Sure, Halloween is prime horror movie season, but a strong argument can be made that summer is not far behind. I mean, think about it: summer is when you leave the safety of your home for the outdoors (monsters, ghosts, and murderers love the outdoors—especially the woods). Travel and road trips take you to strange, unfamiliar places (monsters, ghosts, and murderers love unfamiliar places—well, places unfamiliar to you). Plus, there’s just something so poetic about running into unimaginable terrors during the time of year when you’re supposed to be relaxing and soaking in the warm weather (is there anything crueler than the horrors of the universe waiting until after school has let out to terrorize students?). The 15 movies below demonstrate that high temperatures, vacations, swimming, camping, and all other trappings of the summer months provide an exceptional environment for scares. The best part is that you don’t have to fight off any creatures, serial killers, or alien clowns to watch them—you just need your library card. Of course, any eerie sounds or mysterious figures you encounter while watching these films, well…that’s on you to figure out.

For more great movies, make sure to check out the offerings of your local branch as well as the Kanopy app.

Jaws 

It

Midsommar

Us

I Know What You Did Last Summer 

Friday the 13th

Sleepaway Camp

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre

Summer of ‘84

Deliverance

The Hills Have Eyes

The Descent

Hostel

Cabin Fever

The Cabin in the Woods