Scariest Forests
By on Sep 11, 2012
This past Friday, Chiller TV fans were treated to the premiere of Jesse Holland and Andy Mitton’s 2010 horror flick YellowBrickRoad. Winner of the 2010 New York City Horror Film Festival’s “Best Feature Award,” the film provides a creepy take on the “disappearance” of an entire 1940’s New England town as they wandered off into the wilderness. It’s a fun ride and the dense mountain environment gave us a great excuse to discuss some of horror’s most memorable forest locations. Word to the wise: you probably shouldn’t go into the woods.
THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT (1999)
Say what you will about The Blair Witch Project, but the 1999 horror film is now an absolute classic. And for good reason! It may not be a great film, but it is a damn fine one that’s actually held up pretty well over the years. Not only that, but it also revolutionized the way films were made and marketed. I’ll tell you what, though… I want no part of those woods.
EDEN LAKE (2008)
With a title like Eden Lake, you’d think this 2008 British horror import would be more water-centric, but it’s really the forest that makes this flick a creepfest. Well, the forest and that damn group of teenagers intent on making the lovely Kelly Reilly and her boyfriend Michael Fassbender’s lives a living nightmare. It’s a hell of a film and a killer directorial debut for James Watkins.
THE WATCHER IN THE WOODS (1980)
Ah, 1980… The good old days when Walt Disney Pictures used to release live-action films that would go on to scare the crap out of kids for decades! One of their most interesting (and creepiest) productions – the fantastic The Watcher in the Woods – gave 80’s kids nightmares about going in the woods and, especially, about the scary old lady who lived there.
FRIDAY THE 13TH (1980)
The quintessential chased-around-the-woods-by-someone-trying-to-kill-me film, Friday the 13th is a classic of the subgenre. Surrounded by woods (and the lake), Camp Crystal Lake is the last place you want to go if you’re a horny teenager, camp counselor, or pretty much anyone else. Stay outta the woods, people!
THE EVIL DEAD (1981)
The woods around the cabin in Sam Raimi’s legendary frightfest isn’t just ominous and foreboding. No no. It’s much, much worse than that. These woods will actually come to life and sexually assault you. Frightening stuff, but it’s merely one of the disturbing things that happens in this gore-filled flick.
