Shreveport has been referred to as "Hollywood of the South" or "South Hollywood" and other variations on that concept...but after looking at the amount of horror and thriller movies filmed in the area, it might be time to explore calling it Scaretown USA.

Yes, a lot of movies and TV shows have been filmed in our area, but looking at the percentage of those productions that have leaned into the horror/suspense/thriller world appears to outweigh other genres.

Just look at the TV series list...two of the biggest ever here are True Blood and Salem.

But for now, just in time for the Halloween season, we're going to focus on the movie side of the entertainment world. There have been almost 20 mid-to-big-budget movies filmed locally.

I don't plan to RANK these in anyway, but rather to provide you with a list of locally produced movies that you could work into your Halloween season. Whether you want to pick up 1 or none, this is going to serve as a good resource for your entertainment needs. Let's get rolling:

I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE

This movie is a remake of the 1978 cult classic, which was so graphic that it was banned in multiple countries. This version, not that impact-full.

Like most horror movies, it didn't get positive reviews from critics, and didn't do too well at the box office. But honestly, it did far worse than expected at the box office, not even cracking the $1 million mark.

But don't let that take away from the fact that it's still a creepy-as-hell thriller that's perfect for this time of year.

HUGE WARNING: There's NSFW language, content, and concepts in the trailers ahead...

THE COLLECTOR

This is a good one. This movie has found a strong following since it's release in 2009. It was originally planned as a Saw prequel, but that idea didn't make it far. The results still made for a great movie, and a perfect film to enjoy during the Halloween season...especially in Shreveport.

THE MIST

You knew that a movie based on a Stephen King story, directed by the man who would bring The Walking Dead to TV, staring some of the strongest names on screen 10 years ago, was going to make this list.

The Mist might be the most successful movie on this list, and one of the most successful ever filmed in our area.

THE TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN

Not only was this one filmed in the Ark-La-Tex, it's staged in the Ark-La-Tex as well.

This movie is set against the backdrop of Texarkana, and even included some shots from the town. Most of the filming took place in and around Shreveport though, even using a lot of locals as extras.

If you're a fan of American Horror Story, this one has a couple of tie-ins, including the fact that Producer Ryan Murphy is the AHS creator, and AHS alumni Dennis O'Hare is featured in the film.

THE KILLING ROOM

This movie might fall closer to the "thriller" side of things, but is still a suspense trip that will get inside your head. It may not be a full-blown SLASHER movie, but is still a nice one to make your skin crawl during the Halloween season.

PULSE 2: AFTERLIFE & PULSE 3

OK...let's be brutally honest. These two are bad movies. But they can be entertaining in the right context. Good news for these two movies, the Halloween season is the right context. So if you're ever going to suffer through these two, do it soon.

SHUT IN (INTRUDERS)

First thing you have to do with this movie, is make sure you have the right one. Since the movie changed names between Shut In and Intruders, it can get sticky. Add into that mix that you have another film, released the year before called The Intruders, you can easily mess these up.

Make sure to aim for the one with Rory Culkin in it, and no former Nickelodeon stars, that's how you'll know you have the one filmed in Shreveport.

MANDRAKE

If you like post-2010 low-budget B movies, we've got a treat for you! Especially if you like SyFy TV movies...

This movie is in the "Rich guy looks for huge payday and unleashes epic monster" genre. It's filmed in Shreveport, but set in Latin American (I know, right). The CG isn't good, and the story is thin. The IMDB reviews for this one speak for themselves.

TEXAS CHAINSAW 3D

Look, when you tell me there's a new Texas Chainsaw movie, I'm down. But I already know some things about it:

1. There's going to be bad reviews from critics

2. There's going to be a ton of blood

3. There's probably going to be some nudity

If you're like me, and know these things will come together in a Texas Chainsaw movie, then you are good to go with this one! Especially with the cast they put together, with Alexandra Daddario, Scott Eastwood, and Bill Moseley, who was in Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 back in 1986.

SKOOKUM: THE HUNT FOR BIGFOOT

Based in Oil City, this low-budget take on the bigfoot legend will feel very local...but in some instances, too local.

It's a fun movie, with a decent story, but a very DIY feel, and terrible CG. If you're not going to get too caught up in the visual aspects, you can have fun with the local-ness of this one.

FEAST 2: SLOPPY SECONDS & FEAST 3: THE HAPPY FINISH

Well...I don't know what to really say about these two. They're an updated take on B-movie horror/comedy...really, really dark comedy. But you kind of know that, when the title of the second installment it "Sloppy Seconds".

I don't know if I can stress again, this has elements of DARK comedy.

PREMONITION

This one probably features the biggest star on our list, with Sandra Bullock staring in this one. But the conversation can probably center around whether this counts as a "horror" movie. It's definitely a supernatural thriller, but no real "monster" creature.

Ah, what the hell, this is a suspense thriller that fully counts for this list, and definitely should make your watch list for the Halloween season.

SHARK NIGHT 3D

Just by watching the trailer, you can see parts of the Shreveport area all over this one.

It has a decent pedigree, with Producers from the updated Texas Chainsaw series, and the Hostel series, and the director of 2 Final Destination movies, and a cast of up-and-comers. The movie also made a decent number at the box office. But...

...and maybe this just me, but the shark thing doesn't work here. Unless they're in a tornado.

JULIA X

This one is super-brutal, and super-weird...so if you go down this road, be warned.

It's one of those "murders run across each other and the script gets flipped" type movies...but sadly they blow that big reveal in the trailer.

Plus it's weird to see Kevin Sorbo on screen again. Please, no more from him.

DARK PLACES

So we had Sandra Bullock on the list, and I thought she might be the biggest star on here, but Charlize Theron is pretty big too. But she's not the only star here...Christina Hendricks (Mad Men), Nicholas Hoult (X-Men: First Class), Corey Stoll (Ant-Man), and Chloe Grace Moretz (Carrie).

The movie is based on a novel written by Gillian Flynn, who also wrote the insanely popular Gone Girl.

This isn't a "horror" movie in the paint-by-numbers sense, but it's fast-paced, and gets between your ears.

SEASON OF THE WITCH

What Louisiana movie list wouldn't be complete without a Nicolas Cage movie?

Which is why I'm stretching this movie into the horror realm. It does feature witchcraft, but as a movie, it probably shares more with A Knight's Tale than Friday the 13th.

Anyway, if you're looking for something you can pretend is a horror movie for kids, or the weak, and want one filmed in Shreveport, this is your winner.

 

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