New York City offers a specific arsenal of chaos, innovation, and a sense of "anything goes" when it comes to horror. The jump-scare possibilities lurking around corners are endless in the city that never sleeps. However, most films that boast being based in New York are often filmed elsewhere. This is for a myriad of reasons, but some primary ones are cost and space.
"Scream 6," the latest installment in the franchise, had audiences excited to see the action taken out of Woodsboro and Hollywood, and into the bolder and more brazen streets of the big apple, promising the kind of kills you can only get in New York City, baby! However, to clear any confusion, a specific scene in the latest Ghostface franchise hits you directly with the McGill University campus in Montréal, Canada. When I saw the film this week, I nearly shrieked at the panning shots of my alma mater's Roddick Gates and Arts Building, as Sam, Tara, and company devise a plan for survival.
BLACKMORE UNIVERSITY MAIN BUILDING #SCREAM6 #blackmore #scream pic.twitter.com/T71smjwMG5
— Claire (@Slinn1) August 1, 2022
MTL Blog covered the campus' makeover, highlighting how certain campus fixtures were changed, such as the entrance to the Burnside building, which transformed into a subway stop for Blackmore University. Montreal has housed many a New York-based film, mostly due to the versatile look of the city and the cost-effectiveness of filming over the border. Other horror films shot in Montreal and its surrounding areas in Quebec include "The Lodge," Darren Aronofsky's "Mother!", 2009's "Orphan," and Ari Aster's upcoming film "Beau is Afraid."
Keeping Suspense High And Costs Low
New York offers a sense of unsettling movement and change, never letting the audiences get fully comfortable because there's no serene backdrop to lose yourself in. We've seen the likes of "Rosemary's Baby," "American Psycho," "1408," "The Midnight Meat Train," and "Escape Room: Tournament of Champions" tear through the streets of New York, adding more chaos and intrigue than if the plot were unfolding elsewhere. However, none of these horror flicks were fully filmed on location, if at all.
"Rosemary's Baby" was partially filmed in New York, including the famous scene of her deliriously stumbling into oncoming traffic, but the remainder of the project came together in Los Angeles. "American Psycho" came together primarily in Toronto, Ontario. Filming for "1408" was completed across New York, California, and London, England. "Midnight Meat Train," a horror film dedicated to the dark unknowns of New York's subway systems and where they lead, was filmed entirely in California to keep costs down. Then you have "Escape Room: Tournament of Champions," the sequel to the 2019 picture, which is based in NYC but is shot exclusively in Cape Town and Budapest.
Whether it be budget, weather, spatial concerns, or just convenience, executing a horror movie entirely in New York City is clearly easier said than done. So, let's tip our hats to the various location scouts responsible for creating the scrappy movie magic we've happily let deceive us over the years — you deserve our utmost respect.
"Scream VI" is currently in theaters, and will be available for streaming next month.
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