21 Everyday Places You'd Never Guess Were Used for Dark Movie Scenes

8. Ohio State Reformatory (Mansfield, OH, USA) (The Shawshank Redemption, 1994)

This historic former prison, with its imposing Victorian Gothic, Richardsonian Romanesque, and Queen Anne architecture, is inherently atmospheric. While The Shawshank Redemption is ultimately a story of hope, the reformatory served as the oppressive, brutal Shawshank State Penitentiary, depicting decades of institutional confinement, corruption, and despair. Visitors can tour the real cellblocks and administrative areas, experiencing the heavy atmosphere of the place where Andy Dufresne's harrowing, yet hopeful, story unfolded on screen.