If shows like Stranger Things have proven anything, it's that nostalgia is one of the most powerful forces in popular culture, especially when it comes to horror. While the '80s is certainly the vogue decade to call back to now, plenty of modern horror movies have drawn their inspiration from the 1970s.
From grindhouse chillers like House of 1000 Corpses, to slick remakes like Suspiria, the 1970s style is a popular motif for many modern filmmakers to emulate in the horror genre. Though there are many great horror flicks set in the groovy '70s, only a select few truly captured the tone and style of the far out decade.
We Are Still Here (2015)
Pinning down the 1970s style is tricky, and it often goes beyond simply putting the actors in wigs and clothes that mimic the time period. We Are Still Here is the story of unsuspecting people who are lured to a strange house in New England, that threatens to consume them as part of a supernatural sacrifice.
What We Are Still Here does right is capture the eerie mood of many of the 1970s most notorious supernatural films. By limiting its scope, the film allows for the viewer to get sucked into the small world of the film and there is a creepy claustrophobia to the experience. Also, the film's special effects add a dash of terror and would fight right into a 1970s movie.
The Editor (2014)
The Giallo sub-genre of Italian horror was all the rage in the 1970s, and it helped to influence the cinema of the period. The Editor attempts to recapture the magic of Giallo when it tells the story of a lonely film editor who becomes the suspect of a series of grisly slayings involving the actors from the films he is working on.
Hitting its marks to a tee, The Editor feels right at home amongst some of the best Giallo films of all time. Hyper-stylized to the extreme, the film is not only a love letter to the genre, but a clever parody as well. While it is a parody of sorts, it also delivers enough chills to keep any horror hound occupied throughout.
House Of 1000 Corpses (2003)
Taking a page from some of the most influential Drive-In movies of all time, House of 1000 Corpses is practically dripping with 1970s sleaze. Directed by rocker Rob Zombie, the film chronicles a group of young people who find themselves the guests of the nefarious Firefly family in their secluded farmhouse.
Rob Zombie not only pays homage to the '70s in his debut feature, but he also managed to create a film that would have fit right in at a late-70s Drive-In. The movie is gory and strange, and the filmmaking techniques often mimic the low-budget style of films like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. What's most riveting about the film though, is that it manages to create unique characters that have become pop culture staples.
Knife + Heart (2018)
The cinema of the 1970s was edgy and strange, and often focused on the seedier sides of society. Knife + Heart is the story of a struggling adult film producer who, in a fit of desperation, attempts to make the most ambitious film of her career. Unfortunately for her, the death of her lead actor puts her at the center of the investigation.
Making nods to Giallo, and the other '70s slasher flicks, Knife + Heart feels timeless and very much rooted in its time period at the same time. Though it is set in Paris, the gritty streets and clubs of the film are reminiscent of the New York City of days gone by, and there is a neon griminess to every scene. Though it isn't necessarily the scariest film, it has a style and tone that sticks with the audience long after it's over.
The Love Witch (2016)
Though the late 1970s is usually the defining stretch of the decade, The Love Witch attempted to capture the earlier films of the era. The film follows a modern day witch as she uses her magic to wrangle, and eventually get rid of, a series of men who strike her fancy.
It is almost impossible to tell that the film was made in the modern day, and not a single detail was spared when transporting the audience back to the early '70s. Part black comedy, and part horror, The Love Witch is often recognized as one of the best female directed horror films of the 2010s.
X (2022)
X is a rare movie that shows that it is possible to do a lot with a film, while also being a throwback to the aesthetics of an earlier period. The movie follows a group of young people who stay in a rural cabin in hopes to shoot their newest adult film. However, when the owner of the property figures out what they are doing, bizarre events occur.
The film feels very familiar for the seasoned horror vet, but it very quickly finds a way to defy expectations again and again. Even though it devolves into a slasher story, X makes a lot of commentary about sexuality and aging in society, while also being intensely horrifying. Also, the film is a stylistic match for the time period, and doesn't miss a beat when resurrecting the '70s.
The Devil's Rejects (2005)
After shocking the world with his debut feature, Rob Zombie returned to the realm of horror with The Devil's Rejects. Following the further exploits of the Firefly family, the movie chronicles their flight from the law and a ruthless sheriff who will do anything to bring them in.
Incorporating elements of other grindhouse films from the '70s, Zombie expanded his palate when making The Devil's Rejects. Stylistically speaking, the film is a spot-on recreation of its time period, and uses the art of filmmaking in very much the same way it was used in the '70s. Though it is scary, the film is also a tense crime thriller that has elements of Zombie's trademarked humor as well.
Suspiria (2018)
Remaking one of the scariest horror films of the 1970s was a daunting task, but Suspiria's ambitiousness is what put it over the top. Learning at a prestigious European dance school, the denizens of the academy begin to succumb to strange and nightmarish events that swirl all around them.
While the original was a Giallo masterpiece, the remake blazes its own trail and draws inspiration from films like Possession. Aesthetically, the film captures the grittiness of 1970s cinema, while giving the filmmaking a modern twist. Unlike most remakes which merely copy, Suspiria attempts to surpass its predecessor with its own tone and style.
Frailty (2001)
Sometimes, subtlety is best when paying homage to a decade of film, and Frailty doesn't do too much to over establish its time period. The film follows a mysterious man who enters an FBI field office and recounts his life, including details about his religious fanatic father who insisted that he go out into the world and destroy people who were demons.
Following the war in Vietnam and the rising tide of violence in the country, the 1970s seemed like the end of days. Frailty sets its story in that time period and captures some of the paranoia that was reflected in many of the films of the era.
The Conjuring (2013)
The true story of Ed and Lorraine Warren had an indelible effect on 1970s popular culture, and The Conjuring attempted to put an over-the-top twist on their adventures. The film follows the aforementioned couple as they attempt to help a family with whatever supernatural force is haunting their home.
The big-budget film goes a long way in establishing its decade, and the costumes and makeup is top dollar. What really helps the film shine though, is its dedication to the 1970s filmmaking aesthetic, and its creepy story which builds slowly as the film progresses.