10 Terrifying Horror Movies Set In Asylums

When it comes to the world of horror, there are a handful of spooky settings which keep rearing their heads. Large, empty (and usually haunted) houses, rural areas where help is out of all reach, and menacing Gothic castles are just some of the prominent locales that viewers of horror have become accustomed to over the years, with each offering their own unique flavour. However, no location is arguably as off-putting as the asylum.

Whether it’s a psychiatric ward or a dilapidated facility that’s been long abandoned, this setting has played host to some of the most chilling and intriguing genre outings out there.

Much like the collection of haunted homes that populate so many recent horrors, the long and narrow corridors of asylums create a sensation of inescapable claustrophobia. Just like the unfortunate protagonists, viewers feel trapped within the confines of the building at the mercy of whatever nefarious presence calls it their home.

But what separates asylums from other creepy surroundings is how they act as a morbid reminder of human cruelty. From histories of patient mistreatment to former residents who committed unspeakable crimes, movie asylums are the perfect place to encounter spooky happenings.

Written, produced, and directed by The Exorcist author William Peter Blatty in his directorial debut, cult classic The Ninth Configuration is easily the strangest entry on this list.

Also released under the title Twinkle, Twinkle, "Killer" Kane, this flick takes viewers to an abandoned castle that's been repurposed into a psychiatric hospital by the US government. The goal is to discern which of the Vietnam veterans in the institution are faking symptoms of psychosis. Distinguished psychiatrist Colonel Kane (Stacy Keach) is brought in to assist.

Upon arrival he pays particular attention to one Billy Cutshaw (Scott Wilson), a former astronaut who had a severe breakdown before a mission to the moon. But as events progress Kane’s own sanity is thrown into question as madness gradually takes hold.

The Ninth Configuration begins life as an oddball comedy as viewers are introduced to the inmates and equally peculiar staff. With a distinct lack of conventional scares and genre tropes, you’d be forgiven for assuming this acclaimed classic doesn't qualify as a horror.

It’s only later when Blatty begins to explore themes of religion, identity, and existence that the horror elements begin to seep into the film.

The result is an unrelenting cinematic experience viewers won’t soon forget.