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Best Horror Movies

of the 1970s

The 20 highest-rated horror movies released between 1970 and 1979, ranked by IMDb score.

1

Jaws(1975)

8.1 IMDb97% RT87 Meta

When the seaside community of Amity finds itself under attack by a dangerous great white shark, the town's chief of police, a young marine biologist, and a grizzled shark hunter embark on a desperate

2

The Exorcist(1973)

8.1 IMDb78% RT83 Meta

When a mysterious entity possesses a young girl, her mother seeks the help of two Catholic priests to save her life.

3

Dawn of the Dead(1978)

7.8 IMDb92% RT71 Meta

During an ever-growing epidemic of zombies that have risen from the dead, two Philadelphia SWAT team members, a traffic reporter, and his television-executive girlfriend seek refuge in a secluded shop

4

Halloween(1978)

7.7 IMDb97% RT91 Meta

Fifteen years after murdering his sister on Halloween Night 1963, Michael Myers escapes from a mental hospital and returns to the small town of Haddonfield, Illinois to kill again.

5

The Devils(1971)

7.7 IMDb71% RT49 Meta

Father Urbain Grandier’s unorthodox views of sex and religion make him a polarizing figure in 17th-century France. His outspokenness has amassed a passionate following of nuns and a respected reputati

6

The Omen(1976)

7.5 IMDb86% RT62 Meta

Immediately after their miscarriage, the US diplomat Robert Thorn adopts the newborn Damien without the knowledge of his wife. Yet what he doesn’t know is that their new son is the son of the devil.

7

Deep Red(1975)

7.5 IMDb94% RT89 Meta

An English pianist living in Rome witnesses the brutal murder of his psychic neighbor. With the help of a tenacious young reporter, he tries to discover the killer using very unconventional methods. T

8

The Wicker Man(1973)

7.5 IMDb91% RT87 Meta

Police sergeant Neil Howie is called to an island village in search of a missing girl whom the locals claim never existed. The investigation is further complicated as Howie’s religious views clash wit

9

10 Rillington Place(1971)

7.5 IMDb64% RT

The story of British serial killer John Christie, who committed most or all of his crimes in the titular terraced house, and the miscarriage of justice involving Timothy Evans.

10

Invasion of the Body Snatchers(1978)

7.4 IMDb93% RT75 Meta

The residents of San Francisco are becoming drone-like shadows of their former selves, and as the phenomenon spreads, two Department of Health workers uncover the horrifying truth.

11

Carrie(1976)

7.4 IMDb94% RT86 Meta

Withdrawn and sensitive teenager Carrie White faces bullying from classmates and abuse from her fanatically pious mother. When she begins to suspect that she has supernatural powers, things take a dar

12

The Rocky Horror Picture Show(1975)

7.4 IMDb81% RT65 Meta

After getting a flat tire in the middle of nowhere, newly engaged couple Brad and Janet encounter the eerie mansion of the flamboyant, seductive Dr. Frank-N-Furter and a variety of eccentric character

13

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre(1974)

7.4 IMDb84% RT91 Meta

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 arm

14

Phantom of the Paradise(1974)

7.3 IMDb82% RT67 Meta

Singer-songwriter Winslow Leach seeks revenge on the nefarious music producer Swan, who steals both Winslow's music and his favorite singer for the grand opening of Swan's new rock palace, the Paradis

15

House(1977)

7.2 IMDb90% RT75 Meta

Hoping to find a sense of connection to her late mother, Gorgeous takes a trip with her friends to visit her aunt's ancestral house in the countryside. The girls soon discover that there is more to th

16

Eraserhead(1977)

7.2 IMDb87% RT87 Meta

First-time father Henry Spencer tries to survive his industrial environment, his angry girlfriend, and the unbearable screams of his newly born mutant child.

17

The Bird with the Crystal Plumage(1970)

7.1 IMDb85% RT

An American writer living in Rome witnesses an attempted murder that is connected to an ongoing killing spree in the city and conducts his own investigation, despite he and his girlfriend being target

18

The House with Laughing Windows(1976)

7 IMDb

Stefano, a young restorer, is commissioned to save a controversial mural located in the church of a small, isolated village.

19

Don't Torture a Duckling(1972)

7 IMDb88% RT

A reporter and a promiscuous young woman try to solve a series of child killings in a remote southern Italian town rife with superstition and a distrust of outsiders.

20

The Psychic(1977)

6.8 IMDb100% RT

A woman with psychic powers has a vision of a murder that took place in a house owned by her husband.

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