In this house, we are horror-folk 24/7, 365; we like watching slashers run amok at Halloween, we like strange monsters crawling through forests in the Spring, and we even enjoy a little yuletide terror at Christmas. And yet there is one season that causes us no end of troubles when looking for a suitably themed scary movie, and that is SUMMER.
IMO summer is a brilliant time to set a horror movie and an even better time to watch one. Whether it's on a jazzy big screen in your garden where you can enjoy sun and screams, or on the TV inside, with the curtains closed to leave you in cool darkness, here are 10 horror movies to get you through the summer.
1. Jaws (1975)
A no-brainer, Jaws is the iconic summer horror movie (and YES, it is a horror movie - it's a creature-feature clear as day, and I will not hear another word on that, thank you). Little bit of sun, little bit of a sea, big bit of terror, both in and out of the film. 10/10 summer flick.
2. The Hills Have Eyes (1977 and also 2006)
Remake or no remake, THHE is one hell of a road-trip movie. Family enjoying their vacay in Nevada (basically summer there all year, right?), takes a seriously wrong turn, and the rest is traumatising history.
3. Children of the Corn (1984)
IT'S CORN 🌽 Kids out for the summer, what are they doing? Forming a cult and murdering every adult in town, obviously. And sorry, but you can't tell me that Isaac isn't donning a fetching summer hat, you just can't #icon
4. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
I will stop adding road-trip horrors to this list soon, I swear... but Texas Chainsaw? Literally a perfect summer horror movie. That Texas heat makes even a British summer feel HOT, and pair that with the inevitable meat-sweats Leatherface must be suffering behind that mask, and things start to get real warm. Summer isn't all skipping through golden fields in the sunshine, ya know, sometimes you have to wave a chainsaw around too.
5. Us (2019)
What begins as a beach holiday quickly descends into horrifying chaos, as our protagonists' summer trip to the lake takes a somewhat dark turn. Multiple trips to the beach, a boat trip round a lake, and a damn carnival - that's a sinister summer holiday at its finest. Also mega bonus points for giving Elisabeth Moss's demise a Beach Boys soundtrack. That was just chef's kiss
6. Friday the 13th (1980)
Summer at Camp Crystal Lake anyone? No? C'mon! Summer slashers just don't get more iconic than this; tragic backstory, creepy warnings, a summer storm, and a whole host of bloody kills. This is the ultimate campfire horror. 10/10, no notes.
7. The Wicker Man (1973)
Stunning Scottish scenery, a celebrating of the Summer Solstice, and a small sacrifice to the Pagan Gods. The Wicker Man is a slow (ahem) burn, that brings some serious heat as it builds to one of the most iconic endings in horror.
8. IT: Chapter One (2017)
Derry in the summer is a hazy 80s dream of swimming holes, bike rides, and a mystery waiting to be solved by a group of best friends. Wholesome, if not for the creepy killer clown hiding in the sewers ready to literally chew the arms off of children. And hey, don't come at me for choosing the remake, okay? We all know how good the original is, but there's just something about this group of kids that I can't help but love - it's nostalgia, baby (and I'm not even an 80s child)!
9. It Follows (2014)
This film, man. It's just so good; I could (and have) watch it over and over again. It's eery and it's dreamlike, and the uncomfortable heat is just palpable through the screen. It Follows shows just how well the burning sun can work as a backdrop for a truly terrifying "monster" and how even away from the dark, no one's really safe. Also that opening? Damn.
10. I Know What You Did Last Summer
A classic, indisputable, top 10 summer horror movie. IKWYDLS takes the cake for summer-slasher, complete with seaside setting, July 4th parade, and a killer with a damn hook for a hand. The summer weapon of choice, surely! We all still know that this is a top tier slasher movie, and a must-watch for summer.
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