Top 10 Movies Of The 70's

Quite simply the greatest movie ever made. Never before or since has there been a movie that so sparked my imagination and wonder. I can write nothing about the movie that hasn't been written a million times before. I was 8 years old in 1977, and my life was forever changed the day I saw this movie. I remember every detail of that day like it were yesterday. It's the kind of experience that comes only once in a persons lifetime. I was a product of that moviegoing generation, so of course I was obsessed with collecting anything and everything that said Star Wars on it. I bought all the toys, the music, the clothes, and read all of the comic books. To this day, I still own every single issue of the original Marvel series. I wanted to be Han Solo, fly the Millenium Falcon, and be the hero to entire planets of people. Like so many others, I can quote the movie from start to finish, right down the music and sound effects cues. In 1997 George Lucas felt the need to alter this masterpiece. While I had reservations about them at first (and HATING Greedo shooting first), I have come to accept, and even greatly enjoy the changes. They updated the film without altering the feel or the mood, and even enhanced the magic of some scenes that may not have turned out the way they were envisioned. I have had an insatiable passion for Star Wars since that day. My love for the franchise has not wavered in the slightest. The movie still holds all the magic and wonder that it did over 30 years ago. That's something that no other movie has done, or will ever be able to do for me.

Quite simpy, the greatest horror movie ever made. John Carpenter's masterpiece about evil incarnate stalking suburban America, and trio of unsuspecting babysitters. Carpenter's relentless build up of tension, and Dean Cundy's masterful cinematography set the stage for an entire generation of copycats, none of which could match this film for its artistry and craftsmanship. Jamie Lee Curtis, in her film debut, plays the everyday girl to perfection, and crowned the term "Scream Queen". The movie's slow transition from day to night, only serves to ratchet up the tension as the methodical Michael Myers makes his way closer and closer to his targets. An often put upon movie that was accused of saying to teenagers "if you have sex, you'll die", and of being a gorefest. The point of the virginal character surviving was that she was the only one of the three main characters to be paying attention to her surroundings, not wrapped up in her own activites, and realized that something was not quite right in Haddonfield. As far as it being a gorefest, the movie is virtually blood free. It didn't rely on showing the gore like its rip-offs did. It relied on mood, settings, characterization, and John Carpenter's legenday musical score to draw you in, and scare the life out of you. The only movie that ever scared me.

It may be firmly stuck in the 70's, but director Walter Hill's journey through the depths of New York City has a legend unrivaled by most movies of the time. The movie caused such a stir in 1979 that the studio was forced to pull all of its advertising, due to complaints about the violence. The only gang movie to feature only 2 guns, it's filled with barenuckle brawling at its best. After being falsley accused of murdering a rival gang leader, The Warriors must make their way back to their home turf of Coney Island all the way from The Bronx. The problem is that every gang in the city is out to get them. The movie is a comic book come to life. All of the gangs wear matching outfits, some of them so brightly colored you'd have a hard time taking them seriously if they walked up to you. The names are also colorful, The High Hats, The Boppers, The Turnbull AC's, The Riffs, and my personal favorites, The Baseball Furies, a gang dressed in NY Yankee baseball uniforms, and bright face paint. Every gang member is in top physical condition, because director Walter Hill cast Broadway dancers in all the gang roles. The Warriors themselves are made up of multi-racial characters, led by Swann (Michael Beck) and Ajax (James Remar). Although a social statement at the time, the movie was never meant to be taken as seriously as it was back then. It's a cartoon. It's an odyssey through a strange land. Only in a movie could the streets of New York be completely deserted except for the roving bands of gangs. Walter Hill is famous for making "guy" movies. Movies that appeal totally at the testosterone level, and this is one of his best. The extended cut DVD offers some shuffled scenes, and comic book style transitions to drive home the feel and intention of the movie. There also exists an opening sequence that was not included in any DVD that shows The Warriors on the sunlit Coney Island Boardwalk when they are briefed about the meeting they will be attending. An interesting note....Director Walter Hill and one of the actors Thomas (Fox) Waites had such a falling out, that Hill removed Waites name from the credits of the movie.

One of the all time classics. This Norman Rockwell painting brought to life is easily one of the most enjoyable movies ever made. Thirty five years later, and the movie is just as fresh as the day it was released. Redford and Newman show why they are one of the greatest pairings in cinema history. Both are at the absolute peaks as two con men who set up an elaborte con against a mobster that murdered their friend. The beauty of the movie is that the audience is not necessarily in on all the cons. So things are not always as they appear. There are so many cons and double crosses going on that you're never really sure who's doing what, and what they are up to. From card game hustles, to playing th ponies, the games are in full swing from the opening moments, to the closing credits. Everything about the movie is first rate. Aside from Newman and Redford, there is a stellar ensemble cast that includes Robert Shaw as the mark, and Charles Durning as the dick...er, detective. The movies production design is a wonder to behold. Everything evokes the time, and creates an atmosphere that keeps the movie timeless. Its main theme, "The Entertainer", is not only one of the most famous scores in Hollywood, but one of the most recognizable pieces of music in general. Winner of multiple Academy Awards, this one is required viewing for anyone who wants to see American moviemaking at its best. It's truly a shame that Redford and Newman never teamed up again. Between this movie, and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, they were truly a team-up for the ages.

Given the state of national politics today, the Watergate scandal seems kind of tame. Nevertheless, the break in at Democratic National Headquarters, and the subsequent cover up, was the only event to ever bring down an American President. Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein dug into the story that no one else in the nation wanted to have anything to do with. Their efforts shed light on the biggest political scandal of all time. Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman play the dedicated reporters, and they play them to perfection. They are surrounded by a stellar cast including Jack Warden, Ned Beatty, Hal Holbrook, and Jason Robards in his Academy Award winning role as newspaper editor Ben Bradlee. The movie is so authentic in its depiction of newspaper life, it is even shown in journalism classrooms to show budding reporters how its done. Even though you know the outcome of the movie, you can't help but be drawn in as Woodward and Bernstein dive deeper and deeper into they mystery. It's a completely absorbing movie led by two great actors at the top of their games.