1960 Horror Movies

From Alfred Hitchcock, starring Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, John Gavin
Rated R

Psycho is a classic horror-thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock in 1960. The film follows the story of Marion Crane (Janet Leigh), a young woman who is on the run from the law after stealing $40,000 from her employer. She takes refuge in an isolated motel run by the peculiar Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins). As the story progresses, Marion realizes that Norman is not all that he seems, and finds herself in a terrifying fight for survival. The film is a suspenseful exploration of the psychological effects of guilt, fear, and paranoia. It is widely considered to be one of Hitchcock's greatest works and is one of the most influential horror films of all time.

From Robert Aldrich, starring Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Victor Buono, Wesley Addy
Rated Passed

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? is a 1962 American psychological thriller-horror film produced and directed by Robert Aldrich, and starring Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. The plot follows two aging sisters—former child star Baby Jane Hudson and her disabled older sister, Blanche Hudson—who live together in a decaying Hollywood mansion. Jane torments Blanche and impedes her ability to leave the house, all the while planning a show-biz comeback for herself. After Blanche retaliates, Jane begins to mentally unravel and descends into madness, leading to a shocking and unexpected finale.

From Jack Clayton, starring Deborah Kerr, Peter Wyngarde, Megs Jenkins, Michael Redgrave
Rated Not Rated

The Innocents is a psychological horror film directed by Jack Clayton, based on the novella The Turn of the Screw by Henry James. It stars Deborah Kerr as Miss Giddens, a young governess who is charged with looking after two orphaned children, Miles (Martin Stephens) and Flora (Pamela Franklin), at a lonely country estate. As she begins to notice strange occurrences, Miss Giddens slowly realizes that the children are being possessed by the ghosts of the previous governess, Miss Jessel (Clytie Jessop), and her lover, Peter Quint (Peter Wyngarde). Miss Giddens must contend with the ghosts, protect the children, and figure out how to exorcise the spirits from the house. The film is noted for its striking cinematography, eerie atmosphere, and psychological horror.

From J. Lee Thompson, starring Gregory Peck, Robert Mitchum, Polly Bergen, Lori Martin
Rated Passed

Cape Fear is a 1962 American psychological thriller film directed by J. Lee Thompson and starring Robert Mitchum, Gregory Peck, Polly Bergen and Martin Balsam. The story follows Sam Bowden, a lawyer in the fictional town of New Essex, North Carolina, who is terrorized by a criminal he helped to send to jail. The criminal, Max Cady, has been released from prison after serving a fourteen-year sentence and is looking to settle a score with Bowden. With the help of an ex-convict, Cady begins to terrorize Bowden and his family, ultimately threatening the lives of his wife and teenage daughter. As Cady's reign of terror escalates, Bowden is forced to take matters into his own hands to protect his family. The film is a remake of the original 1961 film of the same name, which was directed by J. Lee Thompson and starred Robert Mitchum.

From Georges Franju, starring Pierre Brasseur, Alida Valli, Juliette Mayniel, Alexandre Rignault
Rated Not Rated

Eyes Without a Face (1960), directed by Georges Franju, is a French horror film that tells the story of a brilliant surgeon, Dr. Génessier, whose daughter Christiane has been disfigured in a car accident. Dr. Génessier is desperate to restore her daughter’s beauty and sets out to find a way to do so. He ultimately decides to kidnap young women and remove their faces in an attempt to give Christiane a new one, putting the lives of the kidnapped women in danger. Meanwhile, Inspector Parot is determined to stop Dr. Génessier’s mad quest and rescue the kidnapped women. The film is a classic of the genre, featuring themes of obsession, desperation, and loneliness.

From Alfred Hitchcock, starring Rod Taylor, Tippi Hedren, Jessica Tandy, Suzanne Pleshette
Rated PG-13

The Birds is a 1963 psychological thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Tippi Hedren, Rod Taylor, and Suzanne Pleshette. The plot follows a series of inexplicable and violent bird attacks on the small town of Bodega Bay, California, which starts when a schoolteacher, Melanie Daniels, meets a handsome lawyer, Mitch Brenner, in a pet store in San Francisco. The birds in the area begin to behave strangely and attack the townspeople, leaving the town in chaos and confusion. As the attacks increase in intensity, the town is thrust into a state of chaos and fear. Melanie, Mitch, and his family attempt to survive the onslaught of birds, but soon begin to realize that the cause of the attacks may have something to do with Melanie. Ultimately, the birds seem to be acting out of a mysterious and unknowable force, and the viewer is left wondering what could have caused them to act in such a strange and violent manner.

From George Pal, starring Rod Taylor, Alan Young, Yvette Mimieux, Sebastian Cabot
Rated G

The Time Machine is a 1960 science fiction film directed by George Pal. The story follows a scientist named George (Rod Taylor) who invents a time machine and embarks on a journey to the future. He arrives in the year 802,701 AD, where he discovers two distinct societies: the peaceful Eloi and the subterranean Morlocks. With the help of the Eloi woman Weena (Yvette Mimieux), George battles the sinister Morlocks to save the future of humankind. Along the way, he learns that the future is not what he expected and must make difficult choices to save the future.

From Robert Wise, starring Julie Harris, Claire Bloom, Richard Johnson, Russ Tamblyn
Rated G

From Wolf Rilla, starring George Sanders, Barbara Shelley, Michael Gwynn, Laurence Naismith
Rated Not Rated

From Roger Corman, starring Vincent Price, Barbara Steele, John Kerr, Luana Anders
Rated Not Rated

From Mario Bava, starring Michèle Mercier, Lidia Alfonsi, Boris Karloff, Mark Damon
Rated Approved

From Roger Corman, starring Vincent Price, Mark Damon, Myrna Fahey, Harry Ellerbe
Rated Approved

From Sidney Hayers, starring Peter Wyngarde, Janet Blair, Margaret Johnston, Anthony Nicholls
Rated Not Rated

From Roger Corman, starring Vincent Price, Hazel Court, Jane Asher, David Weston
Rated Not Rated

From Roger Corman, starring Vincent Price, Maggie Pierce, Leona Gage, Peter Lorre
Rated Not Rated

From William Castle, starring Charles Herbert, Jo Morrow, Martin Milner, Rosemary DeCamp
Rated Not Rated