Who said horror movies can’t be gorgeous? In these three under-rated horror gems from the 70s, beauty comes hand-in-hand with bloodshed, gore, and all the works. Read on to find out more!
1. Valerie and Her Week of Wonders (1970)
A strange flower of the Czechoslovak New Wave movement, Valerie and Her Week of Wonders is a psychosexual tour-de-force dressed up in a pastel palette. The surrealist-fantasy horror movie follows a young girl’s coming-of-age in a dark dream world, where her budding sexuality draws the attention of wicked things. Beset by terrors, Valerie makes her way through a gothic Wonderland, fending off vampires, depraved priests, and all manner of monstrous men. Yet Valerie’s no victim, laughing in the face of those who would burn her at stake and playing tricks on suitors and predators alike. And for all its taboo themes, it’s an oddly endearing watch, full of prettily phantasmagoric imagery that seems to have come from another world.
2. House / Hausu (1977)
In this classic comedy-horror movie, seven Japanese schoolgirls travel to a country home for the summer holidays. What appears to be an idyllic vacation quickly goes south as they are attacked by the house itself. One by one, the girls are ambushed by anthropomorphic mattresses, pianos, grandfather clocks, and more. Don’t expect a lick of sense from this gorgeously freaky extravaganza — just enjoy its excesses and aesthetic. Because love it or hate it, there’s simply no denying its style is one-of-a-kind weird. Cartoonish special effects and super-saturated filters at once delight and assault the senses as much as the literal buckets of blood. It’s deliciously over-the-top and a cult favorite for a reason.
3. The Shiver of the Vampires / Le Frisson des Vampires (1971)
This French horror movie follows the story of a couple on their honeymoon who find themselves in a castle occupied by warring vampires. Entrancing visuals and a rollicking psychedelic soundtrack make up for its sometimes meandering pace. Watch for lesbian vampire lovers in tie-dye dresses and general spooky vibes, but note the content warning for sexual violence.
