Five Movies That Will Have You Runnin Back in the House
With Spring & warmer temperatures upon us, we wanted to write a fun little piece that folks could use to guide a possible outdoor movie night. Here are our suggestions for “The Ultimate 5 Horror Movies for Outdoor Movie Nights”.
There are a lot of elements to fear. But probably the most effective component is, “Wow, that could actually happen to me!”
Jaws kept people from going in the water. But that is just it; stay out of the water, and the problem is solved, correct? So what was so painful about that? The answer is simple: people don’t want to be told what to do. People go to a restaurant, and the waitress sets down the plate and says, “Don’t touch that; it’s extremely hot.” And what do 95% of the knuckleheads out there do? It’s why burn cream still exists today: stubbornness.
So, conversely, Jason Vorhees would be out of a job today if people stopped returning to Camp Crystal Lake. Besides a few forgettable sequels in NYC and space, the Big Guy pretty much kept to himself! But since we are not the smartest species on this rock, here are our 5 picks for the ultimate outdoor horror film night:
#5 Friday the 13th (1980)
KIA’s OG was not involved in the origin story that spawned countless sequels, ripoffs, crossovers, reboots, and just good old-fashioned sex education. Set in mythical Camp Crystal Lake, the audience never really gets to know Jason in the original. But we get to know Kevin Bacon in his debut film, and for that, we thank you.
The opening scene of Friday the 13th was groundbreaking and set the tone for the film and the franchise. Also there was a very creative push with the original before it became gamesmanship on how creative they could off camp counselors. Another staple of the entire franchise was also introduced early. While stalking his victims, the audience is treated to a ghostly chant that initially resembles nothing. But it was later revealed that there was madness behind the, well, madness:
“The spelling of those two syllables has become a hotly contested issue among die-hard films of the franchise. Most people have been repeating it as ch ch ch, ah ah ah for years,
And it’s hard to hear it any other way. However, the film’s composer, Harry Manfredini, has set the record straight in past interviews. In 2015, he told Gun Media that the sounds are actually ki and ma. It’s roughly a Swedish translation of “Kill for Ma.”
I guess that’s one way to avoid getting grounded…
Why this is one of our horror movies for outdoor movie nights:
The constant outdoor, nighttime settings & slower than expected chase scenes make this horror classic the first pick of our horror movies for outdoor movie nights.
#4 The Evil Dead (1983)
Another movie that would be subject to sequels, remakes, and spinoffs, The Evil Dead also used the woods as a backdrop for terror. While Evil Dead 2 embraced the nostalgia of 70’s horror movies, the original went straight after the audience’s souls (much like the characters in the movies on a literal basis). This movie also used the backdrop of a forest to its complete advantage when evoking terror.
Now, certain aspects took away from its standing the test of time (mostly the claymation effects). Still, director Sam Raimi’s use of camera work to give the audience a visceral feel of what was stalking the cabin-goers was very much ahead of its time.
Much like Friday the 13th warned young audience-goers about the backlash of premarital sex, Evil Dead was lambasting youth for their sinful ways in general. Nothing like a front-row seat to Hell to make young moviegoers rethink some of their naughty behavior.
Why this is one of our horror movies for outdoor movie nights:
More forests. More nighttime.
#3 The Descent (2005)
This is both a great movie to watch outside and an underrated flick in general. Let’s say if your buddies are going spelunking in caves the next day and you’re not feeling it, throw this one on for deterrence.
What makes The Descent such a good movie is the emotional investment in the characters and their interactions with each other. And perhaps the most terrifying aspect of this movie is a common theme amongst human beings in general: trust.
Imagine going into a situation with the people you trust the most in the world. Not only is that trust lost infinitely and completely, but then you are thrust into a situation that will require 100% transparency and cooperation amongst the whole team to make survival feasible, let alone guaranteed.
Oh, and yes, you are marooned 1000 feet underground, lost with unimaginable creatures trying to tear you limb from limb. Maybe they should have gone to Schlitterbahn instead…
Caves. Darkness. Claustrophobia. Yikes.
#2 Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
Yes, yes: how is this not number one?!! Not only are we in Texas, but allegedly, the origin house for the Sawyer Family is not far from Austin!
Anyone could put Texas Chainsaw Massacre at the top, and no one would argue. A family of cannibals? Check. A chainsaw-wielding, human-face-wearing giant? Check. Isolated in the middle of nowhere? Yep.
There are very few holes to punch in the original. It seems like the main character, Sally (a very proficient screamer in the late Marilyn Burns) had 100 escape plans and the Sawyer crew had an equal amount of ways to catch up. It’s almost as if they had been hunting humans for survival for generations…
This movie was done supremely well. The “kill shots” were extremely realistic (if not too realistic), there were so many “don’t go in there” moments and the ending is about as talked about as any in the history of cinema, not just the horror genre.
As I mentioned, if you want to give any of these films your Badge of Horror, they are all equally terrifying. But one film makes watching horror movies for outdoor movie nights damn near impossible…..
Why this is one of our horror movies for outdoor movie nights:
Did you read the part about a family of cannibals, a chainsaw-wielding, human-face-wearing giant & being isolated in the middle of nowhere?
#1 The Blair Witch Project (1999)
Released on a budget of $60,000 (this includes publicity) and grossing $250 million, The Blair Witch Project is not only one of the most successful horror films of all time but certainly one of the most clever.
The premise has three film students researching the mythical Blair Witch in the woods of Burkittsville, Maryland. It starts off innocent enough, but the audience notices things are amiss faster than our three hikers turned hostages.
The cinematography is either brilliant or unintentionally perfect. The cast ad-libbed most of their lines and did a phenomenal job. What sets The Blair Witch Project aside from many other horror movies is its strong finish. Not only was the final 45 minutes one continuous crescendo but the final 60 seconds left audiences with their jaws on the ground (and if you’ve seen the movie you appreciate the pun).
This is a great movie, nay, a perfect movie to watch outside in the dark. Just make sure there are no rooms with corners in them…
Why this is one of our horror movies for outdoor movie nights:
Don’t ask. Just watch it.
Ready to head straight outside & be terrified?
Moontower can help! Head over to our How It Works page or our Reservations page to let us coordinate your next outdoor horror movie experience. You can also email us at amanda@moontowermovies.com.