It should be noted that every year will ultimately see horror movies - good and bad - released. It's one of the most popular and reliable genres, seeing as unlike say the musical, Western, or epic genres, it's never seemed to come and go, or rise and fall in popularity depending on the decade. People have always enjoyed being scared at the movies, and will undoubtedly continue to seek out scary films into the foreseeable future and beyond.
That being said, not all individual years are created equal, and some will see more noteworthy horror releases than others. Looking over all the various years since the invention of the motion picture, few seem quite as strong for the horror genre as 1977. It was a year that saw the release of popular horror hits, cult classics, and also some weirder stuff that's well worth viewing for curious horror movie fans. What follows are some of the titles that showcase how good 1977 was for horror movies.
10 'Suspiria'
It'd be strange to find a fan of old-school horror movies who hadn't at least heard of Dario Argento. He's perhaps the most famous Italian filmmaker who specializes in horror, and is particularly tied to the Giallo sub-genre. Of all his films (many of which are deserved cult classics), his best-known would likely be 1977's Suspiria.
It follows a young woman who joins a prestigious ballet school in Germany, only to find almost immediately that something seems off. As the film goes on, the supernatural elements become more and more pronounced, with everything building to an explosively off-the-wall finale. It's stylish, colorful, fun, and eerie, and features an incredible score by the Italian progressive rock band Goblin.
9 'The Hills Have Eyes'
Loosely based on a grisly true story, The Hills Have Eyes is one of those rare horror movies that's remained unnerving despite its age. It follows a family traveling through the countryside, only to be unlucky enough to have their car break down in an era before cell phones. Given this is a horror movie, it's not long before they start to be stalked and attacked by a group of cannibals.
For a Wes Craven movie, it's admittedly not one of his very best, lacking the kind of cleverness and creativity that defines his best movies (like the Nightmare on Elm Street and Scream movies he did). Still, for those who don't mind their horror movies blunt, violent, and straight to the point, this one does deliver.
8 'Alucarda'
A Mexican horror movie with a title that seems to allude to Dracula, Alucarda is a wild and very strange ride. It follows two young women (some plot summaries will tell you one of these is an imaginary friend?) who get mixed up in a cult. And not that real-life cults are good by any means, but cults in horror movies tend to be nothing but bad news.
It works wonders with what looked like a low budget, delivering plenty of over-the-top violence, very large performances, and creative sets and locations. It runs for less than 80 minutes, so never drags to the point of wearing out its welcome, and will appeal to horror movie fans who don't mind it when horror crosses over into the sleazy exploitation genre, too.
7 'Eraserhead'
Horror movies don't get much stranger or more experimental than David Lynch's Eraserhead. This movie seems to take place in some other reality altogether, and is an obscure, off-putting, and frequently uncomfortable film about the terrors of parenthood and, maybe more broadly, the struggles of trying to survive in what feels like a harsh world while you're still a young adult.
It's probably best suited to horror movie fans who aren't afraid of horror getting particularly weird, though it is also quite popular despite its strangeness. Whether you "enjoy" it or not, the fact remains that it is unique and proves incredibly hard to forget, signifying that for better or worse, it's a super effective horror movie.
6 'Rabid'
-1.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1500&dpr=1.5)
In the 1970s, David Cronenberg was just starting out as a horror filmmaker and still finding his voice, to some extent. That's resulted in early movies of his like Rabid being not quite as complete or satisfying as some of his best-known horror movies, but for fans of the genre and/or of Cronenberg, it's certainly worth checking out.
It follows a young woman who gets some experimental plastic surgery after an accident, with the procedure giving her a taste for human blood. She begins biting people, and it causes what effectively becomes a zombie outbreak. It's very rough around the edges, and doesn't feel that coherent, but it delivers some horror-related thrills and is certainly watchable, considering it's one of Cronenberg's earliest efforts.
5 'Murder to the Tune of the Seven Black Notes'
Fans of Quentin Tarantino will know that the filmmaker likes to reuse old movie scores and reference older movies in his own films. Murder to the Tune of the Seven Black Notes (sometimes titled the much more boring "The Psychic") is one such movie he's referenced, with the film's memorable theme showing up during one particularly violent (and sort of horror-influenced) scene in Kill Bill Vol. 1.
Murder to the Tune of the Seven Black Notes was directed by famed Italian horror director Lucio Fulci, and is less bloodthirsty - and more of a slow-burn - than many of his other movies. It presents an engaging central murder mystery given a nice twist thanks to the protagonist's apparent psychic powers, and though it takes its time throughout, it's worth it for the neat ending.
4 'House'
House is one of the most wonderfully weird horror movies of the 1970s, or maybe even of all time. Its style, unusual editing choices, and presentation are what make it so strange because, on the surface, the plot is another story about a group of young people going to stay in a house that just so happens to be haunted.
It's the most well-known film directed by famed Japanese filmmaker Nobuhiko Obayashi, and also one of his best. The less said about it, the better, because it's best to be surprised by a movie like House. Also: so much of what happens is genuinely difficult to comprehend, let alone explain with mere words.
3 'Petey Wheatstraw'
Part of the 1970s Blaxploitation movement - and a film that stands alongside the more well-known Blacula from 1972 - Petey Wheatstraw has a horror movie premise, but is much more of a comedy/action movie. Still, even if it's not the kind of horror movie that intends to scare, it makes up for it by being very entertaining.
It follows a comedian/martial artist who's forced to become the devil's son-in-law after the devil resurrects him following a violent demise. It's very low-budget, very silly, and consistently also very funny, making for a good time for those who like low-budget schlock that doesn't take itself seriously.
2 'Curse of the Dog God'
Curse of the Dog God is also sometimes known simply as "Curse," but the former title is far more appealing and memorable than the latter. It's a supernatural horror film with an unfortunately convoluted plot, mostly revolving around a rural town, a mining company that wants the land, and a curse that seems to impact multiple characters throughout the film.
It's all a bit of a mess, with a few too many characters in general, and a bunch of plot threads that don't entirely come together. However, when it focuses on just the horror stuff, it's a good deal of fun. The final 10 to 15 minutes is particularly good, with the filmmakers seemingly giving up on having any sort of grounded drama, and going for broke with all the horror and fantasy elements. It feels a little too late perhaps to fully redeem everything that came before, but at least it ends things on a high.
1 'Death Bed: The Bed That Eats'
If you look at the title Death Bed: The Bed That Eats, and that sounds like exactly the kind of movie you'd want to watch, then you should, by all means, watch Death Bed: The Bed That Eats. If that title is just a little too stupid for you, then avoid Death Bed: The Bed That Eats, because the film itself won't likely win you over.
It's a very silly horror movie about a killer bed, and the way it hunts and consumes various people throughout its life in a haunted house. It's possibly meant to be funny - you'd assume so from the title at least. It's pretty shoddy from a technical perspective in any event, but those who like their horror movies goofy should have a blast.