The Long Road to Hell: 15 Horror Films Featuring Road Trips
10) High Tension (2003)
Starring: Cecile de France, Maiwenn, and Philippe Nahon.
Directed By: Alexandre Aja
Two friends, Marie and Alex, are headed to Alex’s family home for a visit. On the first night that they are there, Alex’s father awakens to a knock on the door in the middle of the night. When the father answers the door, he is brutally attacked by a vicious killer. Marie watches from a closet as the killer then murders Alex’s mother. Marie goes to check on Alex and finds that she has been attacked and bound. While Marie goes to get a weapon, the killer returns and abducts Alex. The rest of film follows Marie as she tries to save her friend.
The reception to this film is very divided; most of the people whom I have spoken with about this film have loved it up until the very end. The ending is very flawed, but I enjoy it regardless. I fully recommend this one if you enjoy brutal violence and gore.
https://youtu.be/BeWLc4UdL8s
9) An American Werewolf In London (1981)
Starring: David Naughton, Jenny Agutter, Griffin Dunne, John Woodvine.
Directed By: John Landis
Jack and David are backpacking across England. Shortly after leaving a pub they are attacked by a werewolf, resulting in Jack’s death and leaving David mortally wounded. David awakens after three weeks in the hospital and begins having disturbing visions of a decomposing Jack, who warns him that he was bitten by a werewolf and will transform on the next full moon. Ignoring the warning, David moves into Alex’s apartment (Alex is his nurse who has fallen for David). Jack keeps returning, pleading with David to kill himself before he transforms but the pleas go ignored leading into David’s transformation.
This film is a classic; it would be hard to find modern horror fans who haven’t seen this one, but if you haven’t, you need to see this as soon as possible. The transformation scene in this is by far the best transformation scene in a werewolf film.
https://youtu.be/ZCEnIp4NBjU
8) Frontier(s) (2007)
Starring: Aurelien Wiik, Samuel Le Bihan, Estelle Lefebure.
Directed By: Xavier Gens
After riots break out due to politics, a group of people pull off a robbery in an attempt to quickly get money to escape Paris. One of the group is shot, forcing them to split up. Two members from the group take the money and stop at a family run inn and are seduced by two women. While dropping off their wounded friend the remaining group members are spotted by the police forcing them the flee the hospital. After getting directions and arriving at the inn we learn that the group have fled into the hands of a former Nazi.
This film is brutal, full of tension, and packs a punch. This is my favorite film that came from the French extreme wave of films that were coming out. It is another one that has a mixture of reviews, but if you enjoy a gory film that is a bit disturbing, look no further!
7) House of 1000 Corpses (2003)
Starring: Sheri Moon Zombie, Bill Moseley, Sid Haig, and Karen Black.
Directed By: Rob Zombie
Four friends on a road trip to write a book on offbeat road side attractions stop at a gas station and meet Captain Spaulding, who takes them on his murder ride attraction. During the ride they learn about the local psychopath named Dr. Satan and get directions to where he was hung. On their way they pick up a hitchhiker named Baby who tells them that where they are headed is right next to her house. Their car breaks down and they head to her house on foot. What they find turns out to be a house of horrors that is more nightmarish than anything they could have imagined.
This is Rob Zombie’s directorial debut as a feature director and is probably his best film to date. I love all of his films (yes, even the very much hated Halloween films he did), and this is by far my favorite from him.
6) The Hills Have Eyes (1977)
Starring: Martin Speer, Virginia Vincent, Dee Wallace, Susan Lanier, Robert Houston, Lance Gordon, Russ Grieve, and Michael Berryman.
Directed By: Wes Craven
The Carter family is on a family vacation driving across the Nevada desert. While stopping for fuel the family is warned to stay on the main road but the warning goes ignored. The family runs off the road, the father heads back to the gas station for help and while he is there he is taken captive. While his family is waiting for him to return, they begin to be attacked by a family of cannibals who live in the area.
I have only seen this version of the film once but it deserves to be on this list. I am more familiar with the 2006 remake of the film which is enjoyable on its own. The story comes through a bit more understandably in the original though in my opinion. The remake felt like it expected you to know the characters and the back story already. Both films work, it will really depend of your personal preference of the look of the films you watch.
