Classic 1970's Horror Movies

The 1970's was a great era for movies in general, but for horror movies, no other point in time can compare. There are so many timeless classics that it's difficult to list only a few. These movies were scary, thrilling, and exciting all at the same time. As the year's have gone by these movies have stood the test of time. Many have tried to imitate them, and many have failed to have the same impact in the horror movie genre as these classic movies.

Carrie (1976)

This is one of the first horrors that I watched, that made me literally jump off my chair in fright. I used to watch the ending over and over again, just so that I could jump in fright when Carries hand popped up out of the earth on the final scene. No matter how many times I watched the ending, even knowing what was about to happen, it still scared me. I think if I watched it now it would surely still have the same affect for me.

The movie is based on a novel by Stephen King, it's a story about a teenage girl named Carrie who has powers. Her mother has lost her mind, seemingly taking out everything on the girl, while her father is not on the scene at all. Girls at school begin to make fun of Carrie when one day she has an embarrassing accident in the shower. Carrie becomes mad when they play an awful prank on her at the school prom. Her mothers cruel words run through her head as she sets her powers loose. Sissy Spacek plays the part of Carrie really well, she makes you believe in the character she is portraying.

Halloween (1978)

It goes without mentioning that the first Halloween movie was an all time classic. I also think this was the scariest of all the Halloween movies. Michael Myers is one of the horror movie classic characters, with his scary hockey mask and daunting figure, he is truly a horror figure to remember.

The movie starts off on Halloween night of 1963, when Michael murders his 17 year old sister. He was pronounced insane and taken to a sanitarium for the murder. 15 years later he escapes, and the Halloween killings begin once more. Of course, the movie ends where he is still believed to be alive, leaving us all hanging until the next movie is released.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

A group of friends or on a road trip through the backwaters of rural Texas, when they come across a family who are all maniacs. There are two brothers, one who wields a chainsaw, the other a knife, and their cannibal of a grandfather also has a piece of the unsuspecting friends. For the early 1970's this movie is quite intense, it's scary and kind of strange at the same time. It will always be one of the classics of this era.

The Omen (1976)

This movie had me thinking of the main character for a long time after watching it. He was the kind of little boy that just doesn't disappear from your mind so easily. The way the character was made to look evil was very real, and the music during the movie was particularly frightening.

The movie is about a couple who is longing for a child. The father is approached by a priest; who asks him if he and his wife will be parents to a baby who's mother died giving birth to him. After a series of strange events they are led to believe that the child is evil. As the years go by, strange deaths occur, and unexplained accidents happen. In the end they realize the child is the son of Satan.

Piranha (1978)

It all starts when a group of flesh-eating piranhas are accidentally released into a river at a summer resort. The piranhas proceed to make a meal of the guests, and eat them alive. These flesh-eaters slowly make their way to other resorts and rivers, causing havoc along the way. The movie is kind of corny, but for the 70's it had some rather outrageous killing scenes in it. I definitely think it has to go on the classic horror movie list, the only other comparable movie of this era was Jaws.

There are many more classic movies of the 1970's, too many to mention here. These horrors I have mentioned are one's that have stuck in my mind throughout the years. Each one has a little something, a scene within the movie, that is difficult to forget. Horror movies in this day and age just don't seem as scary anymore.