The Fog (1980)

Late at night on the beach, a sea captain tells ghost stories to a group of children, and ends with the story that one hundred years ago, a ship was guided to it's demise by a fire set on this very same  beach that was set by the town founders.  Legend has it the ghosts of the doomed mariners will come back on the hundredth anniversary for their revenge. Oh and by the way, it's the towns one hundredth anniversary and tomorrow's the big celebration.

At midnight, strange things start happening.  Machines start on their own, cars honk, and clocks stop.  All the windows shatter in Nick's truck as he's driving hitchhiker Elizabeth into town, a glowing fog rolls in and moves against the wind, and a stone falls out of the church wall revealing a diary from one hundred years ago.

Turns out the legend is true. Now there's something in the fog that's out for revenge and wants six bodies in return for the original deaths.  Stevie Wayne, who owns the lighthouse and is the only DJ on the town's radio station, has a prime view of the cursed fog as it rolls into town.  Luckily everyone seems to listen to this station so her broadcasts regarding the streets that are cut off by fog route everyone to the church where they find Father Malone. Since he's read the diary, he's hip to what's going on but he's also pretty depressed about it and not much help.

This is the first horror movie I ever saw, and it totally freaked me out.  So I've definitely got a bias towards this one.  It's not as scary as it was when I saw it in the theater as a teenager, but it's still creepy.

There's definitely something inherently spooky about fog if you live in a seaside town.  It's beautiful and peaceful, but there are also hidden dangers just out of view.  John Carpenter's music is suitably creepy. The glowing fog and silhouettes of the sailors coming out of it are unnerving.  Plus it's got Jaime Lee Curtis during her scream queen run.