The 1970s were a great, if nota defining, decade for horror. It wasa time of some of the biggest cult classics, which are now a templatefor all other features in the genre (and various subgenres). From folk to supernatural and slasher horror, the genre (and its subgenres) bloomed in this decade. The directors of most of these cult films surely weren’t aware they were making a future classic, but that’s part of the beauty - doing it out of love instead of for fame is often what drives horror filmmakers to create.
For anyone just getting into horror and discovering “new” features, watching those from the 1970s is the best place to start. Fans will see thatthey’ve influenced horror and its subgenres so much in later years, that other movies will later seem redundant. Starting with the originals is always a great idea, and the essential horror movies of the 1970s are also among the best movies of all time, depending on who you ask.
10’The Wicker Man' (1973)
Directed by Robin Hardy
Folk horror must find its way onto the list, and the best movie to represent it would beThe Wicker Man, asmall movie in terms of production and larger than life in its themes and significanceto the horror genre.Christopher LeeconsideredThe Wicker Mansome ofhis best work in horror, while the movie itself became a cultural staple over time, with festivals featuring wicker man figures, and modern musicians, filmmakers, and artists referencing the movie in various ways.
The Wicker Manfollows Sergeant Neil Howie (Edward Woodward) visiting the Scottish island of Summerisle for the purpose of investigating the disappearance of a young girl. On Summerisle, no one’s ready to give him an answer, andeveryone on the island seems to be preparing for a special event. The movie is quite eerie since viewers are put into Sergeant Woodward’s shoes; they know as much as he does, and everything that happens takes place quickly and without explanation. The themes of faith, death, and rebirth are ever present in folk horror, and many modern movies in the subgenrecan definitely thankThe Wicker Manfor its influence.
The Wicker Man
9’Suspiria' (1977)
Directed by Dario Argento
Dario Argento’sSuspiriais a work of art, though Argento himself is a shocking filmmaker in many ways. The Italian master of horror and giallo,Argento made plenty of slasher and horror moviesthat could enter the iconic landscape, butSuspiriais one of his best. It’s a movie about female rage, woven with beautiful colors and a powerfully original soundtrack (made byArgento’s friends, the band Goblin). It’s also messy and chaotic, but remainsvisually inspiring until the end. In terms of it being an essential 1970s horror movie, it helped people focus on European horror a lot more, as well, giving chances to foreign filmmakers.
Suspiriashows an American student, Suzy Banion (Jessica Harper), arriving to a dance academy in Europe, where things seem to be a little weird. When unfortunate events turn to people dying, Suzy finds herself in the claws of a dangerous witch coven. Alongside female rage,the movie also shows themes of matriarchy and generational guilt, which are often best depicted with a predominantly female cast; horror has been shown to be the ideal genre for exploring deep emotional and psychological topics, which may or may not be thanks toSuspiria.
8’Alien' (1979)
Directed by Ridley Scott
Ridley Scott’sAlienwas the sort of icing on the cake at the end of potentially the best decade for horror.It was a time when creativity in storytelling got a lot more elaborate, and filmmakers like Scott were given freedom to, basically, make history. Say what you will about Ridley Scott today, but withoutAlien, cinema wouldn’t be the same, and if we’re to remember him by any movie the most, it should be the one that brought usthe coolest female horror protagonistof all time.
Alien follows the crew of the spaceship Nostromo, who are awakened from a stasis by the ship’s computer after picking up a signal from a nearby planet. Among the crew members are warrant officer Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) and science officer Ash (Ian Holm). After investigating the signal, the crew doesn’t realizethey have a non-human stowaway who begins killing them one by one. The aliens in the movie weredesigned by famous artistH.R. Gigerand are often synonymous with sci-fi horror.Alienis one ofthe perfect 1970s moviesthat changed the genre for the better.
7’The Omen' (1976)
Directed by Richard Donner
Horror movies about demons, possessions, and exorcisms have always been present; the fear of the devil may as well be the same as the fear of the unknown, as the spiritual and supernatural can be hard to grasp in real life. WhenRosemary’s Babycame out in 1968, the symbolism of her baby being a devilish incarnationcombined one very innocent thing - kids - with one thing made up of pure evil;The Omenwasn’t a culmination of that, but it was groundbreaking for the terror it caused when it was first shown in theaters. WithThe Omennow being a franchise, the movie causes nostalgia much more than fear.
Gregory PeckandLee Remmickstar as American diplomats Robert and Katherine Thorne.Katherine gives birth to their son in Rome, but the baby is said to be stillborn. Robert is convinced by the hospital’s priest to take in an abandoned boy, and Robert does so, naming the boy Damien. As Damien turns five, a lot of things in his surroundings start to become dangerous and ominous; Robert needs to learn aboutDamien and his real origins. With horror often being snubbed at award shows,The Omencan boast about being one of the first to receive Oscar nominations, withJerry Goldsmitheven winning his for best musical score.
Directed by George A. Romero
After the zombie-genre-defining horror featureNight of the Living Dead,George A. Romerotook the directing baton once more and createdDawn of the Dead, a highly influential movie that inspired future filmmakers in creating their own versions (Edgar Wrighthas, most notably, listedDawn of the Deadas a direct inspiration for his horror comedyShaun of the Dead). Romero teamed up withDario Argento, who served as an advisor on the script and the production, and created a spiritual sequel to his debut feature.
Dawn of the Deadfollows a group of survivors barricaded in a mall, fending off those who were infected with the zombie virus and turned into flesh-eating monsters. Beyond this focus, the story also covers news and radio coverage across the US,making this a sort of larger scale version of Romero’s first film,Night of the Living Dead. With a bigger budget, bigger ideas, and more possibilities in the late 1970s, Romero managed to create a movie worthy of his talents. And though he didn’t really want to be labeled as a horror movie director only, it was tough for him to escape the flattering title ofthe godfather of the dead.
Dawn of the Dead
5’Halloween' (1978)
Directed by John Carpenter
Many horror fans considerJamie Lee Curtisthe best final girl in a slasher horror, and that’s actually kind of true.Halloweenwas her acting debut, and it didn’t just launch her into the Hollywood stratosphere, but it proved she’s an acting force to be reckoned with. Though the killer known as Michael Myers is the main reason for the franchise’s undying popularity, Curtis is its real face and representative. The movie isan independentJohn Carpenterfeature that changed the popularity and adoration for slasher films.
Halloweenfollows an escaped psychiatric hospital patient, Michael Myers, who returns to his old neighborhood and begins stalking the babysitter Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) and her friends.The movie was praised for Carpenter’s innovative and creative camerawork, such as using Myers' POV to depict certain situations, as well as frame compositions and creating an atmosphere of fear. Many elements have successfully come together in makingHalloween, and it’s one of those movies that are just perfect.
4’Jaws' (1975)
Directed by Steven Spielberg
WithJawsbeingthemovie that ruined sharks, the ocean, and the summer of 1975, it’s hard not to put it on the list of essential horror movies of the 1970s. ThoughSteven Spielberg’s horror movies have a sort of fantasy feel to them (perhaps because of his signature filming style),Jawsnevertheless caused terror in people. The story follows Martin Brody (Roy Scheider), police chief of a small coastal town in New England, who starts chasing a shark that kills and terrorizes its residents.
Jawswas a lot of firsts for horror, and cinema itself. It was the first movie to get a summer release date, which was unusual at the time;it’s one of the first features to usethe ideaof an ominous presence to cause fearin viewers (though this wasn’t initially intentional); it also seemingly started a trend of blockbusters, the first for Spielberg out of so many later on. For him, personally,Jawswas the movie he believed would put him on the studios' naughty list because of how much delay there was in filming. The impact ofJaws, clearly, goes beyond horror, but it’s a precious contribution to the genre.
3’The Texas Chain Saw Massacre' (1974)
Directed by Tobe Hooper
Tobe Hooperhas directed numerous horror movies, but he’ll probably remain the most famous forThe Texas Chain Saw Massacre, a movie that moved boundaries when it came to slasher movieswith a heavy psychological toll. It’s more than just a final girl slasher movie;it’s an essential genre feature that brought out a franchise and numerous imitationsover time. Despite some commendable efforts, nothing will ever replicate the ominous and terrifying atmosphere of the original, no matter how many sequels, prequels, and remakes are made.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacrefollows a group of friends driving through the countryside to visit the old Hardesty estate. Among them is Sally Hardesty, the movie’s protagonist. Along the way, they pick up a hiker that causes a commotion, andafter kicking him out, the group starts experiencing scary and unexpected events. The killer of the movie is called Leatherface, and is one of the biggest slasher icons, right next to Ghostface and Mike Myers. Over time, as the appreciation for horror as a relevant genre grew,The Texas Chain Saw Massacrebecame one of the movies preserved by the national registry for its “cultural, historic or aesthetic importance.”
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
2’Black Christmas' (1973)
Directed by Bob Clark
The Canadian B-movieBlack Christmasis a sort of silent assassin when it comes to its impact on horror. While it’s not on the same level asHalloweenorThe Texas Chain Saw Massacrein terms of being commercially successful,it’s more than iconic and representative of the beauty of 1970s horror.Black Christmasis an eeriestory about a sorority celebrating Christmas in their shared house and getting killed offone by one without explanation. The movie evokes fear, paranoia, and desperation because of its filming and editing style.
Black Christmaswas initially received poorly, but fortunately for its creators,it got re-evaluated later on, garnering newfound attention and appreciation. It’s said to haveinspired John Carpenter and hisHalloweenmovies, so anyone that’s watched Mike Myers slash away might first want to take a peek atBlack Christmas. To many people, this is the original slasher movie with a final girl/scream queen premise, so it could be said that horrorowes a lot to a small moviefrom Canada.
Black Christmas
1’The Exorcist' (1973)
Directed by William Friedkin
The Exorcistis surely the most iconic horror movie from the 1970s; the feature echoes through the decades and is still fascinatedly researched, analyzed, and even imitated. From numerous copies to loopy parodies,The Exorcistimpacted cinema on a general level.William Friedkindirected the movie based on the novel of the same name byWilliam Peter Blatty, who also wrote the screenplay for the movie. Itfollows the young girl Regan as she gradually starts behaving strangely and becomes possessed, as well as the struggle of two priests to exorcise the demon out of her.
Full of practical, bone-chilling effects,The Exorcistwas notoriously hard to film; some accounts say thatthe set was more or less cursed, with people in the cast and crew getting injured and dying. There were also difficulties in hiring the right actors, and William Friedkin wanted such genuine reactions that he scared actors on the set. Overall,the filming process is as interesting as the movie itself, which stands the test of time and is oftenconsidered a masterpiece of cinema. It most certainly isthe most important movie in horror history, and the rest can be revised by personal taste.
The Exorcist
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