The 25 Creepiest Scenes from 1960s Horror Films. In this series of horror-themed articles, we’ll be reviewing the creepiest scenes from horror films by decade. These articles will showcase some of the subtle (yet terrifying) scares that gave you nightmares as a child and goosebumps as an adult.
Our seventh article covers the 1960s and the decade was known for three major themes: the continued dominance of Gothic Horror, the rise of the Slasher Horror and Serial Killer Crime Film subgenres and a transition from popular Films About The Paranormal, Ghosts & Hauntings to Films About The Occult & Witches.
Though horror films utilizing a gothic setting premiered in the early days of film with Dracula (1931) and Frankenstein (1931) it wasn’t until the late 1950s that the Gothic Horror subgenre gained more prominence with films such as The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959) and The Mummy (1959). This gothic trend continued into the 1960s as a dominant form of horror during the decade in classic films including Black Sunday (1960), Black Sabbath (1963), The Whip and the Body (1963), The Masque of Red Death (1964) and more.
However, while gothic horror dominated the 1960s, there was also the emergence of slashers in Psycho (1960) and Blood and Black Lace (1964) while serial killers would became a larger theme of crime and horror in Peeping Tom (1960), The Girl Who Knew Too Much (1963) and The Boston Strangler (1968).
And while films involving ghosts, hauntings and the supernatural were popular in the early half of the decade with The Innocents (1961), The Haunting (1963) and Kwaidan (1964) there would be a noticeable shift in the late 1960s to a focus on the occult with classic films including Rosemary’s Baby (1968) and The Devil Rides Out (1968).
After we get through each decade, we’ll have a cumulative article with the 25 Creepiest Horror Scenes of All Time and you can find each article below as we post them over the following months:
- The 25 Creepiest Scenes from 1960s Horror Films
- The 25 Creepiest Scenes from 1970s Horror Films
- The 25 Creepiest Scenes from 1980s Horror Films
- The 25 Creepiest Scenes from 1990s Horror Films
- The 25 Creepiest Scenes from 2000s Horror Films
- The 25 Creepiest Scenes from 2010s Horror Films
- The 25 Creepiest Scenes from 2020s Horror Films
- The 25 Creepiest Horror Scenes of All Time
For our rankings we’re going to use some criteria to help define and refine our list. First, what is considered ‘creepy’ is often subjective. What might be creepy to some people might come off as boring to others. For the list we’ve compiled, we narrowed down the Top 25 to scenes that genuinely scared older members of KBZ when they saw these films at a younger age to recent generations that still found some of these older horror films creepy.
Second, like all of our lists, we’re going to include as many horror film subgenres found in the decade as possible. We’re even going to include some sci-fi horror films and one film from the Coffin Joe series of films which was an early precursor to the rise of Splatter & Gore Films in the 1970s.
Third, we’re also going to include worldwide horror films in this list so we can include some of the first J-Horror films such as Jigoku (1960) and Onibaba (1964) to one of the earliest examples of French Horror in the classic horror film, Eyes Without a Face (1960).
Fourth, though this decade didn’t have as many creepy films as the decades that followed it (especially the 1970s and 1980s), we did identify quite a few films that had some genuinely creepy moments. But we only have 25 spots for this specific list. However, we will likely release a follow-up video next this year to the KBZ YouTube channel that includes honorable mentions that didn’t make this list. So, if you’re not a subscriber yet to our YouTube channel, now is a good time to sign up!
Fifth, we’re going to try something new with our lists by embedding BlueSky video posts of the scenes. You won’t need an account with BlueSky to view the videos, but there are some great film and horror buffs you can follow on the social network on hashtags feeds MovieSky and FilmSky. You can also follow KBZ Film on BlueSky here.
And sixth, we had to follow our rule for all of KBZ’s film listings where we only list films that have a 4.0/10 or higher rating.
As we mentioned above, we’ll be releasing additional lists of the creepiest horror films of the decade over the next few months. You can refer to our schedule above or subscribe to our newsletter to get updated as we release each new article.
Note: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
The 25 Creepiest Scenes from 1960s Horror Films
#25 The Frozen Dead (1966) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Scene: “Help me….”
#24 Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors (1965) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Scene: The Hand
#23 The Reptile (1966) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Scene: The Reptile Appears
#22 This Night I’ll Possess Your Corpse (1967) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Scene: Spiders
#21 X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes (1963) Where to Stream / Buy: Tubi
Scene: The Eyes
#20 Onibaba (1964) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Scene: The Demon Appears
#19 The Day of the Triffids (1963) Where to Stream / Buy: Tubi
Scene: The Triffid Attacks
#18 The Masque of the Red Death (1964) Where to Stream / Buy: Tubi
Scene: The Raven
#17 Dracula Prince of Darkness (1966) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Scene: The Tapping at the Window
#16 Peeping Tom (1960) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Scene: The Serial Killer Revealed
#15 The Last Man on Earth (1964) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Scene: Someone is at the Door
#14 Planet of the Vampires (1965) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Scene: The Dead Arise
#13 The Devil Rides Out (1968) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Scene: The Goat of Mendes
#12 The Time Machine (1960) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Scene: The Morlocks
#11 The Birds (1963) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Scene: The Birds Appear
#10
Jigoku
Plot: After a young theology student flees a hit-and-run accident, he is plagued by both his own guilt-ridden conscience and a mysterious, diabolical doppelgänger. But all possible escape routes lead straight to hell…literally!
Scene: The Depiction of Hell
The Creepiest Scenes from 1960s Horror Films – Jigoku (1960)
#60s #FilmSky #MovieSky #Horror #Creepy
70s – youtu.be/NksBmOpfuM0
80s – youtu.be/W-L1dR0tkmM
90s – youtu.be/IDVd0XYIe28
00s – youtu.be/vFHBNaS6DLY
10s – youtu.be/NrihCcNU2zk
20s – youtu.be/V-GJtmv-8Pg— KBZ Film (@kbzfilm.bsky.social) November 18, 2025 at 6:00 PM
KBZ’s Take: One of the early entries in the J-Horror film subgenre, Jigoku has become a classic horror film over time. Even though the first two acts are more drama-based, the film is known for its third act that features one of the craziest (and creepiest) depictions of hell ever shown in film.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Plot: A young governess for two children becomes convinced that the house and grounds are haunted.
Scene: The Hallway Haunting
The Creepiest Scenes from 1960s Horror Films – The Innocents (1961)
#60s #FilmSky #MovieSky #Horror #Creepy
70s – youtu.be/NksBmOpfuM0
80s – youtu.be/W-L1dR0tkmM
90s – youtu.be/IDVd0XYIe28
00s – youtu.be/vFHBNaS6DLY
10s – youtu.be/NrihCcNU2zk
20s – youtu.be/V-GJtmv-8Pg— KBZ Film (@kbzfilm.bsky.social) November 18, 2025 at 8:01 PM
KBZ’s Take: The Innocents is one of the earliest (and best) adaptations of Henry James’s novella, The Turn of the Screw. We have featured other adaptations on our lists here with the Patsy Kensit-led 1992 film adaptation making the #5 selection on our list of the Top Films About Ghosts & Hauntings You Haven’t Seen – 1990.
However, if you’re looking for what most critics define as the definitive version of James’ work, The Innocents is well worth the time checking out.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Plot: Inspector Sylvester is assigned to investigate the violent murder of a fashion house model Isabella, by a masked assailant. As the investigation proceeds all of the house’s various sins, including corruption, abortions, blackmail and drug addiction, begin to come to light. It turns out that Isabella had kept a diary detailing these vices, and now almost every employee becomes nervous.
Scene: The Masked Killer Appears
The Creepiest Scenes from 1960s Horror Films – Blood and Black Lace (1964)
#60s #FilmSky #MovieSky #Horror #Creepy
70s – youtu.be/NksBmOpfuM0
80s – youtu.be/W-L1dR0tkmM
90s – youtu.be/IDVd0XYIe28
00s – youtu.be/vFHBNaS6DLY
10s – youtu.be/NrihCcNU2zk
20s – youtu.be/V-GJtmv-8Pg— KBZ Film (@kbzfilm.bsky.social) November 19, 2025 at 8:02 AM
KBZ’s Take: Mario Bava is considered one of the best directors of horror of all-time, so it’s not surprising that three of his films from the 1960s made this list (with two films landing in the Top 10). Blood and Black Lace is one of the definitive films of the Giallo film subgenre and features Bava’s unique blend of cinematography and atmosphere which amps up the levels of creepiness rarely seen in 1960s horror.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Plot: One day the peaceful village of Midwich is cast into a mysterious sleep for several hours, but with no obvious consequences, until soon all the women of child-bearing age turn out to be pregnant. Their children are all born at the same time, and grow quickly into very spooky young people, with strange white-blonde hair and eerie eyes.
Scene: The Children Make a Man Shoot Himself
The Creepiest Scenes from 1960s Horror Films – Village of the Damned (1960)
#60s #FilmSky #MovieSky #Horror #Creepy
70s – youtu.be/NksBmOpfuM0
80s – youtu.be/W-L1dR0tkmM
90s – youtu.be/IDVd0XYIe28
00s – youtu.be/vFHBNaS6DLY
10s – youtu.be/NrihCcNU2zk
20s – youtu.be/V-GJtmv-8Pg— KBZ Film (@kbzfilm.bsky.social) November 19, 2025 at 10:03 AM
KBZ’s Take: Though we personally prefer John Carpenter’s 1995 remake of this film, the original is a classic film of the subgenre and one that is a must-see for fans of Films about Psychic Powers. Though the film was released over 60 years ago, it’s had a massive influence on the horror genre – especially with respect to the more sinister effects of mind control.
Additional Lists: The Best Films About Telepathy #9
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Plot: Three short tales of supernatural horror. In ‘The Telephone’, a woman is plagued by threatening phone calls. In ‘The Wurdalak’, a family is preyed upon by vampiric monsters. In ‘The Drop of Water’, a deceased medium wreaks havoc on the living.
Scene: The Deceased Medium Rises
The Creepiest Scenes from 1960s Horror Films – Black Sabbath (1963)
#60s #FilmSky #MovieSky #Horror #Creepy
70s – youtu.be/NksBmOpfuM0
80s – youtu.be/W-L1dR0tkmM
90s – youtu.be/IDVd0XYIe28
00s – youtu.be/vFHBNaS6DLY
10s – youtu.be/NrihCcNU2zk
20s – youtu.be/V-GJtmv-8Pg— KBZ Film (@kbzfilm.bsky.social) November 19, 2025 at 12:01 PM
KBZ’s Take: Our second Bava film to make our Top 10, Black Sabbath is a Horror Film Anthology with increasingly scary and creepy segments. Though the first segment, The Telephone, isn’t that scary and underwhelming, the anthology shows why it’s status as a classic horror film is deserved with its final two segments – The Wurdalak and The Drop of Water.
It was a tough call choosing a scene from these memorable segments, but we went with a scene from The Drop of Water which likely inspired the infamous sister scene from Pet Sematary (1989) and will give you similar chills (and nightmares).
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#5
The Haunting
Plot: Dr. Markway, doing research to prove the existence of ghosts, investigates Hill House, a large, eerie mansion with a lurid history of violent death and insanity.
Scene: The Doorknob & The Door
The Creepiest Scenes from 1960s Horror Films – The Haunting (1963)
#60s #FilmSky #MovieSky #Horror #Creepy
70s – youtu.be/NksBmOpfuM0
80s – youtu.be/W-L1dR0tkmM
90s – youtu.be/IDVd0XYIe28
00s – youtu.be/vFHBNaS6DLY
10s – youtu.be/NrihCcNU2zk
20s – youtu.be/V-GJtmv-8Pg— KBZ Film (@kbzfilm.bsky.social) November 19, 2025 at 2:03 PM
KBZ’s Take: Younger moviegoers are likely familiar with this film’s remake, The Haunting (1999), which was a poor adaptation of Shirley Jackson’s source novel and underwhelming horror film. However, the 1963 film adaptation shows why it’s considered a classic horror film and the best adaptation of the novel with it’s creepy and unsettling scares which still resonate over 60+ years later.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Plot: Dr. Génessier is riddled with guilt after an accident that he caused disfigures the face of his daughter, the once beautiful Christiane, who outsiders believe is dead. Dr. Génessier, along with accomplice and laboratory assistant Louise, kidnaps young women and brings them to the Génessier mansion. After rendering his victim’s unconscious, Dr. Génessier removes their faces and attempts to graft them on to his daughter’s face.
Scene: Christiane Shows Her Face
The Creepiest Scenes from 1960s Horror Films – Eyes Without a Face (1960)
#60s #FilmSky #MovieSky #Horror #Creepy
70s – youtu.be/NksBmOpfuM0
80s – youtu.be/W-L1dR0tkmM
90s – youtu.be/IDVd0XYIe28
00s – youtu.be/vFHBNaS6DLY
10s – youtu.be/NrihCcNU2zk
20s – youtu.be/V-GJtmv-8Pg— KBZ Film (@kbzfilm.bsky.social) November 19, 2025 at 4:01 PM
KBZ’s Take: An early French horror and classic film, Eyes Without a Face is a must-see film for horror fans – even with its subtitles. Though its shock value has diminished over time, it still has one of the creepiest scenes of 1960s horror and remains atop the Psychological & Medical Horror Films subgenre.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Plot: A young couple, Rosemary and Guy, moves into an infamous New York apartment building, known by frightening legends and mysterious events, with the purpose of starting a family.
Scene: “What Have You Done to Its Eyes?”
The Creepiest Scenes from 1960s Horror Films – Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
#60s #FilmSky #MovieSky #Horror #Creepy
70s – youtu.be/NksBmOpfuM0
80s – youtu.be/W-L1dR0tkmM
90s – youtu.be/IDVd0XYIe28
00s – youtu.be/vFHBNaS6DLY
10s – youtu.be/NrihCcNU2zk
20s – youtu.be/V-GJtmv-8Pg— KBZ Film (@kbzfilm.bsky.social) November 19, 2025 at 6:01 PM
KBZ’s Take: Rosemary’s Baby is one of the classic horror films of the 1960s and considered one of the best films in both the Films About The Occult & Witches and Films About The Devil, Demons & Hell subgenres.
Though the film is dated and some of its scares might seem tame to modern audiences, it still has one of the classic endings in the history of horror.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Plot: A group of people try to survive an attack of bloodthirsty zombies while trapped in a rural Pennsylvania farmhouse.
Scene: The Daughter
The Creepiest Scenes from 1960s Horror Films – Night of the Living Dead (1968)
#60s #FilmSky #MovieSky #Horror #Creepy
70s – youtu.be/NksBmOpfuM0
80s – youtu.be/W-L1dR0tkmM
90s – youtu.be/IDVd0XYIe28
00s – youtu.be/vFHBNaS6DLY
10s – youtu.be/NrihCcNU2zk
20s – youtu.be/V-GJtmv-8Pg— KBZ Film (@kbzfilm.bsky.social) November 19, 2025 at 8:00 PM
KBZ’s Take: There’s not much we can add here. The Night of the Living Dead is the OG of the Zombie Horror Film subgenre. And even though Tom Savini’s 1990 remake is an improvement over certain aspects of the original film, there’s no replacing the unsettling and never-ending dread that permeates throughout George A. Romero’s classic horror film.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#1
Psycho
Plot: When larcenous real estate clerk Marion Crane goes on the lam with a wad of cash and hopes of starting a new life, she ends up at the notorious Bates Motel, where manager Norman Bates cares for his housebound mother.
Scene: The Shower
The Creepiest Scenes from 1960s Horror Films – Psycho (1960)
#60s #FilmSky #MovieSky #Horror #Creepy
70s – youtu.be/NksBmOpfuM0
80s – youtu.be/W-L1dR0tkmM
90s – youtu.be/IDVd0XYIe28
00s – youtu.be/vFHBNaS6DLY
10s – youtu.be/NrihCcNU2zk
20s – youtu.be/V-GJtmv-8Pg— KBZ Film (@kbzfilm.bsky.social) November 20, 2025 at 8:02 AM
KBZ’s Take: There’s little doubt that Psycho would be #1 on our list. It’s an iconic film that influenced every Slasher Film released after it. And its shower scene is not only the creepiest scene from 1960s horror, but one of the scariest and unsettling scenes of horror in the history of cinema.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
