There are very few horror movies that revolve around America’s most patriotic of holidays. Of course, there’s Jaws, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, Uncle Sam, and The Purge franchise as tried and true holiday viewing options, but what if you want something a little different this 4th of July?
In keeping with the theme of patriotism, fireworks, hot summer barbeques and gatherings, here are six outside-the-box options worth staying inside for this Independence Day…
Final Destination 3
While any of the Final Destination films could work, as they all seem to encapsulate that summertime fun, Final Destination 3 opens with a roller coaster massacre at an amusement park. Amusement parks are just one of many quintessential summer pastimes. But Final Destination 3 also sets its grand finale during a patriotic town festival. Never mind that it’s actually the McKinley Tricentennial; it looks and feels like it could be a 4th of July celebration complete with fireworks and townsfolk in historical patriotic garb. It fits.
The Return of the Living Dead
When Frank accidentally opens a drum containing a military experiment gone wrong, he lets out both the toxic gas and the slimy sludge corpse inside. Thus begins a zombie outbreak by way of fun ‘80s comedy horror. While it doesn’t exactly scream 4th of July, it is. The events of the film start on July 3rd and carry over into the 4th, where it culminates in one explosive, nuclear firework show… if you catch my drift.
Silver Bullet
Based on Stephen King’s novella Cycle of the Werewolf, this one sees a small town rocked by a series of murders beginning in the spring of 1976. Of course, it’s a werewolf responsible for the murders. The werewolf’s appearances tend to coincide with major holidays, the most prominent of which is the 4th of July. The attacks lead to the town’s Independence Day celebration getting canceled, but that doesn’t stop Uncle Red from buying Marty fireworks of his own. While Mary’s fireworks winds up luring the werewolf, they also save his life. Family bonding, backyard gatherings, fireworks, and a full moon; it doesn’t get much more 4th of July than that.
The Shining
Hear me out on this one. Nothing at all about an isolated winter set horror film screams Independence Day, right? I could build a case around why escaping the blazing hot summer sun in favor of cool winter snow is appealing. Or how a little too much family barbecue bonding can drive you mad like Jack Torrance. But I’m also including it for the final frame of the film, in which Jack Torrance appears in a photo of Overlook partygoers. The date on the photo is July 4, 1921. He’s always been the caretaker.
Red White & Blue
A brutal twist on the American dream with a patriotic title; if you’re looking for more grit to your Independence Day celebration, this is for you. A slow burn that takes its time introducing the viewer to the core trio of characters before unleashing a tour de force of brutality, Red White & Blue is a bleak film set against the sunny blue summer sky. A war vet, an aspiring musician chasing the dream, and an aimless wanderer paint the picture of American life until director Simon Rumley pulls the rug out from under you in the most graphic fashion. This is the exploitative, dark seedy underbelly of patriotism.
IT
Set over the summer of 1989, this would be a perfect movie in and of itself as the loveable kids of the Losers Club come together and bond over summer activities. They just also happen to be dealing with the terrifying antics of Pennywise the Dancing Clown, too. The 4th of July factors into the plot as well, as the Losers Club begin piecing vital pieces together against the backdrop of Derry’s Independence Day celebration. Besides, with filming underway for It: Chapter Two, the 4th of July seems as good enough a reason to revisit as any.
