The horror genre is an ever-changing thing and what scares one generation of viewers can seem tame to another. It’s hard to get real scares out of modern audiences even with many films that are considered horror classics. But there are those masterpieces of the genre that maintain their reputation years after their release.
As the 1970s saw Hollywood taking more risks with the films that produced, this New Hollywood movement extended to horror films as well. From supernatural to monsters to terrifying stories grounded in reality, the decade saw some of the biggest highlights from the genre. Here are some horror movies from the 1970s that are still terrifying today.
The Omen
Creepy kids have always been a staple of the horror genre, but few films have perfected the concept as effectively as The Omen. This Richard Donner film follows a wealthy and successful couple who adopt a young infant after being unable to have children of their own. When death begins to surround their family, they suspect their son might not be as innocent as he seems.
Seeing this young child instill so much fear is very unsettling and grips you to the story. The film also features a great performance from Gregory Peck as the boy’s father who cannot bring himself to believe that the boy is evil which adds great emotional stakes to the story.
Dawn Of The Dead
George A. Romero had already delivered one zombie masterpiece with Night of the Living Dead before cementing himself as the master of the genre with Dawn of the Dead. The film follows a group of survivors who try to escape the hordes of zombies taking over by securing themselves inside a shopping mall.
Whereas Romero commented on racism in society with Night Of The Living Dead, he takes on consumerism with this film. It is a fun, inventive and clever entry into the zombie genre with plenty of scares and thrills to go along with the interesting commentary.
Don’t Look Now
Psychological horror films became more popular in the 70s with bold and challenging stories that still scared the pants off viewers. Don’t Look Now is one of the most memorable films of this kind and one that still holds up all these years later.
The film stars Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie as a couple who travel to Venice to cope with the death of their child. While there, they begin experiencing strange occurrences, including visions of their dead child. It is an eerie, dreamlike film that will haunt you long after it’s over.
The Wicker Man
The Wicker Man is one of the smaller films on this list but has gained an impressive cult following over the years. Set in a remote English community, a Scotland Yard officer travels to an island to investigate the alleged disappearance of a young girl.
The movie is a slow-burn story that might be taxing for some viewers, but as we explore deeper into this strange world, the intrigue continues to grow. It makes for an unsettling experience with a phenomenal ending. Just avoid the Nicolas Cage remake.
Carrie
Stephen King has seen a resurgence in television and movies as of late, but he has always been a master of the horror genre. One of his most beloved adaptation is Carrie from director Brian De Palma. Sissy Spacek stars as the titular character, a bullied and abused high school girl who begins to discover she has unique abilities.
King’s creepy tale is wonderfully brought to life thanks to the cinematic talent involved. De Palma creates the perfect foreboding tone for the story while Spacek is both heartbreaking and terrifying as the complex lead.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Horror films from this period were beginning to move away from the typical monster movies and focusing more on deranged killers. Needless to say, this made for some movies that disturbed and fascinated audiences.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was very loosely based on serial killer Ed Gein and told the story of a group of teens who stumble upon a nightmarish situation deep in rural Texas where they are pursued by the chainsaw-wielding Leatherface. It is a gruesome and sadistic story that haunted audiences for years to come.
The Exorcist
Like The Omen, The Exorcist features a young child as the central terrifying figure and is even more explicit about the evilness of the child. The William Friedkin film follows two priests who are tasked with performing an exorcism on a young girl who has been possessed by an ancient demonic spirit.
Even by today’s standards, the movie is still shocking, especially with a young child at the center of the story. It is a gripping and intense tale with amazing performances and a dark tone that permeates through the entire film. It remains a classic of the genre and a highly regarded masterpiece.
Alien
As the science fiction genre of the 70s was beginning to take some bold risks as well, Ridley Scott decided to combine sci-fi with horror in the iconic Alien. The movie introduced the world to Xenomorphs, one of the most terrifying movie monsters of all time.
The movie is a claustrophobic story as the small crew of a spacecraft is slowing being picked off by this deadly creature. With amazing creature designs, a tight and thrilling script and Sigourney Weaver’s star-making turn as Ripley, Alien became one of the greatest films in the history of the horror and sci-fi genres.
Jaws
Steven Spielberg was beginning to get noticed as a promise young filmmaker when he made Jaws, and though the film was a troubled production, it launched him as one of the biggest names in Hollywood.
The movie was a simple yet brilliant story of a massive Great White Shark that was terrorizing a small island community. Spielberg’s decision to show the shark sparingly only made it all the more terrifying, especially accompanied by John Williams’ amazing score. It is still a movie that makes people think twice about going in the ocean.
Halloween
Though the slasher genre was established before Halloween, it was John Carpenter’s masterpiece that made these types of films a staple of the horror genre. It is also the movie that introduced one of the most terrifying killers in cinematic history – Michael Myers.
This is another simple story that is nonetheless effective in scaring audiences years later. The randomness and brutality of Myers are extremely unsettling and his haunting presence has allowed this to become one of the longest-running horror franchises of all time.
