Whoever said that your high school years are the best years of your life was lying. Coming-of-age movies can romanticize adolescence all they like, with their indie rock soundtracks and makeover montages, but the truth is: being a teenager SUCKS!
If your high school experience was hell, at least you can be thankful that you didn’t have to face sadistic serial killers or zombie cheerleaders alongside adolescent acne and catty cliques. Hopefully, these teen horror movies will make you feel better about your own angsty adolescence.
‘The Craft’ (1996)
On her first day at a private Catholic high school, troubled teenager Sarah Bailey (Robin Tunney) falls in with a trio of teenage girls who practice witchcraft. The creepy coven begins conjuring up magic, from love spells to revenge curses for a racist bully. As the girls become hungry for power, their magic starts to get more and more out of hand.
The Craft has been praised as a cult classic and member of the ‘90s teen canon because of its depiction of complex female friendships and Fairuza Balk’s powerhouse performance as a portrait of female rage.
‘Halloween’ (1978)
Starring Jamie Lee Curtis as high school student Laurie Strode, the OG “Scream Queen,” Halloween is the pinnacle of teen horror movies. Fifteen years after Michael Myers (Nick Castle) was incarcerated for murdering his babysitting teenage sister on Halloween night, he is back to stalking the streets of suburban Illinois.
One of the most influential slasher movies of all time, almost every slasher since pays homage to Halloween. From the “Final Girl” trope to the killer’s theme song, many movies on this list wouldn’t exist without John Carpenter’s high school horror masterpiece.
‘Ginger Snaps’ (2000)
Teenage sisters Ginger (Katharine Isabelle) and Brigitte (Emily Perkins) share a morbid fascination with photographing scenes of death. On the night of Ginger’s first period, she is bitten by a deadly werewolf and undergoes a monstrous metamorphosis. As Halloween and another full moon approach, Brigitte is racing against time to save her sister.
Ginger Snaps is a feminist cult classic and a member of the menstrual horror movie subgenre. While other movies such as Teen Wolf (1985) use lycanthropy as a metaphor for adolescence, they lack the feminine perspective. In Ginger Snaps, the bloody death of girlhood triggers a new era of monstrous womanhood.
‘All The Boys Love Mandy Lane’ (2006)
At a Texas high school, outsider Mandy Lane (Amber Heard) blossoms over the summer, attracting the attention of her male classmates. When she is invited to a party along with her best friend Emmet (Michael Welch), the popular partygoers begin to drop one by one.
All The Boys Love Mandy Lane received mixed reviews from critics and audience members alike. While some may see the film as a failed attempt to revive the teen slasher movie, others have praised its discussion of the dangerous male teenage gaze.
‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ (1997)
On the fourth of July, four friends become bound together by a tragic accident when they accidentally kill a man. One year after dumping their victim’s body into the sea and promising to never speak of it again, Julie (Jennifer Love Hewitt) receives a note that states, “I know what you did last summer!” The friends are reunited by a series of similar messages and a hook-wielding maniac who stalks their small seaside town.
Drawing inspiration from 1980s slasher films such as Prom Night (1980) and The House on Sorority Row (1982), I Know What You Did Last Summer is perfect for diehard fans of the slasher subgenre.
‘Final Destination’ (2000)
High school student Alex Browning (Devon Sawa) has a premonition of a plane crash before a senior trip to Paris. When Alex and his fellow students are removed from the plane, they narrowly avoid a fiery death. However, fate isn’t so kind. One by one, the survivors are picked off in mysterious ways. Alex and his remaining friends must band together to outrun death and change destiny.
Final Destination received mostly negative reviews from critics for being a bit silly and stupid. However, that’s part of the fun! Don’t take the movie too seriously; just sit back and enjoy the ride.
‘Heathers’ (1989)
At Westerburg High School, Veronica Sawyer (Winona Ryder) is struggling to fit in with the toxic trio of Heathers: queen bee Chandler (Kim Walker), Duke (Shannen Doherty), and McNamara (Lisanne Falk). When a rebellious outsider named J.D. (Christian Slater) pulls out a gun in the school cafeteria, Veronica becomes obsessed with the mysterious new kid. What follows is a tale of teenage angst which eventually builds up a body count.
In contrast to the optimistic teen movies of the era, such as those written by John Hughes, Heathers is a morbid comedy that offers a cynical depiction of high school and endless iconic quotes.
‘All Cheerleaders Die’ (2013)
When a tragedy rocks Blackfoot High School, rebellious outsider Mäddy Killian (Caitlin Stasey) shocks her fellow students by joining the cheerleading squad. After a confrontation with the football team, Mäddy and the other cheerleaders seek revenge, with a supernatural twist.
While All Cheerleaders Die hasn’t attracted as big a cult following as Jennifer’s Body, this trashy teen horror-comedy does have a small section of dedicated fans. It’s camp. It’s gory. It’s a bit unhinged. But, above all, it’s fun. What more could you want?
‘Scream’ (1996)
High school student Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) and her horror movie-obsessed friends become the victims of a mysterious killer in a Halloween costume known as Ghostface. Self-aware and satirical, the characters in Scream are aware of real-world horror films and openly discuss the rules and clichés that the movie attempts to subvert.
After a boom in the 1970s and 1980s, horror seemed to be declining in popularity. However, Scream revived the slasher subgenre, giving it a modern makeover. Potentially the most iconic teen horror movie of all time, the legacy of Scream is long-lasting. The 1996 movie spawned five sequels and a post-Scream era of horror movies that pay homage to the original.
‘Carrie’ (1976)
The eponymous Carrie White (Sissy Spacek), a shy and sheltered teenage girl, is mercilessly mocked and bullied at school. When she experiences her first period, Carrie’s classmates throw tampons at her and chant “Plug it up!” while her religious mother Margaret (Piper Laurie) claims menstruation is a result of sin. After she is humiliated by her tormentors at prom, Carrie’s telekinetic powers are unleashed in a quest for vengeance.
Carrie has received widespread critical acclaim and is often cited as one of the best horror movies of all time. The film’s iconic imagery has been endlessly referenced and reworked. Carrie is a high school horror movie classic that never gets old.