As Halloween draws near, the eerie specter of horror movies filmed at Canadian high schools emerges to give viewers a spooky thrill. From a chilling prom night to a mind-controlling alien and a flesh-eating cheerleader, these films offer a mix of fright and nostalgia that may resonate with audiences.
To set the stage for your Halloween movie night, here are six campy horror favorites that may bring back memories of high school hallways.
1. **Prom Night** (1980) – Hollywood Suite
– Location: Don Mills Collegiate Institute, Toronto
– Synopsis: A slasher film featuring Jamie Lee Curtis and Leslie Nielsen, where a group of teens face the consequences of a classmate’s death years later. The movie’s high school scenes were shot at Toronto’s Don Mills Collegiate Institute, with local students as extras.
2. **The Brain** (1988) – Shudder
– Location: Meadowvale Secondary School, Mississauga
– Synopsis: An ’80s sci-fi/horror movie where an alien brain aids a TV personality in a mind-control scheme. The film captures the eerie atmosphere of Meadowvale Secondary School and the Ontario Science Centre.
3. **Disturbing Behavior** (1998) – Tubi and Hoopla
– Location: Kitsilano Secondary School, Vancouver
– Synopsis: A thriller where students uncover a psychologist’s plot to manipulate behavior. Kitsilano Secondary School stands in as Cradle Bay High School, highlighting the dark side of academic perfection.
4. **Carrie** (2002) – Prime Video and Tubi
– Location: Stəywəte:ń Point Grey Secondary School, Vancouver
– Synopsis: A telekinetic horror story featuring Angela Bettis and Patricia Clarkson, set in Ewen High School. Vancouver’s Stəywəte:ń Point Grey Secondary School provides the backdrop for this chilling tale.
5. **Jennifer’s Body** (2009) – Disney+
– Location: Langley Secondary School, Langley, B.C.
– Synopsis: A horror-comedy where a high school student discovers her friend has a taste for human flesh. Langley Secondary School sets the stage for the film’s dark humor and feminist undertones.
6. **Totally Killer** (2023) – Prime Video
– Location: Templeton Secondary School, Vancouver
– Synopsis: A time-travel horror where a teenager must stop a serial killer in her mother’s past. Templeton Secondary School transforms into Vernon High School for a chilling journey through time and terror.
Get ready for a spine-tingling cinematic experience with these high school horror classics set in Canadian locales.