We won't be surprised if our title gets a few raised eyebrows here and there, but hear us out. We've got the evidence to convince you that the '70s was the best decade in cinematic history. People saw a significant transition from the late '60s onward as the era of blockbuster films emerged. Directors were starting to think outside the classic Hollywood production box. Creatives were pushing boundaries, stories were getting darker with more twists and turns, and movies began to be more real than ever before.
Films from the 1970s reflected a disturbing past that, at the time, people had just finished living through. War and economic struggles were enough to inflict lifetime traumas on a person, and creatives were no exception. Writers, producers, directors, and actors were drawn to socially reflective or escapist films. In the '70s, moviegoers, enthusiasts, and critics saw the transition from the former to the latter, making it a significant milestone in cinematic history.
Movie theatres would often show refreshing pieces from a new wave of directors like Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorsese. These two were widely known to offer rather stylish yet stark direction. While these directors were undoubtedly influential, as moviegoers, we've been even more mesmerized by the incredible actors who arose during this era. We have the '70s to thank for the rise of stars like Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Jack Nicholson, Dustin Hoffman, Harvey Keitel, and the queen, Meryl Streep. These actors replaced the typical "Cary Grant" mold of Hollywood stars.
The "method approach" also came into practice amongst actors, leading to a more daring, edgier approach to their performances. Comedy also steered away from slapstick and into wittier territory, complete with neurotic pondering as enforced by filmmakers like Albert Brooks and Woody Allen. Mumblecore, a practice that the modern world sees as skilled acting, was heavily inspired by Allen's directorial work.
Written, produced, and directed by Francis Ford Coppola, the plot follows a surveillance expert facing a moral dilemma after (potentially) being witness to murder through his recordings. The American neo-noir mystery thriller was released in 1974 and went on to earn $4.4 million at the box office. Given the budget of $1.6 million, it was described as a commercially and critically successful movie.
Another brilliant '70s film (co)written, produced, and directed by Francis Ford Coppola was Apocalypse Now. The story drops us into the midst of the Vietnam War, from 1969 to 1970. It revolves around the river journey from South Vietnam and into Cambodia of an assassin tasked to kill a renegade Army Special Forces officer who has become mentally unstable and murderous.
The film is a 1979 American epic war film that depicts the Vietnam War. It was also loosely based on Heart of Darkness, a novella written by Joseph Conrad in 1899. From a budget of $31 million, the film earned a whopping $150 million.
Eraserhead was written, produced, and directed by David Lynch. The story follows a man named Henry who lives inside a chilly industrial-ish apartment. The man hears that he impregnated Mary X, a woman with whom he had a fling. The pair marry, and all appears normal until their baby is born with a bizarre lizard-like appearance. It also refuses to stop crying. Henry has to deal with a lot of weird characters on top of all this. One notable figure is the disfigured lady who lives inside a radiator.
David Lynch's Eraserhead is an American experimental body horror film released in 1977. It was the director's debut film, and it took him most of the '70s to make this movie. Another incredible thing about Eraserhead is the fact that it only received a $10,000 budget, yet it earned $7 million at the box office.
Killer Of Sheep was written, produced, directed, shot and edited by Charles Burnett. The film happens in a mostly African-American section of LA called Watts. The protagonist, Stan, spends his days working hard at a local slaughterhouse. The job somehow manages to seep into his very being, all while he tries to keep his family happy and well. But that honorable desire doesn't seem easily achievable with people lurking around them filled with dark intentions. Stan deals with so much stress in his life that it makes him question his capability to achieve anything better for his family.
Killer of Sheep is an American drama film released in the year 1978. It earned $416,509 at the box office, with a budget of $10,000. While it didn't make an immense amount of cash, it is still considered one of the best films ever produced in the '70s.
A Woman Under The Influence was written and directed by John Cassavetes. The plot revolves around a woman named Mabel Longhetti. Desperate and lonely, she marries an LA municipal construction worker named Nick. Nick eventually notices that her extreme behavior could potentially put the family in danger. He decides to send her to rehab for six months. Nick awaits Mabel's return, but what happens next will surprise him.
The American drama film was released in 1974 and earned more than $6 million at the box office (including rentals in North America).
Francis Ford Coppola was born on April 7, 1939, in Detroit, Michigan. The director's first feature film was entitled Dementia 13. But it wasn't until he made Patton in 1970 that he received an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. He would go on to make hit movies like The Godfather in 1972, and many others. Coppola is one of a few filmmakers from the '70s who changed the way films were directed.
Five of his works are listed amongst the American Film Institute's top 100 films ever made. Francis Ford Coppola never stopped improving his art, always on a quest to realize new artistic visions throughout his career. This work ethic has inspired future generations of directors to have the same drive in making their own epic creations.
One of his most notable achievements came in the late '60s. In 1969, he established American Zoetrope together with fellow director, George Lucas. By creating this independent film production company based in San Francisco, he was able to produce movies like THX 1138, American Graffiti, The Godfather, The Great Gatsby, and The Conversation amongst many others.
Director Martin Scorsese was born in Queens, New York City on November 17, 1942. His first feature film was entitled Who's That Knocking at My Door, which was released in 1967. This was followed by Taxi Driver in 1976 and New York, New York in 1977 amongst many others. His influence in the industry changed the way directors bring their stories to the forefront. His experimental and risky titles, mixed with classic production, inspired many creatives to do the same.
One of Scorsese's most fascinating films was the Raging Bull, which was released in 1980. This film starred Robert De Niro as Jake LaMotta, a boxer. It became such a massive success that he received eight Academy Award nominations, including Best Director and Best Picture. Today, the film is regarded as a masterpiece amongst experts.
George Walton Lucas, Jr. was born on May 14, 1944, in Modesto, California. In 1967, when he was a film student, he made a short film entitled Electronic Labyrinth THX 1138 4EB, which won him the top prize at the 1967-1968 National Student Film Festival. In the same year, Warner Brothers gave him a scholarship that allowed him to observe Francis Ford Coppola's work on Finian's Rainbow. Some of his most famous works were THX 1138, American Graffiti, and the legendary Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope.
George Lucas is one of history's most successful filmmakers. He has been nominated for four Academy Awards, and most of his films are listed as part of the 100 highest-grossing movies at the North American box office. His ideas contributed significantly to the 20th-century New Hollywood movement. There's no denying that his most famous work was that of Star Wars. The series has inspired hundreds of filmmakers to dabble in the same genre but has arguably remained supreme. This franchise has become a standard that's been matched by none.