Everything old is always new again, from fashion to popular culture, and in the case of horror movies, that couldn't be more true. While ghost stories, slashers, and elevated horror have been entertaining audiences for the last few decades, many of the types of terrifying tales that fans love today all began in the 1970s.
From a brilliant slasher about a babysitter to the original story about Laurie Strode vs. Michael Myers, not to mention a supernatural film that still makes people shudder today, there are several '70s horror movies that are total classics. Chances are that horror fans have seen them all (and probably more than once) as they are definitely required for any passionate moviegoer.
The Exorcist (1973)
Everyone knows the famous scene when Regan MacNeil's (Linda Blair) head turns around, one reason why The Exorcist is a great horror movie. It's hard to overstate how groundbreaking it was at the time and how much this movie has inspired others. The demon possession storyline is why The Exorcist inspired the genre and this is definitely the gold standard. While many more recent movies have dealt with the same topic, it just doesn't feel the same, and fans will always think about this original flick.
The Exorcist still brings the terror, all of these decades later, and the Fox TV show from 2016 proves that the concept is still totally relevant. While horror movies from the last few years can sometimes be a bit stale because fans have seen so many films and they can be so jaded, this movie was just so fresh and new for the time.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
While the 2022 Texas Chainsaw remake falls flat, the original 1974 movie is on many people's favorite classic horror films list. The story of Sally Hardesty (Marilyn Burns) and her brother Franklin (Paul A. Partain) and their pals coming across Leatherface is bone chilling. Leatherface kills many people throughout the franchise, but these death scenes are endlessly gross and scary, and audiences are continually impressed and shocked by these films.
The original still has a prominent place in popular culture and while many people weren't thrilled by the Netflix movie, the '70s film still gives people a lot to think about. The combination of a rural setting with an absolutely ruthless killer really can't be beat, and fans still return to this movie.
Carrie (1976)
Carrie is a different kind of final girl and Sissy Spacek's famous protagonist is one of the most famous horror movie characters. Carrie is a classic movie and one of the most interesting and well-done Stephen King adaptations.
There is so much going on here, from the famous scene when Carrie White goes to the prom and her peers throw pig's blood on her to how desperately she wants to be popular. The movie is endlessly disturbing, and it definitely haunts viewers after they have turned it off, but it has a lot of social commentary about high school horrors. King's novel was published in 1974 so it didn't take very long for the film to be made and released, and the idea that Carrie is being bullied while she also has telekentic powers is classic King.
Halloween (1978)
Although Halloween Kills wasted Laurie Strode, Jamie Lee Curtis's famous character shines the most in the 1978 movie. When horror fans look back on the 1970s, it would be tough not to praise this movie for being such an early example of a really good, really scary, and really beautifully made slasher movie.
Many parts of Halloween are things that fans are used to seeing in horror films today: teenagers who are close friends and who start being killed off one by one, a strong villain, and a unique atmosphere. Every time horror fans watch a movie that seems particularly thoughtful and smart, it brings to mind Halloween. Jamie Lee Curtis is still being praised today for her performance.
When A Stranger Calls (1979)
Carol Kane is famous for playing Jill Johnson in the 1979 movie When A Stranger Calls, which is a fun horror movie about babysitting and also one of the first slasher horror films.
Although horror fans have seen a really long list of characters sitting alone in an empty house and getting a phone call from a killer, When A Stranger Calls did this first, making it incredibly groundbreaking. This is one of those timeless movies that is necessary to watch in order to have a full and satisfying understanding of the genre of a whole. Jill is also an early example of a confident character who can get through a horrifying scenario. Fans of modern slashers will want to watch this one.