5 Vintage Horror Movies That Were Ahead of Their Time
Many of the familiar conventions and tropes that we associate with horror have existed since the twilight of the genre. Here are five vintage horror movies that were ahead of their time. They were often misunderstood or ignored at first, but all of them went on to have tremendous influence.
These movies are all several decades old and most of them are in black and white. I know some people are going to dismiss them offhand on these grounds. Anyone who really wants to understand the roots of the genre should check them out. Besides, they’re all really good!
Nosferatu (1922)
We begin way back in the silent film era with Nosferatu, an early German expressionist gothic vampire flick. It was supposed to be about Dracula, but the filmmakers were unable to gain the rights to that character.
Instead of Bram Stoker’s already famous bloodsucker, we get Count Orlok (Max Schreck), a mysterious recluse who owns a castle nestled in the mountains of Transylvania. The protagonist is a real estate agent who visits the castle intending to finalize a property sale, only to make the shocking discovery that Orlok is a vampire.
Nosferatu, which happens to be the oldest feature-length horror film I’ve ever seen, is loaded with creepy and memorable imagery. It’s an artistic and technological breakthrough that’s been remade several times, including an upcoming version set to be released in December 2024.
This vintage horror movie is an early masterclass for how to create an eerie atmosphere. It’s hard to overstate how influential it has been, not just for vampire films, but for horror in general. Scary movies would have evolved much differently if Nosferatu had never been released.
White Zombie (1932)
Over three decades before the seminal Night of the Living Dead (1968) came White Zombie, the first true zombie film. Well, sort of. These zombies don’t lurch around attacking people, nor do they eat human flesh. But they are the reanimated corpses of the dead, so there’s that!
The most memorable part of White Zombie is the villain, a dastardly scoundrel named Legendre. He’s played with relish by Bella Lugosi, who achieved fame by portraying Dracula in a series of films. The film is set in Haiti, a country with a long legacy of zombie folklore.
Legendre uses voodoo to create the zombies, who are mindless automatons that perform their master’s bidding. The undead folks in White Zombie have more in common with the possessed people in Invasion of the Body Snatchers than they do with modern zombies. It’s interesting to see how some of the common elements were already there, and how they would later be fused with material from other works to create our modern concept of zombies.
And yes, if you’re wondering, the metal band White Zombie did take their name from this film.
The Spiral Staircase (1946)
This underrated proto-slasher predates even the earliest giallo films. Filmed in the 1940s, but set back in the horse and buggy era, The Spiral Staircase is about Helen (Dorothy McGuire), a mute young woman who is stalked by a mysterious murderer. It features beautiful cinematography reminiscent of classic film noir.
Helen works as a live-in servant in an isolated mansion. She lives alongside the family that owns the home and several other servants. Could one of them be the stalker, and can Helen discover his identity before it’s too late?
The maniac has already killed several women in the area. He targets young ladies with disabilities. You’ll never guess who he wants to be his next victim! Only his eyes are seen for most of the film. Some shots are from the killer’s point of view, which would become a common device in slashers much later.
The Spiral Staircase was ahead of its time in many ways. The movie features a killer who is a clean-cut, seemingly normal guy – a far cry from the outlandish supernatural monsters that are often seen in vintage horror movies of the period.
The Bad Seed (1956)
The Bad Seed is one of the best portrayals of a budding sociopath I’ve seen. Young, pig-tailed Rhoda (Patty McCormack) has no conscience, empathy, or remorse. She ruthlessly destroys anyone that she dislikes.
Rhoda is able to convince most adults that she’s a sweet, innocent girl, but her clumsy attempts to manipulate her mother fall flat. Christine (Nancy Kelly) realizes, with mounting horror, that her daughter is responsible for the death of her classmate and numerous other crimes. Christine resolves to do the unthinkable: kill Rhoda before she can harm anyone else.
The Bad Seed paved the way for movies like The Omen, Bloody Birthday, and Orphan. It lacks any major onscreen violence, and there are lots of talky scenes filled with psychological musings, but I found it fascinating. It’s both chilling and wickedly funny. This film is one of the must see classic horror movies of the 1950s.
Peeping Tom (1960)
Peeping Tom is about Mark (Carl Boehm), a mentally disturbed London photographer who kills women with a blade attached to his camera tripod. He uses his camera to record their final moments and compiles the footage to create a snuff film.
Mark begins to spend time with Helen (Anna Massey), a pretty redhead who lives in the same apartment complex. He develops feelings for her and doesn’t wish to harm her, but she’s getting dangerously close to discovering his awful secret.
This movie is pretty tame by today’s standards. Like the other vintage horror movies on this list, the violence is mostly suggested instead of shown explicitly. Nevertheless, many critics were offended by the film’s morbid subject matter. Director Michael Powell, a respected British filmmaker, saw his career take a nosedive after Peeping Tom was released.
Many reviewers later reappraised it as a misunderstood classic. What seemed shocking and outrageous in 1960 is only mildly disturbing today. Imagine what those critics would have thought of the Terrifier movies!
Peeping Tom‘s themes of voyeurism and exploitation have influenced countless horror movies. It can be credited (or blamed) for helping create the ultimate voyeuristic horror subgenre: the found footage film.
