Some of the best horrormovies take on the uneasy challenge of creating a story that not only will be frightening but also set at a single location. That requires a lot of creative thinking and good ideas but if done right, the best one-location horror movies will leave an unforgettable impression and convince the viewers to return to them over and over again.
5 The Shining (1980)
Even though Stephen King, author of the novel, wasn’t so thrilled with the movie adaptation, many fans consider The Shining one of the best horror movies of all time. The story is notoriously known. The writer, Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson), his wife, Wendy, and young son Danny go to Overlook Hotel that’s cut off from the rest of the world in winter. Jack is supposed to work on his story, but the hotel has a strong influence on him, and he spirals more and more. Once the main heroes arrive at Overlook. They rarely ever leave the premises and if so, they only go outside to the hotel gardens, not far away from the main building.
Considering how huge the hotel is, there’s no need for the movie to cut to other places since there’s always something going on in the main location, and it’s usually something nefarious. Jack Nicholson gives yet another unforgettable performance and the movie’s chilling atmosphere ensures that the viewers will remember it. The movie recently got a sequel, Doctor Sleep (2019), centered on the now-adult Danny played by Ewan McGregor but unlike its predecessor, Doctor Sleep doesn’t create such a haunting atmosphere in such a limited space.
4 Cube (1997)
Vincenzo Natali is no stranger to horror movies, having directed movies such as Haunter (2013) or Splice (2009). However, many people consider his directorial debut Cube the best horror movie Natali has directed. A group of people wake up in a mysterious large cube comprised of many rooms, and they’re seeking a way out. The problem is that some rooms contain deadly traps, so it soon becomes clear that not everyone will make it to the end.
The movie delivers not only an original idea and a cast full of unique characters, each of whom is different, but also manages to keep the viewers invested since they’re curious who will survive and who will die. It helps that it’s not clear which room is safe and which isn’t, so the movie never becomes more peaceful or relaxed during its entire runtime.
3 1408 (2007)
Another horror movie based on Stephen King’s work shows that it’s not a good idea to seek out the supernatural and laugh at it because it might actually come. John Cusack plays Mike Enslin, a man whose specialty is it to debunk the so-called paranormal phenomena. Unfortunately for Mike, the room 1408 in the hotel he just came to might not be the usual hoax he’s dealt with. Mostly confined to a single room, the movie manages to create terror both in the viewers and Mike as more and more scary things start happening.
John Cusack is excellent in the leading role and 1408 mostly functions as his one-man-show, although Samuel L. Jackson has a memorable supporting role in it as well, portraying the hotel’s manager, Gerald Olin. Ideally, the viewers won’t be familiar with Stephen King’s story the movie is based on because 1408 is all about the surprises it offers as the story progresses.
2 The Mist (2007)
Without Stephen King and adaptations of his stories, those who like one-location horror movies wouldn’t have that many options to choose from. The Mist focuses on a group of people trapped in a supermarket surrounded by mysterious mist that might or might not be full of monsters.
However, sometimes the biggest monsters are humans, as the heroes of this movie learn since the tensions between the trapped people quickly grow high. The Mist isn’t only scary but also has the power to make the viewers think. Thomas Jane plays the leading role, but the movie gives space to a larger number of characters, both heroic and villainous, who all leave a strong impression, especially Marcia Gay Harden.
1 Devil (2010)
The limited space of an elevator is something many people encounter on regular basis, and they don’t consider it frightening in the slightest. However, this movie shows that when an elevator gets stuck, it can turn into a real horror. Especially if the people trapped in the elevator start dying. The movie builds a strong atmosphere and a criminal case that’s difficult to solve. The audience will be invested until the very end since they will want to know what’s going on and who’s the person responsible for the deaths.
The movie is shorter than many other horror movies, and at just 77 minutes, it keeps a fast pace. The cast is solid, and it’s interesting to watch as the relationships between them develop the longer they’re caught in the elevator. An interesting fact about the movie is that the plot was inspired by one of Agatha Christie’s novels but made much more frightening than the original story.
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