Top 10 movies in which something strange happens in a small town: a selection that will test your nerves

Small towns have always seemed ideal for creating atmospheric mystery stories. Their isolation, small population, and limited infrastructure create ideal conditions for the development of supernatural events and mysterious crimes.

That's why such places so often become the center of eerie events in movies. Collider has shared a selection of ten films that will immerse you in the horrors of small towns.

Sleepy Hollow (1999)

When police constable Ichabod Crane, played brilliantly by Johnny Depp, arrives from New York to the quaint town of Sleepy Hollow, he has no idea that he will have to face a series of gruesome murders. Director Tim Burton has struck the perfect balance between black humor, otherworldly whimsy, and real horror in this film. That's why Sleepy Hollow has become a classic of the genre, winning an Oscar for Best Director and nominations for cinematography and costume design.

Carrie (1976)

Based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King, this film tells the story of a shy girl, Carrie White, who, after being bullied by her peers and suffering from her mother's religious fanaticism, discovers supernatural powers. "Carrie explores the darker side of life in a small town where societal pressure can have terrible consequences.

The Vast of Night (2019)

This slow-burning but fascinating sci-fi movie takes us back to the 1950s in a small New Mexico town. Local DJ Everett and his girlfriend Faye begin to investigate strange radio and telephone signals that they accidentally pick up during their nightly work. Overall, the film skillfully conveys an atmosphere of mystery and intrigue, immersing the viewer in a world where the boundaries between reality and fantasy disappear.

Beatlejuice (1988)

This movie captivates with its eccentric atmosphere and humor. Tim Burton has once again given us an incredible movie where reality and the other world collide in a small Connecticut town. The couple Barbara and Adam, who died in a car accident, return home as ghosts and encounter new residents of their house.

Pan's Labyrinth (2006)

Guillermo del Toro has created a film where reality and fantasy intertwine, reflecting the deep cultural and political conflicts of the past. The film is set in a Spanish village during the Civil War. Ophelia, a girl who cannot find a place in the real world, escapes to a fantasy realm where she believes she is the reincarnation of a princess of the underworld.

Slither (2006)

Slither is a horror comedy that raises the question of how communities can separate themselves from anything that seems alien. This film about an alien invasion of a small South Carolina town turns stereotypes about life in such places into a source of black humor. According to the plot, Grant, a resident of the town, has fallen victim to a parasite and begins to spread it among other residents.

The Conjuring (2013)

This film, which became the beginning of a successful horror franchise, tells the story of a family that moves into an old farmhouse in a small Rhode Island town. Soon they encounter paranormal phenomena that force them to turn to supernatural researchers Ed and Lorraine Warren.

His House (2020)

This film explores the isolation and trauma that haunt people even after they flee war, making their new lives even more terrifying. Bol and Rial, refugees from South Sudan, are given shelter in an abandoned house on the outskirts of London. However, they quickly realize that it hides something terrible.

The Witch (2015)

This film is set in New England in the 1600s, where William and his Puritan family are forced to live in seclusion after being expelled from their settlement due to a religious dispute. Despite the harsh circumstances, the family tries to survive, but the real horrors begin when one of the children is kidnapped by a witch and killed so that his body can be used to make a potion.

30 Days of Night (2007)

Barrow, a small town in Alaska, becomes a hostage to nature every year - the polar night lasts for 30 days, plunging the locals into pitch blackness. The situation is complicated by the fact that as soon as the sun goes down, vampires start attacking the settlement. Sheriff Eben Olson tries to protect the inhabitants from this threat, but a stranger who has appeared in the town begins to sabotage their efforts.

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