Ghosts are huge in New England

August 12, 2024 9:18 PM

Interactive map of the locations of horror movies by afloweroutofstone.

Red is killer/slasher/psychological
Blue is monster/creature
Yellow is ghost/spirit/demon
Green is alien
Black is zombies
Purple is vampires

posted by one for the books (14 comments total)

Just the sort of useless, time-wasting thing I love!
posted by dg at 10:28 PM on August 12 [1 favorite]

It's called Lovecraft Country for a reason.
posted by NoxAeternum at 12:48 AM on August 13 [2 favorites]

Just curious where you would find folk horror in there? I'm assuming it's been folded into one or two of the other categories, but I can't figure out whether it'd be psychological, monster, or demon. Or maybe all of the above?

Folk horror is kind of becoming my thing, so I'm curious.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:20 AM on August 13 [3 favorites]

Folk horror seems to be under the red dots, assuming Wicker Man is the foundational example.
posted by cobaltnine at 4:32 AM on August 13

Ghosts aren’t any larger in New England; they’re just much closer to you.
posted by GenjiandProust at 5:01 AM on August 13 [4 favorites]

Given that most living New Englanders have zero tolerance for any sort of personal interaction with other human beings, do you really think their ghosts would be any different?

Most ghosts in New England mind their own damn business. They know that the moment they start manifesting themselves, things just get awkward. You answer one question at a seance and suddenly everyone's asking you for your life's story or if you have unfinished business they can help out with or if you know any famous local ghosts like those Salem Witches.
posted by RonButNotStupid at 6:20 AM on August 13 [4 favorites]

They have Hunedoara in Romania pegged for The Nun, but it's also all over the trailer for Robert Eggers' upcoming Nosferatu remake.

Bran Castle (often called "Dracula's Castle" though that is very tenuous) and Peleș Castle (the one that is in every Hallmark or Christmas movie with a fictitious European kingdom) are more famous, but it's really Castle Corvin that has the vibes. Moat? Check. Ominous bridge? Check. Weird architecture that looks nonsensical in places? Check.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 6:36 AM on August 13 [3 favorites]

I was sad there was no Lake Mungo, or at least none I could find — the tendency of the dots to disappear at different magnifications (a problem with Google Maps, not this project) makes it hard to tell for sure.

I was also interested in the setting for The Color out of Space in the story, it should be somewhere under the Quabbin Reservoir (although probably inspired by the building of the Scituate Reservoir in RI), which kind of doesn’t work for a modern setting, where the land is already inundated. That close to the coast seems weird to me.
posted by GenjiandProust at 6:43 AM on August 13 [1 favorite]

It's called Lovecraft Country for a reason.
Not so much in the map, NoxAeternum, at least not in the literal sense. Providence has nothing and Rhode Island barely one, from what I can tell. And HPL wasn't too much into ghosts.
posted by doctornemo at 6:44 AM on August 13

EmpressCallipygos, perhaps folk horror doesn't show up much because the remote rural location is made-up or not specified clearly.
posted by doctornemo at 6:45 AM on August 13 [1 favorite]

Thank you for this fun post, one for the books.
I enjoyed the mix of movies, current and older.
It was also fun to zero in on locations I know (SE Michigan, Romania, NY, Vermont, etc) and see the films represented. Hey, they got The Exorcist! (The stairs are literally next to the building where I teach). And the site wins my heart by pinning the awesome Black Cat.
posted by doctornemo at 6:47 AM on August 13 [1 favorite]

I'm having a hard time finding the murderous flying Coke machine in Maine...
posted by Pickman's Next Top Model at 8:17 AM on August 13 [1 favorite]

Seems to be undercounting New England

Only one listing for Salem (home of the witch trials)?
Nothing in Fall River for Lizzie Borden?
Where are the Witches of Eastwick?
posted by cheshyre at 8:31 AM on August 13 [1 favorite]

There is a stone tower in Truro where the ghost of an 19th century opera singer regularly does battle with the ghost of a 17th century sea witch to protect the coastline. That is the most epic ghost story I've ever heard.

How has this not been made into a movie yet?
posted by RonButNotStupid at 9:33 AM on August 13 [2 favorites]