Originally by Ranker HorrorList RulesHorror movies released in the 1960s.
LSD, Woodstock, JFK, MLK, The Beatles, and the moon landing - the 1960s were quite a decade, and saw the release of some of the most iconic horror films of all time. The best '60s horror movies are among the greatest classic horror movies of all time, the ones we go back to re-watch again and again. What were the best horror films of the 1960s? Whether you’re in the mood for more of a realistic thriller, a gory shockfest, or a movie that was based on true historic events, there’s sure to be a horror movie on this list that will satisfy your needs and get you good and scared.
This list has the best horror movies of the 1960s, including: The Little Shop of Horrors, Psycho, Night of the Living Dead, and Peeping Tom.
Vote up your favorite 60s horror film or add one you love that isn't already on the list.1
Alfred Hitchcock, Janet LeighReleased: 1960
Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
Psycho is a 1960 American horror film directed by Alfred Hitchcock. The film centers on an encounter between a secretary, Marion Crane, who ends up at a secluded motel after taking money from her ...more
2Mia Farrow, Tony CurtisReleased: 1968
Directed by: Roman Polanski
Rosemary's Baby is a 1968 American psychological horror film written and directed by Roman Polanski, based on the bestselling 1967 novel of the same name by Ira Levin. The cast includes Mia Farrow, ...more![]()
3George A. Romero, Duane JonesReleased: 1968
Directed by: George A. Romero
Night of the Living Dead is a 1968 American independent zombie horror film directed by George A. Romero, starring Duane Jones, Judith O'Dea and Karl Hardman. It premiered on October 1, 1968, and was ...more![]()
4Alfred Hitchcock, Tippi HedrenReleased: 1963
Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
The Birds is a 1963 suspense/horror film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, loosely based on the 1952 story "The Birds" by Daphne du Maurier. It depicts Bodega Bay, California, which is, suddenly and for ...more![]()
5Bette Davis, Joan CrawfordReleased: 1964
Directed by: Robert Aldrich
Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte is a 1964 American thriller film directed and produced by Robert Aldrich, and starring Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, Joseph Cotten, and Agnes Moorehead, as well as ...more![]()
6Bette Davis, Joan CrawfordReleased: 1962
Directed by: Robert Aldrich
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? is a 1962 American psychological thriller film produced and directed by Robert Aldrich, starring Bette Davis and Joan Crawford about an actress who holds her crippled ...more![]()
7JoeVigil addedClaire Bloom, Lois MaxwellReleased: 1963
Directed by: Robert Wise
The Haunting is a 1963 British psychological horror film directed and produced by Robert Wise and adapted by Nelson Gidding from the novel The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson. It stars ...more![]()
8Deborah Kerr, Michael RedgraveReleased: 1961
Directed by: Jack Clayton
The Innocents is a 1961 British supernatural gothic horror film directed and produced by Jack Clayton, and starring Deborah Kerr, Michael Redgrave and Megs Jenkins. Based on the novella The Turn of ...more![]()
9George Sanders, Barbara ShelleyReleased: 1960
Directed by: Wolf Rilla
Village of the Damned is a 1960 British science fiction film by German director Wolf Rilla. The film is adapted from the novel The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham. The lead role of Professor Gordon ...more![]()
10Vincent Price, Barbara SteeleReleased: 1961
Directed by: Roger Corman
The Pit and the Pendulum is a 1961 horror film directed by Roger Corman, starring Vincent Price, Barbara Steele, John Kerr, and Luana Anders. The screenplay by Richard Matheson was based on Edgar ...more![]()
11Reza Badiyi, Herk HarveyReleased: 1962
Directed by: Herk Harvey
Carnival of Souls is a 1962 independent horror film starring Candace Hilligoss. Produced and directed by Herk Harvey for an estimated $33,000, the film did not gain widespread attention when ...more12
Vincent Price, Giacomo Rossi-StuartReleased: 1964
Directed by: Sidney Salkow, Ubaldo Ragona
The Last Man on Earth is a 1964 science fiction horror film based on the Richard Matheson 1954 novel I Am Legend. The film was directed by Ubaldo Ragona and Sidney Salkow, and stars Vincent Price. ...more![]()
13Christopher Lee, Nickolas GraceReleased: 1960
Directed by: John Llewellyn Moxey
A creepy classic! A young college student Nan Barlow visits the village of Whitewood, Massachusetts to do some research into New England witchcraft. Her tutor, Professor Alan Driscoll (Christopher ...more![]()
14George Sanders, Ian HendryReleased: 1964
Directed by: Anton Leader
Children of the Damned is a 1964 science fiction film, a thematic sequel to the 1960 version of Village of the Damned. It is about a group of children, with similar psi-powers to those in the ...more![]()
15dee123 addedErika Blanc, Piero LulliReleased: 1966
Directed by: Mario Bava
Kill, Baby, Kill is a 1966 Italian horror film by director Mario Bava. It is known under many titles including Curse of the Dead, Curse of the Living Dead, Don't Walk in the Park, Kill, Baby... Kill! ...more![]()
16Vincent Price, Mark DamonReleased: 1960
Directed by: Roger Corman
House of Usher is a 1960 American horror film directed by Roger Corman and written by Richard Matheson from the short story "The Fall of the House of Usher" by Edgar Allan Poe. The film was the first ...more17
Anna Massey, Michael PowellReleased: 1960
Directed by: Michael Powell
This film is a 1960 British thriller/horror film directed by Michael Powell and written by the World War II cryptographer and polymath Leo Marks. The title derives from the slang expression ...more![]()
18Jack Nicholson, Dick MillerReleased: 1960
Directed by: Roger Corman
The Little Shop of Horrors is a 1960 American comedy horror film directed by Roger Corman. Written by Charles B. Griffith, the film is a farce about an inadequate florist's assistant who cultivates a ...more19
expandedranking addedMax von Sydow, Liv UllmannReleased: 1968
Directed by: Ingmar Bergman
Hour of the Wolf is a 1968 Swedish surrealist–psychological horror–drama film, directed by Ingmar Bergman and starring Max von Sydow and Liv Ullmann. ...more![]()
20Christopher Lee, Donald SutherlandReleased: 1965
Directed by: Freddie Francis
Dr. Terror's House of Horrors is a 1965 British horror film from Amicus Productions, directed by veteran horror director Freddie Francis, written by Milton Subotsky, and starring Peter Cushing and ...more![]()
21Alida Valli, Pierre BrasseurReleased: 1960
Directed by: Georges Franju
Eyes Without a Face is a 1960 French-Italian horror film adaptation of Jean Redon's novel, directed by Georges Franju, and starring Pierre Brasseur and Alida Valli. During the film's production, ...more22
expandedranking addedNobuko Otowa, Taiji TonoyamaReleased: 1964
Directed by: Kaneto Shindo
Onibaba is a 1964 Japanese historical drama horror film. It was written and directed by Kaneto Shindo. The film is set during a civil war in the fourteenth century. Nobuko Otowa and Jitsuko Yoshimura ...more![]()
23dee123 addedJack Nicholson, Vincent PriceReleased: 1963
Directed by: Roger Corman
The Raven is a 1963 American independent B movie/horror-comedy film produced and directed by Roger Corman. The film stars Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, and Boris Karloff as a trio of rival ...more![]()
24Peter Cushing, Peter WoodthorpeReleased: 1963
Directed by: Freddie Francis
The Evil of Frankenstein is a 1964 British Hammer Film Productions film directed by Freddie Francis. It stars Peter Cushing and New Zealand wrestler Kiwi Kingston. The film's version of the Monster ...more![]()
25Margaret Hamilton, Alexandra BastedoReleased: 1960
Directed by: William Castle
13 Ghosts is a 1960 American horror film directed by William Castle and written by Robb White. The film stars 11-year-old child actor Charles Herbert as "Buck" and co-stars veteran character actress ...more
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