5 Winter Horror Movies That Chill Me To The Bone
Frigid Fearfests
Winter is a perfect season for horror films. The oppressive darkness and frigid temperatures are an ideal backdrop for scary stories. Here are some of my favorite winter horror movies. Grab some hot chocolate and treat yourself to them!
The Blackcoat’s Daughter
The Blackcoat’s Daughter is a haunting film about grief and loss set in icy upstate New York. Kiernan Shipka plays Katherine, a strange newcomer who has trouble fitting in at her private girls’ boarding school. Emma Roberts plays Joan, a mysterious drifter who hitches a ride with a grieving couple who lost their teen daughter. Osgood Perkins (Longlegs) directed.
This movie has multiple timelines and a really weird ending. It can be hard to follow, but I’ve always enjoyed movies that have unconventional narrative structures. They’re like riddles to unravel.
Horror movies about grief are nothing new, but it’s such a common theme now that it’s becoming a tired trope. It’s still a worthy topic as long as horror filmmakers are interested in genuinely exploring this experience, instead of just cashing in on a trend. The grief in The Blackcoat’s Daughter feels painfully real.
Cold Prey
Jannicke (Ingrid Bolso Berdal) and her friends are staying in a remote mountain lodge. They’re attacked one by one by a mysterious maniac in this acclaimed Norwegian slasher. Cold Prey is one of the most brutal and savage mountain horror movies ever made.
Related: 5 Foreign Slasher Movies Every Horror Fan Should Watch
What I appreciate most about this movie is that it invests time to develop its characters. If you’re just looking for a mindless gorefest, this movie isn’t for you. By making me actually care about some of the characters (let’s face it, this doesn’t happen often in slashers), Cold Prey elevates itself to above most similar films.
It was followed by a bunch of sequels, but I haven’t watched any of ’em. It’s hard to imagine that they’re are as good as the original.
Let The Right One In/Let Me In
It should come as no surprise that multiple winter horror movies on my list hail from Scandinavia. Let The Right One In is a Swedish film about Oskar (Kare Hedebrant), a lonely and disturbed 12-year-old boy who becomes friends with Eli (Lina Leandersson), a mysterious girl who appears to be his age.
Of course, Eli is actually an ancient vampire. She’s looking for a new human familiar to help satisfy her blood cravings. The American remake, Let Me In, tells essentially the same story, but changes the characters’ names to Owen and Abby. They are played by Kodi Smit-McPhee and Chloe Moretz, respectively.
It’s obvious that Oskar/Owen has a massive crush on Eli/Abby, but does she genuinely reciprocate his feelings? Is this a romance? I don’t think so. To me, this is a tragedy about how a centuries-old monster manipulates a naive boy into becoming her sidekick.
I like both versions equally, but, if forced to choose, I would pick Let The Right One In as my favorite. The complex relationship between the boy and girl is unique and intriguing. Both characters are weird and fascinating.
The Shining
Jack (Jack Nicholson) is a struggling writer who becomes the caretaker of an isolated Colorado hotel. He’s staying there with his wife and young son. The hotel is haunted by a wide range of spirits, and they gradually drive Jack insane, compelling him to turn violent.
Stanley Kubrick‘s The Shining is unquestionably the most famous of all the winter horror movies. Jack Nicholson’s crazed performance is the stuff of legends. As everyone knows, Kubrick adapted the film from Stephen King’s novel. King famously didn’t like the result, but that hasn’t stopped The Shining from becoming one of the most iconic modern horror movies.
The Shining is loaded with creepy moments. My favorites are the bloody elevator, the bathroom lady, and the twins. The guy in the bear suit deserves a mention as well. The Overlook Hotel is haunted by some of the scariest ghosts in horror movie history.
