Best Horror Films of 1972
- HaHa Horrors
- May 3
- 8 min read
Updated: Jun 20
1972 was a turning point for horror. The year saw the genre shed its old skin. No longer reliant on Gothic castles or monster lore, horror in 1972 got down in the dirt—raw, controversial, and unafraid to shock. From psychological torment to grindhouse grit, this began horror's most provocative decade.
The Horror Landscape in 1972
The Rise of Transgressive Horror
The '70s were already flirting with taboo, but 1972 pushed boundaries further. Rape-revenge narratives, nihilistic endings, and ultra-realistic violence gave horror a disturbing new realism.
The Birth of Exploitation Cinema
Low budgets, high shock value. Exploitation horror took center stage, often filmed independently or released straight to drive-ins. These films weren't polished, but they left scars.
Giallo's Bloody Peak
Italy's giallo scene flourished in 1972, with black-gloved killers, stylish murders, and haunting scores. These films fused mystery, erotica, and slasher DNA.
Underground Voices and Future Icons
This year planted seeds for future horror legends. Wes Craven and others launched debuts that rewired what horror could be.
Top 10 Horror Films of 1972
1. The Last House on the Left
Runtime: 1hr 21min
Wes Craven's directorial debut is raw, relentless, and still controversial. A foundational rape-revenge film that shook audiences with its brutality.
The Last House on the Left (1972), directed by Wes Craven, is a brutal and controversial horror film that blends exploitation and social commentary. It follows the harrowing ordeal of two teenage girls who are abducted, tortured, and murdered by a group of escaped convicts. Unbeknownst to the killers, they later seek shelter in the home of one of the victims — leading the grieving parents to uncover the truth and take violent revenge. Raw, unsettling, and unflinchingly grim, the film shocked audiences with its realism and marked the arrival of Craven as a provocative voice in horror cinema.
2. Tales from the Crypt
Runtime: 1hr 32min
A British anthology classic. Five chilling stories, including the unforgettable "And All Through the House." Morality tales with a coffin's edge.
Tales from the Crypt (1972), directed by Freddie Francis, is a British horror anthology film based on stories from the EC Comics series of the same name. Set in a crypt where a mysterious robed figure known as the Crypt Keeper confronts five strangers, each segment reveals the eerie and often ironic fate awaiting them based on their past misdeeds. The film blends gothic atmosphere with moralistic twists, delivering tales of vengeance, guilt, and supernatural justice. With standout performances and macabre storytelling, it became a cult classic and helped pave the way for later anthology horror successes.
3. Dr. Phibes Rises Again
Runtime: 1hr 29 min
Vincent Price returns with flair, vengeance, and deadly theatrics in this stylish sequel. Gothic meets groovy.
Dr. Phibes Rises Again (1972), directed by Robert Fuest, is a stylish and darkly comedic sequel to The Abominable Dr. Phibes. Vincent Price returns as the titular antihero, a vengeful and eccentric genius who awakens from suspended animation determined to resurrect his beloved wife using ancient Egyptian rituals. Pursued by both a rival occultist and Scotland Yard, Phibes embarks on a new series of elaborately staged murders across exotic locales. Blending art deco visuals, gallows humor, and theatrical horror, the film cements Phibes as one of the genre’s most flamboyant and unforgettable villains.
4. Frenzy
Runtime: 1hr 56min
Alfred Hitchcock's return to horror is grimier than ever. This London-set thriller is cold, clinical, and deeply unsettling.
Frenzy (1972), directed by Alfred Hitchcock, is a chilling return to form for the master of suspense, delivering a gritty and provocative thriller set in London. The story follows a wrongly accused man entangled in a police hunt for a serial killer who strangles women with neckties. As the real murderer hides in plain sight, the film explores themes of justice, voyeurism, and urban decay. With its unsettling blend of violence, dark humor, and meticulous direction, Frenzy marked Hitchcock’s embrace of a more modern, graphic sensibility while retaining his signature tension and psychological depth.
5. The Blood Spattered Bride
Runtime: 1hr 40min
Spanish Gothic meets feminist nightmare. Surreal, sexual, and dripping with dread.
The Blood Spattered Bride (1972), directed by Vicente Aranda, is a haunting and sensual Spanish horror film that reimagines the vampire myth through a feminist and surreal lens. The story follows a newlywed woman who, while struggling with her repressive husband and mounting psychological distress, becomes drawn to a mysterious female vampire connected to her ancestral past. Blending eroticism, gothic imagery, and political subtext, the film explores themes of sexual repression, identity, and liberation. Dreamlike and unsettling, it stands as a provocative entry in 1970s Euro horror, with echoes of Carmilla and a strong undercurrent of female empowerment.
6. Asylum
Runtime: 1hr 28min
Another Amicus anthology gem. Mad doctors, creepy dolls, and a killer cast — all within one mental institution.
Asylum (1972), directed by Roy Ward Baker and produced by Amicus Productions, is a British horror anthology that weaves four chilling tales within a sinister framework. A young doctor arrives at a remote mental institution for a job interview, only to be challenged with identifying a mysterious patient based on the macabre stories of the other inmates. Each segment—ranging from reanimated corpses to cursed suits and split personalities—delivers classic gothic thrills with a psychological twist. Featuring a cast of genre stalwarts and a script by Robert Bloch, Asylum is a clever, atmospheric showcase of twisted morality and creeping dread.
7. Ben
Runtime: 1hr 34min
The sequel to Willard that makes rats terrifying — and sympathetic. Michael Jackson's theme song adds a bizarre sweetness.
Ben (1972), directed by Phil Karlson, is a horror-drama that serves as a direct sequel to Willard, continuing the story of the killer rat with a strangely emotional core. After surviving the events of the first film, Ben, the unusually intelligent rat, forms a tender bond with a lonely, sickly boy named Danny. As the rat colony grows and begins to wreak havoc on the city, the authorities move to exterminate them, forcing Ben into a desperate fight for survival. Blending horror with sentimentality, the film gained unexpected poignancy and pop culture recognition—particularly through Michael Jackson’s haunting title song, which added an eerie, melancholic layer to the tale.
8. Deathdream
Runtime: 1hr 28min
Bob Clark's Vietnam War allegory as zombie horror. Quiet, tragic, and loaded with social commentary.
Deathdream (1972), directed by Bob Clark, is a chilling and tragic Vietnam-era horror film that blends supernatural terror with social commentary. The story follows a grieving family who miraculously sees their son Andy return home after being reported killed in combat—but something is terribly wrong. Cold, distant, and increasingly violent, Andy’s behavior reveals a disturbing secret tied to his unnatural resurrection. Written by Alan Ormsby and inspired by the “Monkey’s Paw” tale, Deathdream confronts the psychological scars of war, the denial of grief, and the horrors lurking beneath patriotic ideals. It's a haunting, slow-burn classic that helped shape the emerging wave of socially conscious horror.
9. Horror Express
Runtime: 1hr 30min
Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee face a frozen alien menace aboard a train in this Spanish-British sleeper hit.
Horror Express (1972), directed by Eugenio Martín, is a stylish blend of science fiction and gothic horror set aboard the Trans-Siberian Express. Starring genre legends Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing, the film follows a British anthropologist who uncovers a frozen, prehistoric creature believed to be the missing link—but when it thaws aboard the train, passengers begin dying in mysterious, grisly ways. As the body count rises, it becomes clear the creature harbors a far more terrifying, extraterrestrial intelligence. With a brisk pace, eerie atmosphere, and surprising philosophical depth, Horror Express is a cult favorite that elevates its B-movie roots into something truly memorable.
10. Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key
Runtime: 1hr 36min
Sergio Martino's giallo mystery is as twisted as its title. Expect betrayal, madness, and beautiful mayhem.
Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key (1972), directed by Sergio Martino, is a twisted and stylish Italian giallo that blends murder mystery, eroticism, and psychological horror. Loosely inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Black Cat,” the film centers on a sadistic writer, his tormented wife, and a seductive niece whose arrival sparks a chain of manipulation, betrayal, and bloodshed. Set against a decaying villa and drenched in 1970s decadence, the story weaves themes of misogyny, madness, and hidden guilt. With its moody atmosphere, striking visuals, and shocking turns, it remains a standout in the giallo genre’s golden era.
Underrated Picks Worth Your Time
Daughters of Satan
Runtime: 1hr 30min
Occult paranoia and possession in the Philippines.
Daughters of Satan (1972), directed by Hollingsworth Morse, is a supernatural horror film steeped in witchcraft, reincarnation, and occult revenge. The story follows an American art collector living in Manila who buys a mysterious painting depicting witches being burned at the stake—only to discover that his wife eerily resembles one of the condemned women. As strange events unfold and her personality begins to change, he becomes entangled in a centuries-old curse. With a mix of tropical atmosphere, satanic rituals, and psychological suspense, Daughters of Satan delivers a pulpy, eerie tale of past sins returning to claim the present.
The Night Stalker
Runtime: 1hr 14min
TV movie turned sensation; laid the groundwork for serial killer horror.
The Night Stalker (1972), directed by John Llewellyn Moxey and written by Richard Matheson, is a groundbreaking made-for-TV horror film that introduced audiences to Carl Kolchak, a scrappy, wisecracking reporter investigating a series of brutal murders in Las Vegas. As he digs deeper, Kolchak discovers the killer is no ordinary criminal but a vampire preying on the city's underbelly. Blending noir sensibilities with supernatural horror, the film was a massive ratings success and helped usher in a wave of horror on television. Anchored by Darren McGavin’s iconic performance, The Night Stalker is a sharp, atmospheric thriller that laid the groundwork for genre TV hits like The X-Files.
Runtime: 1hr 27min
A proto-slasher lost in the shuffle but eerily effective.
Silent Night, Bloody Night (1972), directed by Theodore Gershuny, is a grim, atmospheric holiday horror film that blends slasher elements with gothic mystery. Set in a decaying New England mansion, the story follows a man who inherits the property—once an asylum—and plans to sell it, only for a series of brutal murders to unfold as dark family secrets are unearthed. Shot with a grainy, low-budget aesthetic, the film creates an eerie, dreamlike tone, laced with trauma, madness, and betrayal. Preceding the slasher boom by several years, Silent Night, Bloody Night stands as an early, chilling precursor to the holiday horror subgenre.
Don't Torture a Duckling
Runtime: 1hr 45min
Lucio Fulci's rural murder mystery with gory Catholic critique.
Don't Torture a Duckling (1972), directed by Lucio Fulci, is a provocative and unsettling giallo that blends murder mystery with sharp social critique. Set in a remote Southern Italian village, the film follows a journalist and a mysterious outsider as they investigate a string of child murders that expose the town’s deep-seated hypocrisy, superstition, and corruption. With striking cinematography and moments of shocking violence, Fulci confronts themes of religious repression, rural decay, and moral panic. More than a typical giallo, Don’t Torture a Duckling is one of Fulci’s most layered and politically charged works, earning a reputation as both controversial and essential.
Horror Highlights & Trivia
Wes Craven's Explosive Debut: The Last House on the Left introduced audiences to a new breed of horror steeped in realism and trauma.
Giallo Goes Global: The Italian murder-mystery-horror hybrid became an international sensation.
Anthology Craze: British studios like Amicus thrived with short-form horror storytelling.
Soundtracks Get Strange: From prog-rock to baroque organs, 1972's horror scores were experimental and unforgettable.
Where to Watch These Today
Streaming:
The Last House on the Left – Pluto TV, Tubi
Tales from the Crypt – Plex, Pluto TV
Horror Express – Prime, Kanopy
Physical Media: Look for boutique Blu-rays from Vinegar Syndrome, Severin Films, and Synapse for remastered versions and uncut releases.
Closing Thoughts:
1972 was horror unchained. No longer confined to studios or sanitized scares, the genre dove into the underground — and never came back the same. The era's emphasis on realism, depravity, and psychological terror set the stage for The Exorcist, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and beyond. Horror was no longer about safe thrills. It was about confronting the nightmare head-on.
