Any decade of horror could be regarded as a seminal time for the genre, such is the consistently excellent output it has brought audiences over time. However, if you had to name one era that introduced horror fans to great auteurs, lasting franchises, and superbly gory scenes, it was the 1970s. It was a breeding ground for talented filmmakers and was able to produce extreme content, just before the UK’s “video nasty” era of the early 1980s almost derailed it.
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Horror movies from the 1970s deserve more love, and they benefited from the American censors becoming more lenient towards violent imagery. This resulted in creative filmmakers going all out to produce features that pushed the boundaries of cinema censorship. When you look over the must-see movies of 1970s horror filmmaking, you’ll find that many of the wonderful films are surprisingly gory, and reached new heights of depravity for the time.
10 Martin (1978)
Directed By George A. Romero
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Although the legendary George A. Romero was best known for the groundbreaking Living Dead series, some of his earlier work proved as gruesome and gory as his Zombie features. An excellent example is Romero’s 1978 vampire flick, Martin.
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The title may seem innocent and somewhat innocuous, but the movie features some seriously gory moments. Perhaps the most surprising element of Martin is that it has been a largely overlooked gem from an era with more obvious horror classics. Its focus on the titular teenager is fascinating.
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Martin
Martin is a 1976 horror film directed by George A. Romero. It follows a young man, who believes he is a vampire, as he struggles with his blood-craving urges while living with his elderly cousin in a small Pennsylvania town. The film examines themes of identity and isolation.
Director George A. Romero Release Date July 7, 1978 Cast Christine Forrest , Lincoln Maazel , John Amplas Runtime 95 minutes
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At first, you’re not sure if he’s just an emotionally stunted teen, full of angst and with a burning desire to find an outlet for it. The kills, when they arrive, come as a shock, and while they aren’t quite as gory as Romero’s more famous work, they deliver a chilling jolt nonetheless.
9 A Bay Of Blood (1971)
Directed By Mario Bava
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Some horror movies from the 1970s promised a certain level of bloodshed from their title alone. The true story that inspired The Texas Chainsaw Massacre suggested that the movie would be a bloodbath, but it actually turned out to be more disturbing than bloody.
The movie is regarded as one of the first slasher films.
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One movie that stuck to its gory premise, albeit in a series of surprising ways, was Mario Bava’s 1971 slasher, A Bay of Blood. The movie is regarded as one of the first slasher films, with its setting near a large body of water, surrounded by woods evoking later franchise classics such as Friday the 13th, hinting at the carnage to come.
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A Bay of Blood
A Bay of Blood is a 1971 Italian horror film directed by Mario Bava. It is known for its complex narrative involving a series of brutal murders revolving around the inheritance of a secluded bay. The film has been highly influential in the slasher genre, often cited for its explicit violence and innovative camera work.
It’s refreshing to look back on a movie that lives up to the bloody promise in the title, and while some of the kills may seem tame compared to later slasher entries, this Italian movie proves that gory excess can still come as a shock.
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8 Driller Killer (1979)
Directed By Abel Ferrara
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In the early part of the 1980s, the UK took a heavy stance on a series of horror movies that were deemed too shocking for public consumption, leading to the famous “video nasty” era that followed. However, a lot of the video nasties are now considered to be classics, especially one that promises much from its provocative title alone; The Driller Killer by the great Abel Ferrara.
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The Driller Killer
The Driller Killer (1979) is a horror film directed by and starring Abel Ferrara. It follows a struggling artist in New York City who descends into madness, leading him to commit violent acts with a power drill. The film is noted for its gritty depiction of urban decay and psychological unraveling.
Director Abel Ferrara Release Date June 15, 1979 Cast Abel Ferrara , Carolyn Marz , Baybi Day , Harry Schultz , Alan Wynroth , Maria Helhoski , James O’Hara , Richard Howorth Runtime 96 Minutes
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Despite being released in the US with an R-rating, The Driller Killer made the infamous list in the UK, and while the movie isn’t as gory as you’d expect from the title, it still delivers some surprisingly brutal moments. The movie received numerous complaints following its VHS release in 1982, which showed a drill being driven through a man’s skull. Although the bloodshed in the movie doesn’t look too grisly now, its moments of violence shocked audiences in the late 70s.
7 Blood Sucking Freaks (1976)
Directed By Joel M. Reed
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The plot of Blood Sucking Freaks follows a sadistic theater director, called Sardu, who tortures women and forces them into demeaning acts of sexual slavery as part of his shows. It was met with derision from critics at the time of release in 1976, who lamented the movie for being too gross-out.
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Looking back on the film, the most surprising element of it is how it gleefully embraces its exploitation roots. Interestingly, the film was re-titled several times; from Sardu: Master of the Screaming Virgins, to The Incredible Torture Show, to Troma Entertainment eventually rebranding it as Blood Sucking Freaks.
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It’s essential viewing if you like over-the-top gore, plus there were real-life tragedies linked to the film, due to the accidental deaths that Blood Sucking Freaks became associated with. The grotesque film provides gross-out moments that are as surprising as they are sadistic.
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6 Suspiria (1977)
Directed By Dario Argento
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One of the most influential horror directors of all time is Dario Argento. The Italian-born auteur is best known for creating movies with melancholic imagery, and also for pioneering the historic Giallo mystery genre. Argento has created some of the best horror movies of the 70s, with the influential Suspiria a superb example of graphic horror filmmaking.
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Suspiria R
Suspiria, directed by Dario Argento, is a horror film set in a prestigious German ballet academy. The story follows American dancer Suzy Bannion, played by Jessica Harper, as she uncovers the academy’s dark and supernatural secrets. The film is renowned for its striking visuals, stylistic cinematography, and haunting score by the band Goblin.
Director Dario Argento Release Date August 12, 1977 Cast Jessica Harper , Stefania Casini , Flavio Bucci , Miguel Bosé , Barbara Magnolfi , Susanna Javicoli , Eva Axén , Alida Valli Runtime 92 Minutes
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Suspiria is the first film in The Three Mothers trilogy and follows a German ballet school that acts as a front for a series of increasingly grisly murders. Argento’s movie revels in the supernatural scare it conjures up, with the relenting violence often arriving at shocking intervals. People are stabbed through the heart, throats are ripped out, and among the slicing and dicing is a surprisingly brutal tale that ends in flames.
5 Zombie (1979)
Directed By Lucio Fulci
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Another movie that fell foul of the UK censors, and was subsequently labeled as one of the “video nasties”, is Lucio Fulci’s Zombie Flesh Eaters, or as it has also been known Zombie, and Zombi 2. The film is nowhere near as controversial as the UK censors would have claimed upon release.
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However, that’s not to say it doesn’t offer some surprising carnage. In one scene, a zombie takes a bite out of a surprised-looking shark, while another graphically depicts a woman’s eyeball being pierced by a shard of glass.
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Zombie Flesh Eaters R
Zombie Flesh Eaters, directed by Lucio Fulci, is a horror film set on the Caribbean island of Matul. It follows Anne and reporter Peter West as they seek Anne’s missing father amidst an outbreak of cannibal zombies, while Dr. David Menard attempts to understand and contain the undead threat.
Director Lucio Fulci Release Date August 25, 1979 Cast Ian McCulloch , Tisa Farrow , Richard Johnson , Olga Karlatos , Al Cliver , Auretta Gay , Stefania D’Amario , Ugo Bologna , Omero Capanna , Lucio Fulci , Franco Fantasia , Captain Haggerty , Ottaviano Dell’Acqua , Dakar , Leo Gavero , Leslie Thomas , James Sampson Runtime 91 minutes Expand
This was the scene that initially had the censors up in arms, and although it does offer some shocking imagery, it’s quite tame for today’s standards. Especially considering the brutality and gore in the Terrifier series. Ultimately, however, Fulci’s movie offers some wonderfully macabre imagery in its zombie infestation.
4 Carrie (1976)
Directed By Brian De Palma
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One of the most talented directors whose work has spanned several decades is the great Brian De Palma. His filmmaking CV includes classic thrillers such as 1980’s Dressed to Kill and Body Double from 1984.
However, his most influential movie, Carrie, has not only formed a lasting legacy within popular culture, it also offered some serious shock value when it was first released. The movie is rightly considered a masterpiece, and the fact that Carrie still holds up today is a testament to De Palmas’ skill as a director.
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8.5/10 Carrie R
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Carrie is a horror film directed by Brian De Palma, based on Stephen King’s novel. It stars Sissy Spacek as Carrie White, a shy high school student who discovers her telekinetic abilities. Tormented by her peers and controlled by her fanatically religious mother, played by Piper Laurie, the film follows Carrie’s emotional and psychological struggles leading to a dramatic climax. Carrie solidified its place in the horror genre for its powerful performances and chilling atmosphere.
Director Brian De Palma Release Date November 16, 1976 Cast Sissy Spacek , Piper Laurie , Amy Irving , John Travolta , William Katt Runtime 98 Minutes
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The story of a teen girl with telekinetic powers shocked audiences in 1976 by unleashing Carrie and her rage in a terrific, split-screen, finale. The prom scene is rightly considered to be one of horror cinema’s most iconic images, but it’s also Carrie’s fractured relationship with her mother that shocked audiences. Plus, the movie knows how to end with a perfect jump scare.
3 Dawn Of The Dead (1978)
Directed By George A. Romero
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George A. Romero’s zombie classic, Dawn of the Dead changed the genre. The movie is such an influential piece of genre filmmaking that not only did it inspire a very good remake by Zack Snyder in 2004, but it also surprised audiences in 1978 with its relentless gore.
The movie is such an influential piece of genre filmmaking that not only did it inspire a very good remake by Zack Snyder in 2004, but it also surprised audiences in 1978 with its relentless gore.
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The less said about some of the make-up, however, the better. George A. Romero ultimately created a living dead universe that featured numerous sequels to his 1968 classic, Night of the Living Dead. However, Dawn of the Dead is his best zombie movie.
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7/10 7/10 Dawn of the Dead 18+
George A. Romero’s horror classic Dawn of the Dead follows on from Night of the Living Dead. Expanding upon Romero’s zombies, Dawn of the Dead redefined the horror genre for a generation. It follows a group of survivors as they make camp in a shopping mall, clearing the zombies in order to scavenge supplies and fortify their position in an increasingly hostile world.
Director George Romero Release Date May 24, 1979 Runtime 127 minutes
Its shopping mall set action allows for the increasingly claustrophobic action to take center stage. Audiences would have been expecting more carnage than the 1968 original had, but there was serious shock value on-screen with human flesh being torn apart relentlessly.
2 Jaws (1975)
Directed By Steven Spielberg
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One of the most surprisingly gory horror movies, that was released as a PG in the US in 1975, is Jaws. The all-time classic by the great Steven Spielberg is one of the best, and most influential movies of all time, and not just in the horror genre.
Jaws
has a Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score of 97%.
Jaws is a highly re-watchable thriller with family drama, and themes of friendship at the center of its narrative. The movie is also one of the most surprisingly gory films ever to have been released with such a lenient age rating.
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10/10 19 9.3/10 Jaws PG-13
Steven Spielberg’s legendary tale of one man’s desperate battle with a killer Great White shark on his small seaside community. Faced with a mounting list of victims and a local authority dead-set against causing panic or destroying the tourist economy, he assembles a team to tackle the shark head-on.
Director Steven Spielberg Release Date June 18, 1975 Cast Roy Scheider , Robert Shaw , Richard Dreyfuss , Lorraine Gary , Murray Hamilton , Carl Gottlieb Runtime 124 minutes
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Some of the shark attack scenes arrive with blood gushing from the water, and there are also torn-off limbs, people being eaten alive, and one of the best jump scares in the history of cinema in an underwater sequence. Jaws is simply wonderful filmmaking, and it’s a testament to Spielberg’s influence that the censors allowed it to pass through unscathed.
1 Alien (1979)
Directed By Ridley Scott
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English-born director Ridley Scott has enjoyed a glittering career that has spanned several decades. One of his most successful movies, which has spawned many sequels, prequels, and tie-ins, is the science fiction classic Alien from 1979. A more cynical approach to the Star Wars mania that started in 1977, Alien is a beautiful combination of horror and sci-fi.
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Related Every Death In 1979’s Alien, Ranked By Goriness
From Dallas getting mauled to Parker getting impaled, the deaths in 1979’s Alien — especially those at the hands of the xenomorph — are horribly gory.
There is no doubting the legacy the movie has left, but when it was released in 1979, it proved to be one of the most shocking, and surprising monster movies for not just audiences, but also for the main cast during one pivotal scene.
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10/10 10/10 Alien R
Alien, directed by Ridley Scott, is a science fiction horror film that follows the crew of the commercial spacecraft Nostromo. Upon investigating a distress signal on a distant moon, they discover a deadly extraterrestrial lifeform. The film stars Sigourney Weaver as Ripley and became a seminal work in both the sci-fi and horror genres, known for its atmospheric tension and groundbreaking visual effects.
Director Ridley Scott Release Date June 22, 1979 Cast Sigourney Weaver , Tom Skerritt , John Hurt , Veronica Cartwright , Harry Dean Stanton , Ian Holm , Yaphet Kotto , Bolaji Badejo Runtime 117 Minutes
The moment when a baby alien bursts through John Hurt’s chest after he’s impregnated by a Face Hugger is such a shocking moment of splattering body horror, the reaction on the faces of the cast in the scene was genuine.
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