The 1960s brought more than just hippies, free love, and social revolution — it also gave us some of the most enduring horror films of all time. From black-and-white nightmares to lavish gothic terror, this decade delivered stories that still haunt audiences today.
Here are five standout horror films from the ’60s, presented in chronological order.
Psycho (1960) – Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
Synopsis: A Phoenix secretary embezzles $40,000 and checks into a remote motel run by a young man under the domination of his mother.
Hitchcock’s Psycho is not only one of the most famous horror films ever made, but one of cinema’s greatest achievements. Shot on a reduced budget and in stark black-and-white, the constraints actually heightened its tension and atmosphere.
While the iconic shower scene and the shocking ending are legendary, one of the film’s finest moments is the quiet, tense conversation between Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) and Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) before everything spirals into horror. It’s a masterclass in character work and foreshadowing, turning audience sympathies on their head.
Psycho is endlessly rewatchable: first for the shocks, then for Hitchcock’s meticulous craft. Every performance, every frame, and Bernard Herrmann’s unforgettable score combine into one of the most influential horror films of all time.
Jigoku (1960) – Directed by Nobuo Nakagawa
Synopsis: Interconnected tales of murder, deceit, and adultery converge as the guilty meet their fate at the Gates of Hell.
This Japanese cult classic unfolds in two distinct halves: the first as a supernatural morality drama, the second plunging the characters into a vividly realised hellscape unlike anything in Western cinema. Nakagawa’s vision of Hell is surreal, nightmarish, and strikingly artistic — less fire-and-brimstone, more fever dream.
Despite its 1960 release, Jigoku feels daring and modern, unafraid to weave in taboo themes and eroticism. Its slow-burn pacing is typical of Japanese cinema of the era, but it rewards patient viewers with unforgettable visuals and an atmosphere that influenced generations of genre filmmakers.
Masque of the Red Death (1964) – Directed by Roger Corman
Synopsis: A cruel European prince hides in his castle to avoid a deadly plague, indulging in depravity while Death himself closes in.
Vincent Price delivers one of his best performances as Prince Prospero, a sadistic nobleman playing god over peasants and guests alike. Adapted from Edgar Allan Poe’s tale, Corman’s film is drenched in gothic style — shot with the lavish sets of Becket, filled with surreal dream sequences, and pulsing with vibrant colour.
The film pits good against evil with Satanism and cruelty on one side, love and justice on the other. Its most memorable moments blend elegance with grim justice, from Hop Toad’s gorilla-suit revenge to the eerie closing sequence where Death and his “deliverers” discuss their grim duties.
Gamera: The Giant Monster (1965) – Directed by Noriaki Yuasa
Synopsis: An ancient, fire-breathing, flying turtle is awakened and heads for Tokyo, leaving scientists scrambling to stop it.
Often compared to Godzilla, Gamera stands out for its serious tone and surprisingly harsh destruction sequences. Yuasa stages the monster mayhem with flair, making Gamera a convincingly fearsome creature. The crisp black-and-white cinematography and rousing score heighten the spectacle.
While it delivers the expected giant-monster destruction, the film adds an interesting subplot about a young boy idolising Gamera — a subtle commentary on dangerous hero worship tucked inside a kaiju romp.
Night of the Living Dead (1968) – Directed by George A. Romero
Synopsis: Strangers barricade themselves in a farmhouse as the dead rise to eat the living.
Romero’s debut rewrote the zombie rulebook and remains one of the most important horror films ever made. Its grainy black-and-white visuals make it feel almost documentary-like, lending extra realism to the creeping dread.
Famous set-pieces — from the tense opening in the cemetery to the shocking basement climax — still unsettle after decades. Beyond the gore, the film’s power lies in its bleak view of humanity: even faced with extinction, the survivors cannot unite.
With Duane Jones as the determined Ben and Judith O’Dea as the traumatised Barbara, Night of the Living Dead gave the genre both a modern political edge and an unshakable sense of doom.
Final Thoughts
The 1960s was a decade of contrasts compared to the 1950s horror — from arthouse nightmares like Jigoku to mainstream shockers like Psycho, from gothic opulence in Masque of the Red Death to the raw terror of Night of the Living Dead. Each of these films has left a unique mark on the genre, proving that great horror never dies… it just rises again.
