Netflix's newest thriller, The Devil All the Time, proves that madmen and malicious maniacs don't just live in places like Camp Crystal Lake or the Overlook Hotel. In fact, there might be something lethal lurking in one's own backyard. Even a quiet place like Knockemstiff can be a breeding ground for bloodshed.
Eerie small towns aren't exactly a new invention, but one dozens of horror films and fiction have relied on for decades. The presence of evil in a seemingly quaint and peaceful location is one of the most classic tropes in the genre. If this film wasn't enough to scratch that specific spot, there are plenty more hometown horror films out there.
Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983)
One of the most famous uses of the horror-comes-to-town is Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes. When a strange carnival and a sinister ringmaster arrive in the dead of night, it spells out doom and magical mayhem for all the residents of Green Town, Illinois.
The town and its citizens are all affected by the spell of Mr. Dark, and it's up to Jim Nightshade and Will Halloway to stop it. This film is an underrated gem among horror fans and is one that's always worth seeking out, even today.
Hocus Pocus (1993)
Though Salem might be a frequent stop in horror fiction, the version presented in Disney's Hocus Pocus certainly has that standard-issue small town vibe to it. It has it's featured icon, in the form of the Witch Museum, and local legend involving three witches who were hanged on Halloween night.
It might not be as malicious or frightening as The Devil All the Time, but at least it's a movie most viewers will be eager to watch. Hocus Pocus is more of a comedy with lots of Halloween decor all over the place, but its' nothing if not spellbinding.
Needful Things (1993)
When he's not feeding children to an ancient cosmic horror in Derry, Maine, Stephen King is letting the supernatural run wild in Castle Rock.
Known as the "last" Castle Rock story, Needful Things takes a lot from Ray Bradbury when a charismatic stranger comes to town and offers magical items at the price of one's soul. It's a slow burn, but one fans of the author's work will certainly recognize.
Children of the Corn (1984)
On the subject of Stephen King, there are definitely some elements of Gatlin featured in The Devil All the Time, just no creepy kids, cornfields, or demons lurking therein. That being said, they do both share a rural setting, backwoods characters, twisted religious practices, and something sinister hiding from the eyes of city folk.
Children of the Corn is one of the many King adaptations out there, but it stands out due to its combination of a creepy small town and its disturbing religious cult made up of kids, led by the sinister Isaac Chroner. Let's just be thankful Reverend Teagardin wasn't preaching the gospel of He-Who-Walks-Behind-the-Rows!
Stephen King's It (1990 & 2017-2019)
Of course, where would Stephen King be without a certain child-eating, demonic clown? Derry, Maine is the epitome of small town horror settings. It's an out-of-the-way location where bad things happen, but most of the population seems to ignore. And those who choose to investigate further often meet gruesome fates at the hands of something supernatural.
Though Pennywise might be a tad more on the fantastical side than the evils of Knockemstiff, there's no way his movies (both the original TV movie and the recent two-part remake) should be left out.
The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976)
Inspired by the Texarkana Moonlight Murders, the original The Town That Dreaded Sundown was a slasher film that greatly helped inspire the genre that would truly kick off with a certain movie made by John Carpenter (more on that in a bit).
With its rural, southern setting and mysterious hooded killer, this movie has the foundation of the perfect small town scary movie ready and set. Although the identity of the Phantom Killer is still up for debate, he would feel right at home in Knockemstiff.
Halloween (1978)
Haddonfield, Illinois is home to one of the most famous horror characters to ever grace the silver screen. Taking a few cues from the previously-mentioned film, John Carpenter's legendary Halloween brings horror home with the creation of Michael Myers.
An urban legend come to life, Carpenter's frightening thriller did away with supernatural elements and haunted happenings in favor of a more probable threat: a guy with a knife. After all, a masked maniac on Halloween night is the last thing viewers want to run into. Halloween spawned a massive franchise but its original story continues with Blumhouse's recent reboot trilogy, which disregards every sequel or remake that was released in between 1978 and 2018.
Trick r’ Treat (2007)
Speaking of Halloween, there is no greater love letter to the holiday than Michael Dougherty's Trick r' Treat. An anthology of horror stories set in the small town of Warren Valley, Ohio, evil entities hiding in the seemingly innocent midst of Halloween night is the perfect set up for this particular brand of horror flick.
Ghosts, werewolves, masked killers, and every scary movie staple dwell in this pumpkin-saturated setting, and fans eat it up like Halloween candy. Be sure to say hi to Sam, though! A sequel has been long rumored to be in the works, though nothing has come of it as of this writing.
Scary Stories To Tell in the Dark (2019)
Perhaps one of the most incredible monster movies in recent years, Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark breathed new life into the small town horror subgenre. A haunted house, a group of curious teens, a supernatural entity, and a town with a deadly secret are all present here to tell a familiar tale in a new horrifying light.
Not to mention, there are some serious scares in this PG-13 teen scream, as well as phenomenal creative designs from producer Guillermo Del Toro. Using a cohesive framing device, Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark adapts the horror collection's most famous stories for a new audience.
Jaws (1975)
"You yell shark, and we've got a panic on our hands on the fourth of July." These are the words that doomed the seaside town of Amity Island in Steven Speilberg's first summer blockbuster that became one of the greatest thrillers ever made.
Jaws uses a force of nature, in the form of Bruce the Shark, as the horror that comes to town; specifically, a small idyllic beach town. With a set of fins, rows of jagged teeth, and a simple score, Jaws spooked audiences off the beaches for ages, and its dread can still be felt today. Jaws spawned a franchise and countless imitations, but only the original stands the test of time.