10 Terrifying Horror Movies Set In Asylums

For psychiatrist Daniel (Primer director Shane Carruth), it seems to be just another day on the job at his psychiatric ward. That is until an unnamed patient (Jeremy Childs) appears to come back from the dead. With no memory of who he is or what happened to him, the only thing this John Doe is sure about is that they brought something sinister back with them. Meanwhile, a medical examiner (Bill Feehely) investigates the identity of the mystery patient.

When other patients in the ward begin to suffer horrific fates, it looks like there could be some truth in the strange patient's strange story after all.

This is writer-director Billy Senese’s low budget and effectively unsettling The Dead Center. What this feature lacks in conventional scares, it more than makes up for in atmosphere. The hospital’s sickly colour palette and harsh lighting make the setting an unwelcoming and dominating presence as the supernatural events continue to take hold.

The sound design also plays a crucial part in making this ward as unnerving as possible. The silence is deafening thanks to a notable lack of nondiegetic sounds. Likewise, many of the sounds heard are manipulated and distorted to create a deeply uncomfortable tone.