Laurie Strode holding a knife and looking scared in Halloween (1978). Image via Compass International Pictures/Aquarius Releasing By Daniel Boyer Published Aug 25, 2026, 11:26 PM EDT Daniel is a 27-year-old List Writer for Collider living in the south suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. As an avid film buff, he watches and analyzes many films and TV shows, especially in the horror genre, and regularly attends movie screenings. Sign in to your Collider account Add Us Add on Google Preferred Source Google News Summary Generate a summary of this story Like Like follow Follow followed Followed Listen Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap 1978 was a transformative year that arguably defined '70s cinema. A year marked with so much excellence and acclaim, it was truly one of the best years in movies, period. From the blockbuster monster hit Superman to the Best Picture-winning epic The Deer Hunter. It was a time to really be a movie fan, and nearly every popular genre thrived. But none more so than the horror genre.
Horror helped shape '70s cinema into how we know it today. Yet, it was 1978 that saw some of the biggest highlights from this decade, featuring legendary classics and landmark masterpieces that have changed the face of horror for the rest of the century . New subgenres kicked off this year, and there was just so much creativity and terror released every month. From a cult classic B-movie to one of the greatest zombie films of all time, here are ten movies that prove 1978 was a tremendous year for horror.
Roy Scheider as Chief Brody firing a gun at the beach in Jaws 2. Image via Universal Pictures Kicking things off is the sequel to one of the most beloved adventure horror movies ever, Jaws 2 . Directed by Jeannot Szwarc , this admittedly rushed, uneven continuation to the first Jaws from 1975 may not be anywhere near as good as its predecessor, but it has its moments and is slowly getting slightly better recognition. Reluctantly starring Roy Scheider , who only appeared as a contractual obligation, it sees him as Chief Martin Brody, who once again must protect his community when another killer great white shark stalks the shores of Amity Island.
Yeah, its pacing is slow, the new supporting characters aren't as complex or as iconic as the ones in the original, and the story is an obvious rehash of its predecessor, but for all its faults, Jaws 2 has a few great moments that certainly make it at least worth watching once. The action is still tense, the higher body count and gore are certainly a plus, and although it's well-known that Roy Scheider didn't want to be in the film, he still brought his level of professionalism and managed to play Brody with just as much care and intrigue. It's not a perfect horror film at all, but Jaws 2 is steadily becoming a cult favorite among some fans . Plus, say what you want about this film, but it still is not as bad as the two other atrocious sequels .
Image via NAI Entertainment Get ready to laugh at one of the most hilariously bad horror B-movies of all time, Attack of the Killer Tomatoes! A film that truly embodies the meaning of a cult classic, this cheesy, goofy monster attack flick instantly draws you in with its wacky, nonsensical premise about mutated tomatoes that go to large sizes and start consuming humanity. It's wild, insane, full of hammy dialogue and bizarre perfor…