Best Horror Movies of 1978

The highest-rated horror films from 1978, ranked by MovieMagicScore based on authentic viewer ratings.

Horror 1977 Horror 1979 All Time Horror

Action Comedy Drama Science Fiction Thriller Romance Animation Documentary Fantasy Crime

Halloween

1978

Fifteen years after murdering his sister on Halloween Night 1963, Michael Myers escapes from a mental hospital and returns to the small town of Haddonfield, Illinois to kill again.

7.6

Dawn of the Dead

1978

During an ever-growing epidemic of zombies that have risen from the dead, two Philadelphia SWAT team members, a traffic reporter, and his television-executive girlfriend seek refuge in a secluded shopping mall.

7.5

Invasion of the Body Snatchers

1978

The residents of San Francisco are becoming drone-like shadows of their former selves, and as the phenomenon spreads, two Department of Health workers uncover the horrifying truth.

7.2

Magic

1978

A ventriloquist is at the mercy of his vicious dummy while he tries to renew a romance with his high school sweetheart.

6.8

Martin

1978

A young man, convinced he's a vampire, goes to live with his elderly and hostile cousin in a small Pennsylvanian town, where he tries to suppress his bloodlust.

6.8

Empire of Passion

1978

In a small Japanese village at the end of the 19th century, a rickshaw driver's wife takes on a much younger lover and the two conspire to murder him.

6.9

The Medusa Touch

1978

A French detective in London reconstructs the life of a man lying in hospital with severe injuries with the help of journals and a psychiatrist. He realises that the man had powerful telekinetic abilities.

6.8

Damien - Omen II

1978

Since the sudden and suspicious deaths of his parents, young Damien has been in the charge of his wealthy aunt and uncle and enrolled in a military school. Widely feared to be the Antichrist, he relentlessly plots to seize control of his uncle's business empire — and the world.

6.4

Someone's Watching Me!

1978

A young woman moves to a high-rise apartment building and soon begins to be tormented by an unknown stalker who seems to know her every move.

6.2

#10

The Fury

1978

When a devious plot separates CIA agent Peter Sandza from his son, Robin, the distraught father manages to see through the ruse. Taken because of his psychic abilities, Robin is being held by Ben Childress, who is studying people with supernatural powers in hopes of developing their talents as weapons. Soon Peter pairs up with Gillian, a teen who has telekinesis, to find and rescue Robin.

6.3

#11

The Shout

1978

A traveller by the name of Crossley forces himself upon a musician and his wife in a lonely part of Devon, and uses the aboriginal magic he has learned to displace his host.

5.9

#12

The Toolbox Murders

1978

A serial killer, plagued by the memory of a fatal car accident, uses various tools to murder female tenants of a Los Angeles apartment complex, then abducts a teenaged girl who lives there with her family. When the police express doubt that the murders are connected to the girl's disappearance, her brother sets out to search for her on his own.

5.5

#13

Eyes of Laura Mars

1978

A famous fashion photographer develops a disturbing ability to see through the eyes of a serial killer.

5.8

#14

Day of the Woman

1978

A young, beautiful career woman rents a backwoods cabin to write her first novel. Attacked by a group of local lowlifes and left for dead, she devises a horrific plan to inflict revenge.

6.0

#15

Slave of the Cannibal God

1978

A woman and her brother fly to New Guinea to look for a lost expedition, led by her husband, which has vanished in the great jungle.

5.1

#16

Piranha

1978

When flesh-eating piranhas are accidently released into a summer resort's rivers, the guests become their next meal.

6.0

#17

Jaws 2

1978

Police chief Brody must protect the citizens of Amity after a second monstrous shark begins terrorizing the waters.

6.0

#18

The Swarm

1978

Scientist Dr. Bradford Crane and army general Thalius Slater join forces to fight an almost invisible enemy threatening America; killer bees that have deadly venom and attack without reason. Disaster movie-master Irwin Allen's film contains spectacular special effects, including a train crash caused by the eponymous swarm.

5.0

#19

Attack of the Killer Tomatoes!

1978

After a wave of reports of mysterious attacks involving people and pets being eaten by the traditionally docile fruit, a special government task force is set up to investigate the violent fruit and put a stop to their murderous spree.

5.0

#20

Faces of Death

1978

A collection of death scenes, ranging from TV-material to home-made super-8 movies. The common factor is death by some means.

4.5

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Best Horror Movies of 1978

This ranking features the top horror movies released in 1978, sorted by MovieMagicScore viewer ratings. Looking for more? Browse all genres from 1978 or see the best horror movies of all time.