Monster movies from the 1970s don’t necessarily fall into the horror genre, but they often involve some scares and thrilling elements to keep the audience engaged. Every decade has a different spin on what kind of creatures are most terrifying to audiences, as horror and monster movies typically reflect the cultural and social anxieties of the time. As technology and visual effects were evolving, the way monsters could be created for the screen was becoming more advanced, meaning audiences were shocked at how realistic some of these creatures looked when these films first premiered.
Creature features make up some of the best horror movies of the 1970s, and these films have come to define the 1970s as a decade. In the past, monster movies like King Kong or Creature From the Black Lagoon were considered pulpy B-movies. While plenty of genre films still fall into this category, contemporary monster movies have also transcended this idea and become blockbusters. However, one of the most endearing parts of films that use creatures as their main antagonist is that they’re often self-aware and lean into their campy elements for satirical moments.
10 Creature From Black Lake (1976)
Directed by Joy N. Houck Jr.
Though the 1976 film almost shares a name with the iconic Creature From the Black Lagoon, Creature From Black Lake is closer to a bigfoot story rather than a swamp monster tale. Following the story of a pair of college students, the film sees the young men travel to the American South from Chicago. They investigate a town that has been plagued by attacks from a sasquatch-like creature, soon getting caught up in the danger themselves. As they grow closer to the residents of the town and investigate further, the terror grows all the more real.
The visuals are one of the most memorable, even though the film has an ultra-low budget.
The visuals are one of the most memorable, even though the film has an ultra-low budget. The stylistic choices behind the camera work and cohesive aesthetic elevate it from other B-movies. In Creature From Black Lake, the creature doesn’t make too many appearances, and the causality rate of the story is relatively low. While the film isn’t the most terrifying monster movie, it’s a fun and more approachable part of the genre that revels in its own niche of horror.
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Creature From Black Lake (1976) |
N/A |
32% |
9 Trog (1970)
Directed by Freddie Francis
Joan Crawford stars in Trog, a movie that perfectly blends sci-fi and horror, even if the results are slightly cheesy. The film takes its name from the term troglodyte, which is a prehistoric humanoid that the characters encounter in the movie. Crawford’s character, Dr. Brockton, finds a troglodyte man still living in a cave and brings him to her lab to study him and teach him about civilization. It doesn’t take long for the residents of the town nearby to grow suspicious of the creature and provoke him.
Trog takes on some aspects of social commentary, as Brockton’s position as a female head of a lab in the 1970s is met with attempts to undermine her authority by the men in the film. A modern spin on the Frankenstein tale, Trog has been largely forgotten about within Crawford’s filmography, but she’s easily the best part of the project. The moral of Trog is not that the troglodyte man was inherently dangerous but that society pushed him to be that way.
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Trog (1970) |
13% |
23% |
8 King Kong (1976)
Directed by John Guillermin
King Kong (1976) PGActionAdventure
King Kong (1976) is a remake of the classic monster film, directed by John Guillermin. The movie follows an ambitious filmmaker and his crew as they discover a giant ape on a remote island. Starring Jeff Bridges, Jessica Lange, and Charles Grodin, this adaptation explores the themes of beauty and the beast while showcasing groundbreaking special effects for its time. The film features the iconic scene atop the World Trade Center.
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*Availability in US Director John Guillermin Release Date December 17, 1976 Studio(s) Dino De Laurentiis Corporation Writers Lorenzo Semple Jr. Cast Jeff Bridges , Charles Grodin , Jessica Lange Runtime 134 Minutes Expand
The 1976 King Kong is part of the far-reaching King Kong franchise that began in 1933 with the original movie. While the 1976 iteration hasn’t been as influential within the monster genre, it still holds a significant place in the universe, especially because of its star-studded cast. Jessica Lange and Jeff Bridges star in the film as Dwan and Jack Prescott, an actress and paleontologist who find themselves aboard the ship heading for Kong’s island. Once they arrive there, the story unfolds similarly to the original work, with Dwan being captured by and taming Kong.
King Kong
falls more in line with action-adventure movies than a horror film when it comes to the plot and the way Kong is characterized.
There are aspects of King Kong that are undeniably dated, but the visual effects aren’t bad for 1976, and Bridges and Lange have a strong onscreen chemistry that is an anchor for the more outlandish moments in the story. King Kong falls more in line with action-adventure movies than a horror film when it comes to the plot and the way Kong is characterized. Though King Kong doesn’t push boundaries, it’s a fun watch that doesn’t try to be anything it’s not.
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King Kong (1976) |
55% |
31% |
Related 12 Classic Monsters Godzilla & Kong Can Fight In The Next Monsterverse Movie
Godzilla and Kong have put down some major threats in the Monsterverse, but there are still plenty of possible threats for them to take on together.
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7 Godzilla Vs. Mechagodzilla (1974)
Directed by Jun Fukuda
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla PGSci-FiActionAdventure
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla focuses on a ferocious battle between the iconic monster Godzilla and his mechanical counterpart, Mechagodzilla. Directed by Jun Fukuda and released in 1974, the film is a part of the expansive Godzilla franchise. As extraterrestrial forces threaten Earth using Mechagodzilla, humanity must find a way to assist Godzilla in repelling the mechanized menace.
Director Jun Fukuda Release Date March 21, 1974 Writers Jun Fukuda , Masami Fukushima , Shin’ichi Sekizawa , Hiroyasu Yamaura Cast Masaaki Daimon , Kazuya Aoyama , Reiko Tajima , Akihiko Hirata , Hiromi Matsushita , Hiroshi Koizumi , Masao Imafuku , Bellbella Lin Runtime 84 Minutes
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla is one of the best Godzilla moves for beginners and marks the first onscreen appearance of Mechagodzilla within the franchise. In the movie, Mechagodzilla goes on a terrorizing rampage and must be stopped by the real Godzilla, who faces him in battle. It’s discovered that Mechagodzilla is made of space metal and is an alien technology that’s being used to conquer Earth. The designs of Mechagodzilla and Godzilla in this project are memorable and have inspired contemporary characters and effects.
Though Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla isn’t the best-received of the Godzilla universe, it was an important step because of Mechagodzilla’s introduction and the act of Godzilla teaming up with others to defeat his foe. Additionally, bringing in the alien element opened the door for further innovation in later installments. The culminating fight between Godzilla and Mechagodzilla is as exciting as any other action sequence in the early films. Looking back on it today, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla is a campy and influential part of the Godzilla legacy.
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Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974) |
86% |
63% |
6 It’s Alive (1974)
Directed by Larry Cohen
Surprisingly emotionally resonant, It’s Alive is as much a tragedy as it is a horror film, as the monster in the movie is a newborn infant, hunted and brutalized because of the greed of others. After a mother gives birth to her second child, it’s born with terrifying features and immediately goes on a killing spree throughout the town. Most of the people involved immediately attempt to trap and kill the child, while its family tries to keep it safe and treat it as a scared creature in need of help.
There’s a long legacy surrounding horror movies that address anxiety about childbirth and parents not recognizing their children.
There’s a long legacy surrounding horror movies that address anxiety about childbirth and parents not recognizing their children. Movies like Rosemary’s Baby and others like it are early examples of the growing prevalence of contraception and the disinterest in the nuclear family in the U.S. being discussed in cinema. In It’s Alive, the birth control pills that the mother takes are what leads to the mutation of the infant, and this can be seen as a comment on the cultural opinion on corporate greed.
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It’s Alive (1974) |
67% |
40% |
5 Piranha (1978)
Directed by Joe Dante
Piranha RComedyHorrorSci-Fi
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*Availability in US Director Joe Dante Release Date August 3, 1978 Writers Richard Robinson , John Sayles Cast Bradford Dillman , Heather Menzies , kevin mccarthy , Keenan Wynn , Dick Miller , Barbara Steele Runtime 94 minutes
After the success of Jaws in 1975, it’s not surprising that many copycats emerged, including the 1978 B-movie Piranha. As the title suggests, Piranha wasn’t about sharks but the omnivorous fish piranhas, which aren’t typically as deadly as the movie suggests. However, the protagonist, Maggie (Heather Menzies), encounters a breed of piranha that has been mutated thanks to experimentation and is set loose in a small town, making its way to the ocean. It’s up to Maggie and her reluctant companion, Paul (Bradford Dillman), to stop them.
As time has progressed, Piranha has become a cult classic within the horror genre, as the film doesn’t take itself too seriously. Well aware of its limitations as a low-budget ripoff, Piranha leans into the campy elements and more outlandish moments in its script. The tongue-in-cheek tone of the narrative led to a 1982 sequel and several remakes that have cemented the Piranha franchise as one of the more successful B-horror movies of the period.
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Piranha (1978) |
72% |
52% |
4 Young Frankenstein (1974)
Directed by Mel Brooks
Young Frankenstein PGComedy
Directed by Mel Brooks, Young Frankenstein is a comedy that parodies Mary Shelley’s classic horror novel with Gene Wilder in the role of the infamous mad scientist’s grandson. Marty Feldman portrays Igor, Teri Garr plays Inga, Cloris Leachman plays the scary housekeeper Frau Blücher, and Peter Boyle gives life to the Monster.
Director Mel Brooks Release Date December 15, 1974 Studio(s) 20th Century Writers gene wilder , Mel Brooks Cast Marty Feldman , Cloris Leachman , Madeline Kahn , Peter Boyle , gene wilder Runtime 106 minutes Expand See at AmazonSee at Walmart
One of Mel Brooks’s masterpieces, Young Frankenstein, stars Gene Wilder as Frederick Frankenstein, a descendant of the original Dr. Frankenstein, who follows in his footsteps and creates life. Like all of Brooks’ films, Young Frankenstein is a satirical take on a classic genre, and the film takes on the legacy and influence of horror and monster movies throughout cinema history. As there had already been many incarnations of the Frankenstein narrative, it was doubly impressive that Young Frankenstein was so unforgettable.
Like any great pastiche,
Young Frankenstein
has the utmost respect and love for the original work and pokes fun at it without disrupting the integrity of the story.
Like any great pastiche, Young Frankenstein has the utmost respect and love for the original work and pokes fun at it without disrupting the integrity of the story. Shot in black-and-white and in the style of traditional 1930s horror movies, Young Frankenstein took a risk by using these visual techniques, but it paid off enormously. Young Frankenstein remains one of Brooks’s most beloved films and has aged well, making it worth rewatching today. It’s always refreshing when horror and comedy are brought together onscreen because they often go hand-in-hand.
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Young Frankenstein (1974) |
95% |
92% |
3 Dawn Of The Dead (1978)
Directed by George A. Romero
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7/10 Dawn of the Dead HorrorAction
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.
Release Date March 19, 2004 Studio(s) Universal Pictures Runtime 101 Minutes Franchise(s) Living Dead
As far as zombie movies go, the Night of the Living Dead Series is one of the most iconic, and Dawn of the Dead successfully expands upon the first film in the series. George A. Romero’s first movie, Night of the Living Dead, came out ten years earlier in 1968, but the follow-up feels just as fresh and urgent as if it was made only a few days later. A large part of what makes Dawn of the Dead stand apart is that it is in conversation with the relevant social issues and unrest of the late ’70s.
Set in a suburban mall, Dawn of the Dead takes on the consumerist mindset that had taken hold in the U.S. during this time and looks critically at racial and class dynamics. The gore and violence of Dawn of the Dead are different from the original tone of Night of the Living Dead, which relies more on suspense, but the shift in theme works for the franchise. Though the zombies are made to look different and more sinister than the humans, they’re still recognizable as people, making their actions even worse.
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Dawn of the Dead (1978) |
91% |
90% |
2 Alien (1979)
Directed by Ridley Scott
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10/10 Alien (1979) RSci-FiHorror
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.
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*Availability in US Director Ridley Scott Release Date June 22, 1979 Writers Dan O’Bannon , Ronald Shusett Cast Sigourney Weaver , Tom Skerritt , John Hurt , Veronica Cartwright , Harry Dean Stanton , Ian Holm , Yaphet Kotto , Bolaji Badejo Runtime 117 Minutes
Though the Alien franchise has exploded into a multi-film and crossover hit, the series owes everything to the first movie, Alien. Starring Sigourney Weaver as Ripley, the film catapulted Weaver to fame, as she is the anchor of the film and the most important character in the fight against the xenomorph. As far as character designs go, the xenomorph is well-crafted and is as visually intimidating as it is deadly. From its first moment onscreen, it’s clear that the xenomorph is stronger and more capable than anything else in the film.
Without
Alien
, one of the best movie monsters in science fiction wouldn’t exist.
The director, Ridley Scott, didn’t return to the Alien franchise until 2012, when he directed the prequel, Prometheus, but that didn’t stop the Alien universe from continuing to expand. Alien: Romulus, the latest installment, follows a similar formula as the other movies and owes a lot to the first film in the series. Without Alien, one of the best movie monsters in science fiction wouldn’t exist. While the xenomorphs aren’t as supernatural as other horror creatures, they’re just as terrifying.
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Alien (1979) |
93% |
94% |
Related Every Final Girl In The Alien Franchise, Ranked By Survival Skills
There are many female characters which embody the “final girl” trope in the Alien franchise, though some are better at surviving than others.
1 Jaws (1975)
Directed by Steven Spielberg
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9/10 Jaws PG-13AdventureHorrorThriller
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.
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*Availability in US Director Steven Spielberg Release Date June 18, 1975 Writers Peter Benchley , Carl Gottlieb , John Milius , Howard Sackler , Robert Shaw Cast Roy Scheider , Robert Shaw , Richard Dreyfuss , Lorraine Gary , Murray Hamilton , Carl Gottlieb Runtime 124 minutes
Though not typically thought of as a horror movie, Jaws is still scary to watch today, even if the visual effects aren’t as updated as other monster movies of today. The enormous shark in Jaws is different from the typical Hollywood movie monster, as it’s a real part of nature, even if the scale of the shark is beyond what’s reasonably possible. One of the best parts of Jaws is how well the scoring changes the mood and atmosphere of a scene by introducing the shark’s theme, which is one of the most iconic pieces of movie scoring in history.
Spielberg has discussed how he regrets the vitriol sharks faced after the movie became popular (via The Hollywood Reporter). However, the way people responded to Jaws and felt real terror at sharks in the ocean demonstrates the legacy and impact of cinema on a new level. Spielberg has been credited with inventing and solidifying many hallmarks of filmmaking that are well-known today, like the summer blockbuster. Jaws is often credited as being the first summer blockbuster and changing the monster movie forever.
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Jaws (1975) |
97% |
90% |