Your Favourite Horror Film from 1976
 

1976 was a year for some brilliant horror films, but which one is your favourite? What makes it special to you? When did you first see it? Would you recommend it to the uninitiated?

Sometimes it's a hard decision to just pick one film (even when you're limiting it to a single year!), but my favourite film of 1976 is...

Runners Up:
Alice, Sweet Alice
Blue Eyes of the Broken Doll
Carrie
God Told Me To
The House with Laughing Windows
The Omen
Satan's Slave

Dammit -- I knew this thread would end up costing me money! I haven't yet seen your #1 pick, but I can't imagine it beating Carrie which is one of my all-time favourite horror movies. There aren't many films that are better than the book, but Carrie is one of them and even Stephen King admits as much.

Who Can Kill a Child? is due a UK DVD release in the very near future, however if you can't wait that long Dark Sky's US DVD is superb. This is honestly one of my all-time favourite films, it completely blew me away when I first saw it, and loses none of it's raw impact on repeat viewings.

As for Carrie; we have a love/hate relationship. :D

I first read the book when I was about 8, and absolutely loved it (I've probably read it about 20 times since). However, I was very underwhelmed when I first saw the film, mainly because the book covers so much more key material (especially in respect to Carrie's post-prom rampage). On repeat viewings I learned to appreciate more, but it will never achieve the levels of greatness the book did when I was 8! The shock ending, which is not in the King book and that De Palma added to the film was a nice touch, though.

I've ordered the Dark Sky DVD so, when it arrives and I watch it, I'll get back to you!

"Martin", "To the Devil a Daughter" and "Eaten Alive"

The Omen for me, great stuff!

Again,classics galore!
The seventies takes some beating when it comes to horror movies!

My favourites include;
CARRIE
DEATH WEEKEND
GRIZZLY

But the best film of '76 has to be THE OMEN.

The only thing that has dated about the bastard spawn of Satan in the flairs and the tanktops!:lol:

Another film which looks stunning on BD!

A well deserved Oscar for Goldsmith for this score!

Who around about my age remembers seeing the jaw dropping opening scene in Carrie?:lol:

Another classic Pino Donaggio score here.:cool:

De Palma obviously has good taste in composers.

You managed to give this one a spin yet, Nos?

The Omen is certainly a horror classic, but to play devil's advocate (pun ever-so-slightly intended), I actually personally prefer The Omen II. I'm not sure exactly why, pssibly because Damien is older and therefore much more involved in exacting his devilish powers over all who surround him; The famous 'eye-pecking' scene is certainly memorable.

I watched Who Can Kill a Child? on Monday and completely forgot about this thread! It is a really impressive film with superb performances by the two leads and some extended sequences with real tension and an air of creepiness that doesn't exist in many films. The child actors are surprisingly good in giving off an air of malevolence that is unlike the children in Village of the Damned as they are so clearly bloodthirsty. 4/5.

Glad you enjoyed it, Nos. It's certainly pulls no punches, and is superbly written, acted, and shot.

Does it beat Carrie to your no. 1 spot for 1976?

I don't think anything can be your favourite film after one viewing -- maybe in a couple of years?

True.

I'm just all for displacing Carrie, after airing my grievances a few posts back! :D

I would like to displace Carrie, especially when she wears her slave girl outfit. :eyebrows:

Even though I'm not really a fan of that particular Carrie either, I had to 'Like' your post just for making me laugh! :lol:

Hey, we can't agree on everything -- imagine what these forums would be like if we all loved Showgirls and Grease 2!

Whats up with Showgirls ?

Nothing in particular -- it's enjoyable trash, but it does have a slightly misogynistic subtext.

Don't let Stephen hear you say that! ;)

I'm sure he would say such a forum would be absolutely brilliant!

Don't know what you mean. ;)

Who Can Kill a Child? is brilliant.But so is Alice, Sweet Alice,The House With Laughing Windows and Carrie too.It's still Romero's study of social entropy and human decay,Martin,that takes the bite out of '76.At least it was finished in '76,maybe released in '77 in Europe and '78 in the States.Anyway,it's important modern take on vampirism,that really isn't about vampirism per se,but the dehumanizing effects of dying industrial suburbs and family units.

The Omen
 

Have to cast a vote for "The Omen". The "A" level production, excellent acting, religious underpinning, David Seltzer's great writing and Jerry Goldsmith's outstanding score all combine to create one of the all time greats.

Gregory Peck and Lee Remick lend the film a gravitas that really works. It was a real coup to get them for the picture. Special kudos also have to go to David Warner who is very, very good.

Jerry Goldsmith should have gotten a big bonus for a score that has to count as one of the best in general film history, not just horror film history. "The Omen", like "Susperia", is one of those rare movies where the music can scare the crap out you as much as the action on the screen.

Having never seen (but really wanting to) Who Can Kill a Child? I can't discount it, but the only film of 1976 for me is Eraserhead. The Omen is great, although a little campy, and Carrie is a fine, fine piece of film, but The Lady In The Radiator takes the award.

Carrie is excellent, but I'd go for Who Can Kill A Child? too.

Another vote for Carrie.

I would also have to say CARRIE. The true horror of it was not the telekinesis or even the destruction of the gym, but the fact that Carrie's horrendous mother turned out to be right. (Does this mean that all Atheists like me are going to Hell, as the Fire and Brimstone preachers tell us?!)

ooh tough one. so many classics, i definitely want this WCKAC now, but nostalgically its Carrie/Martin (tied)
Alice Sweet Alice very close second.

unruly teenagers!!

oh and the more i see it The Omen bores the arse off me :laugh:

Another great Bri shocker this year was Walker's HOUSE OF MORTAL SIN/aka THE CONFESSIONAL.

Jesus,Walker sure knew how to stir up a hornet's nest eh?

Hopefully this and Frightmare are next on Redemption's Blu Radar.

From Prime Minister to murdering priest,Anthony Sharp was deliciously demented and as otfen was the case,suitably aided by the great Sheila Keith!

Some people cite this as 1975,some 1976.
So as I was only three or four at the time,I'll stick it in '76.

ALICE SWEET ALICE is another classic.
I don't know why director Alfred Sole's career didn't soar after this...

Which is the best version to pick up? Believe it or not I've not seen it since owning the VCL pre-cert in the early 1990s!

I have the Henstooth dvd for which I got rid of the ABUS disc for....the UK VI disc,under the Communion moniker is a VHS rip.
I do have it for the artwork though...:rolleyes:

I'd say the Henstooth disc.....Was there not something screwed up with the AB disc?
I vaguely remember reading something......:confused:
Been that long since I watched it....

Cheers, Reaps. I actually have the shitty UK disc but was aware with its dodgy origins. I'll get that Henstooth release ordered, mate :)

That's the version I have and haven't had any problems with it but, like you, haven't watched it in ages.

Ooooh, tough year.

ASA and The Tenant tied methinks.

I haven't seen The Tenant in quite a while. It's such an unsettling and disquieting film that it'll go on my 'to watch' pile again along with some other films I haven't seen in a few years and the unwatched discs.

The Town That Dreaded Sundown

Made even creepier when you read about the true crimes this film is based on. Another one of my favourite movie posters

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