Summary
Summer is associated with relaxing and adventurous trips, but a few horror films have audiences reconsidering their seasonal vacation. Films such asUsandFriday the 13thplace their characters in life-or-death scenarios in settings that are meant to evoke positive memories.Summer horror filmsare terrifying on their own, butit’s because of the added element of vacation that the film’s characters are caught off-guard.
What starts as a dream of an idyllic getaway is violently interrupted and a fight for one’s survival suddenly becomes necessary. It’s a shift in tone that happens to play a trick on audiences as well. Images of a European midsummer festival or an isolated, quiet part of town are the backdrops for some of the most terrifying images of violence on-screen.
10Jaws (1975)
Directed by Steven Spielberg
One of thescariest horror movies set at sea,Jawshas a well-known reputation for furthering audience’s fears of the ocean. Using the 4th of July holiday as a backdrop,Jawssees a crowd of beachgoers in New England fearful of a great white shark that’s tormenting swimmersand boaters in the ocean. Together, Martin Brody, Matt Hooper, and Quint go on a hunting expedition in search of the killer shark.
Despite its 1975 release, many of the scares hold up well and the trio’s journey is masterfully eerie. Aside from the bloody visuals of shark attacks, the most chilling part ofJawsis when the shark is off-screen. The shark, nicknamed Bruce, isn’t shown too often in Jaws, butit’s the creature’s looming presence that’s terrified audiences for many years.
9Cabin Fever (2002)
Directed by Eli Roth
For the college graduates inCabin Fever, one last group adventure is a fun way to celebrate their accomplished milestone. However, the getaway doesn’t go quite as planned. Inspired by real events in director Eli Roth’s life,Cabin Feveris an unsettling look at the effects of a flesh-eating disease. While staying in a remote cabin, the film’s group of friends come into contact with a brutal disease one by one.
There is a large sense of paranoia as each friend tries to conceal their symptoms to avoid a deadly fate. After its release, early reviews ofCabin Fevercompared it to the horror films it was inspired by and criticized it for its inability to bring anything new to the horror genre. However, there is no denying the power of the graphic and spine-tingling visuals of the film’s disease, making audiences consider extra precautions when venturing to remote, outdoor locations.
8The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
Directed by Tobe Hooper
A road trip is a great way to take in the various landscapes on one’s journey, but it requires frequent stops to rest and refuel the vehicle. Films likeThe Texas Chain Saw Massacrehave made such stops a terrifying thought. InThe Texas Chain Saw Massacre, a group of friends goes on a road trip through a town in Texas.
The semi-far-removed location has the potential to be peaceful, butthe events that unfold when the group’s van is low on gas are anything but tranquil. The contrast in the film’s setting and tone is one of the many reasons whyThe Texas Chain Saw Massacreis the ultimate summer horror movie. Another memorable factor from the film is its iconic villain, Leatherface. While the friends explore abandoned homes nearby, they come face-to-face with the antagonist in increasingly gruesome confrontations.
7Midsommar (2019)
Directed by Ari Aster
A European vacation following the death of her family sounds like a good idea to Dani inMidsommar. The A24 film begins as Dani attends the midsummer festival in Sweden with her boyfriend and his friends. The trip is equal parts adventurous and educational as one of the friends is writing a thesis on similar European festivities. For both the film’s visiting characters and audiences watching the film, the Sweden setting inMidsommaris initially warm.
The visuals ofMidsommarinvite audiences in with vibrant colors and beaming sunlight. However, things quickly begin to get weird.Midsommaracts as a fascinating story about a horrific cult when members of the commune begin to participate in odd ritualsthat initially only go as far as to disturb Dani. However, the group of friends are soon attacked by the members in various grim ways and Dani realizes their invitation to the festival was not an act of kindness.
6Us (2019)
Directed by Jordan Peele
Certain destinations often visited during childhood hold precious memories, butfor Adelaide Wilson (Lupita Nyong’o) inUs, a family trip when she was a young girl resulted in a traumatic experience. Now, as an adult, Adelaide is hesitant to return to the location but ultimately agrees to a trip with her children and husband.Usis only the second film directed by Jordan Peele, but he was able to prove he has a knack for chilling concepts and horror following the success ofGet Out.
While on vacation, Adelaide and her family come into contact with vicious doppelgängers of themselves, known as the Tethered. What ensues is a psychological battle as the Wilson family confronts their lookalikes in a thrilling fight. Meeting one’s Tethered double isn’t a probable encounter like one with a shark or vicious killer, but the oddity surrounding the lore of the Tethered makesUsa frightful horror film.
Directed by Sam Raimi
An isolated cabin is a popular destination for many people in real life and fictional characters in horror films. The setting provides a desired escape away from others, but the planned vacations in horror films always take a dark turn. InThe Evil Dead, the remote cabin already begins exhibiting strange behavior upon the group’s arrival, butthe discovery of tape recordings sets off a truly thrilling fight for survival.
After the tapes are played, the friends become possessed by a demonic entity,transforming them into creatures known as Deadites. Following the success of the first film,The Evil Deadhas turned into a large franchise and helped to boost the career of Bruce Campbell, who portrays the determined Ash Williams throughout the films. The best installment in the franchise varies depending on who’s asked, butThe Evil Deadremains a heart-pounding horror film beloved by many.
4I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)
Directed by Jim Gillespie
Coming home from a vacation is often a dreadful transition back to reality, butthe group of friends inI Know What You Did Last Summerare unable to shake the events of their 4th of July adventureswhen they return home. Driving home from a beach vacation, Julie (Jennifer Love Hewitt) and her friends accidentally hit a pedestrian and, in a panic, dump his body in the water. However, the actions of Julie and her friends come back to haunt them when they are hunted by a mysterious killer.
Slasher films are a subgenre of horror that had a Golden Age during the late ’70s to mid-’80s. Along withScream,I Know What You Did Last Summeris one of the more popular slashers from the ’90s. Though the latter drew many negative critical comparisons to successful slashers, includingScream, it was still a commercial success and continues to be discussed by horror fans.
3Friday The 13th (1980)
Directed by Sean S. Cunningham
An essential part of many vacations is the trip to a summer camp. Typically, summer camps have a strong sense of community and are meant to be welcoming, but this idea has been flipped on its head thanks to a few horror films. One of the movies most known for its camp setting isFriday the 13th. At Camp Crystal Lake,violent murders take place as a means of vengeance for the drowning of a young boy years earlier.
Friday the 13this one of thebest slasher films of the ‘80sand introduced a notable name in horror: Jason Voorhees. In addition to other horror films, such asHalloween,Friday the 13thhas been credited for beginning a wave of films in which a group of young people find themselves in a position where they must defeat a masked killer that targeted them.
2The Burning (1981)
Directed by Tony Maylam
The Burningtends to get overshadowed by bigger horror films, especiallyFriday the 13th, which it shares a similar premise with. ThoughThe Burningisn’t as successful asFriday the 13th, there are still plenty of redeeming qualities and horrifying thrills that work just as well today. Taking place at Camp Blackfoot,The Burningchronicles the deaths at the hands of a vengeful killer named Cropsy.
The killer is inspired by the urban legend of the Cropsey maniac and raises the fear felt within those familiar with the tale. Still, while there are narrative similarities betweenThe Burningand other slashers, there is an increased level of violence. Much to early critics’ disapproval, it features an abundance of gore. As a killer, Cropsy’s weapon of choice is a pair of shears and throughoutThe Burning, the manner in which he kills campers is graphic.
1It (2017)
Directed by Andy Muschietti
Summer is the perfect time to make memories with friends, especially as kids. InIt, Bill (Jaeden Lieberher) plans to do just that, but everything changes when his younger brother, Georgie, mysteriously vanishes. Yet, Bill makes the best of the situation and enacts an investigation with his friends, calling themselves The Losers Club. However, The Losers Club starts to be followed by an unlikely antagonist, Pennywise. Involved in Georgie’s disappearance,Pennywise taunts the group of kids and lurks at their feet, hiding in the sewer lines.
In general, clowns are known to elicit feelings of fear, butPennywise poses a greater threatas he can shape into any figure that best spooks his targeted child.Itis the first of two film adaptations of Stephen King’s novel of the same name. Pennywise, on-screen and in text, is one of the most famous clowns in pop culture and is likely where the fear of such a figure comes from.
