The film was primarily shot at the real Danvers State Hospital in Massachusetts — a notorious abandoned psychiatric institution that closed in 1992. The story follows an asbestos abatement crew hired to clean the massive Kirkbride-style building, and as they work, the crew members begin to psychologically unravel. The director chose to film on location in the actual hospital rather than building sets, giving the film an incredibly authentic and unsettling atmosphere. The crumbling corridors, peeling paint, and overall sense of decay are all real, making this one of the most atmospheric horror films of its era. Much of the tension comes from the setting itself and the audio recordings of patient therapy sessions found in the building. For exterior and residential scenes, the film also used several other locations in the Danvers and Lynn areas of Massachusetts.

Filming Locations:

Gordon's House

In the Movie

Scene where Gordon returns home to his family after long shifts at the hospital, and these domestic scenes gradually show cracks in his mental state and growing tension in his personal life, mirroring the horror unfolding at work.

In Reality

The scene was filmed at a residential house on Lynnfield Street in Lynn, Massachusetts, which was used as the home of protagonist Gordon Fleming. It is a typical New England suburban street with unassuming detached houses, located in the northern part of Lynn near the Lynnfield town line. The house and surroundings have changed little compared to how they appeared in the film.

Danvers State Hospital

In the Movie

Scene where the asbestos abatement crew works inside the abandoned psychiatric hospital, exploring its crumbling corridors, underground tunnels, and patient wards, and finding disturbing audio recordings of past therapy sessions that gradually destroy the team.

In Reality

The scene was filmed at the historic Danvers State Hospital, a massive Kirkbride-plan institution built in 1878 on a hill in Danvers, Massachusetts. The facility was known for overcrowding and mistreatment of patients and closed in 1992. After filming, the building was mostly demolished and turned into the Halstead Danvers residential complex, although the facade of the iconic central administration building was preserved.