Horror films may be associated with Halloween, but not every movie revolves around the popular horror holiday. More often than not, a film’s setting aids in the story it’s trying to tell. So, here are 11 season-inspired horror films to keep the scares going past Halloween!
Winter
These films are more than just winter and snow; the isolation blanketed by a thick layer of packed snow amplifies the feeling of loneliness and internal monsters not so different from ourselves. These films showcase how sometimes getting to know yourself can drive you mad.
The Shining (1980)
The film is an adaptation of Stephen King’s novel, published three years prior. The Shining follows a family who moves into the Overlook Hotel when the patriarch, Jack Torrance, becomes the winter caretaker, hoping it’ll help cure his writer’s block. As winter continues, Jack learns of the hotel’s darker secrets and slowly turns into a maniac, wanting to kill his wife and son. The isolation of winter prevents the family from running to leave the situation as a snowstorm rages, and they are forced to face their present and past.Â
30 days of night (2007)
In the Alaskan winter, the town of Barrow experiences one month without sunlight. The townspeople who choose to stay are subjected to unkempt horrors when they discover that the town is full of vampires who feast when the sun isn’t out. The main survivors in the story must fight to stay alive until winter ends and the sun rises again. What stands out about this vampire movie is the ferocity and violence of the vampires. In my opinion, they’re more enraged than traditional representations.Â
The Thing (1982)
The theme of isolation peaks in The Thing, set in Antarctica. It is about researchers who take in a dog after a sled crash, only to learn that they’ve invited in a creature that can take the shape of its victims. The film leaves audiences wondering if they really know the people behind their friend’s faces, and it uses isolation to highlight the human need for connection.
Spring
Nothing quite like a good old cult disguised by empty promises and the freshly bloomed pollen-filled flowers to jump right into spring. The spring season is full of hope, rebirth, and growth; in these cult films, we are reminded that new beginnings won’t always promise good beginnings. Sometimes running from the cold winter can make you trapped in the thawing reality.
midsommar (2019)
After tragedy strikes Dani’s family, resulting in their death, she and her friends travel to their friend’s remote hometown in Sweden to celebrate a festival. What initially starts as a retreat turns into a weird competition where Dani participates and plays right into the cult’s hands. The themes of spring are trickled into the story beats, where Dani comes out of her isolation and is surrounded by a blossoming town characterized by rebirth and family, but the themes of grief and evil lurk right along the edges.
The Wicker Man (1973)
The Wicker Man is one of the first worldwide films about cults and follows a sergeant who visits a Scottish island to follow up on the disappearance of a child. While there, he learns about the island’s unique rituals and traditions. The more he learns about the island’s traditions, the closer he becomes to discovering the truth about the missing child. This film is a prime example of the monsters that can emerge from winter and what the new year can bring.
The village (2004)
Would you obey if you lived in an isolated town surrounded by monster-filled woods where the elders prohibited anyone from entering as it would break their truce with the creatures? In this period drama, a young woman falls ill, and her lover bids to travel to a neighboring village to retrieve medicine. Along the journey, he learns what happens to those who venture into the forest. The film touches on humanity’s relationship with sorrow and its ties to folklore, aided by the bright forest setting, which makes it a perfect seasonal horror.
Summer
Who doesn’t love relaxing in the sun, enjoying vacations, and running from crazed slashers? The genre is traditionally used as a counter-program to summer blockbusters, and there will always be something secretly sinister about summertime freedom juxtaposed with danger and violence. Summer horror also has a tendency to focus on young adult and teen protagonists. Perhaps the fun memories of summer coincide with the common theme of loss of innocence.
The Lost Boys (1987)
Perfectly mixing whimsy and horror, The Lost Boys follows two brothers who move with their mother to a small town in northern California and become acquainted with the locals. This vampiric tale shakes in a glimmer of adventure as the two brothers team up to save their friends from a pack of undead. This film balances the aspects that make summer horror stand out as a unique genre.Â
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
This film takes the carefree nature of the young adult hippie protagonists and faces them against a family of psychopaths who they discover live next door to where they are staying. As they’re picked off one by one, they realize they must escape by any means necessary. This film, while rather political for its time, is debated on whether or not it was the first-ever horror slasher before the genre was formally recognized. The film shocked audiences as they watched the victims try to escape amidst the hot Texas sun.Â
Summer of ’84 (2018)
Summer of ’84 uses its setting as a backdrop for its horror as it follows Davey, a young teen conspiracy theorist who begins to suspect that their town serial killer is his next-door neighbor and police officer. With the help of his friends, he ditches his summertime plans and jumps into something more dangerous. This film encapsulates the special feeling that all summer horrors set into. It utilizes the various films it honors as a nod while bringing something new to the genre.
Honorable Mentions
September: Suspiria (2018)
There’s nothing to remind you of the start of school quiet like a dark academic thriller where perfection proves to drive the protagonist to madness. Suspiria begins by mirroring tales similar to Whiplash (2014) and Black Swan (2010) but quickly takes a turn when the protagonist, a young dancer, discovers that pressure isn’t the only thing that comes with being the lead dancer. Her teachers in the academy may be hiding more than what meets the eye. This film has a great autumnal feel without being directly Halloweeny.Â
November: Ginger Snaps (2000)
Nothing says Thanksgiving like the feasting of other human beings. Ginger Snaps is ultimately a story about puberty and growing up, portrayed through the perspective of a teenage girl turning into a werewolf. After Ginger is bitten, her sister and she restlessly search for ways to eliminate her lycanthropy. The film harbors a lot of body horror and dark themes, and even Ginger’s hair turns from orange to white as she transforms, creating a good segue between Autumn and Winter.
Horror doesn’t need to end just because October does. Understanding why movies occur when they do could impact which films you choose to watch as the seasons change.Â