Blustery weather and freezing temperatures have arrived in NYC and across much of the country. And while winters here are largely not what they used to be—climate change has seen to that—we have been experiencing a longer than normal stretch of frostier weather. Regardless of how you feel about the cold (we enjoy it – yes, we might be in the minority here), I think most will admit that winter can also be quite a cinematic season. An ice-covered lake, a swirling blizzard, a mountain topped in white, the sunlight catching a character’s breath, snow drifts on a city street—what’s not to like? So, in keeping with that spirit, join us for a brisk rundown of 13 films to complement your winter chill.

The Thing from Another World (1951)
Research scientists and a small unit of Airforce personnel discover an extraterrestrial frozen in arctic ice. The team subsequently takes the being back to their isolated research facility, just as a monster of a storm moves in. What’s the worst that can happen?! One of the great amalgams of 1950s horror and science fiction cinema, this film has loads of arctic blasts to have you pulling up your favorite throw blanket. This was the first film we featured here at Concentric Cinema! In case you missed it, by all means go back and check it out.

The Thing (1982)
A group of scientists and other personnel at remote arctic Outpost 31 face a cosmic horror level threat in the form of a shapeshifting alien that inhabits and imitates humans and animals. While inclined to keep itself hidden, The Thing goes to all lengths to defend itself and find a new host. In case you haven’t guessed by now, this sci-fi/horror masterpiece is director John Carpenter’s reimagining of 1951’s The Thing from Another World, one of his all-time favorite films. It is set primarily during a punishing arctic storm as our characters struggle to survive in isolation and grapple with the fear and paranoia of knowing that any of them, at any give time, could be The Thing.

Horror Express (1972)
It is the early 20th century and an English anthropologist working in Manchuria (near the Russian border) discovers a humanoid-like creature frozen in ice. Believing it might represent some kind of missing link to humans’ origins, he attempts to transport the being back to London. The mode of transport? The Trans-Siberian express railroad which is making its way west through the wintery landscapes of east and central Europe. Again, isolation is a theme here, only in this case the threat lies in the creature’s ability to control minds. This international production stars the revered duo of Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing, and featuresTelly Savalas chewing the scenery as a Russian Cossack officer. It’s great fun!

The French Connection (1971)
This classic is one of the great crime thrillers of all time, filmed on location in several boroughs of NYC during the winter of 1970/1971. The proceedings are grim, gritty, and grey. One of the sequences that always stays with me is when our hard-edged antihero Detective “Poppy” Doyle and his partner Buddy Russo are tailing a high-end heroin smuggler, the main Frenchman (a.k.a. “Frog One” to his pursuers) of this connection. In one memorable scene, the refined Frog One enjoys a fine dining experience with an associate, while the hard-boiled Doyle is staked out across the street in the piercing cold with a cheap cup of coffee and a pastry. The scene has us frozen in suspense.

Kwaidan (1965) “The Woman in the Snow” Vignette
This four-part anthology features many great moments of supernatural horror and ghostly tales out of Japanese folklore. While I highly recommend that you watch this film in its entirety, in keeping with the theme of this post I want to mention one segment: “The Woman in the Snow,” which features a beautifully stylized snowscape, a mysterious spirit, and a promise. This film is a must-see from the great Japanese director and screenwriter Masaki Kobayashi.

The Abominable Snow Man (1957)
A party of scientists and opportunists encounter the mysterious Yeti in the snow-covered Himalayas and have their expectations about the folkloric creature fundamentally subverted. This is a fascinating and somewhat unexpected take on a creature feature from the masters of gothic horror, Hammer Studios. The film also represents an early appearance of Peter Cushing for Hammer, a relationship that would bear creative and financial fruit for the studio many times over in the coming years.

Snowpiercer (2013)
An advanced super train carrying the last vestiges of humanity circumnavigates a frozen-over earth. Its passengers, a wild mix of characters, are divided by class and social hiearachy. This bold, bracing sci-fi epic from Bon Joon Ho is a wonderfully wild and satirical entry in dystopian/post-apocalyptic cinema. While Snowpiecer presents us with a very cold, very cruel world, we are also treated to a truly exhilarating ride on icy rails.

The Invisible Man (1933)
This is Universal Pictures’ and director James Whale’s take on the H.G. Wells 1897 classic about a man who has conquered invisibility and gone mad (and murderous) in the process. The film features some clever uses of snowscapes; perhaps most memorably, we are treated to a shot of the titular invisible man obscured in a hat, gauze, and an overcoat, entering a pub with a winter storm swirling behind him. There’s a reason this iconic shot is featured in the artwork and promotion of the film.

Gremlins (1984)
This horror/comedy is considered a holiday classic here at Concentric Cinema. I am guessing we are not alone in our esteem of this story of mischievous and marauding little monsters on Christmas Eve. It’s fun for nearly the whole family, though this could be a bit too scary for very young children. Our daughter turns seven later this year and come Christmas we may just have to introduce her to this gem—she is our child after all and already accustomed to monsters and all things spooky. That said, we make a point not to feed her after midnight!

Let the Right One In (2008)
Set in cold, bleak early 1980s Stockholm, a quiet, frail, and often bullied school-aged boy befriends an odd little girl who happens to be a fearsome, centuries-old vampire. The two form a special bond amongst the bitterly cold, utilitarian, and rather depressing locales. Underneath this chilling take on vampirism is a surprisingly warm story about the need for love and companionship in an often harsh, cold-hearted world.

Black Christmas (1974)
A seminal entry in the great holiday horror film subgenre, this film immerses the viewer in the coldest, deepest, and blackest dread. And yet for many this is a perennial must watch around the Christmas season. But please, for God’s sake, can someone check the attic first? We covered this yuletide horror gem just last month. If you missed it, by all means take a look.

Krampus (2015)
From a more recent entry in the holiday horror cannon, an ancient entity born out of central European folklore comes not to reward but to punish. It features a super (naturally) charged blizzard that will have you clinging for something warm. This film blends horror, fantasy, and bits of whimsical comedy. Come next Christmas though, you kids be sure to be kind and send those letters to Santa; otherwise, you may need to watch out for cloven footprints in the snow.

The Shining (1980)
Welcome to the historic Overlook Hotel. Come for the seclusion and scenic beauty, stay for the abject supernatural terror. This film is set in a fictional, historic, and very much haunted hotel nestled in the Rocky Mountains. A small family struggles to survive in isolation against the sinister machinations of the snowed-in Overlook. Stephen King’s 1977 book The Shining (also fantastic) comes to menacing life in this Kubrick adaptation. While King had some problems with this production (a subject for another day), we at Concentric Cinema give it four thumbs up!

All things considered, these are just a few genre films that capture the frosty, glacial goodness of winter. No doubt we will be covering most, if not all, of these of these films in the future. What other winter-based films do you recommend? Please let us know! In the meantime, stay warm, get cozy, and snuggle up with some popcorn, beverage of choice, and a good movie.

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