[Editorial] 9 Top Horror Films Steeped in Nature

There are lots of things which can pop up in horror movies and be scary that wouldn’t normally give you the fear, and natural horror movies are one of the best examples of this. What would usually be viewed as tranquil and beautiful can quickly become unsettling and terrifying when they pop up in the world of horror.

To celebrate Nature Horror Month at Ghouls, here are nine of the most beautiful and scary horror movies steeped in nature.

The Ritual (2017)

A group of four friends decide to head into the wilderness of Sweden on a hiking holiday in memory of their friend Rob after he is killed in a shop robbery gone wrong. However, after one of the group is injured, they decide to take a shortcut through the woods, hoping to make it to their final destination quicker. 

Once in the woods, they find a gutted deer hanging from a tree and things only get worse from there. From weird symbols carved into the trees, flashes of a creature that appears to be stalking them, and eventually, a showdown with a horned monster with a few too many limbs for my liking, The Ritual is a great example of why you should stick to the path.

Midsommar (2019)

Midsommar is a movie that uses nature and the beauty of the setting to distract the characters and audience from the horrors that lurk within the Hårga community. Set in Sweden, Dani and her friends are thrust into a world with bright sunshine, gorgeous flowers, and spending lots of time outside. 

And while the Hårga seems to be very in touch with nature, the rituals which they take part in to keep the community thriving involve a lot of sacrifices, most of them from Dani’s group of friends. 

Annihilation (2018)

When biology professor Lena heads into the ‘Shimmer’ as part of a government mission, her main aim is to find out what happened to her husband during his time in the closed-off area. However, once inside Lena discovers that the nature within the ‘Shimmer’ has all mutated and this quickly starts to affect Lena and her team as well. 

Lena encounters such horrors as dead bodies covered in fungi, crocodiles with lots of extra teeth, plants moulded into the shape of human bodies, and a bear that merges with a dead teammate to create some nightmare-inducing imagery. 

Lamb (2021)

Set on a beautiful and secluded farm in Iceland, Lamb looks at the lengths people will go to in order to become parents. María and her husband Ingvar discover that one of their sheep has given birth to a sheep/human hybrid, and decide to raise it as their own. María also has to battle with the baby’s biological mother who refuses to leave the family alone. 

The stunning landscape and the tucked-away farm in the beautiful mountains give María and Ingvar the cover they need to raise their new daughter, Ada, away from the prying eyes of the surrounding community. However, it also means when Ada’s real father shows up, the family are left to deal with things by themselves.

The Evil Dead (1981)

Perhaps one of the earliest examples of why heading to a cabin in the woods is never a good idea, The Evil Dead shows what happens when you mix some evil spirits with the wilderness. After listening to some incantations on a tape recorder, a tree branch breaks the cabin’s window, kicking off the horror for the group of teens. 

After that, poor Cheryl is attacked by trees and vines, before ending up possessed. And when her brother Ash tries to take her into town to get some help, he discovers that the river has burst its banks, removing the bridge which was their only means of escape.

The Ruins (2008)

The Mexican jungle may look like a beautiful place to visit, but if the locals are warning you to stay away from a particular area, then there’s probably a good reason. Jeff, Amy, Eric, Stacy, and some fellow travellers decide to investigate a Mayan ruin and soon find themselves trapped after coming into contact with a specific type of planet which is growing freely. 

The group discovers that once they are infected by the plant, the locals won’t let them leave for fear of the infection spreading. And the plants use a number of dirty tactics to kill the group off one by one so they can feed on their bodies.

Creature From the Black Lagoon (1954)

We’re headed to another jungle for this entry, as Creature From the Black Lagoon takes place in the Amazon. After finding an interesting fossil of a webbed hand, a group of scientists and researchers head back to the jungle to try and find the rest of the skeleton to study.

The lush jungle, idyllic lagoon, and hidden cavern are all beautiful destinations to visit, but they’re also home to the Gillman, who is less than happy with the intrusion. 

The Children of the Corn (1984)

Travelling through the town of Gatlin, Nebraska, Vicky and Burt stumble across a dead child on the road. They do the logical thing and head to the town to try and get help, but very quickly discover that something is very wrong in Gatlin. 

The children of the town have decided to kill all the adults, and now worship a deity who lives in the corn fields called ‘He Who Walks Behind the Rows’ and demands sacrifices to be kept happy.

The Beach House (2019)

Emily and Randall are a young couple who head to his parent’s beach house for the weekend. Emily is hoping to study organic chemistry at college, which is handy because things are getting pretty weird at the beach. Not only does the seawater have a strange texture, but they also notice some glowing microbes along the shore and in the nearby trees. 

Then a strange fog rolls in from the sea which covers the area and makes those who come into contact with it sick. As Emily tries her best to escape, she finds out the microbes, which were released because of global warming, are the cause of all the problems. She also discovers that it’s not just the coast that is affected, and everyone is succumbing to the fog.

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