Cruel Summer: 10 horror movies that take place under the sun

There are countless horror movies set during the fall and winter months. Those seasons lend themselves to horror easily, with the shadows lengthening earlier and the nights growing longer.

But even though the later months of the year are more connected to the genre, there is a wealth of summer-themed horror out there, and the light of the sun proves just as effective a lens from which to view the horror from, rather the shadows. If anything the brightness of the sun only serves as a stark reminder that we are never truly safe, even when we're out of the dark.

Safety is an illusion and the end can come at any time, even under a summer sun. These horror movies are proof of that.

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre

No summer themed horror list is complete without the original 1974 classic, it pretty much is the quintessential summer horror movie along with Jaws.

When a group of five teenagers go on a day trip in the brutal Texas heat they get way more than they bargained for, starting when they pick up an eccentric hitchhiker at the side of the road. That encounter rapidly escalates and from there on out what follows is a surreal fever dream as the kids encounter horrors their minds struggle to even comprehend.

Jaws

This movie is absolutely synonymous with summertime. It even has events taking place over the fourth of July.  The original shark movie that spawned countless copycats and sharksplotation movies, the plot is simple: a great white shark terrorizes the seaside community of Amity.

From its haunting opening scene, this movie is filled with a sense of dread that we experience through the eyes of one of the main characters. As the story progresses, the fear escalates until the characters are forced to face the creature head on.

The Town That Dreaded Sundown

Based on the Texarkana Moonlight Murders that took place in 1946, this movie is also one focusing on a terrorized community, except that this time the source of the terror is human. The Phantom Killer who stalks couples in lovers' lanes, leaving an unspeakable trail of horror in his wake and blighting a town that was looking forward to a happier future following the end of World War II.

The Hills Have Eyes

An all-American family driving through the desert at the height of summer on vacation. What could possibly go wrong? A lot. Especially when run afoul of a cannibalistic inbred family who live in the surrounding hills and are hunting them down. Realizing they're trapped the family must unite and fight to the death for their survival by any means necessary.

Madman

One of many non-franchise summer camp slasher in the wake of Friday the 13th's popularity, Madman is a lesser-mentioned slasher from 1981 that is a lot of fun and has become a cult movie since its release.

The plot focuses a group of campers who while around a fire before bedtime, are regaled with the legend of Madman Marz, who axed his wife and child to death and escaped into the surrounding forest after being apprehended and lynched by angry villagers.  Dismissing it as nothing but a legend the campers go about their activities afterward only to find out that the story of Madman Marz is more than a scary story to tell by the fire,

The Burning

Another summer camp slasher from 1981, this was inspired by the legend of Cropsey, this is the story of a man with the aforementioned name, who, after a  horrible prank that went wrong years prior and left him badly burned, is hellbent on revenge.

At the same time, the summer camp is open for the season and rife with teenagers who just want to have a good time, which can only mean one thing: a body count.

The Prowler

Another gem from 1981 - a great year for slasher fans - starring the iconic Farley Granger, this  one is often compared to My Bloody Valentine (also released the same year).

It is the story of a group of graduating students from a small town who are killed by a World War II veteran who had killed his ex pending her writing him a Dear John letter, and her new boyfriend at a graduation party back in 1945 after the war ended. This cult classic also features some extremely brutal kills and awesome makeup effects by Tom Savini.

The Shallows

Every summer horror movie list needs at least two shark movies. This is one of the better ones. It follows surfer Nancy, who, on a solo trip to a remote beach, is attacked by a great white shark and has to summon all her courage and strength in order to survive the creature and make it back to the shore.

Bodies Bodies Bodies

This one differs slightly from the others in that while it's a horror movie, it's also a comedy. A group of friends gather for a party during a hurricane. Everything is going fine at first, until they decide to play a game called Bodies Bodies Bodies and, of course, the body count actually becomes a reality.

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This modern classic slasher is a great homage to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and follows a group of characters who in 1979, upon arriving at an isolated farm with the intention of making a pornographic movie there, experience the most horrific night of their lives.

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