The Best of the 1970s

The raw underbelly of the American psyche, and, sadly, the most prescient movie ever. Scorsese and DeNiro's apex in a long career of milestones.

The first then-current movie I was ever obsessed with. Still am. Popular American movie-making in its finest hour.

The American family gets its start.

The American family tries to go legit. And fails. Miserably.

One of the cinema's greatest love stories. We need the eggs, you know.

Could be the very greatest horror movie ever: no gore, just relentless, single-minded, pursuit of terror.

Pure raging id set to Beethoven's Ninth.

A poetic, enigmatic, heartbreaking story of love and war and life wasted.

Back before the popular mythology, before it was "A New Hope," before it was episode IV, and long before CGI, this clunky movie charmed and thrilled us all.

One of the movies' very greatest monsters.

Still, still, still the best superhero movie.

If you haven't seen this, you are not even half as cool as you think you are. Director Hal Ashby ruled the '70s.

God, just the most romantic movie ever.

My favorite comedy still, I think. Besides the smarty-pants Woody Allen ones.

Roman Polanski ends the movie the only way he knows how: with the death of a beautiful woman.

A clean sweep of all the major Oscars. Might be Jack's finest moment.

A slapstick parody of Russian literature. Yes, it's hilarious.

Another movie that far too accurately predicted our current cultural climate. Excellent acting throughout.

Jane Fonda gives one of the finest performances by anyone ever. Ever.

A fairy-tale horror movie: part Brothers Grimm, Edgar Allan Poe & Hitchcock. A surreal, grotesque masterpiece that gets better each time I watch it.

Water, water everywhere... Another 1970s masterpiece from director Robert Altman. A haunting score accompanies this enigmatic story of fluid identity, displacement, and mythic concepts of womanhood. Sissy Spacek and Shelley Duvall are perfectly cast as women who continually mirror one another as they share a job and an apartment. Reminiscent of both Bergman and Polanski--Bergman for its thorough deconstruction of personality and measured pace; Polanski for its chilling dreamlike tone and that I'm not sure if this is a work of overt misogyny or heroic feminism. Mmm-boy, that's good irony!

Back when Pacino still wanted to *earn* it. Plus the late great John Cazale as well.

My favorite zombie movie. Does Romero's one better by having no real subtext whatsoever. Pure exploitation.

Disgusting, offensive, outrageous, tasteless--everything an exploitation classic should be.

A towering midnight movie, surreal and fantastical throughout, but then bravely embraces reality at the end. Marvelously '70s.

Director Hal Ashby's searing portrait of lives ruined by war. Terrific acting from Voigt, Fonda, and Dern.

Forgotten neo-noir from 1975 directed by BONNIE & CLYDE director Arthur Penn. Hackman is great in the lead as down-on-his-luck PI Harry Moseby. Convoluted crime story makes for compelling viewing, as does a naked teenage Melanie Griffith. Early James Woods role. One hell of a climax.

Classic Altman. George Segal and Elliott Gould--god the '70s!!!!--are both terrific here as two guys who meet and bond over gambling. Loose and rambling but quite charming. Gould is especially outstanding. You really wanna hang out with these guys, and the two "ladies of the night" Gould lives with. A terrific surprise.

A stellar work. See the ever-awesome Robert Shaw lead a group of gunmen as they hijack a NYC subway car, then have to face off with ever-crotchety cop Walter Matthau. A marvelous piece of '70s cinema, naturalistic and unassuming; lots of grizzled old men swearing and snapping sarcastic one-liners. An underseen classic that has everything in its right place--see it if just for the immortal final shot!

A wonderful entry in the vampire lesbian softcore sub-genre, and the last great Hammer Horror movie.

Another signature role for Jack and another score for director Hal Ashby.

Usually hailed as Robert Altman's best movie (although I prefer Long Goodbye, California Split and even 3 Women) NASHVILLE is a must-see. Among dozens of characters and moments that stand out, the highlight is Keith Carradine's performance of "I'm Easy" intercut with the lovely Gwen Welles' sad performance of "I Never Get Enough"--so utterly and completing heartbreaking. This is an indispensable work of 1970s cinema, making one of the most enduring statements about American politics, entertainment, emptiness, longing, and the desire for success and love.

Grueling, gripping remake of French WAGES OF FEAR. Overlooked in '77, definitely one of Scheider's best roles.

Raw Scorsese, DeNiro, Keitel. Great music.

Oh, those lovely ladies of 1975. Paula Prentiss, now that's a MILF from back in the day.

A landmark 1970 movie that set the tone for a decade of personal, intimate, and realistically downbeat character studies. One of Jack's best early performances. A must-see.

Art, horror, softcore porn, Countess Bathory.

Clever little crime caper with the always-charming Redford.

Cronenberg's first, & all his major themes of body horror are in place.

A defining film of the era. The styles & the city may look 1960s but the attitude is all '70s cynicism (and this was pre-Watergate!). Hackman as Popeye Doyle is a true anti-hero. Gritty, grimy, untutored, jittery doc-style camera, uncomfortable racism, lots of raw energy. Also the first cop movie to win an Oscar. Scheider was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor; I see his character here as a young Martin Brody from JAWS. Best Picture 1971, Hackman Best Actor, Friedkin Best Director. A must-see.

Excellent comedy as relevant in 2008 as it was in 1970. Check it!