The 5 best horror movies set in Ohio
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A nightmare in Ohio. Photo: New Line Cinema/Getty Images
Ohio is a scary place. For proof, look no further than the world of horror movies.
- The state has come to represent a picturesque version of Midwest suburbia horror that filmmakers love to slash away at.
Here's a look at the best horror movies set in Ohio, from Wes Craven's nightmare to alien invasions.
🔪 "A Nightmare on Elm Street" (1984)
Details: Following the success of films like "The Hills Have Eyes" and "Swamp Thing," Cleveland native Wes Craven directed horror game-changer "A Nightmare on Elm Street."
- The film takes place in the fictional town of Springwood, Ohio, while its iconic killer, Freddy Krueger, is based on a terrifying encounter Craven had in Northeast Ohio as a child.
🤫 "The Silence of the Lambs" (1991)
Details: It isn't until the ending of "The Silence of the Lambs" that FBI trainee Clarice Starling discovers that serial killer "Buffalo Bill" lives in Belvedere, Ohio, setting the stage for a climactic showdown.
- But the scene was actually filmed at a house in Perryopolis, Pennsylvania.
😱 "Scream 2" (1997)
Detail: Craven's "Scream 2" isn't as good as the original but is still entertaining. The movie follows the survivors of the first film as they attend fictional Windsor College in Ohio.
- Ohio is never specifically mentioned in the "Scream 2." However, all the police and news vehicles featured have Ohio license plates.
👽 "The Faculty" (1998)
Details: Aliens come to a high school in the fictional town of Herrington, Ohio, in "The Faculty," which was written by "Scream" screenwriter Kevin Williamson.
- The movie starring Josh Hartnett, Elijah Wood and Usher Raymond was actually filmed in Texas.
📽️ "Super 8" (2011)
Details: J.J. Abrams' movie about a train derailing and releasing an alien is set in the small town of Lillian, Ohio.
- Even though it's fictional, Lillian is shown on a map during the film and located just outside West Alexandria in the southwest part of the state.