The 30s and 40s showed us horror movies based on the classic monsters, but the 70s showed us that horror can have many different avenues to explore. In fact, that single decade made horror movies splinter into so many directions that it has never been the same since. In that one simple decade coming out of flower power and heading towards the 80s “yuppidom,” we were in an ideal place for expanding the genre. Here are some samples of huge variety of subclasses that occurred:
Occult: “The Omen,” “The Exorcist” “Satan’s School for Girls” “Rosemary’s Baby,” “The Blood on Satan’s Claw,” “Satan’s Cheerleaders,” “The Brotherhood of Satan,” “The Wicker Man,” “Crowhaven Farm,” “Race With the Devil,” “Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark.”
Supernatural: “The Legend of Hell House,” “Amityville Horror,” “The Evil,” “The House That Would Not Die,” “Audrey Rose,” “The Possession of Joel Delaney,” “The Fog,” “The Shining”
Slasher: ”Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” “Friday the 13th,” “Halloween,” “Hell House,” “Black Christmas,” “When a Stranger Calls,” “Terror Train,” “Prom Night”
Psychological: “Let’s Scare Jessica to Death,” “Duel,” “Born Innocent,” “Last House on the Left,” “Bad Ronald,” “I Spit on Your Grve”
Disaster/Nature Rebels: “Prophecy,” “Day of the Animals,” “Food of the Gods,” “Airport,” “Earthquake,” “Towering Inferno,” “Jaws,” “Dawn of the Dead”
Technology/Inanimate objects: “The Car,” “Killdozer,” “Christine,” “Magic,” “Trilogy of Terror,” “Tourist Trap”
If you wonder why remakes of horror movies are rampant right now, you just have to look back at this magical decade to see why we reach for the roots from which we sprang.
What 1970s horror movie thrilled you in a new and chilling way and nothing was ever the same again?