Summer doesn’t come often enough, and it’s important to remember that there is absolutely nothing wrong with closing the blinds on the simmering world outside, grabbing an ice-cold drink, and enjoying a movie from the air-conditioned comfort of your own home. With a mind towards those soaring temperatures, these films each share just one thing in common: the use of “heat” or “hot” in the title.
Both words have been used in plenty of movie titles before, relating to everything from the looming presence of the law to hot jazz music, and, sometimes, even in reference to the temperature. From crime thrillers to comedy classics, these films are the best to meet the summer select criteria.
15
‘Red Heat’ (1988)
Directed by Walter Hill
A bit of a forgotten delight of 80s action, Red Heat plays with the unlikely partnership of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jim Belushi to deliver a fun-filled cop romp that doubles as a culture clash comedy. Ivan Danko (Schwarzenegger) is a hardened Russian cop whose pursuit of the drug dealer who killed his partner leads him to Chicago. Once there, he is forced to work alongside Chicago detective Art Ridzik (Belushi) in order to continue his investigation.
The hypercritical lamented the film’s reliance on formula and stereotype, but beneath the veneer of familiarity there resides an enjoyably bombastic display of exaggerated action violence and the trademark comedic irreverence of 1980s blockbuster entertainment. It perhaps hasn’t aged as gracefully as some of the decade’s strongest action flicks, but there is still a certain comforting allure to its simple story of camaraderie and revenge across Cold War lines.
Red Heat
- Release Date
-
June 17, 1988
- Director
-
Walter Hill
- Runtime
-
106 minutes
14
‘Wet Hot American Summer’ (2002)
Directed by David Wain
Despite the onslaught of critical derision it faced upon release, Wet Hot American Summer has aged as a cult classic of modern comedy, not least of which for its ensemble cast of young talent who would go on to be stars of the genre for decades to come. Included among its litany of soon-to-be stars are Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, Bradley Cooper, and Amy Poehler, all of whom shine in the film’s playful, smutty satire of the sex comedies of the 1980s.
It transpires on the last day of the 1981 Camp Firewood summer camp, focusing on the interrelationships and yearnings of the young counselors as they get ready for the camp talent show that night. While it was dismissed by many for its juvenile tastes, it has amassed a following of those who adore its unadulterated silliness in all its immature glory.
- Release Date
-
July 27, 2001
- Runtime
-
97 Minutes
13
‘The Long, Hot Summer’ (1958)
Directed by Martin Ritt
A forgotten gem of old Hollywood cinema even with its derivative nature being somewhat overbearing today, The Long, Hot Summer is inspired by Tennessee Williams’ play Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Given the play’s revered film adaptation—which also sees Paul Newman occupy the starring role—was released just five months later, it is perhaps no surprise that The Long, Hot Summer has been lost to the passage of time, but it still has much to offer.
Newman stars as Ben Quick, a hot-headed vagabond who returns to his father’s hometown only to be followed by rumors of arson. His efforts to ingratiate himself with the wealthy Varner family see tensions run high. Its feverish melodramatic angst imbues the film with a gravitas, as does the might of its performances, making for an engaging spin on Williams’ famous story that boasts plenty of its own intrigue.
The Long, Hot Summer
- Release Date
-
May 17, 1958
- Director
-
Martin Ritt
- Cast
-
Joanne Woodward
, Paul Newman
, Anthony Franciosa
, Orson Welles
, Lee Remick
, Angela Lansbury
, Richard Anderson
, Sarah Marshall
, Mabel Albertson
, J. Pat O’Malley
, Bill Walker
, Robert Adler
, Val Avery
, Jim Brandt
, Brian Corcoran
, Lee Erickson
, Byron Foulger
, I. Stanford Jolley
, Nicholas King
, Ralph Reed
, Steve Widders - Runtime
-
115 minutes
12
‘The Hot Spot’ (1990)
Directed by Dennis Hopper
A steamy neo-noir thriller set amid the sweltering heat of a Texas summer, The Hot Spot is a racy heart-stopper of high crime and burning passions. Harry Madox (Don Johnson) is a dangerous drifter who finds work at a used car dealership in small-town Texas. When he executes a daring plan to rob the town bank while maintaining a sexual relationship with his boss’s wife and a young co-worker, he finds his life becoming increasingly complicated.
There is no denying that the film is littered with some striking flaws, but none of them overpower the fiery intensity that permeates throughout the spiraling plot of desperation and desire. Some of its narrative sensitivities may be deemed loud and bombastic by modern standards, but The Hot Spot remains an enticing picture for those who love the style of 80s thriller cinema.
The Hot Spot
- Release Date
-
October 12, 1990
- Director
-
Dennis Hopper
- Cast
-
Don Johnson
, Virginia Madsen
, Jennifer Connelly
, Charles Martin Smith
, William Sadler
, Jerry Hardin
, Barry Corbin
, Leon Rippy
, Jack Nance
, Virgil Frye
, John Hawker
, Margaret Bowman
, Debra Cole
, Karen Culley
, Cody Haynes
, George Haynes
, James N. Harrell
, Edith Mills
, Shannon Quinlan
, Roosevelt Williams - Runtime
-
130 minutes
11
‘Heat and Dust’ (1983)
Directed by James Ivory
While it is one of the lesser-known Merchant Ivory pictures, Heat and Dust is still a stunning example of the duo’s trademark period allure and sweeping romantic pull. The 1983 picture runs with dual narratives, following an Englishwoman as she begins investigating the story behind a hidden scandal involving her great-aunt, Olivia (Greta Scacchi), and a marriage in India, while also showcasing the lived experiences of Olivia in the 1920s.
The film uses its split story quite intelligently, making for an enticing viewing experience even when it occasionally slips into pacing lulls. What it does do to brilliant effect is showcase how, despite all the perceived societal progress throughout the 20th century, shades of misogyny remain ingrained in cultures from different corners of the world. The fact that it touches on this theme with venomous flair without ever impeding on the wondrous sense of adventure is a testament to the film’s balance and poise.
Heat and Dust
- Release Date
-
January 1, 1983
- Director
-
James Ivory
- Cast
-
Greta Scacchi
, Julie Christie
, Shashi Kapoor
, Nickolas Grace
, Christopher Cazenove
, Zakir Hussain
, Julian Glover
, Susan Fleetwood
, Patrick Godfrey
, Jennifer Kendal
, Charles McCaughan
, Madhur Jaffrey
, Barry Foster
, Ratna Pathak Shah
, Tarla Mehta
, Sajid Khan
, Amanda Walker
, Praveen Paul
, Jayant Kripalani
, Sudha Chopra
, Daniel Chatto
, Ismail Merchant - Runtime
-
133 minutes
10
‘Hot Shots!’ (1991)
Directed by Jim Abrahams
1991’s Hot Shots! is one of the better movies to come from the spoof genre, primarily poking fun at Top Gun but ripping on several other popular films as well. The film itself follows a psychologically unstable fighter pilot who is tasked with destroying Saddam Hussein’s nuclear plants.
One of the most delightful aspects of the comedy film is how, in poking fun at Top Gun, it effectively lampoons the exaggerated machismo and glorification of so many action-packed military movies. It even spawned a sequel in Hot Shots! Part Deux which, while it wasn’t as sharp as its predecessor, did have fun with giving the Rambo movies the same treatment.
Hot Shots!
- Release Date
-
July 31, 1991
- Director
-
Jim Abrahams
- Runtime
-
84 minutes
9
‘Body Heat’ (1981)
Directed by Lawrence Kasdan
A true summer scorcher, Body Heat was a fast-paced erotic thriller set amid a searing Florida heat wave. The film follows a shady lawyer who begins a passionate affair with the wife of a wealthy businessman and plots to kill her husband so he and his lover can run away together, but double-crosses and split loyalties see the lawyer land in a difficult situation.
Coming from famed screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan, the film works well within the confines of classic crime noir suspense while invigorating the genre with a steamy tension which was in vogue at the time. The end result is a compact, atmospheric thriller which keeps audiences hooked and has become an underrated flick of the early 80s.
- Release Date
-
August 28, 1981
- Director
-
Lawrence Kasdan
- Runtime
-
113 Minutes
Watch on FlixHouse
8
‘Heat Lightning’ (1934)
Directed by Mervyn LeRoy
Based on the play of the same name, Heat Lightning is a character-driven drama infused with elements of family melodrama, crime, and romance. Set in the Mojave Desert, it follows a hotel and gas station owner who struggles to keep an eye over her naïve younger sister while dealing with the re-emergence of a criminal past lover hatching a scheme to rob two hotel patrons of their collection of valuable jewels.
Excitement abounds as the characters become entangled and their ambitions clash, with Aline MacMahon excellent as the strong-willed and distrusting protagonist. It was one of the last films of the Pre-Code era and, while it was besmirched by the Catholic Legion of Decency at the time, a print of the film is held at the library of congress.
Rent on Apple TV
7
‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’ (1958)
Directed by Richard Brooks
Adapted from the acclaimed stage play of the same name, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof offers strong performances and scintillating family melodrama. Armed with a line-up including some of Hollywood’s biggest stars, it centers on a depressed man who, while nursing an injury sustained trying to revisit his high school glory days, visits his family’s plantation to celebrate his hot-tempered father’s birthday.
Self-interest and deep-rooted regrets flow out of the characters as the birthday celebrations deteriorate into a mess of ferocious arguments and inheritance claims. With the inter-family rivalries brought to boiling point in the sweltering Southern heat, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof excelled as a summer scorcher, earning six Academy Award nominations in the process.
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
- Release Date
-
August 29, 1958
- Director
-
Richard Brooks
- Cast
-
Elizabeth Taylor
, Paul Newman
, Burl Ives
, Judith Anderson
, Jack Carson
, Madeleine Sherwood
, Vaughn Taylor
, Larry Gates
, Brian Corcoran
, Zelda Cleaver
, Robert ‘Rusty’ Stevens
, Hugh Corcoran - Runtime
-
108 minutes
- Main Genre
-
Drama
6
‘Hot Fuzz’ (2007)
Directed by Edgar Wright
A hysterical action comedy which, for many, still stands as the crowning achievement of Edgar Wright’s filmography. The second film of the anthological ‘Three Flavours Cornetto’ trilogy, Hot Fuzz follows an elite London detective transferred to a quiet village where he uncovers a mysterious plot surrounding cloaked strangers and deadly attacks.
In true Edgar Wright fashion, the film finds inspiration in a wide range of genres, becoming an enthralling display of visual style as it flips the buddy cop subgenre on its head. With a comedic arsenal ranging from scathing satire to delightful silliness, it has rightfully been celebrated as an accomplished action comedy hit and remains one of the best examples of the genre produced in the 21st century.
- Release Date
-
February 14, 2007
- Director
-
Edgar Wright
- Runtime
-
121 minutes
5
‘White Heat’ (1949)
Directed by Raoul Walsh
As far as early crime cinema goes, no actor was as commanding on the screen as Hollywood icon James Cagney, and 1949’s White Heat is one of the actor’s best films. Cagney plays Cody Jarrett, a psychotic gang leader with a strong attachment to his mother who breaks out of jail to conduct a heist while a police informant infiltrates his gang.
The role sees Cagney at his most volatile, with Jarrett a tragic anti-hero who is surprisingly easy to have sympathy for yet impossible to completely understand. With director Raoul Walsh’s intense focus on a gangster’s psychology and Virginia Kellogg’s exceptional screenplay, White Heat is still one of the greatest crime movies ever made.
- Release Date
-
September 3, 1949
- Director
-
Raoul Walsh
- Cast
-
James Cagney
, Virginia Mayo
, Edmond O’Brien
, Margaret Wycherly
, Steve Cochran
, John Archer
, Wally Cassell
, Fred Clark - Runtime
-
114 Minutes
Watch on IndieFlix
4
‘The Big Heat’ (1953)
Directed by Fritz Lang
With a 100% approval rating from Rotten Tomatoes, Fritz Lang’s crime drama The Big Heat is a true timeless classic. The violent story follows a police officer whose lover is murdered by the mob boss he is investigating, leading him to join forces with a scarred moll in a bid to bring down the ruthless criminal and his wide-reaching web of corruption.
As one of the masterful director’s many great accomplishments, The Big Heat is a true gem of American film noir and an essential crime classic. Its intelligent plot twists, striking visual display, and a powerhouse performance from Glenn Ford ensure it has lost none of its suspenseful brilliance over the decades.
The Big Heat
- Release Date
-
October 14, 1953
- Director
-
Fritz Lang
- Cast
-
Glenn Ford
, Gloria Grahame
, Lee Marvin
, Jeanette Nolan
, Alexander Scourby - Runtime
-
89 Minutes
3
‘In the Heat of the Night’ (1967)
Directed by Norman Jewison
In the Heat of the Night has etched out a piece of cinematic history as one of Sidney Poitier’s greatest movies and a riveting crime mystery that plays as both a societal thriller and a sprawling mystery. Set in the deep South, it centers on black Philadelphia detective Virgil Tibbs (Poitier) as he reluctantly lends his expertise to a murder case the local police are ill-equipped to investigate.
With racial tensions a core focus of the film, it excels as a character drama while still giving audiences all the thrills that come with a murder mystery. Unrelenting and hostile, but still contemplative and humane, the film found a deft balance, though it is sad that its thematic focus remains as topical today as it was in 1967.
In the Heat of the Night
- Release Date
-
August 2, 1967
- Director
-
Norman Jewison
- Cast
-
Sidney Poitier
, Rod Steiger
, Warren Oates
, Lee Grant
, Larry Gates
, James Patterson - Runtime
-
109 minutes
2
‘Some Like It Hot’ (1959)
Directed by Billy Wilder
One of Hollywood’s greatest-ever comedies, Some Like it Hot focuses on two musicians who, after witnessing a mob hit, dress up as women and join an all-girls band to escape Chicago. The uneasy arrangement sees hilarity ensue as the duo’s run-ins with the gangsters hunting them continue while romance blossoms within the band of touring musicians.
Quick-witted and razor-sharp, the farce makes the most of its leading trio with Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon, and Tony Curtis all sublime. Truly a timeless comedy classic, it is a quintessential Billy Wilder film that remains every bit as good as it was the day it was released.
- Release Date
-
March 15, 1959
- Director
-
Billy Wilder
- Cast
-
Marilyn Monroe
, Tony Curtis
, Jack Lemmon
, George Raft
, Pat O’Brien
, Joe E. Brown - Runtime
-
121 Minutes
1
‘Heat’ (1995)
Directed by Michael Mann
As one of the most hyped films of the 1990s, Heat was presented as the film that would finally see Robert De Niro and Al Pacino share the screen together. The Michael Mann classic follows a veteran criminal as he plans to execute one final heist before retiring and the seasoned detective desperate to bring him down.
With the narrative focusing on the cop and the criminal alike, the tension steadily builds as their game of cat and mouse plays out with gripping performances and some of the greatest action sequences ever put to screen. The title references the term used by criminals to describe the police, but also aptly describes its scorching tension and, for what it’s worth, is the best film ever with “heat” or “hot” in its title.
- Release Date
-
December 15, 1995
- Director
-
Michael Mann
- Runtime
-
170 minutes
