Independence Day is a festive time of year for Americans. Many stick to going to the beach or grilling up some food on the barbecue pit. Others await those traditional fireworks that soar across the night sky. However, not everyone celebrates the Fourth of July in peace.
The horror genre proves the holidays aren't off-limits when it comes to scares. Some of the most effective films have been based or set around Thanksgiving. To no surprise, even Independence Day isn't safe from horror.
The Evil in Us (2016)
During the Fourth of July, one group of friends' party is broken up when they all unsuspectingly ingests a dangerous drug that transforms them into bloodthirsty cannibals.
The Evil in Us received mixed reactions from viewers and critics alike. Some were put off by the heavy-handed anti-drug message, whereas others just simply thought the movie wasn't entertaining enough.
Uncle Sam (1996)
When a disturbed soldier dies in the Gulf War, his body is returned to his family. The only problem is, he's not exactly dead. The soldier awakens and starts to terrorize anyone he deems isn't patriotic.
Uncle Sam is a low-budget black comedy with plenty of kills and gore for those who enjoy '90s schlock. It never amasses any significant scares or memorable setpieces, but it's unique among straight-to-video horror.
You Are Not Alone (2014)
Found footage and slasher tropes come together in the little-known indie title You Are Not Alone. A woman returns to her hometown for Independence Day just as a spree killer is making the news. Little does she know, she's next on the culprit's list.
You Are Not Alone is a not for the impatient as it takes nearly half the movie to get to the horror elements. Even so, it ultimately turns into a dizzying flurry of raw fear.
Frogs (1972)
An affluent family's Southern mansion is besieged by nature on the Fourth of July. It all begins with the usual festivities at the abode, located on an island in the middle of a swamp. A wildlife photographer stumbles upon the party and gets wrapped up in the chaos as amphibians and reptiles attack the polluting patriarch and his guests.
Despite its name, Frogs stars an army of toads. Other dangerous critters in the campy movie include alligators, lizards, snakes and snapping turtles.
The Bay (2012)
More found-footage creepiness can be found in The Bay, an eco-horror like never seen before. A coastal community in Maryland is targeted by water parasites; these pests have the ability to control their hosts' minds, too.
The Bay is a return to the pressing social message 1970s horror was known for. The genre has moved away from the important theme nowadays, but movies like this are an exaggerated reminder of what could happen if people don't pay attention to their effect on the environment.
Deathdream (1974)
It's unclear what days Bob Clark's Deathdream (also known as Dead of Night) fall on, but it's befitting for the Fourth of July. The movie is from the director of the original Black Christmas, and it was largely overshadowed by that film's success. Deathdream has gone to become a cult hit and a terrifying adaptation of W. W. Jacobs' short story "The Monkey's Paw."
In the film, a soldier who is presumed dead suddenly shows up after his mother wishes for his safe return. As enthused as his mother is, everyone else is concerned. Rightfully so, too, because there's something quite not right about the soldier.
Silver Bullet (1985)
This 1985 adaptation of Stephen King's novella Cycle of the Werewolf was renamed Silver Bullet for the big screen. Yet, the story, is more or less, the same. A young, disabled boy believes someone in their town is a werewolf, and that the party is responsible for a rash of unexplained murders. The boy's sister and uncle think he's mad, but they're proven wrong in the most horrible way possible.
While Silver Bullet may not be considered one of the best werewolf movies around, it does have a lot of fans. People are especially won over by the relationships between the three main characters.
Return of the Living Dead (1985)
It's easy to forget that Return of the Living Dead is actually set around the Fourth of July. Everything in his horror comedy is the result of an event that happens on the day before.
In zombies after two men unwittingly unleash a regenerative substance stored inside a supply warehouse. The chemical agent goes on to resurrect every corpse in the city and turn them into a member of the walking dead.
I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)
A tragic accident triggers a chain of deadly events for four teenagers on the cusp of adulthood. It's the Fourth of July in this coastal town, and Julie, Helen, Barry, and Ray are all having a good time. High school is over and they're all about to happily go their separate ways. That is, until they get into a hit-and-run. After being strong-armed by Barry, the other three swear to keep the murder a secret. One year later, they each receive a note declaring: "I know what you did last summer."
Kevin Williamson's hit Scream spawned several teenage slashers, but the most popular of them is easily this one. The movie spawned two sequels.
Jaws (1975)
The island of Amityville is struck by a killer around the summer holiday. This murderer doesn't walk on land, though. Rather, the waters contain a massive great white shark that's feeding on the locals. It's now up to the sheriff to stop the carnivorous fish before it's too late.
Jaws has undoubtedly changed many things about cinema. Without it, horror especially wouldn't be what it is today.
