Ten summer films that I like

As a celebration of the arrival of summer, I have compiled a list of summer related films that I find enjoyable. 

Early Summer (1951)

In Ozu's Early Summer or Bakushû, the first days of summer - captured in calm, languid style - make for an appropriate setting for the delicate, melancholic story of familial tension that plays out. With a gently swooning score, a beautiful central performance from Setsuko Hara, some charming sequences of banter between the women, and typically enigmatic 'pillow shots' of fluttering windsocks and drifting clouds, it is a delightful film of lyrical simplicity.

Summer with Monika (1953)

Summer is not something that would necessarily be associated with the bleak Nordic intensity of Bergman, however, here and in other films such as Summer Interlude we are shown the summery Swedish countryside in all its glory. This film though, is above all about the flirtatious yet steely Monika; played by Harriet Andersson whose penetrative gaze seems to toy with her lover Harry, she is a sort of femme fatale, every bit as memorable as a Rita Hayworth or Barbara Stanwyck. I also love the ending where Harry stares solemnly to camera, interspersed with a sequence of memories of Monika - sunbathing and skinny dipping - it is a darkly cruel ending. 

12 Angry Men (1957)

This American classic from Sidney Lumet, almost completely confined to one room, is a masterclass in the creation of suspense - all bulging veins, loosened ties, and greasy hair - here, the sweltering heat works well to heighten both the claustrophobia of the setting and the almost palpable tension between the jurors. As the film progresses and things begin to heat up, Lumet famously switches longer shots of multiple jurors for tight close ups, ratcheting up the intensity as we approach a climax of impressive emotional resonance.


Jules and Jim (1962)

In many ways, the liberated playfulness of Truffaut and the French New Wave seems a perfect match for the feeling of opportunity that summer inspires. Summed up delightfully by the opening scenes in Jules and Jim; the romantic whimsy of the eponymous duo plus Jeanne Moreau's excellent Catherine is completely infectious regardless of the tragedy that ensues later in the film. One thing to add: this one isn't exclusively set in the summer but the initial scenes at the seaside are too wonderful for it to be omitted.  

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)

The sweat, the grime, the gore, the relentless, grinding monotone of the chainsaw, the breathless screams, the final deranged spin, silhouetted against the sunset; The Texas Chain Saw Massacre irrevocably etches this stuff onto your brain in a way that few other horror films do. This one is certainly up there as one of the filthiest, most depraved films that I have ever come across: a truly grim vision of summer. 

Jaws (1975)

Spielberg's ceaselessly iconic, masterfully crafted exercise in restraint, Jaws still hangs like a dark shadow over beach resorts across the land, indeed it will forever haunt idyllic scenes of colourful sun umbrellas and children frolicking in the shallows. The fact that this film still lingers in the mind years after its release is testament to its effectiveness. 

Sleepaway Camp (1983)

This is one of those films where you need to leave all logic and reason behind and just let yourself be overcome by its raw, unadulterated power. Starring some of the campest 80's costumes you're likely to come across, a collection of solidly turned up to eleven performances, and a truly what the fuck ending, Robert Hiltzik's Sleepaway Camp is 80's slasher summer camp trash at its most wonderfully off-the-wall.


Do the Right Thing (1989)




Set on the hottest day of the year in a Brooklyn neighbourhood - as highlighted by Samuel L. Jackson's hilarious radio DJ Mister Señor Love Daddy, "I have today's forecast for you... hot! Sss!" -  Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing is a potent story of racial division. As vibrantly funny as it is fiercely political, and featuring one of the most devastating endings in cinema history, this charmingly idiosyncratic film dives deep into the heart of the complexity of race relations in America.

Dazed and Confused (1993)

I can think of few films that capture that feeling of all-consuming joy, excitement, and possibility that accompanies the arrival of summer so perfectly. Featuring a brilliant ensemble cast with a particularly amusing turn from Matthew McConaughey ("alright alright alright") and the trademark Linklater, honest treatment of his characters, the hot, hazy Texas summer evening which we are shown is the ideal setting for this laid-back tale of adolescent discovery, disillusionment, and rebellion.

Sexy Beast (2000)

Jonathan Glazer's debut is a super stylish, one last job story of underrated emotional heft, complete with some remarkable performances from Ray Winstone and Ben Kingsley (no no no no no no no...). Nothing screams summer like Ray Winstone's alarmingly red body, drenched in sweat, and concealed by nothing but some skimpy, yellow budgie smugglers.