It’s now Day 7 of the 2025 OkGoreberfest 30-Day Horror Challenge. A whole week now, thanks for sticking with us! Today’s topic for discussion is “Your Favorite Horror from the 1960’s.“
It was a really good era for the genre. The 1960’s was a decade that saw an incredible amount of global change, socially, artistically and politically. Horror movies of the era were no different. There was a larger shift from the Golden Era of the 1940’s and 50’s, to the more gripping and envelope-pushing modern horror we think of today, and the rise of directors like Roman Polanski, Hershell Gordon Lewis and Mario Bava.
It starts in 1960 with Psycho and Black Sunday, continues into 1961 with The Pit and the Pendulum, 1962 brought us Carnival of Souls and Cape Fear, followed by The Birds, and Blood Feast in 1963. 1964 upped the ante with Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte, Kwaidan and 2000 Maniacs, leading the way for Repulsion in 1965, Kill, Baby, Kill in 1966 and The Fearless Vampire Killers in 1967. 1968 is known for Night of the Living Dead and Rosemary’s Baby, and 1969 wraps the decade up with The House That Screamed and The Cremator.
1969 -also-wrapped up the decade with the Manson Family murders. Total buzzkill to an otherwise pretty big-deal decade.
I chose 1965’s Doctor Terror’s House of Horrors. It’s not “The Best” horror from the 1960’s (that would be Rosemary’s Baby), but since this challenge is titled my “Favorite” I’m going with Doctor Terror’s House of Horrors.
A little backstory, because you’ve likely never hear of this gem. Hammer Film Productions was a major British producer of horror movies for years and years. Amicus Productions was a British moviemaking house that competed with Hammer for the hearts and minds of British scare-chasers. Known more for their anthology-style horror features set in the present day (rather than is a more classic period as was Hammer’s style), but sharing many of the same actors. Amicus made seven of these anthology movies, of which Doctor Terror was the first. It was also the first one I watched… my parents were having a house party, my sister and I were sent to watch TV upstairs in our parents’ bedroom and, as luck held it, Chiller Theatre was playing this movie, and I loved it. Especially the story where an artist is attacked by an art critic who hates him. The artist survives the attack but then commits suicide when he awakens to discover his right hand is gone. This hand relentlessly pursues the attacker, creeping along “It Follows” style, until it catches up with and blinds the critic.
What kid wouldn’t like that?! There are six other films like this, as well as a number of full-length horror features that are worth watching.