The Best Forgotten Horror Films of the 1970s & 80s on DVD
The 1970s and 1980s were a golden age for horror cinema. From atmospheric supernatural thrillers to gleefully over-the-top slashers, the era produced an extraordinary volume of genre films that pushed boundaries, terrified audiences, and created some of the most devoted cult followings in film history.
But for every Halloween and The Shining, there are dozens of equally worthy horror films that slipped through the cracks of film history — forgotten gems that never made it to streaming and can only be found today on DVD. Here are some of the best.
Curse of the Black Widow (1977)
A memorably creepy TV horror thriller starring Tony Franciosa and Donna Mills, in which a private detective investigating a series of bizarre murders discovers that the victims have all been killed in the same horrifying manner — drained of blood and wrapped in silk, like the prey of a giant spider. With a strong supporting cast including Patty Duke and June Lockhart, this is a genuinely unsettling piece of 70s TV horror that deserves a far wider audience.
Necromancer (1988)
A dark and atmospheric supernatural horror thriller starring Elizabeth Kaitan and the legendary Russ Tamblyn (West Side Story, Twin Peaks). A young woman traumatized by assault turns to a mysterious necromancer for revenge — summoning a demonic entity that proves far beyond her control. A cult favorite of late-80s horror with a genuinely unsettling atmosphere.
Dr. Giggles (1992)
One of the most memorably deranged slasher villains of the early 90s, Larry Drake delivers a wickedly entertaining performance as a demented escaped mental patient who believes himself to be a doctor. Armed with medical instruments and an endless supply of ghoulish one-liners, he returns to his hometown to continue his murderous father’s work. Also starring a young Holly Marie Combs (Charmed), this is a cult classic that delivers genuine scares alongside its dark humor.
Blood and Roses (1960)
Directed by the stylish Roger Vadim and based on Sheridan Le Fanu’s vampire novella Carmilla, this ravishingly beautiful French-Italian gothic horror stars Mel Ferrer and Elsa Martinelli. Shot in gorgeous widescreen Technicolor, it remains one of the most visually stunning vampire films ever made — and one of the most overlooked.
Girlfriend from Hell (1989)
A gleefully campy horror comedy in which a meek young woman becomes the unwilling host for the Devil himself at a house party, transforming her into a seductive and unstoppable force of chaos. Starring Dana Ashbrook (Bobby Briggs from Twin Peaks), this is a wildly entertaining cult oddity of the late-80s horror comedy era.
The Plague of the Zombies (1966)
A masterpiece of Hammer Horror — one of the finest zombie films ever made and a landmark of British gothic horror cinema. Set in a fog-shrouded Cornish village where the dead are rising to serve a voodoo master, this is atmospheric, beautifully crafted horror at its finest.
Twins of Evil (1971)
Another essential entry in the Hammer Horror catalog, featuring the legendary Peter Cushing as a fanatical Puritan witch-hunter whose twin nieces arrive in a Transylvanian village — one of whom falls under the influence of a vampire count. Lush, gothic, and genuinely frightening.
Why These Films Only Exist on DVD
The horror films listed above share something important: none of them are available on major streaming platforms. They exist in a category of cinema that streaming services have largely ignored — too niche for mass-market licensing, too beloved by collectors to disappear entirely.
At Retro Classic Flixs, we specialize in sourcing exactly these kinds of rare horror titles through our authorized MMOD studio network. Whether you’re a dedicated horror collector or just beginning to explore the genre’s forgotten corners, we have the films you’re looking for.