19 Iconic Horror Movies That Deserve To Be Watched Before Summer Comes To An End

    It's not quite spooky season yet but who cares?

    Michele Bird
    by Michele Bird

    BuzzFeed Contributor

    With temperatures hot as hell currently, there's no better time than now for a scary movie marathon. Here are some of the best summer-inspired films that'll scare you all season long:

    1. Jaws (1975)

    Roy Scheider stands on a rocky shore, holding a radio and urgently gesturing to beachgoers in a scene from "Jaws"
    © Universal Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    A great white shark stalking a beach community is about as summer as it gets. 

    Cast: Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, and Richard Dreyfuss

    Scare Meter: 💀

    2. Us (2019)

    Lupita Nyong'o dressed in a red outfit with a surprised expression, holding her face with her hands in a scene from "Us"
    Claudette Barius / © Universal Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    A family vacation to Santa Cruz, California goes awry after strangers break into Adelaide's (Lupita Nyong'o) childhood home. 

    Cast: Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke, and Elizabeth Moss

    Scare Meter: 💀💀💀

    3. I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)

    Freddie Prinze Jr., Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Ryan Philippe standing in the middle of the street at night in a scene from "I Know What You Did Last Summer"
    Columbia Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    A tragic accident results in four friends being stalked by a hook-wielding man in their idyllic seaside town. 

    Cast: Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, and Freddie Prinze Jr. 

    Scare Meter: 💀💀

    4. It Follows (2015)

    Maika Monroe sitting in a chair with her hands tied and a man holds a flashlight behind her in a scene from "It Follows"
    © RADiUS-TWC / Courtesy Everett Collection

    After a hookup one night, Jay (Maika Monroe) is hunted by an unknown force that can take the form of anything, keeping audiences on their toes 'til the very end.

    Cast: Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist, and Olivia Luccardi 

    Scare Meter: 💀💀

    5. The Cabin in the Woods (2012)

    Fraz Kranz, Chris Hemsworth, and Anna Hutchison in a dark basement in a scene from "The Cabin in the Woods"
    Diyah Pera / © Lionsgate / Courtesy Everett Collection

    What starts as a weekend at a remote cabin takes audiences for a wild ride of twists and turns celebrating horror's most iconic clichés.

    Cast: Kristin Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, and Anna Hutchison

    Scare Meter: 💀💀

    6. Addams Family Values (1993)

    Christina Ricci and Jimmy Workman as Wednesday and Pugsley in a scene from "Addams Family Values"
    © Paramount Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    While it's not quite a "horror" movie, Addams Family Values features iconic summertime moment when Wednesday and Pugsley go to summer camp.

    Cast: Anjelica Huston, Raul Julia, Christopher Lloyd, and Christina Ricci

    Scare Meter: 💀

    7. Friday the 13th (1980)

    Betsy Palmer holding a knife, looking intense, dressed in a cozy sweater in a scene from "Friday the 13th"
    © Paramount Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    The slasher saga at Camp Crystal Lake had to start somewhere.

    Cast: Betsy Palmer, Adrienne King, and Jeannine Taylor

    Scare Meter: 💀💀

    8. Midsommar (2019)

    Florence Pugh screaming with a group of women in a scene from "Midsommar"
    © A24 / Courtesy Everett Collection

    A summer festival in Sweden that ultimately turns out to be a lot more sinister than expected. 

    Cast: Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor, and Vilhelm Blomgren

    Scare Meter: 💀💀💀

    9. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)

    Gunnar Hansen holding a chainsaw while dressed as Leatherface in a scene from "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre"
    Vortex Inc. / Courtesy Everett Collection

    If you hate the sound of chainsaws, you should probably skip this one.

    Cast: Marilyn Burns, Edwin Neal, and Allen Danzinger

    Scare Meter: 💀💀💀

    10. It (2017)

    Bill Skarsgård dressed as Pennywise while holding a red balloon in a scene from the remake of "IT"
    Brooke Palmer / © Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Rewind to the summer of 1989 in Derry, Maine and you'll find a whole lot of scares with Pennywise at the center of it all.

    Cast: Bill Skarsgård, Jaeden Martell, Finn Wolfhard, Sophia Lillis, Jeremy Ray Taylor, and Chosen Jacobs

    Scare Meter: 💀💀💀

    11. The Evil Dead (1981)

    Bruce Campbell, in a distressed state with dirt and smudges on his face, leans against a wooden wall, appearing alarmed in a scene from "The Evil Dead"
    © New Line Cinema / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Another cabin in the woods moment that has a few terrifying demons waiting.

    Cast: Bruce Campbell, Ellen Sandweiss, and Richard DeManincor

    Scare Meter: 💀💀💀

    12. A Perfect Getaway (2009)

    Milla Jovovich sits on a sandy beach in a scene from "A Perfect Getaway"
    Javier Pesquera / © Rogue Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    A Hawaiian getaway of sun, sand, and surf quickly goes from dreamy to deadly. 

    Cast: Milla Jovovich, Steve Zahn, Timothy Olyphant, and Kiele Sanchez

    Scare Meter: 💀

    13. Club Dread (2004)

    Jordan Ladd, Kevin Heffernan, and Brittany Daniel on a boat in a scene from "Broken Lizard's Club Dread"
    © Fox Searchlight / Courtesy Everett Collection

    If hilariously campy movies are your thing, Club Dread might be your movie match.

    Cast: Jay Chandrasekhar, Bill Paxton, and Kevin Heffernan

    Scare Meter: 💀

    14. Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022)

    Maria Bakalova, Amandla Stenberg, Myha'la Herrold, and Rachel Sennott looking at something while holding flashlights in a scene from "Bodies Bodies Bodies"
    Gwen Capistran / © A24 / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Trust us: You've never been to a hurricane party like this one. 

    Cast: Amandla Stenberg, Maria Bakalova, and Pete Davidson

    Scare Meter: 💀

    15. Tucker and Dale vs. Evil (2010)

    Tyler Labine and Alan Tudyk standing outside of a rustic cabin in a scene from "Tucker and Dale vs. Evil."
    Dan Power / © Maple Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Horror meets comedy as two friends are mistakenly labeled murderous hillbillies when they are very much anything but that.

    Cast: Tyler Labine, Alan Tudyk, and Katrina Bowden

    Scare Meter: 💀

    16. Fear Street: Part Two - 1978 (2021)

    The entrance of Camp Nightwing with a bunch of campers walking in a scene from "Fear Street Part Two: 1978"
    © Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection

    The second installment in the Fear Street trilogy brings us back to Shadyside for a menacing summer at Camp Nightwing. 

    Cast: Sadie Sink, Emily Rudd, and Ryan Simpkins

    Scare Meter: 💀

    17. Cabin Fever (2003)

    Cerina Vincent holding a shotgun outside of a rustic cabin in a scene from "Cabin Fever"
    © Lionsgate / Courtesy Everett Collection

    In true Eli Roth fashion, Cabin Fever is full of gore as a group of friends battle a flesh-eating virus after renting a cabin in the woods. 

    Cast: Jordan Ladd, Rider Strong, and James DeBello

    Scare Meter: 💀💀💀

    18. The Lost Boys (1987)

    Billy Wirth, Kiefer Sutherland, Brooke McCarter, and Alex Winter dressed as vampires in a scene from "The Lost Boys"
    © Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection

    A group of seaside vampires in the '80s? Say less.

    Cast: Jason Patric, Corey Haim, and Dianne Wiest

    Scare Meter: 💀

    19. The Final Girls (2015)

    Taissa Farmiga, Nina Dobrev, Thomas Middleditch, Alexander Ludwig, and Alia Shawkat standing together outside in a scene from "The Final Girls"
    Stage 6 Films / Via youtube.com

    The Final Girls is a satirical ode to iconic slasher films and possibly one of the most underrated films around.

    Cast: Taissa Farmiga, Malin Akerman, Adam Devine, Thomas Middleditch, Alexander Ludwig, and Nina Dobrev

    Scare Meter: 💀

    What's your favorite horror movie to watch in the summer? Share your pick in the comments!

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