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: Wes

10. Annie Hall
(d. Woody Allen, 1977)
9. Jaws
(d. Steven Spielberg, 1975)
8. The French Connection
(d. William Friedkin, 1971)
7. Cabaret
(d. Bob Fosse, 1972)
6. Apocalypse Now
(d. Francis Ford Coppola, 1979)
5. Star Wars
(d. George Lucas, 1977)
4. Dog Day Afternoon
(d. Sidney Lumet, 1975)
3. The Godfather, Part II
(d. Francis Ford Coppola, 1974)
2. Chinatown
(d. Roman Polanksi, 1974)
1. The Godfather
(d. Francis Ford Coppola, 1972)

Honorable Mentions: A Clockwork Orange (d. Stanley Kubrick, 1971), Deliverance (d. John Boorman, 1972), Taxi Driver (d. Martin Scorsese, 1976), American Graffitti (d. George Lucas, 1973), Patton (d. Franklin J. Schaffner, 1970), Blazing Saddles (d. Mel Brooks, 1974), The Exorcist(d. William Friedkin, 1973), Network (d. Sidney Lumet, 1976), M*A*S*H (d. Robert Altman, 1970), Alien (d. Ridley Scott, 1979), Rocky (d. John G. Avildson, 1976), The Deer Hunter (d. Michael Cimino, 1978)

By: fussygerbil

10. The Outlaw Josie Wales
Clint Eastwood as the iconic gunslinger out for revenge against the crooked cavalry. A great ride along the way is guaranteed, as the outlaw loses one family and gains another in the unlilely form of a ragtag bunch of wild west survivors comprising of an aging indian chief, a prostitute, a raped squaw, and an alcoholic showman.
9. One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest
Funny and horrifying by turns. You know the plot by now. Wife killer fakes madness to have an easy time in a mental institution. Alas, things don't go quite to plan and the rules here are tougher than prison ever had a right to be.
8. Midnight Express
Grim drama from Alan Parker with homoerotic undertones in the darkness of a Turkish prison. You'll be praying for air by the finish.
7. Taxi Driver.
Bob De Niro's finest hour. 42nd Street never looked so sleazy. We're pulled into the cesspit of a psycho's mind and left to salivate.
6. The Godfather
Needs no introduction. As that naff 70s advert for Contreau liquor put it "Simply a masterpiece that cannot be equalled".
5. Assault On Precinct 13
John Carpenter's cops and crooks vs gangs was a surprise underground hit. featuring the first gory killing of a child, crooks as heroes, and the meanest gang seen outside of a Jim Van Bebber film. A great score to boot... all together... "Got a Smoke?"
4. All The President's Men
The 70s saw a number of successful Hollywood stars teaming up. This rivetting account of the scandal that two Washington Post newspaper reporters uncover leads straight to the White House. Hoffman and Redford manage to convince without trying to act eachother off screen, but they are outplayed by Jason Robards as their sympathetic editor boss who risks all on the hunch of his reporters.
3. Looking For Mr Goodbar
Diane Keaton at her stunning best: a teacher of deaf children whose quieter side hides a penchant for the darker side of the city...
2. Apocalypse Now
Martin Sheen is outplayed by both Dennis Hopper and Brando in this seering portrayal of the horrors and madness of war.
1. Don't Look Now
Foreshadowing as a fine art, perhaps the most haunting visuals ever committed to film. Sex on screen at its artiest, and a chilling finale played out in the mist shrouded canalways of Venice by night.

By: allegra

10. The Rocky Horror Picture Show
weird
9. The Shining
8. Rocky
7. The Exorcist
scary but i love the twisting head
6. Close Encounters Of The 3rd Kind
i love aliens!
5. Jaws
4. The Godfather 1 &2
3. Grease
2. Saturday Night Fever
i love the music and dancing
1. American Graffiti
its the greatest movie with boss cars and great music

AMERICAN GRAFFITI!AMERICAN GRAFFITI!AMERICAN GRAFFITI!

By: wendy hardy

10. Annie Hall
When I first saw this in August of 1977 I thought it was okay but never bothered watching it again until recently. Now I realize just how good it was and what a genius Woody Allen is (despite his personal life).
9. The Man Who Would Be King
A very underrated movie with Sean Connery and Michael Caine. Great story and filming in Morocco. Hardly ever seen on TV, had to get my own copy. A great adventure movie.
8. Godfather 1&2
My first R-rated movie. I saw it when I was 14, didn't understand it much. Appreciated it more when I got older. DeNiro was great in the sequel. Pacino was great in both.
7. Saturday Night Fever
Say what you want, but I feel this movie defined the 70s the way Rebel Without a Cause defined the 50s and The Graduate and Easy Rider the 60s. Travolta deserved the Oscar he was nominated for. His fiancee, Diana Hyland, was dying of breast cancer during the filming and he was an emotional wreck but still gave a fantastic performance. He was hot!!! Two versions were released, R and PG. The PG version has Travolta dancing to Disco Duck but not in the other version--don't know why. The scene should have been left in. The soundtrack is still the greatest ever. People knock the BeeGess for writing disco but they didn't write "disco"--they wrote music and the media labled it disco. Most of the songs on the soundtrack were already written when Robert Stigwood, the BeeGees manager, called them in France (where they were recording) and told them to come up with some songs for a movie (they didn't even know what the movie was). It was easier to use what they had written.
6. American Graffiti
I saw this in 1975 on its re-release and regretted not seeing it the first time. Great cast and soundtrack. Next time you watch the movie, pay attention to the sockhop scene--some of the girls are sporting "shag" haircuts of 1973.
5. Star Wars
This came out right after I had entered boot camp (Navy in Orlando) and I heard about it but didn't see it until late August of that year. I normally hated those kind of movies (still do) but even I was impressed with Star Wars--a great story that takes place in another time and place. My little 4-year-old grandson just discovered the movie and loves. He recently watched Return of the Jedi and almost died when he found out that Luke's father is Darth Vader!
4. Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore
Scorsesse did a great job with this one. I can't believe it was transformed into a sitcom. Alfred Lutter, who played Alice's son, was a very popular actor in the 1970s (remember him in Bad News Bears?) I wonder what happened to him? Kris Kristofferson was great, too. And, of course, Ellen Burstyn (Oscar winner).
3. One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest
One of the best actors ever in his best role. Wasn't Will Sampson (the Indian) in another movie of the 70s? I can't remember what it was. The whole movie was so realistic to me that I couldn't believe the people in the mental home were actors instead of real patients. Of course now I recognize Brad Dourif, Danny DeVito, Christopher Lloyd, etc. Louise Fletcher won a well-deserved Oscar but her career didn't do well after 1975. What a shame, she was great.
2. The Sting
Probably my favorite movie of all time. You can't beat the combination of Newman and Redford. Great story. The movie made so much money not just because it was great but because you went back a second time to see why you missed so much the first time--so much is happening right in your face and you're not seeing it.
1. The Paper Chase
I was 15 when I first saw this movie and I prayed I would never get a teacher like Professor Kingsfield. I thought Lindsay Wagner was gorgeous. Still one of my favorite movies. Houseman deserved his Oscar.

There are so many other favorites I wanted to name: The Poseidon Adventure, Smokey and the Bandit, M*A*S*H, Superman, Jaws, Rocky, The French Connection, Vanishing Point, Young Frankenstein (the only Mel Brooks movie I can stand), Grease, Westworld, Carrie, Being There. But the ones I listed above were the ones that most readily came to mind.

By: Drama girls

10. The Exorsist
My friend Ally's favorite
9. The Shining
Phsycos are so interesting
8. Grease
A little annoying, but classic none the less
7. And Now For Something Completely Different
A collaberation of Monty Python's best skits from their t.v. show
6. Rocky Horror picture Show
Funny and Scary, plus interactive
5. American Graffiti
A rebellious classic
4. Jaws
Again awsome effects
3. Star Wars
Amazingly good special effects for time
2. Saturday Night Fever
Drama, music, and John Travolta discoing.
1. Monty Python And The Holy Grail
Love that sick Brittish humor! Many classic quoteable scenes.

By: Drama girls

10. The Exorsist
My friend Ally's favorite
9. The Shining
Phsycos are so interesting
8. Grease
A little annoying, but classic none the less
7. And Now For Something Completely Different
A collaberation of Monty Python's best skits from their t.v. show
6. Rocky Horror picture Show
Funny and Scary, plus interactive
5. American Graffiti
A rebellious classic
4. Jaws
Again awsome effects
3. Star Wars
Amazingly good special effects for time
2. Saturday Night Fever
Drama, music, and John Travolta discoing.
1. Monty Python And The Holy Grail
Love that sick Brittish humor! Many classic quoteable scenes.

By: Laci

10. Young Frankenstien
hilarious...
9. Cabaret
Liza at her greatest...
8. Hair
Maybe not a smash hit, but wonderful nonetheless.
7. Saturday Night Fever
John Travolta=absolutely fantastic
6. Dog Day Afternoon
Pacino's "hot" years...
5. Apocolypse Now
Brando...
4. The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Am I obsessed? well...yes.
3. A Clockwork Orange
Genius...
2. One Flew Over the Cukoo's Nest
Intense...
1. The Godfather
Pacino...

All of my all-time favorites were made between 1970 and 1980. Why aren't movies as great as they used to be?

By: Grace

10. Hair
I've not seen this one mentioned yet, and even though it wasn't a huge hit, it's got some great musical numbers in it, and you know how I am with musicals.
9. Young Frankenstien
Mel Brooks at his best. Exceedingly hilarious.
8. Annie Hall
J'adore Diane Keaton and Woody Allen alike.
7. Animal House
John Belushi, what a hilarious yet tragic person.
6. Dog Day Afternoon
Yet another brilliant movie. I'm a huge Pacino fan.
5. Cabaret
Liza at her best.
4. Harold And Maude
Such an great movie. Cat Stevens sure showcased some of his greatest music in it.
3. One Flew Over The Cukoo's Nest
I'm Jack Nicholson's biggest fan. Very intense, funny, and wonderful.
2. A Clockwork Orange
Sheer brilliance. The book is amazing, too.
1. The Rocky Horror Picture Show
I'm a sucker for musicals/Tim Curry, I've probably seen it 20 times. I simply love it!

Of course, there was no room for all of my other favorites, such as Rocky, Star Wars, Jaws, The Godfather, Apocolypse Now, Saturday Night Fever, and Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Why can't they make movies like they used to? That goes for music, too. I am pretty sure I was not meant to be my age (17) in this decade, but in the 70's.

By: cat

10. The Shining
9. The Good,bad And The Ugly
8. The Godfather 2
7. Sataurday Night Fever
6. Jaws
5. The Muppet Movie
4. The Godfather
3. Grease
2. Halloween
1. The Exorsist

By: T.C. Gibson

10. Magic
Fats the Dummy...'nuff said!
9. The Outlaw Josie Wales
Memorable dialogue: "Dyin' ain't much of a living, boy!" Beautiful movie.
8. Dirty Harry
Quintessential Eastwood.
7. Three Days Of The Condor
Redford and Dunaway are perfect.
6. Rocky
"Adriaaaaaaaaaan!!!"
5. Halloween
Nothing compares to this unprecedented classic.
4. Annie Hall
Woody Allen and Diane Keaton at their best.
3. Patton
The great George C. Scott.
2. Blazing Saddles
One of the funniest scenes ever...the fart scene.
1. Star Wars
The beginning of it all...PERIOD!!!