The Monroeville Mall, primary location of 1978’s zombie classic Dawn of the Dead.
It should come as no surprise that some hardcore horror fans are looking to make a pilgrimage to the real-life sites of their favorite creepy films, especially around this time of year. Some of these places look much like we remember them, while others have changed significantly over time.
Locations that served as a backdrop for our terror-fueled nightmares sometimes take on a different, less menacing tone when viewed out of context – like on a bright sunny day – but fans will easily be able to assimilate these places into the movie scenes in which they’re featured.
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1968’s Night of the Living Dead ushered in the zombie age. Serving as the inspiration for every subsequent zombie storyline, George A. Romero’s horror opus is still beloved by genre fans nearly 50 years after its release.
The Evans City Cemetery (in which the movie begins) is probably the most visited location of the film. The old chapel (pictured above) looks nearly identical to how it appeared in the movie; it has been in disrepair for a very long time – but there is an ongoing campaign to save and restore it.
Nicolas Kramer’s gravestone is highlighted when a terrified Barbara clings to it in a panicked state of fear. Fans of the film not only seek out the grave of Mr. Kramer for a simple photo, but to recreate the classic shot for themselves.
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For decades, John Carpenter’s Halloween held the distinction of being the highest grossing independent film of all time, and Michael Myers is certainly one of the most iconic characters in the history of cinema. Myers’ house from the original 1978 release is forever etched into history, but it doesn’t sit where it used to.
The house has been moved across the street from its original location in Pasadena, California, and is now an office building. Though it only slightly resembles how it appeared in the film, fans still come from around the country to feast their eyes on this classic house of horror.
The exterior of New York City’s the Dakota (aka the Dakota apartments) was filmed to represent ‘The Bramford’ building in the 1968 psychological thriller Rosemary’s Baby. The Bramford was the apartment building that several of the main characters resided in, including Rosemary and her husband, Guy.
The Dakota is name-worthy for another unsettling event: it was the murder site of John Lennon.
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Camp Crystal Lake or “Camp Blood” from Friday the 13th is actually a Boy Scout camp named Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco in real life. One of the most successful horror franchises in history, Friday the 13th, among its many sequels, has inspired an overall leeriness of summer camp for generations.
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Though countless fans that would kill to visit the New Jersey cabins and campgrounds where Jason terrorized those poor teenagers, Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco is completely private. There have been only two special events to date in which fans could buy tickets and get the Crystal Lake experience – and both times they sold out in a matter of hours.
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Another Friday the 13th feature, the Crystal Lake Diner (known as the Blairstown Diner) is located in Blairstown, New Jersey. Employees are always pleased to have fans as guests, so stop on by to order lunch, and be sure to tell them Jason sent you.
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The UK’s Oakley Court Hotel has been featured in many horror films, including The Brides of Dracula (1960), The Plague of Zombies (1966), And Now the Screaming Starts (1973), and The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975).
Nancy’s house from A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) still sits on a little street off Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, California. Another very popular horror franchise from the slasher-heavy 1980s, A Nightmare on Elm Street continues to cause some teenagers to lose sleep; though it’s probably coming in behind the internet now, 30 years later.
The current homeowners have restored it to look just like it did in the iconic film, and don’t mind fans taking pictures—from the street, that is.
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Directly across the street from Nancy’s Hollywood home is the house in which Johnny Depp’s character Glen met his very bloody demise. The role was the first acting credit of the future superstar.
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The Timberline Lodge in Oregon is most recognized for doubling as the Overlook Hotel in Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of Stephen King’s The Shining, though the inspiration for the classic book was actually The Stanley Hotel in Colorado. Horror fans actually travel to both locations to seek photo ops and purchase souvenirs.
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The main poster for 1973’s fright fest The Exorcist is one of the most recognizable in cinema history, helping the home of Regan and her mother – which appeared on the poster – retain its tourist appeal.
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One of the most important locations from the same film would be the M Street Stairs, where Regan’s demon throws Father Karras to his death. Visitors to the site have often had the opportunity to encounter the Georgetown track team, who often use this stairwell for practice and conditioning.
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Tobe Hooper’s 1974 blood-curdling creation, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, was gritty and disturbing. It proved even more unsettling given that it was reported to be “based on actual events.” Finding out that the events of the film never actually took place did not lessen the cult status the film still holds today.
The main house is now a restaurant called the Grand Central Café. Built in Red Rock, Texas (where the movie takes place), the current owners had it moved piece by piece to Kingsland, Texas after purchasing it.
Though it’s now a quaint stop and not home to a menacing psychopath, horror tourists come from across the country to eat at that famed house, the former dwelling of Leatherface.
Ryan’s Hills Prairie Grocery is the creepy, backwoods gas station featured in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. It is just as run down now as it was in the film, and had become Bilbo’s Texas’ most notable landmark before going out of business. You’ll now find bars covering the windows to deter aggressive fans from attempting to enter and collect their own souvenirs.
Next, read about the supposed demonic possession of Anneliese Michel. Then, read about the survival mentality in horror movies.
