Horror Movies Set in the 1970s
The new horror film Late Night with the Devil from Colin and Cameron Cairnes offers a unique spin on the found footage genre. It follows late nigh host Jack Delroy (David Dastmalchian) as he hosts a special taping of his syndicated late night talk show, Night Owls, on Halloween night in 1977, unaware that evil is about to enter the studio and be captured on tape.
Aside from commercial breaks and behind the scenes footage of behind the stage, viewers also witness demonic possessions and violent attacks. What also makes this movie work so well are the aesthetics of the 1970s highlighting the fashion and technology of that era.
If you’re looking for more horror movies set in the 1970s (not films made in the 1970s), here are 9 suggestions to check out after Late Night with the Devil.
9 Horror Movies Set in the 1970s to Watch after Late Night with the Devil
The Amityville Horror (2005)
Year it takes place: 1974
Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Melissa George, Chloë Grace Moretz, Jesse James, Jimmy Bennett, Rachel Nichols, Philip Baker Hall
Synopsis: “Newlyweds are terrorized by demonic forces after moving into a large house that was the site of a grisly mass murder a year before.”
Where to watch: Max, Showtime
The Black Phone (2021)
Year it takes place: 1978
Cast: Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, Ethan Hawke, Jeremy Davies, E. Roger Mitchell, Troy Rudeseal, Miguel Cazarez Mora
Synopsis: “Finney Shaw, a shy but clever 13-year-old boy, is abducted by a sadistic killer and trapped in a soundproof basement where screaming is of little use. When a disconnected phone on the wall begins to ring, Finney discovers that he can hear the voices of the killer’s previous victims. And they are dead set on making sure that what happened to them doesn’t happen to Finney.”
Where to watch: Starz
The Conjuring (2013)
Year it takes place: 1971
Cast: Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Lili Taylor, Ron Livingston, Joey King, Shanley Caswell, Hayley McFarland, Mackenzie Foy, Kyla Deaver
Synopsis: “Based on a true story, “The Conjuring” tells the horrifying tale of how world-renowned paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren were called upon to help a family terrorized by a dark presence in a secluded farmhouse.”
Where to watch: Max
The Conjuring 2 (2016)
Year it takes place: 1977
Cast: Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Madison Wolfe, Frances O’Connor, Lauren Esposito, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Benjamin Haigh, Patrick McAuley, Simon McBurney, Simon Delaney, Franka Potente
Synopsis: “Reprising their roles, Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson star as Lorraine and Ed Warren, who, in one of their most terrifying paranormal investigations, travel to north London to help a single mother raising four children alone in a house plagued by malicious spirits.”
Where to watch: TBS, TNT
The Devil’s Rejects (2005)
Year it takes place: 1978
Cast: Sid Haig, Bill Moseley, Sheri Moon Zombie, William Forsythe, Ken Foree, Matthew McGrory, Leslie Easterbrook
Synopsis: “The murderous, backwoods Firefly family take to the road to escape the vengeful Sheriff Wydell, who is not afraid of being as ruthless as his target.”
Where to watch: The Roku Channel, Tubi, Plex, Pluto TV
House of 1000 Corpses (2003)
Year it takes place: 1977
Cast: Sid Haig, Bill Moseley, Sheri Moon Zombie, Karen Black, Chris Hardwick, Erin Daniels, Jennifer Jostyn, Rainn Wilson, Walton Goggins, Tom Towles, Matthew McGrory
Synopsis: “An empty fuel tank and a flat tire lead two couples down a terror-riddled road to the House of 1000 Corpses. House of 1000 Corpses is at its core a story of family – a cast of twisted individuals who, with each slash of a throat or stab thru the chest, add bodies to their sick human menagerie.”
Where to watch: AMC+, Freevee, Tubi
Knife+Heart (2018)
Year it takes place: 1979
Cast: Vanessa Paradis, Nicolas Maury, Kate Moran, Jonathan Genet, Romane Bohringer, Khaled Alouach, Félix Maritaud
Synopsis: “Paris, 1979. Anne (Vanessa Paradis) is a veteran gay porn producer, damaged by a lifetime of alcoholism and a recent messy break-up with her editor Loïs (Kate Moran). When one of the stars of Anne’s latest productions is savagely murdered, the shoot is thrown into turmoil. Obsessive and undeterred, she pushes ahead with the film, with the help of her loyal assistant Archibald (Nicolas Maury). But the murderer strikes again, savagely picking off her cast and crew one by one. Finally, Anne comes to realise that she is the only one who can stop the killer from destroying everything she loves.”
Where to watch: AMC+, Freevee, Shudder, Tubi
Suspiria (2018)
Year it takes place: 1977
Cast: Dakota Johnson, Tilda Swinton, Mia Goth, Angela Winkler, Chloë Grace Moretz, Ingrid Caven, Elena Fokina, Sylvie Testud, Małgosia Bela, Jessica Harper
Synopsis: “Young American dancer Susie Bannion arrives in 1970s Berlin to audition for the world-renowned Helena Markos Dance Co. When she vaults to the role of lead dancer, the woman she replaces breaks down and accuses the company’s female directors of witchcraft. Meanwhile, an inquisitive psychotherapist and a member of the troupe uncover dark and sinister secrets as they probe the depths of the studio’s hidden underground chambers.”
Where to watch: Freevee, Prime Video
X (2022)
Year it takes place: 1979
Cast: Mia Goth, Jenna Ortega, Brittany Snow, Scott Mescudi, Martin Henderson, Owen Campbell, Stephen Ure, Simon Prast
Synopsis: “A group of actors sets out to make an adult film in rural Texas under the noses of their reclusive hosts, but when the elderly couple catches their young guests in the act, the cast finds themselves in a desperate fight for their lives.”
Where to watch: Fubo, Netflix, Paramount+, Showtime
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