Heatwave Got You Down? Here Are 10 Snowy Horror Flicks That Will Send a Chill Down Your Spine

Summer has barely started, and already the heat is out of control. With a deadly heatwave in Europe and temperatures soaring in the United States, the thought of winter frost might seem especially appealing.

Unfortunately, it will be a while until things cool off outside, so for now, here are 10 horror flicks full of snow and ice that will be sure to give viewers the chills. They offer a variety of scares, so at least one movie should appeal (and if nothing else, maybe staring longingly at all that snow will trick the brain into thinking the weather is cooler than it actually is).

We Are Still Here (2015)

As if grief alone wasn’t bad enough, try moving into a house with a dark history while grieving. That’s what happens in 2015’s We Are Still Here, when a couple moves into a new home after losing their son, Bobby, in a car crash. However, after settling into the new house, Anne begins claiming that Bobby is there with them.

Soon after, residents start showing up and asking the couple to leave. But what’s really going on? Set in rural New England in 1979, this movie features a wintry backdrop, along with a haunting vibe and a fairly gory climax.

Frozen (2010)

No, not that Frozen. This 2010 horror-survival flick might just have viewers rethinking their desire for colder temperatures. Three friends visit a ski resort and, on their last day there, convince the ski lift operator to let them go one more time before inclement weather hits and everything shuts down.

Unfortunately, due to a miscommunication between ski resort workers, the lift is stopped halfway up with the friends still on it. Now, they’re stuck, and no one’s coming to save them. Full of so much tension that several audience members at Sundance fainted during viewings, Frozen will leave those watching it absolutely chilled.

Dead Snow (2009)

What’s worse than Nazis? Zombie Nazis in a wintry wonderland. 2009’s Norwegian horror satire Dead Snow (Død snø) follows a group of med students on a holiday over Easter break. Of course, it’s a ski vacation to a cabin located in the middle of nowhere, which means everything will go terribly wrong.

Sure enough, it isn’t long before a mysterious hiker arrives to tell them the area’s history with the Nazis. Soon after that, the zombie Nazis show up to wreak havoc. The premise sounds pretty ridiculous, but the film can get a bit dark with its humor at times. Plus, all the blood against the snowy backdrop creates quite the visual. Best of all, there’s a sequel for those who end up loving this one.

The Children (2008)

Everyone loves a good horror movie featuring creepy, murderous kids, and Britain’s 2008 The Children doesn’t disappoint. It’s Christmas, so Elaine and Jonah, plus their three kids, are traveling to see family. Upon arrival, one of the kids gets sick, which the adults chalk up to motion sickness from the car. Not exactly.

The following day, most of the kids are listless, coughing up black bile, and behaving strangely. Things don’t get better from there, especially with snowy weather trapping the families. The Children definitely isn’t the typical Christmas horror film, but it offers up spine-chilling scares throughout and might leave viewers just this side of disturbed.

Let the Right One In (2008)

Sweden’s 2008 Let the Right One In is one of those haunting films that will likely leave the audience with a sense of unease. The year is 1982, and 12-year-old Oskar is dealing with vicious bullying at school. He’s an extremely lonely kid who often dreams of revenge. Then, Eli, who seems to be a girl about his age, moves into his apartment complex.

Though she tells Oskar they can’t be friends, it isn’t long before the two begin talking and growing closer. Unfortunately, Eli has a big secret that will either prove to be Oskar’s salvation or his downfall. Set in a snow-covered Swedish suburb, this film reinvigorated an entire sub-genre of horror. Though there is an American remake, we recommend watching the original.

Wind Chill (2007)

What’s more frightening than being in a car wreck and getting stuck in a snowdrift on a back road? Getting stuck with a person you don’t know, who has been lying to you, and then encountering the supernatural. 2007’s Wind Chill, starring Emily Blunt, follows the characters of Guy and Girl who met up to do a rideshare home for Christmas.

Unfortunately, Guy is a bit of a creeper who lied about where he lives because he has a crush on Girl and thought this was a great way to start a relationship. Worse, after a car runs them off the road, the two are stuck with no way to call for help. They believe they might be saved when a cop shows up, but he isn’t exactly what he seems. Wind Chill blurs the lines of reality, as things are rarely what they appear to be throughout the film, leaving viewers shivering in fear.

30 Days of Night (2007)

Not only is 2007’s 30 Days of Night one of the best snowy horror flicks out there, but it’s also a fantastic vampire film, too. Barrow, Alaska, is preparing to enter the polar night, where it stays dark for 30 days. As if the idea of not seeing the sun for a month wasn’t bad enough, the first day of constant darkness sees a group of vampires attacking and killing a majority of the town’s residents.

The few survivors are doing their best to hold out when, days later, a blizzard hits, which doesn’t help. The tension in this movie is wonderful, as the audience waits on tenterhooks to see if anyone will actually survive the month-long darkness and vampire attacks. The wait is made all the more chilling as the vampires are incredibly vicious and not disinclined to creating a gorefest while they eat. For those who love the movie, the comic books are pretty fun, too.

Dead of Winter (1987)

The 1987 psychological horror film Dead of Winter is an adaptation of the 1941 book The Woman in Red. In it, Mary Steenburgen plays not one, not two, but three characters. One of those characters is struggling actress Katie McGovern, who makes the incredibly wise decision to drive to upstate New York in a snowstorm with a man who just hired her for a role.

Needless to say, it isn’t long before trouble hits. This Gothic horror features twists and turns as McGovern learns in bits and pieces exactly who and why is behind her terrifying situation. Despite being an older film, it delivers on both the slow-burn horror and gorgeous snowscapes.

The Thing (1982)

John Carpenter’s 1982 The Thing is a classic and for good reason. A Norwegian helicopter in hot pursuit of a sled dog comes upon a group of American researchers in Antarctica. The helicopter crashes, and the survivor kills a member of the American team. After hitting back in self-defense, some of the American researchers visit the Norwegian base and discover that something terrible has happened. Meanwhile, the other researchers have put the sled dog away in a crate.

Except the dog isn’t exactly a dog, and in no time, the not-dog has led the entire team down a path of paranoia and madness. While The Thing is great sci-fi horror fun, it also offers a constant feeling of dread because the research team has the option of either running out of the base to freeze to death or staying and likely being murdered. Additionally, the practical effects in this one are phenomenal, so it’s a must-watch for those alone.

The Shining (1980)

Probably the penultimate horror movie featuring a snowy backdrop, 1980’s The Shining will leave audiences absolutely frozen in fear. Jack Torrance, an alcoholic writer, takes on a caretaker position for the winter at the Overlook Hotel. He brings his wife and young son with him.

However, once they arrive, the outgoing hotel manager tells Jack that a decade prior, a caretaker had killed himself and his whole family there. Soon, Jack’s son is having terrifying visions, Jack is drinking himself into a rage, and his wife is trying to keep things together. Sure, Stephen King wasn’t a fan of Kubrick’s vision, but The Shining is frequently cited as one of the greatest horror films ever, and it’s easy to see why.

(feature image: Mr Dr3igeteilt/Pexels)

Have a tip we should know? [email protected]