Best Horror Films of the 1970s

The 1970s were horror's golden age. Freed from studio censorship and fuelled by post-Vietnam anxiety, filmmakers delivered visceral, uncompromising horror that redefined the genre. These are the decade's essential films.

30 films· Updated 1 Jun 2026

Alien (1979) poster

Dir. Ridley Scott

1979

Acclaimed

Jaws (1975) poster

Dir. Steven Spielberg

Amazon Prime Video

1975

Acclaimed

The Exorcist (1973) poster

Dir. William Friedkin

HBO Max Amazon Channel

1973

Acclaimed

Halloween (1978) poster

Dir. John Carpenter

1978

Acclaimed

Carrie (1976) poster

Dir. Brian De Palma

MGM Plus Amazon Channel

1976

Well reviewed

mystery

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) poster

Dir. Tobe Hooper

1974

Well reviewed

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) poster

Dir. Jim Sharman

Fun / Popcorn · Fun chaos

1975

Well reviewed

fun chaos · fun / popcorn

The Omen (1976) poster

Dir. Richard Donner

1976

Acclaimed

mystery

Eraserhead (1977) poster

Dir. David Lynch

1977

Well reviewed

Dawn of the Dead (1978) poster

Dir. George A. Romero

1978

Acclaimed

Suspiria (1977) poster

Dir. Dario Argento

1977

Well reviewed

The Wicker Man (1973) poster

Dir. Robin Hardy

Studiocanal Presents Amazon Channel

1973

Acclaimed

mystery

Jaws 2 (1978) poster

Dir. Jeannot Szwarc

Amazon Prime Video

1978

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) poster

Dir. Philip Kaufman

MGM Plus Amazon Channel

1978

Well reviewed

Don't Look Now (1973) poster

Dir. Nicolas Roeg

Studiocanal Presents Amazon Channel

1973

Well reviewed

mystery

Black Christmas (1974) poster

Shout! Factory Amazon Channel

1974

Well reviewed

mystery

Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979) poster

Dir. Werner Herzog

1979

Hidden gem

The Amityville Horror (1979) poster

Dir. Stuart Rosenberg

Amazon Prime Video

1979

Deep Red (1975) poster

Dir. Dario Argento

Amazon Prime Video

1975

Hidden gem

mystery

Phantasm (1979) poster

Dir. Don Coscarelli

Amazon Prime Video

1979

Hidden gem

The Last House on the Left (1972) poster

Dir. Wes Craven

MGM Plus Amazon Channel

1972

The Hills Have Eyes (1977) poster

Dir. Wes Craven

1977

Damien: Omen II (1978) poster

Dir. Don Taylor

1978

King Kong (1976) poster

Dir. John Guillermin

Studiocanal Presents Amazon Channel

1976

House (1977) poster

Dir. Nobuhiko Ôbayashi

Fun / Popcorn · Fun chaos

1977

Hidden gem

fun chaos · fun / popcorn

The Brood (1979) poster

Dir. David Cronenberg

Amazon Prime Video

1979

Hidden gem

I Spit on Your Grave (1978) poster

Dir. Meir Zarchi

1978

Zombie (1979) poster

Dir. Lucio Fulci

1979

Hidden gem

Piranha (1978) poster

Shout! Factory Amazon Channel

Fun / Popcorn · Fun chaos

1978

fun chaos · fun / popcorn

The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970) poster

Dir. Dario Argento

Arrow Video Amazon Channel

1970

Hidden gem

mystery

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Best Horror Films of the 1970s — Ranked & Reviewed | Horrorsight