in the 70s - Top Ten Movies of the Seventies

Top Ten Movies of the Seventies

What are your top ten favorite movies from the 70s?

We also have pages on this topic devoted to the 80s and 90s

By: matthew O'Brien

10. Dirty Harry
Trippy. The 80s cop drama never quite captured the way Dirty Harry portays the insanity of the Police life and what sickos there are out there. Damn cool music, too. San Francisco plays an important role as the urban setting, and I just dig it! See the widescreen version to absorb the panoramic views and creative camera work! Love the scene in the ball park. Freaky!
9. A Clockwork Orange
Kubrick is one of the finest directors of all time. Art direction, cinematography, script, are all top notch in Clockwork. Highly recommended! Also don't miss 2001: A Space Odyssey, and Dr. Strangelove, two other Kubrick masterpieces!.
8. Serpico
Love the outfits! Also, great use of moderate violence, saved until the end, similar to Taxi Driver.
7. The Conversation
A forgotten Francis Ford Coppola classic. Starring Gene Hackman as a survellience expert. You have to be at least 30 to start to comprehend the themes of middle age male despondancy in a world of technical precision. Please watch this movie.
6. The Godfather
Just a wonderful epic. You get lost in this film, from the first moment to the end. Everyone should see it.
5. Taxi Driver
You already know why this movie is so great. Think about the moderated use of violence, and the climax of the story. A real art film.
4. THX 1138
Makes Star Wars look like a steamy pile of dog crap. I just don't understand how George Lucas could have made this masterpiece, and then gone on to make Howard the Duck and Jar-Jar Binks. Anyway, watch THX-1138 for the stark, beautiful, almost black and white photography, the Brave New World style life (you purchase items just to throw them away), and Robert Duvall's disillusional voyage from a free-drug tomorrow to a drug-free tomorrow. (And why you're at it, rent Logan's Run on the same night and make it a double feature.)
3. Deliverance
Heavy, heavy movie. Highly intellectual. Digging deep into themes that would never be explored today. Not just any film project, this was truly a wonder to film on location, without using stuntmen. Jon Voight's second best role after Midnight Cowboy, which would have made this list except it came out in the 60s, although it feels much more like a 70s movie.
2. Apocalypse Now
An amazing film, Coppola's greatest. Martin Sheen, Robert Duvall, and Marlon Brando are given juicy roles. Don't expect to get it all the first time, watch it three times in a row. Then watch the rereleased director's cut, and then watch the documentary, Hearts of Darkness.
1. Chinatown
Beautiful Music and feeling. Excellent cinematography, great use of locations and utilizing the existing 1970s Los Angeles and making it seems like 1940. And of course Jack Nicholson has never had a better role. Faye Dunaway is wonderful, too. So is John Huston. God, what a great movie! Kudos to Robert Towne (writer) and Roman Polanski (Director). Thematically, Chinatown is still pertinant, as well. The big corporations are still the guilty party...

The 1970s was the greatest decade of film. I say this because the social evolution started during the 1960s was at it's peak, and had not been crushed by the Reagan era 80s. You'll find the deepest themes and most philosphical films. Thanks for reading!

By: Dee

10. The Muppet Movie 1979
The 1st movie I ever saw on a VCR. We use to watch it over & over everytime we visited my mom's best friends house.
9. King Kong 1976
The original still is the best, but this remake was something to see when your a kid. Looking forward to Jackson's version this Dec.
8. Superman 1977
Christopher Reeves played the best Superman. This was such a simple but fun movie, and Gene Hackman as Lex can't be beat either.
7. Diamonds Are Forever 1971
The 1st Bond movie I can remember watching with my grandfather as a kid. I fell in love with this style of movie due to that.
6. Rocky 1976
The feel good movie that was done on next to nothing with no name actors plus I've run the steps in Philly.
5. What's Up Doc 1972
I've only ever seen this on T.V., but the hijinks and misunderstandings make for a fun filled ride along with a classic chase scene.
4. Blazing Saddles 1974
I wasn't old enough to see this when it was released, but it's Mel Brooks best and again you have Gene Wilder playing a great roll.
3. Silver Streak 1976
Gene Wilder & Richard Pryor make a great team & I remember seeing this one @ the drive through as a kid.
2. Animal House 1978
I didn't see this movie until I was older, but it is a classic with a great soundtrack to boot.
1. Star Wars 1977
I know this movie ranks as #1 for many who grew up in the 70's, and is still my all time favorite of all movies.

It's not easy choosing a top ten for anything, but I was born in 1969 so I didn't see many of the movies from the 70's in their original runs. As an adult, I'm still catching up on those missed films of that decade.

By: Brian Philander

10. Tarzan
9. King Kong
8. Cross And The Switchblade
7. Grease
6. Supergirl
5. Superman
4. Taxi DRiver
3. The Way Of The Dragon
2. Enter The Dragon
1. The Car
Enter

By: erik ('stu')

10. Superfly
The name says it all.
9. Star Trek: The Motion Picture
A dico version of "2001." I loved it.
8. Rocky Horror Picture Show
I'd give a plot synopsis. Unfortunately, I was wasted every time I saw this film.
7. Shaft
This film is just...cool. Shaft is as smooth as Seagram's 7.
6. Rocky
Whenever I'm down, I often watch this film. Stallone's opus.
5. Streetfight (Coonskin)
A Bakshi film either loathed or adored. I adore it, even though it's incredibly hard to watch, as most great social satires are.
4. Heavy Traffic
Bakshi captured the dirty, scurvey side of the 70's that I remember vividly. A disturbingly great film either loved or hated.
3. The Warriors
Warriors...come out and play-aay! A great film unique to its time.
2. A Clockwork Orange
I've watched this film at least two hundred times. Alex is truly the greatest anti-hero in cinematic history. Strangely prophetic: street gangs with their own language...nah, it'll never happen!
1. Star Wars
Can you think of a movie more identified with the 70's? This movie defined my childhood, a pleasant experience during a strange decade.

Honorable mentions: The Godfather 1&2 (I feel obligated), Clash of the Titans, Logan's Run, Soylent Green, Wizards, Boy in the Plastic Bubble, Grease, Saturday Night Fever.

By: Darriel J. Mack Sr

10. The Five Deadly Venoms
Kung Fu Theater!
9. Which Way Is Up
Richard Prior the man is great.
8. Enter The Dragon
The master on top of his game. "Man you remind me of someone out of a comic book"
7. Rocky
Yo Adrian!
6. The Wiz.
Come on and ease on down the road. One for the DVD collection.
5. Dolomite
Way down in the jungle deep. The lion stepped on a signafied monkey feet.
4. Lets Do It Again
Sidney Portier and Bill Cosby. Great Movie!
3. The Mack
GOLDIE. Need I say more!
2. Supafly
The name speaks for itself!
1. Scarface
SAY HELO TO MY LITTLE FRIEND!!!

By: sam

10. Rocky Horror Picture Show
9. The Shinning
8. One Flew Over The Cukoo Clock
7. Jaws2
6. Staurday Fever
5. Exrocist
4. Jaws
3. Star Wars
2. Young Frakenstien
1. Monty Python Holy Grail

By: Mike Mattice

10. Airport
This movie caused a lot of disasters, on film. It also may have been the first to spawn a whirlwind of parodies that redefined some formerly-dramatic actors' careers.
9. Dirty Harry
I don't need to explain about catch phrases, do I, PUNK?
8. Animal House
Unruly rowdy comedies full of irresponsible drunk young people, in constant search for sex and uhh.. sex is cool, ain't it? TOGA!
7. Love Story
As well as substantially boosting the Kleenex business, this movie initiated a timeless phrase, and a film formula that has proved repeatedly successful (one of a couple dies).
6. The Exorcist
As evidenced by a slew of sequels and copycats, this one is still influential.
5. American Graffiti
This film launched a love for retro
4. Saturday Night Fever
This movie launched a national love of a music genre that has come back to haunt us today.
3. Star Wars
Through the multi-decade process of telling this story, tremendous advances in special effects have been made.
2. The Godfather
The fascination with the mobsters aroused by The Godfather has made The Sopranos possible and popular.
1. Jaws
Although the special effects may look hokey by today's standards, this movie scared a lot of people.

Some other influential films from the 70's: Superman, Poseiden Adventure, China Syndrome, The Deer Hunter, Taxi Driver, and there has to be an opening for "Shaft" somewhere in this list.

By: slmulloy

10. Son Of Flubber
remember when they sometimes showed these movies for a nickle at school when it rained outside? or were we just some marketing expiriment? any way when we screamed enough we got to see it backwards
9. Gus The Kicking Mule
seen during double feature with bambie. some old man was audibly crying behind us when bambies mom got shot. we were kids so we giggled and it somehow made this movie memorable
8. Young Frankenstien
my favorite drive in movie memory
7. Close Encounters Of The Third Kind
this means something
6. Jaws
couldn't even swim in a fresh water lake after this one
5. Day Of The Dolphins
can dolphins communicate with humans?A tiresome question that numbed a generations mind.
4. Pippi Longstocking
one of the best screen characters to ever grace the screen
3. Logans Run
perhaps green lighted for production because entire population was on drugs
2. Herbie The Love Bug
1. Billy Jack
pure 70's crapolla...very confused..distilation of bad style and politics

not a best or worse list just 70's

By: tanya brown

10. Hell Night
nice script,good cast,lots of blood,lots of laughs!
9. Foxy Brown
pam grier at her best! a must see!
8. Just Another Girl On The I.r.t.
very powerfull movie! makes young teens think twice about engageing in unprotected sex!
7. Mothers' Day
made in 1980, this is one of the best horror films to date the plot makes sense,there is a lot of blood,bad humour,and torture! very shocking and gripping to say the least
6. Sons Of The Desert
i love stan laurel and oliver hardy this is one of my favorites of theirs, a must see!
5. Don't Look In The Basement
this is one of the funniest, yet stupidest movies of the horror genre i have ever seen! some body give me a hanky to dry my eyes yall'i can't stop laughin'
4. Breakin'
fun movie ,very colorfull,hip yet stylish all though the plot dose not make sense
3. She' Gotta Have It
one of spike lee's best ! i laughed and was very pleased
2. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
tobe hooper realy did a nice job for a small buget to work with.
1. The Exorcist
the first time i saw this film i was in elementary school and my mother and i went to the movies to see it all i remember is begging her to take me home when i saw regan turn her head around clock wize!

also try these classic movies [if u can find them]my bloody valentine,superstition,aaron loves angela,sittin'in limbo,student bodies,don't go in the house,don't go in the woods,wizard of gore,basket case,savage weekend,curtians

By: kimy

10. There Are Nameless Soul Cinema 's'
Lots of violence, bad plots, but good music and good wardrobe if decent. . .
9. Young Frankenstein
Super Funny, based on a novel
8. Rocky I, II, III, IIII, IIIII, IIIIII ETC
one of them is the one Im thinking about . . .
7. Star Wars
CLASSSSSSSSSSSIC
6. Grease
the 50s, but in musical form. 70s producers really had a fascination with the 50s, eh?
5. Boy In The Plastic Bubble
John Travolta actually can be dramatic, eh? Do da Funky Chicken!
4. American Graffiti
I really like the 50s, and this movie is really something. I realy crave the part where the gang ties up the police car and the police drive up.
3. Roll Bounce
ok, so its not IN the 70s, but the best movie ABOUT the 70s . . . right?
2. Saturday Night Fever
Its kinda shameful, but the dancing, and the plot, and the BEGINNING: In the Beginning there was Life, "Feel the City Breakin' and Everybody's shaking, but we're Stayin' Allllllivvvveee!"
1. Car Wash
The music on and on . . . but MMM MMM MMM! Fav song AND fav movie, and that afro-dude, love the afro dude. The theme is so-so, but MMM MMM MMM MMM MMM!