From family vacations gone wrong to killer fish, seaside horror movies deserve their time in the sun. As you spend some quality time in the ocean this year, remember danger lurks around every corner. Beach horror is a specific category of horror film, typically set in summer and tied to a family vacation or special trip. Beach horror takes those moments we all look forward to each year and turns them into our worst fears.
Here are some of the best beach horror movies.
Jaws (1975) The pinnacle beach horror movie, Jaws was directed by Steven Speilberg and stars Richard Dreyfuss. Jaws has become a film school classic because of the brilliant decisions of its editor, Verna Fields, who decided to use much less of the phony looking shark than Speilberg had shot, creating a perfectly tense build.
The Lost Boys (1987) What’s better than boardwalk vampires? I’ll wait. The Lost Boys stars Keifer Sutherland and Corey Feldman. It tells the story of new kids in town who quickly discover the darkness that lurks here.
I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) A classic 90s horror flick, I Know What You Did Last Summer tells the story of four teenagers who must grapple with the guilt of a decision they made a year prior.
Us (2019) Though Us doesn’t keep us on the beach for much of the movie, the setting and nearby boardwalk are integral to the plot overall. Jordan Peele’s second horror film tells the story of a family who encounters an unexpected danger while on family vacation. By far the scariest film on this list.
Infinity Pool (2023) Brandon Cronenberg’s film stars Mia Goth and Alexander Skarsgård. Infinity Pool follows a couple staying at a fancy resort. Tensions rise and things escalate quickly. Infinity Pool is a stressful but rewarding watch.
The Fog (1980) Written and directed by John Carpenter, The Fog is an iconic horror film starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Janet Leigh. When a mysterious and supernatural mist comes to town, the locals must figure out how to survive.