Hi all!

Today I am back to share the 5 best horror movies of the 70’s! This is the era where horror began to become popular. It birthed iconic franchises and lifelong classics. It also started to push cinematic boundaries. If you wish to see my favourites of the 60’s, click here. Without further ado, let’s get into it!

1.) The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

Released in 1974, five friends head out to rural Texas, to visit the grave of a grandfather. On the way, they stumble across what appears to be a deserted house, only to discover something sinister within. Something armed with a chainsaw. I highly recommend educating yourself on the background of this movie before watching it (see video below). The set was quite toxic and intense for the actors, especially Marilyn Burns. By the end of filming, she felt like she was in a real-life horror story. This is a scary film. It will raise the hairs on the back of your neck. I couldn’t not add it to the list. If you wish to read my ranking of the franchise, click here. 

2.) Jaws 

Jaws is the ultimate creature feature. It impacted audiences worldwide. The majority of viewers refused to go near the ocean, after watching this 1975 horror classic. When a young woman is killed by a shark, near the town of Amity Island, police chief, Martin Brody, wants to close the beaches. However, Mayor Larry Vaughn, overrules him, fearing the loss of tourist revenue will cripple the town. Ichthyologist, Matt Hooper, and grizzled ship captain, Quint, offer to help Brody capture the killer beast, leading the trio to engage in an epic battle of man vs. nature. This movie gave birth to a widespread phobia of sharks. It is absolutely worthy of being on this list. We’re going to need a bigger boat! 

3.) Carrie 

This is one of my favourite horror movies. It is a 1976 adaptation of Stephen King’s novel, by the same name. Carrie White is a shy young girl, who doesn’t make friends easily. After her classmates tease her about her unexpected first period, one of them takes pity on her and gets Tommy Ross, her boyfriend and class hunk, to invite Carrie to the senior prom. Meanwhile, another girl – banned from the prom for her continued aggressive behavior – is not as forgiving. She plans a prank to embarrass Carrie in front of the whole school. What she doesn’t realise, is our heroine is gifted with deadly, telekinetic powers. Sissy Spacek ruled this film with her remarkable acting. Her transformation from wallflower to powerful woman was chilling but also, empowering. A ‘good for her’ type of film. Burn that auditorium down! Also, the ending will stay with you.

4.) The Omen  

The Omen follows a young child, replaced at birth by American Ambassador, Robert Thorn. The swap was unbeknownst to his wife, after their own son was murdered at the hospital, enabling the spawn of Satan to grow up with wealth and power. I love religious horror. In my opinion, this is the male version of The Exorcist. By the way, I would’ve included that movie in this post, but I just recently discussed it here. I don’t want to double up too much. I have a bit of a crush on the late Gregory Peck. It was such a joy to watch him act in my favourite genre. I’m a big fan of this classic. 

5.) The Amityville Horror

Last, but not least, we have The Amityville Horror from 1979. Newlyweds and their three children, move into a large house, where a mass murder was committed. Soon after, they start to experience strange, inexplicable manifestations, which have strong effects on everyone living there. I’m such a sucker for the haunted house trope. I’ve seen the 2005 remake and honestly, I found the original more unsettling. There is a lot of blood! Not to mention, a jump scare with a cat, that made me screech. I found James Brolin’s descent into madness much more disturbing than Ryan Reynolds from the reboot. I also believe the Amityville house itself, is one of the scariest looking (especially from the outside). 

What are your favourite horror movies of the 70’s? Thanks for reading!

Peace & Love xoxo