A cross-current with the 1974 thread, I see where the AV Club has put out their list of best horror films of 1974.
But since the AV Club is also feeble-spined, they don't actually rank the 15 films, instead listing them alphabetically, with the base assumtion that, obviously, Texas Chain Saw Massacre is clearly the best. The list follows:
The Beast Must Die
Black Christmas
Blood For Dracula
The Cars That Ate Paris
Deranged
From Beyond the Grave
It's Alive
Lisa and the Devil
Madhouse
Messiah of Evil*
People Toys
Phantom of the Paradise
Phase IV
Sugar Hill
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
(* Messiah of Evil is officially listed as "1973", which is why I did not mention it in my 1974 thread. It did have a brief theatrical debut on Dec. 11, 1974 - in Paris Texas no less - but generally has a wild and varied release history. To add to the confusion, the film was produced in 1971.)
All in all, it's not a bad, if preliminary, list, and certainly for most horror fans, these are bases which should be covered. The only film here I haven't seen is People Toys, which, although it sounds kinda stupid, maybe I should take the opportunity to check it off. Plus, apparently Tarantino likes it a lot, so whatever.
Quibbles:
I guess Young Frankenstein doesn't count? Oh, I'm sorry, does anyone actually think that Phantom of the Paradise was scary in order to qualify?
Deathdream should replace Deranged.
Terminal Man is officially "sci-fi/horror", and is clearly better than a couple of these.
The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue and Frightmare are conspicuous omissions.
Sugar Hill is OK. It's fine. Doesn't need to be here. Also the Amicus films, Beyond the Grave and Madhouse are pretty mid-grade.
There's nothing in the AVC intro that specifies that this list should be entirely English-language, but for some reason only the Italian Lisa and the Devil is included. Some others worthy of inclusion are Perfume of the Lady in Black and Rollin's Les Demoniaques. (Not even getting into my faves like Ghost Galleon and Demon Witch Child.)