It is that time of the year when many of us decide to take a road trip. The distance or location doesn’t really matter; what matters is that we go–usually with a few family members or close friends coming along.
With the nicest weather of the year at hand, certain activities are high up on the list of things to do: camping, swimming, various sports, or just kicking back and enjoying a family outing or barbecue. Thinking about all of the fun things that take place during this time got me considering different films within the genre that play up the road trip angle so I decided to compile a list of some of my personal favorite road trip horror films.
15) Cabin Fever (2002)
Starring: Cerina Vincent, Rider Strong, Jordan Ladd, James DeBello, and Joey Kern.
Directed By: Eli Roth
Cabin Fever is the story of a group of friends fresh out of college who take a trip into the woods to spend some time together in a rented cabin. Shortly after their arrival things begin to go south after one of the friends accidentally injures a hermit while out shooting squirrels. The accident is kept hidden from the others, and the friends continue to enjoy their outing, even spending time with a strange guy and his dog. The party gets rained out, though, and the stranger returns to his campsite to pack up his stuff. Our core cast takes refuge in their rented cabin, and at this point they have a run-in with the hermit from before who begins to cough up blood, and we learn that he is infected with a highly contagious skin-eating disease. The rest of the film follows the fates of the friends as they are infected one by one.
If you are looking for a fun gross-out film, I would recommend checking this one out.
14) Vacancy (2007)
Starring: Kate Beckinsale, Luke Wilson, Frank Whaley, and Ethan Embry.
Directed By: Nimrod Antal
A married couple who are on the verge of divorce are driving back from a family gathering when they take a wrong turn. Unfortunately, their car breaks down, and they have no cellphone reception, leaving them to have to walk back and get a room at a motel they saw across the street from an auto mechanic’s garage that they were previously at. They find the motel to be empty except for the creepy manager, who insists that the screams they hear from the back room are from his television. The couple rent a room, and shortly after they start to realize that all is not what it seems. From hearing banging on doors to finding snuff tapes that were filmed in their very room, the couple come to the frightening realization that they are in for one hell of a night.
I absolutely adore serial killer/slasher films, and this movie is a fun ride. I wouldn’t classify this as a full-on slasher, but it is a great film about serial killers.
13) Jeepers Creepers (2001)
Starring: Jonathan Breck, Justin Long, Gina Phillips, and Eileen Brennan.
Directed By: Victor Salva
A brother and sister are heading home from college, while enjoying the scenic drive they are almost run off of the road by a beat up and rusted out truck. They continue their trip and come across an old abandoned church, they see that the truck that tried to run them off the road is there. They see what looks like a man dumping a body wrapped in sheets down a pipe that is sticking out of the ground. The two are spotted by the man and he tries again to run them off of the road. The two manage to get back to the chapel and discover a grisly scene, turning their road trip home into a terrifying nightmare.
I will say right off the bat that this film has its flaws. However, this is a fun ride from beginning to end and left me craving the sequel.
12) Hostel (2005)
Starring: Jay Hernandez, Derek Richardson, Barbara Nedeljakova, Jana Kaderabkova, and Jan Vlasak.
Directed By: Eli Roth
This film follows two backpackers-Paxton and Josh, on a trip across Europe, befriending an Icelandic man named Oli. The trio decide to check out Amsterdam and while they are there they meet a man named Alexei who convinces them that they should make a trip to Slovakia due to all of the beautiful women. The group checks into a hostel and proceed to go out for the night with a couple of women that they run into at the hostel. After a sexually charged evening, they awake to find Oli gone. That night they are slipped tranquilizers and awaken to a living nightmare of torture.
Hostel is one of, if not THE pioneer of the “Torture Porn” sub-genre. That being said, it is an intense ride that remains engaging and is a staple of modern horror.
11) Wolf Creek (2005)
Starring: John Jarratt, Nathan Phillips, Cassandra Magrath, and Kestie Morassi.
Directed By: Greg McLean
Wolf Creek is set in the Australian outback and we follow a trio of backpackers on vacation going to wild parties and spending their nights on the beach. The friends decide to visit Wolf Creek and explore a huge crater. When they return to their vehicle from the crater they find that their vehicle wont start and that they are stranded. Shortly after sunset the group is approached by a rural man named Mick Taylor who offers to tow them into his camp where he can fix their car. Reluctantly the group agrees and get towed into his camp, starting them on a trip that they may not survive.
Wolf Creek is one of my all time favorite modern horror films. The story has some basis in reality, taking from a few different real life cases in Australia. The villain is extremely charismatic and funny in the blackest of ways, this film is a must for those who wish to see a film that drips with tension.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.