most famous horror flicks purportedly set in the Buckeye state.
A word of warning: Most of the films named here were not actually photographed in Ohio, and most are set in fictional towns rather than real places. In other words, don’t look for Springwood, Herrington or Lillian, Ohio, on a map. Instead, find them on your TV screen: We’ve included a selection of major streaming services where you can view each movie.
'A Nightmare on Elm Street' (1984)
Just where is Elm Street in director Wes Craven’s classic chiller “A Nightmare on Elm Street”? It turns out that the notoriously ominous street — home to heroine Nancy Thompson (Heather Langenkamp), the first movie teen to contend with the ghastly Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) — is located in the fictitious suburb of Springwood, Ohio. Craven, a Cleveland native who died in 2015, didn’t return home to make the movie: According to the Internet Movie Database (which we consulted for shooting location information), the film rolled before cameras in California.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime, HBO Max, Vudu, YouTube
'Scream 2' (1997)
Craven enrolled scream queen Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) in college in the sequel to the blockbuster horror comedy. The made-up Windsor College is supposed to be in Ohio, though the movie was lensed in California and Georgia.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime, Vudu, YouTube
'The Faculty' (1998)
The imaginary Herrington High School in the equally nonexistent Herrington, Ohio, is the setting for this creepy flick. Josh Hartnett and Jordana Brewster star as students who have a sneaking feeling that their teachers may not quite be of this world. Director Robert Rodriguez filmed the movie in his home state of Texas.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime, HBO Max, Vudu, YouTube
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'Trick ’r Treat' (2007)
Columbus native Michael Dougherty wrote and directed this movie — and he didn’t forget his roots, either: The movie tells multiple terrifying tales, all set on Halloween in the fictitious Warren Valley, Ohio. Anna Paquin, Brian Cox and Dylan Baker co-star in this movie, which was made north of the border: the film was shot in British Columbia, Canada.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime, Vudu, YouTube
'Super 8' (2011)
Before he achieved stardom for retooling the “Star Wars” franchise, director J.J. Abrams made this nifty movie about several young residents of the fictitious town of Lillian, Ohio — including Elle Fanning — who find their hometown plagued by all manner of strange happenings. Alas, the movie was (again) shot outside the Buckeye State: Photography took place in California and West Virginia.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime, Vudu, YouTube
Scariest cities: Survey says: Columbus named one of the spookiest cities in the U.S.
'The Killing of a Sacred Deer' (2017)
Finally, a horror movie set and shot in Ohio — and a much-acclaimed one at that. Colin Farrell and Nicole Kidman star as a Cincinnati couple who contend with a young man who turns up with a disturbing tale to tell (Barry Keoghan). Director Yorgos Lanthimos’ film was shot in and around Cincinnati.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime, Hulu, Paramount+, YouTube
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Six horror movies with Ohio connections, real or fictional
