The Best Horror Movies From The 1960's That You Should Watch

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The best horror movies from the 1960's

Psycho - 1960

Psycho is one of my favorite movies ever in any genre, and is still a fantastic watch to this day. And Norman Bates is also my favorite character ever, if you have never watched Pyscho, you are missing out  

The story follows a woman who steals money and hides at a lonely motel, where the motel owner, good ol Norman Bates, is hiding some dark secrets. (Hello, Mommy). 

Psycho helped change the landscape of horror movies and is a classic movie, and the sequel, Psycho 2 is really good as well, and even the other movies in the franchise are worth a watch! [Psycho on IMDB]

Night of the Living Dead - 1968

This movie helped create the modern idea of zombies as mindless, flesh-eating creatures. 

The story follows a group of people who hide in a farmhouse as those damn zombies attack, and is  filled with brilliant tension and fear.

 Its a low budget movie but it just works, as it's got a realistic tone that makes it unforgettable and is one of the best zombie movies of all time. What's not to love about this one? [Night of the Living Dead on IMDB]

The Haunting - 1963

A classic haunted house story where a group of people stay in a spooky mansion to investigate some paranormal activity. 

The fear in this film doesn't come from the ghosts with jump scares, as it never really shows them, it comes from what you can’t see—strange noises, cold spots, and the characters increasing paranoia. 

The movie proves that sometimes, what you imagine is scarier than what you see. [The Haunting on IMDB]

Rosemary’s Baby - (1968)  

This one is quite slow paced, but has a cult status for a reason. 

A young woman named Rosemary becomes pregnant and starts to suspect that her neighbors are part of a cult that wants her baby for something evil. 

The movie builds the tension very slowly as said, and makes you feel Rosemary’s fear and isolation and leaves you wondering, just like Rosemary,  if she’s imagining things or if there really is a plot against her. 

Julie Garner is starring in the prequel Apartment 7A which is due for release on September 27th. [Rosemary's Baby on IMDB]

Eyes Without a Face - (1960)  

This French horror film tells the story of a doctor who kidnaps young women to steal their faces in an attempt to fix his daughter’s disfigured one. 

The film mixes beauty and horror, showing a persons obsession with making his daughter perfect again.

It’s unsettling and also sad at the same time. [Eyes Without a Face on IMDB]

Black Sunday - (1960)  

An Italian horror movie  about a witch who is executed but returns from the dead 200 years later to seek revenge. 

It's visually brilliant full of gothic castles, foggy forests, and dramatic lighting, making it visually stunning, and is one of the best examples of European horror, mixing supernatural themes with fantastic visuals. [Black Sunday on IMDB]

Peeping Tom - 1960 

Peeping Tom is one of the best British horror movies ever made and follows cameraman named Mark Lewis who films the women he kills, capturing their fear in their final moments. 

It's a story about obsession and dark impulses and is an incredibly bold film, especially for when it was released and will keep you gripped as the suspense builds. [Peeping Tom on IMDB]

The Innocents - (1961)  

The Innocents follows a governess who starts to believe that the children she’s caring for are possessed by ghosts, and is a film that will make you question everything.

Is she seeing real ghosts, or is she slowly going mad? All the fear in this one comes from some excellent tension that is strong throughout the movie and the performances by the child actors are brilliant. [The Innocents on IMDB]

Village of the Damned - (1960)  

I love the premise in this film. Everyone in a small village falls unconscious for several hours, and when they wake up, several women are mysteriously pregnant. 

As a result of this, all the children born from this event all have strange powers and grow up quickly, and they are cold and terrifying in their control over the adults. You will never see children the same again. They are all evil! [Village of the Damned on IMDB]

Repulsion - (1965)  

Repulsion is directed by Roman Polanski and follows a young woman  who is left alone in her apartment for a few days, and as time passes, she starts to hallucinate and fall deeper into madness. 

Movies about mental health are all the rage these days, such as The Babadook or Hereditary, but this is one of the best and shows a woman's slow descent into madness. [Repulsion on IMDB]

Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? - 1962

A story about a woman who becomes, shall we say, slightly unhinged who torments her sister who is confined to a wheelchair.

Bette Davis and Joan Crawford put in excellent performances and this film is dark, intense and has incredible suspense.

A bit of a slow burn and quite long running at 2 hours and 14 minutes but stick with it. 

And after you have watched it, read some background on Bette Davis and Joan Crawford regarding the movie, as it's quite interesting as they hated each other. [Whatever Happened to Baby Jane on IMDB]

The Birds - 1963

An Alfred Hitchcock classic about a small coastal town suddenly plagued by unexplained, violent bird attacks.

If you want to talk about masterful build up and tension, The Birds is at the top of the list, or near it anyway, along with some brilliant special effects for its time.

Directed superbly by Hitchcock, everyone should watch The Birds at least once. [The Birds on IMDB]

Hopefully I haven't missed of your favorite horror movies from the 60's. But Let me know in the comments or join me on Twitter , Instagram or Facebook if I have!

Check out some other horror movie lists.

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