In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Jaws, here’s a look at the 11 most terrifying horror films from the 1970s.

      What an incredible decade for horror — and cinema as a whole. The 1970s startled audiences during midnight showings, at drive-ins, and, for a fortunate few, even on Betamax or VHS and the Z Channel.

      It was a time when censorship relaxed enough to allow films to be genuinely frightening, before it felt like every concept had already been explored. It’s our favorite era for horror films.

      Here are the 12 most horrifying horror movies from the 1970s.

      The Exorcist (1973)

      Credit: Warner Bros.

      Not only is it perhaps the most frightening horror film of the 1970s, but maybe the scariest of all time — especially if you were raised with a belief in the devil's existence.

      The Exorcist is a meticulously crafted film that earns every scare, haunting almost everyone who has seen it… ever since.

      It's deeply disturbing well before Linda Blair's head begins to spin; The Exorcist exposed ancient demons much like Jaws did for the fear of water.

      What Have You Done to Solange? (1972)

      Credit: C/O Italian International Film

      This giallo thriller has a straightforward storyline: a private school teacher becomes a murder suspect when he fails to provide an alibi for a killing — because he was with one of his students. The nature of the death remains shocking even today.

      What Have You Done with Solange presents a very dated view of student-teacher relationships, and perhaps all relationships, which adds to its unsettling atmosphere. A captivating film.

      Last House on the Left (1972)

      Credit: C/O Hallmark Releasing

      Last House on the Left is a remarkable horror film from the 1970s that feels like a commentary on the disillusionments of the optimistic 1960s.

      As the directorial debut of future Scream and Nightmare on Elm Street icon Wes Craven, it tells a harrowing story of two young women who are terrorized by escaped convicts. Eventually, the parents seek revenge. But prior to that, viewers must endure a deeply unpleasant scene where the convicts inflict unspeakable horrors on the women, leading one to walk willingly into the water to escape her fate.

      Loosely inspired by Ingmar Bergman's The Virgin Spring, the film famously carried the tagline, “To avoid fainting, keep repeating, ‘It’s only a movie … Only a movie … Only a movie …'”

      The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

      Credit: C/O Bryanston Distributing Company

      Just reading that title sends chills. The film's consistently menacing atmosphere — buzzing flies, animal sounds — makes it one of the creepiest films ever made. The chainsaw elements elevate it to an even greater level. However, Tobe Hooper's clever direction also sets it apart from its many imitators.

      Additionally, the grainy ’70s film stock enhances the overall fear factor.

      Countless films have referenced and paid homage to it since, yet none have captured the visceral terror of the original.

      Made for around $100,000, it generated approximately 100 times that in revenue.

      Black Christmas (1974)

      Credit: C/O

      Years before making Porky’s and A Christmas Story — two completely different films — director Bob Clark created this movie, which contains elements of both. It’s a grim, eerie early slasher film set in a Canadian sorority house filled with notable actors like Olivia Hussey and Margot Kidder.

      It will change your perception of plastic bags and make you thankful that phone calls are much easier to trace now.

      This film rightfully receives much credit for helping to launch the slasher genre.

      Jaws (1975)

      Credit: Universal Pictures

      An impeccable movie that skillfully employs its doll-eyed villain, Jaws made everyone who has ever watched it consider sharks at least a little bit each time they visit the beach for the rest of their lives. It remains just as terrifying today as it was in 1975.

      Having recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, the film's importance cannot be overstated: it helped establish the modern blockbuster, launched Steven Spielberg's career, and provided a clear portrayal of public officials who prioritize money over safety through the character of Amity Island Mayor Larry Vaughn (Murray Hamilton), who foolishly refuses to close the beach.

      If we could choose one movie to bring to a deserted island, it would be this one — though we’d be too frightened to swim because of it.

      Carrie (1976)

      Credit: C/O United Artists

      Based on Stephen King's first novel, Carrie continues to induce anxiety, not only because of the iconic bucket of blood, but due to the high school cruelty that resonates in the hearts of anyone who endured it.

      The casual bullying, which