Which films from the 1970s do you enjoy watching?

[bhchao]

Which films from the 1970s do you enjoy watching?

I like The Godfather II, Dog Day Afternoon, Deliverance, and Kramer vs. Kramer.

[roddy]

Just out of curiousity - why the 1970s? And why only American films?

[bhchao]

A couple of the films are not American films.

I selected the 1970s because they were one of the most productive periods in cinema, led by directors like Coppola, Scorsese, Cimino, Spielberg, Fellini.

Not to downgrade films from other countries (Coppola, Scorsese, and Spielberg drew their inspiration from Akira Kurosawa), but many of these films from the 1970s attracted a worldwide cult following compared to previous and later decades.

No doubt there were great foreign films of the decade. I could put 1970s Italian films like Amarcord, 1970s Swedish films like Cries and Whispers, or 1970s 苗可秀 and 鄭佩佩 Hong Kong films.

[wushijiao]

While I like many films on the list, I really like Patton, Taxi Driver, Deer Hunter, Kramer vs. Kramer.

[skylee]

I like christopher walken in the deer hunter. And I like bertolucci's 1900.

[wushijiao]

I like christopher walken in the deer hunter

Me too. DeNiro is amazing in that movie, too.

[skylee]

I like Walken better because he looked fragile.

[mythia]

I only saw a few from the list, but I voted all of them. It's logical though, since probably the ones that are still actively attractive today have stood the test of time.

[geraldc]

Star Wars, Dirty Harry, Rocky, Jaws, Godfathers 1&2

I've probably seen them all at least 5 times, and can quote most of the lines etc. So they got my votes

[flameproof]

What! Nothing from Russ Meyer?

[crazy-meiguoren]

Some of my favorites from the 70s are in this list.

Conspicuously absent is M*A*S*H, from 1970, which spawned the TV series later on. It was directed by Robert Altman. Donald Sutherland played Hawkeye, Elliot Gould as Trapper John, Robert Duvall was Major Burns, and Sally Kellerman was Hot Lips Houlihan. Gary "Radar" Burghoff was the only movie actor who landed a spot on the TV show.

I also love Silent Movie from 1976, Young Frankenstein from 1974, and Blazing Saddles 1974, my favorite Mel Brooks movies.

Every Which Way But Loose from 1978 starring Clint Eastwood, although the 1980 sequel Any Which Way You Can was even funnier. They fully developed the humor around the orangutan's antics.

A couple of 1970 documentary films behind two of the greatest rock bands deserve recognition: Gimme Shelter follows the Rolling Stones' 1969 US tour, culminating in the Altamont debacle. The scene where the Hells Angels storm the stage during a Jefferson Airplane performance was riveting. What was Mick Jagger thinking about when he hired those guys for security? That's like hiring Scott Peterson to protect the maternity ward.

The other rock-era documentary was Let It Be, taken during the last days of the Beatles before they broke up.

*** edited to get the years out of parentheses - some of them were being converted to smileys. The years may look like stilted writing now, but it's the lesser of the two evils. ***

[character]

A lot of Shaw Brothers films from the 1970's were in Mandarin. Many SB films were released on DVD (region 3) in the last few years; I understand some are also getting released on DVD in China.

I really enjoy watching them.

[bhchao]

Paul Newman, the cultural icon from The Sting, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Hustler, Cool Hand Luke, and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, passed away today: http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-newman28-2008sep28,0,3889727.story?page=1

[skylee]

oh ... i enjoyed many of his films.