It is officially my least favorite time of year: summer. Despite the heat, humidity, sweat, high utility bills…summer is the perfect setting to revisit a favorite subgenre of horror. We have all seen a “cabin-in-the-woods” horror film. These films primarily feature an isolated, rustic cabin as the setting, cutting the characters off from the world while their antagonist descends upon them. This horror trope has been around for a while, and it is not going anywhere. The effect on film audiences is timeless, turning up the volume on a fear we all know well at some point or another: isolation. Listed below are a handful of beloved cabin-horror films from the last forty years.
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The Evil Dead (1981)
One of the first “cabin-in-the-woods” movies ever, this cult classic is still resurrecting with horror fans over forty years later.
Misery (1990)
The jury’s still out if the house Paul Sheldon is imprisoned within counts as a cabin. Either way, Misery undoubtedly shares that cabin-horror vibe.
Secret Window (2004)
The only aspect of this story more chilling than what Mort Rainey (Johnny Depp) goes through is watching him procrastinate on his writing. It is startlingly accurate.
Antichrist (2009)
Antichrist has…so much going on…I almost forgot it belongs on this list. If you have not yet entered the world of Lars von Trier, proceed with caution.
The Cabin in the Woods (2012)
While an obvious player in this category, this movie is unlike anything you have seen before.
Cabin Fever (2016)
Warning: You will want to coat your entire body in lotion after watching this.
Knock at the Cabin (2023)
I was pleasantly surprised by how this movie turned out. It is a suspenseful story heightened by the remoteness of the setting. Despite all of the examples before it, movie characters still think it’s a good idea to stay in a cabin.
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Until next time,
Jordan
By Night 