20 Years of Gore Galore
Some of the coolest things to look through are classic movie posters from the mid-twentieth century. Doing so recently, I thought it would be fun to find out the top grossing horror movies from each year between 1951 and 1971.
Why Start with 1951?
Finding information on the top grossing horror film of 1950 proved too difficult for my googling skills. So we begin with ’51.
The Thing – 1951
“The Thing From Another World” is a classic science fiction horror film directed by Christian Nyby and produced by Howard Hawks. The story is based on the 1938 novella “Who Goes There?” by John W. Campbell. The film is set in the Arctic, where a group of U.S. Air Force personnel and scientists discover a mysterious crashed spacecraft buried in the ice. They recover an alien life form encased in ice and bring it back to their research station. When the creature thaws out, it begins to attack the crew, revealing itself as a hostile, plant-based life form that feeds on blood. The group must work together to stop the creature before it can escape and threaten humanity.
The Black Castle – 1952
“The Black Castle” is a Gothic horror film directed by Nathan H. Juran and produced by William Alland. The story follows Sir Ronald Burton (played by Richard Greene), an English nobleman who travels to Austria to investigate the mysterious deaths of two of his friends. Suspecting that the sinister Count Karl von Bruno (played by Stephen McNally) is behind their deaths, Burton infiltrates the count’s eerie castle under a false identity. As he delves deeper into the castle’s dark secrets, Burton uncovers a web of treachery, torture, and murder. He also finds himself falling in love with Countess Elga (played by Paula Corday), the count’s unhappy wife. The tension escalates as Burton must find a way to escape the castle and bring the count to justice before he becomes the next victim.
The cast includes Boris Karloff as the castle’s mysterious physician and Lon Chaney Jr. as the count’s brutish henchman.
House of Wax – 1953
“The House of Wax” is a horror film directed by André DeToth, notable for being one of the first major 3D films. The movie stars Vincent Price as Professor Henry Jarrod, a talented but unhinged wax sculptor. After his wax museum is destroyed in a fire set by his unscrupulous business partner, Jarrod is believed to have perished in the blaze. However, he survives and reopens a new wax museum, featuring eerily lifelike figures.
As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that Jarrod’s obsession with his work has taken a dark turn—his new sculptures are made using the bodies of his victims, encased in wax. The film follows Sue Allen (played by Phyllis Kirk), who begins to suspect the truth when she notices a striking resemblance between one of the wax figures and her recently deceased friend.
Creature from the Black Lagoon – 1954
“The Creature from the Black Lagoon” is a science fiction horror film directed by Jack Arnold. The story begins with a scientific expedition in the Amazon rainforest, led by Dr. Carl Maia (Antonio Moreno) and Dr. David Reed (Richard Carlson). The team discovers a fossilized hand that appears to be a link between land and sea creatures. Intrigued by this find, the expedition ventures deeper into the uncharted Black Lagoon, hoping to uncover more evidence.
As they explore, they encounter the Gill-man, an amphibious humanoid creature that has lived in the lagoon for centuries. The creature becomes fascinated by Kay Lawrence (Julie Adams), the female member of the team, leading to a series of terrifying encounters as it stalks the group. The scientists must find a way to escape the lagoon and survive the creature’s relentless pursuit.
It Came from Beneath the Sea – 1955
“It Came from Beneath the Sea” is a science fiction monster film directed by Robert Gordon and produced by Charles H. Schneer. The movie features groundbreaking special effects by Ray Harryhausen. The story centers on a giant octopus, mutated by radiation from nuclear testing in the Pacific Ocean, which begins attacking ships and wreaking havoc along the West Coast of the United States.
The film follows Commander Pete Mathews (Kenneth Tobey), a U.S. Navy submarine commander, and marine biologists Dr. John Carter (Donald Curtis) and Professor Lesley Joyce (Faith Domergue) as they investigate the mysterious attacks. As the creature’s destruction escalates, the team devises a daring plan to lure the octopus into San Francisco Bay and destroy it before it can cause further devastation.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers – 1956
“Invasion of the Body Snatchers” is a science fiction horror film directed by Don Siegel, based on Jack Finney’s 1954 novel The Body Snatchers. The film is set in the small town of Santa Mira, California, where Dr. Miles Bennell (played by Kevin McCarthy), a local physician, begins to notice strange behavior among his patients. They claim that their loved ones have been replaced by identical-looking impostors, devoid of emotion.
As the story unfolds, Bennell discovers that alien seed pods are growing in the town, producing perfect replicas of humans. These “pod people” are physically identical to their human counterparts but lack any sense of individuality or emotion. The invasion spreads rapidly as the pods begin to replace more of the town’s residents. Dr. Bennell and a small group of survivors must find a way to stop the invasion before it takes over the entire country.
The Curse of Frankenstein – 1957
“The Curse of Frankenstein” is a British horror film directed by Terence Fisher and produced by Hammer Film Productions. It is a retelling of Mary Shelley’s classic novel Frankenstein and is notable for being the first color film adaptation of the story. The movie stars Peter Cushing as Baron Victor Frankenstein and Christopher Lee as the Creature.
The story follows the ambitious and morally ambiguous Baron Frankenstein, who becomes obsessed with creating life from dead tissue. With the help of his mentor, Paul Krempe (played by Robert Urquhart), Frankenstein assembles a body from parts of various corpses. However, his experiment goes horribly wrong when the brain he intended to use is damaged, resulting in the creation of a grotesque and violent creature.
Macabre – 1958
“Macabre” is a suspenseful horror-thriller directed by William Castle, known for his innovative marketing techniques that added to the film’s notoriety. The story revolves around Dr. Rod Barrett (played by William Prince), a small-town physician who becomes embroiled in a nightmarish situation when his young daughter, Marge, is kidnapped and buried alive. The kidnapper gives Barrett only a few hours to find his daughter before she runs out of air.
As Barrett frantically searches for clues, he is confronted with a series of bizarre and terrifying events, including mysterious deaths and eerie encounters with the townspeople, many of whom harbor dark secrets. The film builds tension as Barrett races against time to uncover the identity of the kidnapper and save his daughter, all while dealing with the psychological torment of the situation.
“Macabre” was a box office success, partly due to William Castle’s unique promotional gimmick—offering a $1,000 life insurance policy from Lloyd’s of London to every moviegoer in case they died of fright during the film.
House on Haunted Hill – 1959
“House on Haunted Hill” is a classic horror film directed by William Castle and starring Vincent Price. The film follows eccentric millionaire Frederick Loren (played by Price) and his fourth wife, Annabelle (Carol Ohmart), who invite five strangers to spend the night in a supposedly haunted mansion. The incentive? Each guest who stays the entire night will receive $10,000.
The guests—a mix of individuals with various motivations—soon find themselves in a terrifying situation as the night progresses. Strange and inexplicable events begin to occur, including apparitions, eerie sounds, and mysterious deaths. As tension mounts, the guests question whether the house is truly haunted or if someone among them is orchestrating the horrors to drive them to madness.
Vincent Price delivers a memorable performance as the sinister yet charming Loren, who seems to delight in the fear of his guests while hiding his own dark agenda. The film is known for its spooky atmosphere, clever plot twists, and Castle’s famous promotional gimmick, “Emergo,” where a skeleton would appear to fly over the audience during the film’s climax.
Psycho – 1960
“Psycho” is a landmark horror-thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, based on the 1959 novel by Robert Bloch. The story begins with Marion Crane (played by Janet Leigh), a secretary who impulsively steals $40,000 from her employer and goes on the run. She checks into the secluded Bates Motel, where she meets the shy and seemingly mild-mannered proprietor, Norman Bates (played by Anthony Perkins).
As Marion spends the night at the motel, she becomes the victim of a shocking murder in the infamous shower scene. The film then shifts focus to the investigation into her disappearance, led by her sister Lila Crane (Vera Miles) and a private detective, Arbogast (Martin Balsam). Their search leads them back to the Bates Motel, where they uncover disturbing secrets about Norman and his controlling, unseen mother.
Pit and the Pendulum – 1961
“Pit and the Pendulum” is a horror film directed by Roger Corman and produced by American International Pictures. The film is loosely based on Edgar Allan Poe’s short story of the same name. It stars Vincent Price as the tormented protagonist, Nicholas Medina.
The plot centers on the Medina family’s dark and gothic estate. After the death of his sister, Elizabeth, who is found dead under mysterious and gruesome circumstances, Nicholas Medina becomes increasingly obsessed with uncovering the truth. His wife, Catherine (played by Barbara Steele), is drawn into the dark secrets of the Medina family and their troubled past.
As Nicholas delves deeper into the mysteries of his family’s history, he uncovers a series of horrifying events linked to his sister’s death, including the use of a torturous device: a massive pendulum that swings over a pit, which is a symbol of the terrifying means of execution used in the story.
Tales of Terror – 1962
“Tales of Terror” is an anthology horror film directed by Roger Corman, featuring adaptations of three Edgar Allan Poe stories. The film stars Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, and Basil Rathbone, with each story showcasing a different facet of Poe’s macabre imagination.
“Morella”: Vincent Price plays a grieving father who, after the death of his daughter Morella, becomes obsessed with the idea of resurrecting her. However, Morella’s spirit returns with a dark and vengeful presence, leading to a horrifying confrontation.
“The Black Cat”: In this story, Vincent Price stars as a cruel and deranged man who harbors a dark secret. When his actions lead to a series of tragic events, he finds himself haunted by a mysterious black cat that seems to be a manifestation of his guilt.
“The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar”: This tale involves a man, played by Peter Lorre, who is hypnotized and becomes trapped between life and death. As his condition deteriorates, he experiences horrifying and supernatural occurrences linked to his hypnotic state.
The Birds – 1963
“The Birds” is a suspenseful horror film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, based on a short story by Daphne du Maurier. The film stars Tippi Hedren as Melanie Daniels, a wealthy socialite, and Rod Taylor as Mitch Brenner, a local man she becomes romantically involved with.
The story begins when Melanie, while visiting the coastal town of Bodega Bay to surprise Mitch, experiences a series of increasingly violent and inexplicable bird attacks. The initial incidents seem isolated, but the aggression of the birds escalates, resulting in widespread chaos and terror in the town.
As the bird attacks become more frequent and brutal, Melanie, Mitch, and the townspeople struggle to understand the cause of the avian aggression and find a way to protect themselves. The film delves into themes of nature’s unpredictability and humanity’s vulnerability, with the bird attacks serving as a chilling metaphor for uncontrollable forces.
Strait-Jacket – 1964
“Strait-Jacket” is a psychological horror film directed by William Castle and starring Joan Crawford. The film is known for its suspenseful narrative and Castle’s signature promotional gimmicks.
The story follows Lucy Harbin (Joan Crawford), who has been institutionalized for 20 years after being convicted of murdering her husband and his lover with an axe. Following her release, she returns to her former home and tries to reintegrate into society, hoping to rebuild her life. However, her return coincides with a series of gruesome murders that mirror the brutal killings she was once accused of.
As the bodies pile up, Lucy’s daughter, Carol (Diane Baker), and the people around her become increasingly suspicious. The film builds tension as it becomes unclear whether Lucy is truly reformed or if she has reverted to her old violent ways. The psychological tension escalates as the truth behind the murders is slowly revealed.
Repulsion – 1965
“Repulsion” is a psychological horror film directed by Roman Polanski and starring Catherine Deneuve. The film is widely regarded for its exploration of mental illness and its unsettling portrayal of psychological horror.
The story centers on Carol Ledoux (Catherine Deneuve), a young Belgian woman living in London who works as a manicurist. Carol is deeply disturbed by the men in her life, including her sister’s fiancé and her own unwanted romantic advances from men. Her psychological state deteriorates as she becomes increasingly isolated and unable to distinguish between reality and her own hallucinations.
As Carol’s mental health worsens, she experiences disturbing visions and begins to perceive her apartment as a nightmarish environment. Her deteriorating grip on reality culminates in violent and shocking events. The film’s haunting imagery and disturbing narrative create a profound sense of unease and tension.
Queen of Blood – 1966
“Queen of Blood” is a science fiction horror film directed by Curtis Harrington and starring John Saxon, Judi Meredith, and Basil Rathbone. The film blends elements of sci-fi with vampire horror.
The story is set in the future, where an interstellar rescue mission discovers a derelict alien spacecraft drifting in space. Onboard, they find a single survivor, a mysterious alien woman who is later identified as a member of the Martian race. The alien, who appears to be a strikingly beautiful and enigmatic figure, is brought back to Earth.
However, it soon becomes apparent that the alien is not merely a passive survivor. She is a predatory being who feeds on the life force of humans. As the crew begins to suffer from a series of unexplained deaths, they realize that the alien woman is responsible. The film’s tension escalates as the remaining crew members attempt to survive and find a way to stop the deadly creature.
Berserk – 1967
“Berserk” is a horror thriller directed by Jim O’Connolly and stars Joan Crawford in one of her final film roles. The film combines elements of suspense with a circus-themed setting.
The story revolves around Monica Rivers (Joan Crawford), the flamboyant owner and ringmaster of a struggling circus. Monica’s life and career are threatened by a series of brutal murders that target the circus performers. As the body count rises, the atmosphere of the circus becomes increasingly tense and paranoid.
The murders are carried out in a particularly gruesome fashion, leading the remaining performers and the authorities to suspect that the killer may be among them. The film builds suspense as it delves into the dark secrets and rivalries within the circus community.
Rosemary’s Baby – 1968
“Rosemary’s Baby” is a psychological horror film directed by Roman Polanski, based on the 1967 novel by Ira Levin. The film stars Mia Farrow as Rosemary Woodhouse and John Cassavetes as her husband, Guy Woodhouse.
The story follows Rosemary and Guy Woodhouse, a young couple who move into an old Gothic apartment building in New York City. After a series of unsettling events, including a strange encounter with their eccentric neighbors, the Castevets, Rosemary becomes pregnant. Her husband, Guy, seems unusually preoccupied with the pregnancy and encourages her to take part in a mysterious ritual conducted by the Castevets.
As Rosemary’s pregnancy progresses, she experiences disturbing symptoms and increasingly bizarre occurrences. Her growing paranoia leads her to suspect that her husband and their neighbors are part of a sinister plot. She eventually discovers that she has been manipulated into carrying the child of a Satanic cult, who intends to use the baby for their dark purposes.
Eye of the Cat – 1969
“Eye of the Cat” is a horror-thriller film directed by David Lowell Rich and starring a cast led by the renowned actor, Gayle Hunnicutt. The film is notable for its blend of suspense and supernatural elements.
The story centers on a young man named Wylie (played by Michael Sarrazin), who returns to his estranged grandmother’s large and eerie estate. His grandmother, a wealthy and reclusive woman, has a large collection of cats and is known for her peculiar behavior. Wylie’s visit is motivated by his desire to inherit her fortune, but he is haunted by his fear of cats, which intensifies as he spends time in the mansion.
As Wylie and his girlfriend, played by Gayle Hunnicutt, explore the mansion, they encounter strange occurrences and uncover dark secrets about the grandmother’s past. The film builds tension as the presence of the cats and the sinister atmosphere of the estate contribute to an escalating sense of dread and mystery.
House of Dark Shadows – 1970
“House of Dark Shadows” is a horror film directed by Dan Curtis, adapted from the popular television soap opera Dark Shadows. The film serves as a continuation of the series and is set within the same gothic, supernatural universe.
The story follows Barnabas Collins (played by Jonathan Frid), a vampire who has been awakened from his centuries-long slumber and is trying to adapt to the 20th century. As Barnabas seeks to reclaim his former glory and restore his family’s fortunes, he becomes entangled in a web of supernatural intrigue and dark family secrets.
Barnabas is obsessed with reclaiming his lost love, Josette DuPres (played by Kathryn Leigh Scott), but his quest leads to violent confrontations with other supernatural beings and a series of tragic events. The film features elements of gothic horror, including cursed relationships, witchcraft, and eerie settings, all wrapped in the atmospheric style of the original television series.
Willard – 1971
“Willard” is a horror film directed by Daniel Mann, based on the novel Ratman’s Notebooks by Stephen Gilbert. The film stars Bruce Davison as Willard Stiles, a socially awkward and isolated young man who lives with his domineering and ill mother in a dilapidated family home.
Willard’s life takes a dark turn when he befriends a group of rats that he finds in the house. He begins to train them and forms a peculiar bond with the creatures, particularly a large, intelligent rat named Ben. As Willard’s relationship with the rats deepens, he uses them to exact revenge on those who have wronged him, including his overbearing boss and various antagonists in his life.
The film explores themes of loneliness, revenge, and the blurred line between sanity and madness. Willard’s increasing reliance on his rats for support and retribution leads to escalating violence and horror. The film’s chilling atmosphere and unsettling premise make it a notable entry in the genre of animal horror.
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