For many, the '70s was the Golden Age of Horror. This decade, in general, was a very tough time for many, owing to the conclusion of the Vietnam War and the general cultural malaise that followed. Whereas movies from the '60s were more "classical" and conservative, those made in the '70s took on a far grittier and more violent tone.
This worked wonders for the horror genre. The movies were darker, the content more disturbing, and the violence more overt. In many cases, the horror genre as everyone knows it today began in the '70s. Luckily, many of these classic films can be streamed on Shudder.
This is where the slasher genre began. Released in 1974, Black Christmas revolutionized the way that horror was made and spawned a host of copycat slasher movies.
The movie remains startlingly effective today, thanks to its minimalist story (a creepy guy kills sorority sisters in their house), timeless Christmas setting, and some inventive cinematography (like shooting through the POV of the killer). It's an iconic and historic film that deserves to be seen by all.
For some, the slasher genre began with Black Christmas. For others, it was The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. And while the title is enough to disturb prospective viewers, those brave enough to watch it will find one of the most compelling horror stories ever put to film.
The movie helped spawn the slasher genre and introduced Leatherface to the horror canon. Its costume design and remote rural setting are both highly memorable, and even though the violence is largely kept off-screen, it still has the power to unsettle.
Slashers don't get much better than Halloween. While films like Black Christmas and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre helped pioneer the genre, Halloween perfected it and introduced it to mainstream audiences.
While it could come across as dated today, that's only because it's been copied so relentlessly that its DNA is in the very fabric of the slasher genre. Everything leads back to Halloween, and it spawned one of the best slasher movie franchises of all time.
Carrie is undeniably one of the scariest human villains in a Stephen King story. Fed up with being bullied, young Carrie decides to wreak vengeance on the student body during her high school prom, and the results are nothing short of historic.
Carrie is a wonderful horror film whose themes remain just as relevant today as they were in 1976. It is also intriguingly directed by Brian De Palma, featuring lots of fun split screens and eerie close-ups of Sissy Spacek's wide eyes.
Released in 1979, Phantasm eventually became a horror movie cult classic and is renowned today both for its surreal story and classic antagonist in The Tall Man. Phantasm richly captures the idea of overactive childhood imagination.
Everyone feared that one place as kids and believed it to be harboring some deep, deadly secret. Phantasm is wonderfully nostalgic in the ways it relates back to childhood adventures, and both The Tall Man and his deadly sphere help keep the proceedings bloody and frightening.
Wes Craven is one of the all-time greatest horror directors, and The Hills Have Eyes is one of his greatest achievements. The movie is undeniably "old" and low budget, especially when compared to its far more expensive remake. Going back to the original after watching the remake may prove a little daunting, but the rewards are more than worth it.
Craven is on form throughout The Hills Have Eyes, offering up an intriguing setting and a deft balance of horror and humor. Plus, there's just no beating Michael Berryman as Pluto.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers is undeniably one of the best horror movie remakes ever made. It serves as a remake of the 1956 original, but in many ways, it surpasses its predecessor in terms of both quality and cultural impact.
Donald Sutherland proves endlessly enjoyable as Matthew Bennell, and the movie contains one of the all-time greatest twist endings. Sci-fi horror can be very hit or miss, but Invasion of the Body Snatchers proves to be one of the subgenre's greatest entries.
Jaws proved to be an enormous success in the mid-70s, and a slew of copycats followed, both of the genuine and silly variety. Piranha is one of the latter. The movie never takes itself seriously and constantly makes wry, self-aware winks to the audience.
It's nothing but a cheesy B-movie, but sometimes cheesy B-movies make for some of the most entertaining horror properties. Steven Spielberg himself praised the film, and it remains one of the most well-known of the endless Jaws ripoffs.
A Spanish sci-fi horror film, Horror Express is one of the most unique horror films of the '70s. Taking place aboard a train, Horror Express sees its human protagonists being stalked through its narrow hallways by a dangerous creature.
The movie is certainly a little silly, but it contains a lot of great ideas, a rich atmosphere, and a unique monster. Furthermore, it stars two screen legends in Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing, who help keep the proceedings from getting too silly.
Dario Argento was a master of the Italian Giallo genre, and Deep Red is one of its greatest entries. It's not only a defining example of the Giallo genre but a masterpiece of horror in its own right. The film is beautifully made and contains a lot of great camerawork from Luigi Kuveiller.
The violence is also spectacular (a must for the Giallo genre), and it contains a surprisingly complex story that far transcends most schlocky Giallo films. If someone was to watch just one Dario Argento film, it should undoubtedly be Deep Red.
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