Metro Vancouver has long been a go-to destination for film productions, and several scary movies filmed in Vancouver have turned the region into Hollywood North’s creepiest backdrop.
For horror specifically, the region has provided the atmosphere for everything from haunted cabins to supernatural thrillers.
Over the years, several horror movies have been filmed in Vancouver and across B.C., with results ranging from cult classics to forgettable flops.
Here’s a look at some of the most notable titles.
1. THE CABIN IN THE WOODS (2012)
Filmed at Coquihalla Canyon, a Kitsilano apartment, and BCIT’s aerospace campus, this film flipped every horror trope on its head. Meta, gory, and hilarious, it’s widely considered the best horror flick ever made in B.C.
2. SLITHER (2006)
James Gunn’s directorial debut oozes with campy slime and alien parasites. Shot around Vancouver and Langley, it’s disgusting, hilarious, and oddly charming, if you can stomach the gore.
3. BONES (2001)
Snoop Dogg stars as a murdered gangster out for revenge. Shot in Vancouver, the film tells the story of Jimmy Bones, a beloved neighbourhood protector who’s betrayed and murdered in the 1970s, only to rise decades later as a vengeful spirit.
4. FRIDAY THE 13TH PART VIII: JASON TAKES MANHATTAN (1989)
Jason takes the SkyTrain? Yup. Vancouver’s rapid transit system made a cameo when producers filmed locally to stretch the budget. Although promoted as Jason’s killing spree in New York, much of the production used Metro Vancouver streets and sets to stand in for Manhattan.
5. THE EXORCISM OF EMILY ROSE (2005)
The chilling courtroom-possession hybrid filmed at UBC’s HR MacMillan and Douglas Kenny buildings still gives horror fans goosebumps. Combining horror and legal drama, it remains one of the most memorable horror productions shot on campus.
6. THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT (2004)
Ashton Kutcher ran through memory-bending chaos at UBC’s Robson Square and downtown’s Blarney Stone Pub, plus Abbotsford streetscapes. Several campus buildings, including Koerner Plaza and the Geography lecture hall, also appear in the film’s pivotal scenes.
Metro Vancouver’s track record in horror films shows just how versatile the region is as a backdrop. From university lecture halls transformed into haunted courtrooms to suburban streets standing in for New York City, local locations have played a starring role in stories that range from acclaimed cult classics to critical flops.
Whether it’s a SkyTrain cameo or a hidden corner of UBC, these filming spots remind us that some of the most chilling moments in horror history were staged right here in B.C.
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