Top 10 Cold Weather Horror Movies
Erin Hoyles
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3. The Shining (1980):
What list about chilly horror movies would be complete without The Shining? Stanley Kubrick’s psychological horror is based on the Stephen King novel of the same name. It tells the story of a family who decide to spend the winter as caretakers of the eerie Overlook Hotel, a mountaintop resort in Colorado. It seems like an excellent opportunity for Jack to write his next book, but instead he uses the opportunity to slowly go mad and try to kill his wife and young, psychic son. The movie focuses on his slow decent into madness in a haunted hotel. The winter setting adds a great dimension to this classic horror film, making an already desolate and claustrophobic environment seem all the more terrifying.
2. Ravenous (1999):
Directed by Antonia Bird, this horror film is set in the 1840’s during the Mexican-American war. In a remote outpost during a particularly brutal winter, the residents are visited by a desperate man who brings with him a horrific tale of cannibalism and desperation. Hoping to find the perpetrators of such horrific acts, a group goes out in search of these monsters, with unexpected results. With elements of a great mystery, this horror movie uses the harsh, cold winter as an additional menace to our protagonists.
1. Let the Right One In (2008):
Equal parts tragedy, love story, and horror, this film is easily one of the most unusual horror movies ever made. Directed by Tomas Alfredson, it focuses on a bullied and lonely 12-year-old boy who becomes close friends with his neighbor, a young girl who also happens to be a vampire. As the friendship between them grows, they both realize that in order to stay together, sacrifices must be made. It is a beautiful, haunting story made all the better by the winter setting that could almost be considered an additional character on its own. A remake was made for American audiences in 2010 called Let Me In; however, like most remakes, I would strongly recommend taking the time to see the original. It truly is a masterpiece.
