A remote gold mine in the isolated forests of Oregon sets the stage for the new series, Ghost Mine. It’s amazing what location can do to fuel a compelling ghost story; it gets the blood rushing, the mind running and the pulse racing.

112 Ocean Avenue (The Amityville Horror; 1979)
"Houses don’t have memories." Oh George Lutz, you will eat those words when you come to your senses after trying to kill your family.

Overlook Hotel (The Shining, 1980)
Speaking of husbands/fathers who become possessed and try to kill their family...

Cuesta Verde (Poltergeist;  1982)
Desecrated burial grounds make the best location for any ghost story… and idyllic Californian planned communities.

Hill House (The Haunting; 1963)
Sometimes you don’t need to see moving cherubs staring at Lily Taylor or giant poorly CGI’d statues grabbing Liam Neesan to be terrified (1999 The Haunting, I’m talking to you!). All you need is a house...

Danvers State Mental Hospital (Session 9; 1999)
An abandoned asylum, old tape recordings of a former patient who had multiple personalities, disturbing secrets and mysterious disappearances.

Professor Knowby’s Cabin (Evil Dead; 1983) + Curt’s Cousin’s Cabin (The Cabin in the Woods; 2012)
A classic horror trope, the cabin in the woods is the perfect setting to see five college students terrorized by demonic spirits. Sam Raimi’s cult horror film sprouted an unforgettable franchise, an unforgettable lead and an unforgettable scene involving possessed trees and a screaming girl.

And I had to include Drew Goddard’s 2012 film The Cabin in the Woods which identifies this familiar location and dissects it.

And now for something much lighter...

Hogwarts (Harry Potter; 2001)
Yeah this is on the list! What of it? Sure, it’s not a ghost story nor would it be deemed scary (though the spider scene in Chamber of Secrets made me sh*t bricks for weeks) but let’s be honest... that castle was swarming with ghosts! One might be played by the always charming John Cleese, but he did expose his half-severed neck to children. Tell me that’s not the essence of nightmares!

Maitland-Deetz Home (Beetlejuice; 1988)
Sometimes ghosts aren’t scary. Sometimes ghosts are just misunderstood. Sometimes they are just a couple of unfortunate souls who love their home and had a bad day. Then again, sometimes they’re Beetlejuice!

Ghost Mine can be seen Wednesdays at 10E/7P on SPACE. Watch episodes online now!