The ’70s were a golden age forhorror, giving rise to many of the archetypal genre forms that we’ve become overly familiar with — from slashers and final girls to possessions and hauntings. Subversion was not yet the norm, and scares were still being delivered on the premises alone. So much of what we know to be the expected shape of a horror film was cemented by the ’70s wave of horror. Franchises likeHalloweenandTheTexas Chain Saw Massacrewere started in this decade, forever changing and shaping the genre for not only years but decades to come. Outside of America, and the start of its slasher renaissance even, there was a boom of a new, somewhat similar genre brewing in Europe:Giallo. The blood-soaked, black-gloved murder mysteries of Dario Argento and Lucio Fulci (among many others) would change horror for the rest of time.
Even still, the ’70s contain some horror films that are even better than those that get constant praise. There’s a wholeworld of low-budget, B-picturesthat defined the underground cinema of the decade and have continued to excite and terrify audiences for decades since — although their audiences have never been as big asThe Amityville Horror. So, in the pursuit of highlighting some of these under-seen films, here is a list of the most underrated ’70s horror films that deserve way more love than they get.
Updated on July 09, 2025, by Soniya Hinduja:This article has been updated with additional content to keep the discussion fresh and relevant with even more information and new entries.
15Let’s Scare Jessica to Death (1971)
Let’s Scare Jessica To Deathis one of thosedon’t-judge-a-movie-by-its-title sort of films, but it turns out that the horror enthusiasts of the ’70s did just that and were unimpressed by what it promised. Melancholy and creepy in aesthetic, the movie follows a recently released mental patient moving to rural New England for a fresh start with her husband and their friend. However, soon after her arrival, she realizes that the home is already occupied by someone who may be a vampire. But knowing herself, Jessica cannot decide if this is real or if she’s starting to descend into madness once again.
The film has dreamlike sequences that enhance the paranoia of Jessica’s situation. Moreover, even though we’re not sure if the vampire is real, the ambiguity sends chills down the spine. Now that the vampire trope is properly in business, it is the perfect time to resurrect this ’70s horror gem.
14Dracula (1979)
Amongthe dozen renditions of the monster, few manage to get the praise they deserve. WithNosferatuandBram Stoker’s Draculastealing the spotlight, 1979’sDraculahas flown under the radar. Directed by John Badham, the movie’s premise isn’t creative but the execution is seductively terrifying. It follows Count Dracula, the only survivor of a shipwreck on the coast of Whitby, arriving in England and meeting Mina Van Helsing. One chance encounter leads to another and he seamlessly instills himself in the life of Mina and her friend, Lucy.
When Mina is found dead, her father, Prof. Van Helsing, holds Count Dracula under suspicion. The gorgeous set design and Gothic atmosphere immediately immerse us in the sugarcoated dread. Plus, Frank Langella plays the titular character with a dreamy and intoxicating energy which allows for a fresh and chilling take on the vampire genre.
13Theater of Blood (1973)
Imagine an actor so unhappy with receiving bad reviews that he goes on a murder spree to punish every critic who wrote those things about him. Well, that’s somewhat the premise ofTheater of Blood. Gleefully scary and filled with dark humor, the film adds a Shakespearean flair to the popular genre by telling a tale of stage actor Edward Lionheart. Apparently, after giving his blood and sweat to the stage and working on several plays, Lionheart still hasn’t won any awards thanks to the critics who panned him for using repetitive acting methods.
This makes him vengeful, and he murders them one by one. With the body count escalating, Lionheart finally stops at Peregrine Devlin, the head critic, and gives him another chance to change his verdict about the award. Vincent Pricesavors his role of the delicious villain, showcasing his self-aware British humor while still creating a tonal balance in terms of horror.
12Sisters (1972)
Brian De Palma has always thrivedin the creative liberty provided by the horror genre. His career has spanned 50 years, and in that time, his most notable works have been suspense thrillers and psychological dramas.Sistersis a feverish shocker from the director and a criminally overlooked one. It follows a journalist named Grace Collier who is thrown back after witnessing a murder at the hands of her neighbor and fashion model Danielle Breton. Upon closer investigation, he learns that Danielle has a twin sister.
When the police give up on the case, Grace takes matters into her own hands and gets embroiled in a nail-biting suspense with unexpected plot twists. With that killer score and creepy set pieces, the film creates the kind of atmosphere that is necessary. But what’s so phenomenal is the unhinged performance by Margot Kidder, who embodies the perfect “dangerous women of ‘70s horror” archetype.
11Tales from the Crypt (1972)
Directed by Freddie Francis,Tales from the Cryptis an anthology film divided into five separate segments, each devious and dark. Five tourists forget their way out of the maze that is the ancient catacombs and end up being introduced to the legendary Crypt Keeper, who unleashes their gruesome fates upon them. Each of these characters is either greedy or morally corrupt or on the verge of sinning, and it turns out that if the Crypt Keeper’s yarns do turn true, they will meet their delightfully scary deaths.
Campy, twisted, and overall fun, the movie is adapted from the stories written by Al Feldstein, Johnny Craig, and Bill Gaines, and it is one of the many Amicus horror films produced during the decade. It also features a star-studded cast that includes Joan Collins, Peter Cushing, Chloe Franks, and Ralph Richardson, who plays the Crypt Keeper.
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10Tourist Trap
Suddenly popping on the lists of horror fanatics and film freaks alike, 1979’s little-seen but impression-leavingTourist Traphas grown a sizable reputation. The bizarro, supernatural slasher was originally pitched to John Carpenter when written by co-screenwriters David Schmoeller and J. Larry Carroll, but would end up being directed by Schmoeller. What resulted is one of the strangest and sleaziest slashers of its class, with gonzo energy and relentless humor that makes even the most depraved moments easy to swallow.
Ask any horror fan aboutTourist Trap, and you’ll be greeted by a wave of huge enthusiasm. It’s one of those hidden gems of the 70s that only the people in the know would recommend. The beauty of our current media landscape is that a film likeTourist Trapis open and more available for all than ever before.Tourist Trapcenters on a group of young people who stumble upon a roadside attraction and are subjected to the whims of a supernatural serial killer who begins to kill them off one by one.
9The Brood
One of David Cronenberg’s deep cuts (but fan favorites), 1979’sThe Broodmight be some of the best body horror put to screen by the master of the genre himself. While not as gross-out as his work onThe Flyand not nearly as psychosexual as something likeVideodrome,The Broodputs the supernatural into a mix of murder mystery, family drama, and psychological turmoil. Like anything that Cronenberg does, this film is in conversation with the idea of losing what makes you human, which is one of the more terrifying proclamations any film can make.
The Broodfollows a man (Oliver Reed) and his mentally ill ex-wife (Samantha Eggar), whom he discovers is being subjected to controversial, and potentially dangerous, techniques by her elusive psychiatrist. Written by Cronenberg after a nasty divorce from his then-wife,The Broodfunctions as a meditation on the feelings of loss and longing that come from a splintering family. Much more than just a spooky movie-maker, Cronenberg’s films always surprise in how they manage to work their way under your skin, andThe Broodis no exception.
8The Crazies
Coming from the legendary mind of horror impresario George A. Romero,The Craziesmight be the most underrated film from the unbelievably celebrated horror director. While he might be known for revolutionizing and defining the zombie genre for the rest of time, Romero has a significant career outside his contributions to the zombie archetype.The Craziesis one of those, and it may just be one of his best films. As residents of a small American town become afflicted by an unknown sickness, a military invasion and quarantine take place that sends their whole world into a tailspin.
Featuring strong performances from the principal cast of Lane Carroll, Will McMillan, and Harold Wayne Jones, the real strength of the film comes in the form of Romero’s direction. He rarely gets enough credit for how impressive and reserved his camera work can be, especially when it comes to the revelation or reservation of information.The Craziesis an example of how deft Romero truly was outside the contributions to the horror genre that everyone is familiar with. Not only is the 1973 original a fantastic and underrated horror film, but it has grown to be even more relevant with the passage of time and recent events.
7The Driller Killer
Potentially one of the most down-and-dirty pictures that was ever born out of the late-70s exploitation boom, Abel Ferrara’s grunge masterpieceThe Driller Killeris certainly under-represented in discussions of the ’70s horror film canon. Blood-soaked, depraved sexually, and preying upon the fear of the nascent “golden age of serial killers” happening in its cultural climate, there are few films that feel as wrong to view as this: but therein lies its power.The Driller Killercapitalizes on so much of the (at the time) present anxieties of being a young, creative person and channels them into something that is as purposeful as it is wholly depraved.
When struggling artist (played by Abel Ferrara himself) Reno reaches the end of his rope, he grabs a power drill and turns his stress into release by murdering transients and derelicts in his neighborhood of Union Square. Everything that would become a necessary facet of Ferrara’s career — Catholic imagery, explicit homoeroticism, eclectic and almost nonsensical soundtracks, and a naturalistic on-location ethos — and it all coalesces into something truly special, if not incredibly disquieting.The Driller Killeris one of those cult objects that feels like the product of something truly evil, but it should be recognized for how hard it commits to its depravity and what it does with that evil energy.
6A Bay of Blood
Mario Bava is one of the most well-regarded and important Italian horror directors of all time, but even he seems to get passed over by the more casual horror fans. For anyone who hasn’t dived headlong into the deep pit of genre filmmaking that is theGiallosubgenre, allowA Bay of Bloodto serve as your introduction. The Italian slasher equivalent dominated much of the ’70s and ’80s, with its signature neon lighting, creeping camerawork, and black-gloved killers.A Bay of Bloodis one of the more violent progenitors of this style, as it’s regarded as Bava’s most bloody and outwardly aggressive picture. The caveat to keep in mind here is that giallo films, while generally pretty upsetting, are insanely heightened: often dealing in the real world, but presenting it as this more real-than-reality facsimile of harsh colored lights and quick cuts.
A Bay of Bloodfollows several hippies visiting a remote town in and around a string of murders taking place in the bay of said town, spurred on by the brutal murder of Countess Frederica Donati. As the Countess’s family members start to grow angry and commit more and more crimes, the gang of hippies must survive to see the sunrise. It’s a decidedly American-esque slasher premise that is coated in Giallo DNA from the very first frame, which makes it all the more enticing of a picture.
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