Top Ten 70’s Horror Films
The 1970’s saw the start of modern horror cinema. It included all of the classics that have inspired filmmakers today. If you are interested in seeing the origins of horror films, then here is a list of the top ten 70’s horror films.
- Halloween – Mute Michael Myers escapes from a mental hospital and returns to his hometown for some bloody fun. Jamie Lee Curtis stars as the object of his disaffection. This film is definitely one of the most influential horror flick sever made.
- Texas Chainsaw Massacre – Director Tobe Hooper created an indie cult favorite with meat hooks, chainsaws, and Texas cannibals. Filmed on a shoestring budget, it inspired many other independents. Basically, some unsuspecting kids get terrorized by Leatherface and his family.
- Jaws – The movie that shark activists everywhere hate. A giant great white makes a buffet out of the residents of a coastal town. It was so scary, it kept kids out of the swimming pools.
- Dawn of the Dead – George Romero’s zombie classic and one of the best in a long line of zombie survival films. Fans claimed it was better than his first movie, Night of the Living Dead. When zombies shamble all across the U.S., survivors take refuge in a mall.
- Alien – Ridley Scott showed us that a good horror film can take place anywhere, even in space. An alien gets onboard a spaceship by bursting out of a man’s chest. With all of that technology, you would think they could have put more lights on that ship.
- Phantasm – One of the strangest of the horror films from that era but still worthy of mention. A funeral home is run by the creepy Tall Man, his mutant dwarves, and flying killer balls. A boy knows something strange is going on when he sees the Tall Man lift a casket all by himself.
- The Exorcist – If this movie did not give you nightmares or disturb you in some way, then you should see a psychiatrist. Linda Blair plays a young girl possessed by the devil. Two Catholic priest have to put up with cold rooms and green pea soup in order to exorcise the demon from her soul.
- Legend of Hell House – Probably one of the best movies ever made about a haunted house. It is the classic team of researchers who show up to investigate an old house. Naturally, not all the researchers make it out.
- The Amityville Horror – Based on supposedly ‘real’ events, a family moves into a house where (surprise) something bad happened years ago. The house is naturally haunted. What sets the movie apart is the graphic scenes of bleeding walls and moaning voices.
- Young Frankenstein – While not necessarily a horror movie, it is still one of the best from that decade. Mel Brooks does a great job of parodying the old black and white horror movies. Madeline Kahn and Marty Feldman steal the show, though.
This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 6th, 2009 at 2:21 pm and is filed under Best Horror Movies, Serial Killers, Zombies. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
You forgot Last House on the Left. Not really a scary movie, just really disturbing. It opened the door for movies like House of 1000 Corpses and Hostel.
Oh Man. How in the Hell did you come up with your order.
You got Shite above Greatness and Shite again.
I love a Good Horror Movie(((notice I don’t have a (s) at the end of Movie because their are so few that it’s symbolic)) It’s a shame Hollywood just does not equate anything of quality with Horror films. But there was once(maybe it) along time ago what is considered Great Quality in a Horror film. Actually nominated for Best Picture.
But I guess its ok cause you have it ranked 7th(after Phantasm for GODS SAKE)
Obviously the 70′s was much better then the 80s having (above said film) Alien,Chainsaw, Jaws and Halloween.
If your gonna review for the masses. Please try and keep things in perspective(especially if your doing a top 10 list DUH)