Amanda's Horror Years- 1978

1978- Hmm. Was this a good or bad year for horror???Well, there were some great movies released and then some not so great.

Let's start with the best, of course. Halloween was released in this year and it changed the face of horror movies. The slasher was born and the guy with the mask and the knife became a horror movie staple. This wasn't the first horror to feature a stalker guy, but it made a huge impact. Jamie Lee Curtis was the unfortunate victim of the deranged Michael Myers. Her pals started to drop like flies and it led to the famous end sequence and who could forget that wonderful title music? John Carpenter gave us such a great film and it can be watched at any time of year- not just Halloween!!! Another cult movie, I Spit On Your Grave, was released in 1978 and this was very controversial because of the gang rape scene. A young woman, Jennifer Hills rents a cabin in the country to write her novel and she gets the local scumbags all hot and bothered. They decide to rape her and leave her for dead. They think that they have disposed of her, but she ain't dead and she is very angry! I liked this movie and for those who think that it is anti-woman, you should see how Jennifer gets her revenge on the men!!! George A Romero brought us the second in his zombie trilogy Dawn of the Dead. I liked this film. It was very entertaining and it is a precursor to The Walking Dead! Without this movie, there would be no Walking Dead, I think. A group of survivors hole up in a shopping mall but the zombies are hungry and they are in the mood for some shopping!

Other movies released this year were The Toolbox Murders- a video nasty which was a bad reputation, but is worth a look. Piranha was another low budget movie which was decent but not a great movie. Martin is a lesser known movie by George A Romero about a young man who believes himself to be a vampire. Are You in the House Alone is a made for TV thriller, but is worth a mention here as the story is solid and I liked it. Long Weekend is another horror/thriller and it was about a couple who go camping in the wild and find that their shabby treatment of the environment catches up with them. Attack of the Killer Tomatoes was a comedy horror about- well, killer tomatoes!!!! Damien:Omen II was a sequel to the original movie, but it lacked the greatness of the original. Jaws II was released with great success and was one of the highest grossing movies of 1978.

All in all, 1978 was a decent year for movies. Halloween was the highlight in my opinion and I still love it now! There were other good movies, but I think that Halloween will be the most remembered one! Let me know if I have omitted any of your favourites!