The film was shot in several locations in New England and Nevada, creating a eerie contrast between picturesque coastal towns and lifeless desert landscapes. The story follows a boy named Mark who, after his mother's death, goes to live with his uncle's family in a small town. There he meets his cousin Henry, who initially seems like the perfect companion but gradually reveals a deeply disturbing and dangerous side. The film uses the scenic beauty of coastal Massachusetts towns such as Manchester, Rockport, Annisquam, and Marblehead to create a unsettling juxtaposition of idyllic surroundings and the growing threat of Henry's behavior. Additional filming took place in New Hampshire for winter scenes and in Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada for the opening desert sequences. The climactic scene was famously shot on Palisade Head cliff on Lake Superior in Minnesota, giving the film's finale a dramatic cliff-top setting.

Filming Locations:

Henry's House

In the Movie

Scene where the exterior of Henry's family home is shown, which throughout the film remains the main setting for domestic scenes where Mark lives with his uncle's family and where behind the familiar facade Henry's increasingly disturbing behavior gradually emerges in the quiet New England town.

In Reality

The scene was filmed in a residential area of Manchester-by-the-Sea, a small affluent coastal town on Cape Ann in Essex County, Massachusetts. This town is known for its beautiful harbor, clean beaches, and neat historic houses, and this particular house was used for exterior shots of the family home around which much of the domestic drama between the two young cousins unfolds.

Old Burial Hill Cemetery

In the Movie

Scene where the cemetery scene is shown, where characters visit graves, and this adds a sense of death and loss to the story that runs throughout the film. The old tombstones and hilltop location enhance the unsettling atmosphere and support the theme of mortality important to the psychological tension of the plot.

In Reality

The scene was filmed at the historic Old Burial Hill in Marblehead, Massachusetts, a cemetery that has existed since 1638. It is located on a hilltop overlooking Marblehead Harbor and contains the graves of over 600 soldiers of the American Revolution. It is one of the oldest cemeteries in New England and a popular historic site with panoramic views of the Atlantic and the town.