Seattle Culture
Dark and Dreary
A roundup of Halloween-worthy movies and video games set in the Pacific Northwest
By Sarah Stackhouse October 29, 2024
There’s a reason horror loves the Pacific Northwest — Seattle’s gloom turns every downtown street and quiet suburb into a scene from a thriller. From the dark, hidden passageways of the Underground to ferry rides one fog bank away from a nightmare, here’s your guide to locally filmed scary movies and video games:
The Night Strangler (1973)
Look for: The Space Needle, Seattle Underground
Kolchak’s hunt through Seattle’s Underground adds local chills as the Seattle reporter takes on this perfect ’70s thriller.
The Changeling (1980)
Look for: UW campus, downtown Seattle
Ghosts, a Victorian mansion, and Seattle’s gothic vibe make this haunted classic unforgettable. Are you brave enough to watch it alone?
War Games (1983)
Look for: UW, Boeing Field
Not quite horror, but pre-Ferris Bueller Matthew Broderick, Ally Sheedy, Seattle, and Cold War paranoia deliver serious dread.
Fire Walk with Me (1992)
Look for: Boren Avenue
David Lynch goes all-out eerie in this Twin Peaks prequel, with Seattle shadows adding to the weird.
The Hand that Rocks the Cradle (1992)
Look for: Magnolia, Tacoma
A “perfect” nanny, a Seattle mansion, and suspense so thick you’ll double-check the locks.
The Vanishing (1993)
Look for: Pike Place Market
It’s hard to believe The Dude could play a villain, but Jeff Bridges nails the role of Barney Cousins, a kidnapper with a dark obsession. Let’s just say this version of Bridges won’t abide by much at all.
Fear (1996)
Look for: Duwamish Head, Mercer Island parks
Mark Wahlberg as the sweaty, obsessive boyfriend who turns Seattle’s suburbs into his personal horror show.
Practical Magic (1998)
Look for: Whidbey Island
Not exactly horror, but Whidbey Island’s witchy charm makes it ripe for a Halloween re-watch.
The Ring (2002)
Look for: Whidbey Island, downtown Seattle, Quinault ferry
Foggy ferry rides, a cursed videotape, and a CGI horse who’s not sticking around — Seattle’s freaky atmosphere hits hard.
Rose Red (2002)
Look for: Magnuson Park
Stephen King’s Seattle mansion thriller gives Magnuson Park the best King twist.
Cthulhu (2007)
Look for: Pike Place Market
Lovecraftian horror — Pike Place Market adds the Seattle spook.
Alan Wake (2010)
Creepy Pacific Northwest forests and shadowy towns set the stage for this scary, atmospheric video game. I dare you to play alone.
The Last of Us Part 2 (2020)
Look for: Space Needle, Seattle Convention Center, Pioneer Square, Great Wheel, King Street Station clock tower
Post-apocalyptic Seattle in this video game— rainy, overgrown, and eerie (yes, even Capitol Hill’s rainbow crosswalks make an appearance).
Did I miss anything? Let me know at sarah@seattlemag.com
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