Desert Horror: 5 Sun-Soaked Horror Films Set in the Desert

I’ve sung this film’s praises before, but it’s worth repeating: The Velvet Vampire is very likely the best vampire film that almost nobody has seen.

And with virtually every frame drenched in sun, it’s also probably the brightest vampire movie ever made.

Written and directed by Stephanie Rothman, the film is set in the American desert on the estate of the mysterious Diane LeFanu (Celeste Yarnall), who lures an unsuspecting couple into her orbit. Things get weird and bloody from there.

Also, with its eponymous bisexual vampire, this is an unabashedly queer film, so if you’re already missing Pride Month festivities, then definitely stream The Velvet Vampire as soon as you can.

It’s an ultra-chic and very fun way to spend the summer.   

I remember seeing Tremors for the first time as a kid, and back then, I was sure I was going to come across a ton of monster movies that blended cool effects with starkly comedic moments while still being pretty darn scary.

Alas, this niche in the horror genre has never quite lived up to its potential, but at least we still have Tremors.

A super fun romp through the Nevada desert, the basic plot is straightforward enough: a small town in the middle of nowhere must contend with some very gnarly subterranean monsters that rely on sound vibrations on the ground to find you.

Add in an eclectic cast of Kevin Bacon, Fred Ward, Reba McEntire, and David Lynch regular Charlotte Stewart, and you’ve got one monster movie that’s perfect for a blisteringly hot summer day.

Putting together a list like this one sometimes takes on a mind of its own. For this article, for example, I wanted to get as technical as I could about what actually qualifies as “desert horror.”

Near Dark immediately came to mind; however, it’s supposed to take place—at least in part—in Oklahoma, which isn’t exactly a desert.

But since this film clearly features some vast and sandy landscapes filled with lonesome vistas, I decided to do some digging.

It appears the film was partially shot in Randolph and Casa Grande, Arizona, which are located in the Sonoran Desert. Hence, Near Dark is both an American Plains horror movie and a desert horror movie.

For those of you who need a refresher, this 1987 Kathryn Bigelow film is among cinema’s greatest (and one of its only) vampire westerns, all about a young man named Caleb (Adrian Pasdar) who falls for the enigmatic Mae (Jenny Wright), who just happens to be part of a vampire family.

It’s basically like a more vicious version of The Lost Boys.

That being said, Near Dark is notoriously difficult to find on streaming services, so if you ever come across it, watch it immediately; it might not be there for long.

Complete with a gritty aesthetic and a recently famous George Clooney, this is a vampire film that could only come out of the independent film-minded mid-1990s.

In terms of desert geography, our cast of criminals and hostages starts off in Texas, ending their journey at a neon-soaked bar across the border in Mexico. (Side note: the TV edit of the film replaces the sign with one that says The Kitty Twister, which is, um, not exactly what the bar is actually called in the movie.)

While most of the film takes place in the aforementioned bar, there are enough desert scenes along the way to qualify for this list.

Among the main drawbacks of the film is that Salma Hayek’s iconic Santanico Pandemonium doesn’t get nearly enough screen time.

But otherwise, it’s a stylish and outlandish vampire film that’s certainly worth your time, especially if you’re in the mood for some 90s desert horror.

Sometimes dubbed the greatest made-for-TV film of all time, Duel was Steven Spielberg’s directorial debut. Truly, it was a heck of a way to come out of the gate.

The setup is gloriously simple: a lone driver on a desert highway has an uncomfortable exchange with a faceless trucker. After a seemingly harmless but unnerving road rage incident, the driver thinks it’s over.

Spoiler: it’s not over by a long shot.

As the trucker continues to terrorize him for no apparent reason, those sun-drenched landscapes of the Mojave Desert make for a very bright and very sinister setting for the film.

Needless to say, Duel is a tense, taut thriller, and one that’s definitely worth checking out again—or for the first time—as soon as possible.