10 Best Horror Movies Set In New York

4. Jacob's Ladder

Black Swan 3
TriStar Pictures

1990's Jacob's Ladder may have disappointed at the box office, but it's still regarded as one of the most petrifying psychological horrors ever made.

After losing his companions in Vietnam, infantryman Jacob Singer (Tim Robbins) is keen to return to New York and spend time with his partner. But when Jacob starts suffering from intense hallucinations, he worries his time in the war has left his mind irreversibly broken.

There are plenty of creepy sequences involving the MKUltra lab and Vietnam here, but the scenes in New York are even more chilling since the city is meant to serve as Jacob's safe space. Not only that, the film effectively uses the city to accentuate the titular character's paranoia, as while on the subway, Tim Robbins' character spots a homeless vagrant with a tentacle protruding from his body. Likewise, he has visions of demons during a party in Brooklyn, causing him to suffer a psychotic episode, and when strolling through Manhattan's alleyways, Jacob is pursued by a car seemingly driven by a monster. 

Although Jacob suffered severe trauma in the past, he ironically seems more lost while in his home city.

 
Posted On: 
Contributor

James Egan has been with Whatculture for five years and prominently works on Horror, Film, and Video Games. He's written over 80 books including 1000 Facts about Horror Movies Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts about The Greatest Films Ever Made Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts about Video Games Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts About James Bond 1000 Facts About TV Shows