Alaska: 6 horror films involving the The Last Frontier state

Here are six horror and thriller films set in Alaska!

When you think of Alaska, you probably think of nature, colder temperatures, a rugged life, maybe some ice road truckers. Do you think horror, thriller, or true crime? Well, here are 6 films that will have you thinking of Alaska that way. While this list may not have every single Alaska-based horror/thriller film ever made, it is fairly comprehensive, and these are all films that are potentially enjoyable for average viewers. Enjoy!

1. Alaska horror films: The Edge (1997)

The first of 2 “bear-y good” Alaska survival movies to make this list, Lee Tamahori’s The Edge is a warning, that, yes, bears and humans can both be dangerous. It might make you hesitate to leave an Alaskan lodge for a walk or to head out into the woods at all. Yes, it stars the legendary Bart the Bear, whose killer performance threatens to roar over the film’s other stars (Anthony Hopkins as Charles Morse and Alec Baldwin as Robert “Bob” Green).

Much like Bart’s appearance in The Great Outdoors as the Bald-Headed Bear, Bart in this film never seems like a critter you can simply shoot down. No, it seems like it would take a few days to successfully slay him, and like it might take an entire village to get it done quickly (and, let’s remember, in this scenario, it would truly be you vs. the bear). So, on that note, The Edge is also very much a macho tale, doing its best to put you in the headspace of someone who’d consider it “bad-ass” to drive with a dead bear on the back of their pickup truck (or the spoiled, rich men’s attitude of trophy hunting, where they’ll pose before their “exotic” beast, grinning like idiots).

However, there’s also a fair amount of human drama here, as Charles suspects Bob of sleeping with his wife, Micki (Elle Macpherson), and worse. As you might guess, Bart the Bear ends up figuring into their worries after their plane crashes (Micki isn’t with them). Basically, you end up with the classic question of what humans exist for, out in the wild. Do they exist to help each other, fight each other, or to ensure that man-eating bears have not gone hungry? Charles and Bob become a tasty little food choice, at least if the Kodiak has its way.

Because they can’t lure the bear away with the leftover remains of a roasted elk (or something like that), the two have to rely on their smarts and limited supplies, and a highly vulnerable camp. A kick-ass Kodiak can potentially lay siege on a lodge, let alone a tent or a tiny cabin. So, if you like a movie where characters must avoid anything that attracts any predators while determining how to share and overcome personal conflict, The Edge brings plenty to the table (or maybe extra meat for the fire). While grappling with nature, The Edge helps clarify what it means to be a real human being (Hint: Bob is flawed).

2. Alaska horror films: 30 Days of Night (2007)

Based on the graphic novel, David Slade’s 30 Days of Night takes place in the real town of Barrow, Alaska. Though the town has changed its name since this film came out, the place is famous for its month-long period of polar night (hence, 30 Days of Night). Well, isn’t that pretty much an ideal location for a vampire onslaught? The creatures seem to think so, so they initiate their sinister plot to use the humans as cattle.

To cope with this new threat, the people of Barrow turn to each other and their root knowledge of the town. Though the story doesn’t dig very deep into the heart of the Alaskan landscape, we still get a sense of the immense cold, during an immensely trying time. Sure, the story doesn’t make much use of “traditional knowledge,” but the point is, they don’t really have that much time to plan. The town faces the threat of a deadly vampire attack, which they have not seen before.

In other words, it’s not quite Alaskan Bush People, (although that series is apparently scripted anyway). Still, you have that classic survival element where, to the extent possible, people must place faith in themselves and each other for a chance to survive. Of course, unexpected crises do happen. One second everything can seem normal, then Bam!, everything changes. Sure, a horde of vampires won’t be the standard series of events, but why not here?

One of my favorite characters is obvious: Marlow (Danny Huston), who’s sort of the patriarch of the vampire family. 30 Days of Night also stars Josh Hartnett and Melissa George.