The Long Road to Hell: 15 Horror Films Featuring Road Trips
5) Wrong Turn (2003)
Starring: Desmond Harrington, Eliza Dushku, Emmanuelle Chriqui, and Jeremy Sisto.
Directed By: Rob Schmidt
Chris Flynn is driving through the mountains of West Virginia on his way to a very important meeting. Due to a chemical spill that has shut down the highway, Chris takes an alternate route and gets into an accident with a car that is stopped in the middle of the road. Chris learns that the vehicle is in the middle of the road due to their tires being blown by barbed wire. The group decides to set off on foot to find help and they come across an old house, while looking for a phone or anything that they can use the group learns that they have stumbled into the home of three inbred cannibals.
This film is truly spectacular. This is a fun ride from beginning to end. The effects are really well done by Stan Winston and he gives us very memorable characters with the family of cannibals.
4) Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)
Starring: Michael Rooker, Tom Towels, Tracy Arnold, Elizabeth Kaden, and Ted Kaden.
Directed By: John McNaughton
This film follows the life of nomadic serial killer Henry, his friend Otis, and Otis’ sister Becky. There is not much in the way of a plot for this film; it is more of a character study of a serial killer than a narrative feature.
This film is gross, disturbing, and based in reality which is what makes it as impactful as it is. If you have an interest in true crimes you have probably seen this already, but if you haven’t then I would recommend it to you.
https://youtu.be/IU3P6WXzvXU
3) The Descent (2005)
Starring: Shauna Macdonald, Natalie Mendoza, Alex Reid, Saskia Mulder, MyAnna Buring, Nora Jane Noone.
Directed By: Neil Marshall
A group of friends get together in a cabin in the Appalachian mountains to go spelunking. While exploring the caves they become trapped and it is revealed that they are being stalked by cave dwelling creatures. One by one the members of the group are losing their minds and ultimately their lives.
This film is extremely tense and is pouring suspense. Director Neil Marshall has crafted a truly gripping and nerve-shattering experience, which is easily one of the best horror films produced in the last fifteen years!
2) Psycho (1960)
Starring: Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, John Gavin, Martin Balsam, and John McIntire.
Directed By: Alfred Hitchcock
Marion Crane decides to skip town after embezzling $40,000 from her boss. She eventually has to stop for the night at the Bates motel, which is run by Norman. She joins him for dinner and speaks with him about his love of taxidermy and about his mother. While showering that night, she is stabbed to death by Mother and Norman is left to clean up the mess and remove all traces of her being there at the motel. After some time passes, Norman starts getting visits from private investigators and Marion’s sister which leads to more killing and the revelation that Mother has been dead for some time now and that Norman is truly a psycho.
Like my number one choice for this list, there is not much that I can say on this film that hasn’t been said already. Psycho is a classic film that has spawned a franchise and a remake, none of which compares to the original but they do have their moments of fun and enjoyment. This film is required viewing for horror fans but is a really good film in general outside of the genre.
1) The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
Starring: Marilyn Burns, Paul Partain, Edwin Neil, Jim Siedow, Gunnar Hansen, and Teri McMinn.
Directed By: Tobe Hooper
A road trip to visit a family member’s gravesite turns into a nightmare for a group of five friends. One by one the members of the group are murdered by Leatherface and his psychotic family.
If you haven’t seen this or at least the remake, then I don’t know what you are waiting for. This film is so iconic and is one of the best independent horror films made. Very rarely does a film come along that gets a reaction and a buzz like this one. Chain Saw has gone beyond being just another horror film and is even a good glimpse into how to tell a story. I don’t think that I could recommend any other film as much as this to someone who wants to see how bad a road trip could turn out.
https://youtu.be/Vs3981DoINw
