Underrated gems (and WTF films) of the 1970s
Some lesser known films from the 1970s to discover. Most are terrific pieces of cinema and some are wonderfully bad but still need to be seen...or not.
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- DirectorPeter BogdanovichStarsBen GazzaraDenholm ElliottJames VilliersJack Flowers, an American hustler in early-1970s Singapore, dreams of building a fortune by running a brothel and returning to the States to live a life of luxury.Tour de force performance by Ben Gazzarra and location shooting in Singapore are two of the reasons you should see this. The script is sharp and the direction by Peter Bogdanovich spot on. They do not make films like this anymore. Denholm Elliot is also great in this.
- DirectorJohn CassavetesStarsBen GazzaraPeter FalkJohn CassavetesAfter the death of a common friend, three married men leave their lives together, seeking pleasure and freedom and ultimately leaving for London.There are some moments at the beginning that are too long but the film comes alive in the second half. Ben Gazzarra, John Cassavetes and Peter Falk are fantastic. A true actor's film that is uncomfortable to watch at times but worth the effort. Gritty and realistic to the extreme.
- DirectorJohn CassavetesStarsGena RowlandsPeter FalkFred DraperAlthough wife and mother Mabel is loved by her husband Nick, her mental illness places a strain on the marriage.Another John Cassavetes gritty masterpiece. Gena Rowlands is spectacular in this very difficult role. Peter Falk is amazing as well.
- DirectorWim WendersStarsYella RottländerRüdiger VoglerLisa KreuzerA German journalist is saddled with a nine-year-old girl after encountering her mother at a New York airport.Beautiful, haunting film with subtle direction by Wim Wenders. Great performances all around.
- DirectorJohn SaylesStarsBruce MacDonaldMaggie RenziAdam LeFevreSeven former college friends, along with a few new friends, gather for a weekend reunion at a summer house in New Hampshire to reminisce about the good old days, when they got arrested on the way to a protest in Washington, DC.Great ensemble piece with a sharp script and solid performances all around.
- DirectorWerner HerzogStarsKlaus KinskiRuy GuerraHelena RojoIn the 16th century, the ruthless and insane Don Lope de Aguirre leads a Spanish expedition in search of El Dorado.Werner Herzog's greatest film with a demented performance by Klaus Kinski. The South American locations are eerie and add a lot to the atmosphere of the film. The opening sequence is jaw-dropping. A film not to be missed.
- DirectorRobert MulliganStarsAlan AldaEllen BurstynIvan BonarA married man and a married woman end up sleeping with each other, and decide to meet at the same place every year on the anniversary of their one night stand. As the years go by, they observe changes in each other and their relationship.Aland Alda gets a chance to flex his acting muscles in this tender, sad, beautiful film. Ellen Burstyn is perfect.
- DirectorMichael RitchieStarsKeith CarradineMonica VittiRaf ValloneA smalltime US filmmaker goes to Cannes to try to get his movie in the limelight. A wife of one of the producers there gets interested in his story and they begin an affair.Very funny film that takes place during the chaos of the Cannes Film Festival. A biting satire of the nonsense that goes on during film festivals. Monica Vitti is great in this.
- DirectorClint EastwoodStarsWilliam HoldenKay LenzRoger C. CarmelA young girl runs away from home and meets a grouchy older man who reluctantly takes her in. Eventually they develop a romantic and affectionate relationship.I was really surprised how great this film is. I was expecting something really schmaltzy but was impressed especially with the two leads, who are very good. Clint Eastwood's direction is unobtrusive and the story unfolds organically.
- DirectorStephen FrearsStarsAlbert FinneyBillie WhitelawFrank FinlayInspired by his love for Dashiell Hammett novels, nightclub comedian Eddie Ginley puts an ad in the paper as a private eye. The case he gets turns out to be a strange setup and as he digs to the bottom of it his life starts falling apart.Great hommage to film-noir of the 1940s with a winning performance by Albert Finney.
- DirectorGeorge Roy HillStarsMichael SacksRon LeibmanEugene RocheBilly Pilgrim has mysteriously become unstuck in time. He goes on an uncontrollable trip back and forth from his birth in New York to life on a distant planet and back again to the horrors of the 1945 fire-bombing of Dresden.Amazing adaptation of the Kurt Vonnegut novel. It is unlike anything you have ever seen before. Well worth your time.
- DirectorElaine MayStarsCharles GrodinCybill ShepherdJeannie BerlinA newlywed man on his honeymoon has second thoughts about his marriage and falls for a different woman.Wow!!! Hilarious film with a terrific performance by Charles Grodin. Some moments will make you cringe but you will laugh out loud throughout. I can't forget to point out Jennie Berlin's great performance in a very difficult role. Avoid the remake with Ben Stiller and see this instead.
- DirectorCarol ReedStarsMia FarrowTopolMichael JaystonWhen a strait-laced British accountant marries a free-spirited American, he starts trying to change her. His wife doesn't keep regular hours, so he suspects an affair and hires a detective (Topol). The wife notices she is being followed, and maintaining their distance she and the detective explore London for 10 days in a game of follow-the-leader without ever exchanging a word.Topol and Mia Farrow are great in this but the real star is the city of London. Reviews were mixed for this film but I found it charming.
- DirectorWim WendersStarsDennis HopperBruno GanzLisa KreuzerTom Ripley, who deals in forged art, suggests a picture framer he knows would make a good hit man.Wim Wenders thriller is unique in its form and content. Great performances all around.
- DirectorEric IdleGary WeisStarsEric IdleJohn HalseyRicky FataarCharts the adventures of the prefab four, possibly the most famous band of all time.Spot on satire of the Beatles with great cameos by Mick Jagger and Paul Simon. Eric Idle portrays many characters including one of the Rutles. Very, very funny.
- DirectorRichard PattersonStarsPeter BergmanPhil ProctorM.G. KellyUsing clips from old Republic Pictures serials, this spoof tells how an evil villain called The Lightning Bug attempts to take over the world by having rock music soundtracks played at a deafening level.Using clips from movie serials from the 1940s, the filmmakers cobbled together a funny film about a villain(The Lightning Bug, baby!!) trying to get the world to listen to rock music! Very odd film but it works.
- DirectorJamie UysStarsPaddy O'ByrneHilarious documentary on the wildlife of the Namib Desert.Hilarious documentary on animals living in the Namib desert. Funny narration coupled with spectacular footage elevates this film to another level. From Jamie Uys who later brought us The Gods Must Be Crazy.
- DirectorJohn BadhamStarsBilly Dee WilliamsJames Earl JonesRichard PryorIn the late 1930s during racial segregation, a star of the Negro League Baseball, Bingo Long, leaves his team and convinces other stars of the league to join him as free agent players touring the towns of the Midwest.Great baseball film that has an incredible feel for the 1930s. Billy Dee Williams is great but James Earl Jones steals the show.
- DirectorClaude LelouchStarsCharles DennerJacques VilleretJean-Claude BrialyTwo misfits meet at a dating agency and breakthrough in the social world in ways they never imagined.Funny, tender comedy from France about two unusual men trying to find love through a computer dating service who instead find friendship with each other. Charles Denner steals the show.
- DirectorWerner HerzogStarsBruno S.Eva MattesClemens ScheitzIn Berlin, an alcoholic man, recently released from prison, joins his elderly friend and a prostitute in a determined dream to leave Germany and seek a better life in Wisconsin.Another oddball Werner Herzog film that follows three misfits who leave Germany to settle in "Hicksville" Wisconsin to live the American dream. Instead, they implode. Very, very odd film with some jaw-dropping moments including a dancing chicken. Bruno S. is as odd a leading man as you have ever seen. Weird but worth seeing.
- DirectorRainer Werner FassbinderStarsBrigitte MiraEl Hedi ben SalemBarbara ValentinA lonely widow meets a much younger Moroccan worker in a bar during a rainstorm. They fall in love, to their own surprise and to the outright shock of their families, colleagues, and drinking buddies.Another odd German film, this one from Rainer Werner Fassbinder. The story: A young Moroccan immigrant has a romance with an elderly German woman much to the disgust of most of their neighbours. A touching film with remarkable performances.
- DirectorLina WertmüllerStarsGiancarlo GianniniFernando ReyShirley StolerThe defense of honor, a strong value in Neapolitan society, and its effects on the life of everyman Pasquale Frafuso.At times hilarious, at times horrifying, this is a film that will astound you. Giancarlo Giannini is amazing in the lead role. There are some moments that are hard to watch(especially the concentration camp scenes) but these are balanced out by scenes of incredible comedy. The scene where Giannini tries to seduce the camp commandant in an effort to survive, is one of the most awkward you have ever seen but it is quite funny, in a twisted sort of way. This is not for everyone but I consider it a remarkable film.
- DirectorTerrence MalickStarsRichard GereBrooke AdamsSam ShepardA hot-tempered farm laborer convinces the woman he loves to marry their rich but dying boss so that they can have a claim to his fortune.A beautiful film that has spectacular cinematography (by Nestor Almendros). The direction by Terence Mallick is nuanced and the acting mostly first rate(unfortunately, Richard Gere is a little weak). Sam Shepard is a standout in this as is Brooke Adams. The locust swarm sequence is unforgettable. See this film if you get a chance
- DirectorDavid CronenbergStarsOliver ReedSamantha EggarArt HindleA man tries to uncover an unconventional psychologist's therapy techniques on his institutionalized wife, amidst a series of brutal murders.David Cronenberg's most underrated film. This is a raw, angry film that pulls no punches. I usually have a hard time with Oliver Reed but he is a standout in this. Samantha Eggar is also very good in this film. This is not for the squeamish but worth your time.
- DirectorPerry HenzellStarsJimmy CliffJanet BartleyCarl BradshawWishing to become a successful reggae singer, a young Jamaican man finds himself tied to corrupt record producers and drug pushers.Jamaica's first feature film is an unflinching look at crime and punishment in that country. Jimmy Cliff is no actor but he pulls it off here. There are moments of intense violence in this but overall the story is very interesting. The ending is sad but it fits the story well. The soundtrack is simply out of this world and includes some of the best reggae music ever made.
- DirectorRobert AltmanStarsElliott GouldNina van PallandtSterling HaydenPrivate investigator Philip Marlowe helps a friend out of a jam, but in doing so gets implicated in his wife's murder.Philip Marlowe story as seen by Robert Altman. Totally wacky film with some very odd casting choices that are simply inspired. The ending has been changed for the better and Elliot Gould is great. Props to Sterling Hayden and Mark Rydell who are amazing. Look out for Arnold Schwarzenegger in a small role. A detective film like no other but be forewarned, there is one violent sequence that will make your jaw drop.
- DirectorNicolas RoegStarsJenny AgutterDavid GulpililLuc RoegTwo city-bred siblings are stranded in the Australian Outback, where they learn to survive with the aid of an Aboriginal boy on his "walkabout": a ritual separation from his tribe.Wow, what a unique film. Not to be missed.
- DirectorErrol MorrisStarsLucille BillingsleyZella GrahamCal HarbertsA documentary about a pet cemetery in California, and the people who have pets buried there.This starts off as a documentary about a pet cemetery but it quickly becomes a film about people's hopes and dreams. Some beautiful moments balanced with some very weird stuff. Worth checking out.
- DirectorWerner HerzogStarsLotte EisnerWolfgang BüttnerManfred EigendorfFootage shot in and around the Sahara Desert, accompanied only by a spoken creation myth and the songs of Leonard Cohen.Werner Herzog experimental/poetic documentary will either blow your mind or turn you right off. He shot for over a year in the Sahara and Sahel deserts(and all over Africa) and put it all together with hardly any spoken word and an occasional Leonard Cohen song. Some of the footage is spectacular but this is not for all tastes. I loved it.
- DirectorHarald ReinlStarsHeinz-Detlev BockKlaus KindlerChristian MarschallBased on Erich Von Daniken's book purporting to prove that throughout history aliens have visited earth.This film marked my childhood. In it, we are shown several places on earth where Aliens might have possibly visited (Nazca lines, Pyramids, Candelabra of the Andes etc.) hence the Gods of the title. I saw it a few years ago and realize that a lot of it is flimsy pseudoscience with some ridiculous statements. Still, it shows some amazing places on earth to discover, just don't think too much about what is being said. Then again, aliens might have visited us in the ancient world...or not.
- DirectorHoward SmithStarsMilt MossCompilation of man inventing strange contraptions in the 30's through 50's.Absolutely fun compilation of newsreel clips from the 1930s,1940s and 1950s on Rube Goldberg style inventions including an alarm clock that whips off your blanket to wake you up.
- DirectorRobert FrankStarsTruman CapoteDick CavettMarshall ChessFollow the Rolling Stones on their 1972 North American Tour and their first return to the States since the tragedy at Altamont.Notorious documentary that follows the Rolling Stones during their 1972 North American tour. The filmmaker had unimpeded access to the band and their entourage. The result is a poorly made, rambling documentary that includes some very disturbing scenes including people shooting-up and what certainly looks like the rape of a groupie. There are long moments of the band members sitting in their hotel rooms bored not speaking to each other. The Rolling Stones were horrified when they saw the final film and suppressed its distribution. It could only be seen in the presence of its director a couple of times a year. I thought it was downright awful with very little to recommend in it unless you like watching tired musicians sitting around doing nothing.
- DirectorFrederick WisemanStarsEugene FriedmanStanley FriedmanRobert SchwartzAn intimate look at the daily activities of medical staff and patients in New York's Metropolitan Hospital.Brilliant Frederick Wiseman documentary that chronicles the daily activities of a hospital in New York City. Some sequences are quite uncomfortable to watch but the film is well worth your time.
- DirectorBruce NyznikStarsYûichirô MiuraShintaro IshiharaTaisuke FujishimaThis Oscar-winning documentary tells the story behind Japanese daredevil Yuichiro Miura's 1970 effort to ski down the world's tallest mountain.Oscar winning documentary on the 1970 Japanese expedition trying to bring skier Yuichiro Miura to the top of Mount Everest so that he can ski down the slope!! The beautiful images are enhanced by Douglas Rain's poetic narration. A wild film that must be seen to be believed.
- DirectorPaul SchraderStarsGeorge C. ScottPeter BoyleSeason HubleyA religious businessman from Michigan has to venture into the world of pornography in California, desperately searching for his runaway teenage daughter.Intense drama with a tortured performance by George C. Scott. A difficult film but worth seeing.
- DirectorDouglas TrumbullStarsBruce DernCliff PottsRon RifkinIn a future where all flora is extinct on Earth, an astronaut is given orders to destroy the last of Earth's botany, kept in a greenhouse aboard a spacecraft.Cult sci-fi film with a spot-on performance by Bruce Dern. Worth your time.
- DirectorMelvin Van PeeblesStarsGodfrey CambridgeEstelle ParsonsHoward CaineJeff Gerber, a racist white man, wakes up one morning to discover that he has become black.What happens when a white bigot wakes up one day and finds out he is now black? A very well made film that tackles racism head on.
- DirectorHerbert RossStarsAlan ArkinVanessa RedgraveRobert DuvallTo treat his friend's cocaine induced delusions, Watson lures Sherlock Holmes to Sigmund Freud.Great Sherlock Holmes film has him meet Sigmund Freud in an effort to cure him of his cocaine addiction. Very well done.
- DirectorArthur PennStarsGene HackmanJennifer WarrenEdward BinnsLos Angeles private investigator Harry Moseby is hired by a client to find her runaway teenage daughter. Moseby tracks the daughter down, only to stumble upon something much more intriguing and sinister.Layered, complex Arthur Penn thriller with a good performance from Gene Hackman. James Woods and Melanie Griffith are also in the cast. Worth seeing more than once.
- DirectorNarciso Ibáñez SerradorStarsLewis FianderPrunella RansomeAntonio IranzoA couple of English tourists arrive on an island where all the children have gone crazy and are murdering the adults.Terrifying Spanish horror film is going to terrify you down to your soul. Not for the faint of heart.
- DirectorNicolas RoegStarsJulie ChristieDonald SutherlandHilary MasonA married couple grieving the recent death of their young daughter are in Venice when they encounter two elderly sisters, one of whom is psychic and brings a warning from beyond.Great thriller that has many creepy moments but is so exquisitely put together. Haunting.
- DirectorHal AshbyStarsRuth GordonBud CortVivian PicklesYoung, rich, and obsessed with death, Harold finds himself changed forever when he meets lively septuagenarian Maude at a funeral.Lovely, sad, funny cult film that shows that love is all we really need.
- DirectorDavid CronenbergStarsMarilyn ChambersFrank MooreTerry SchonblumA young woman develops a taste for human blood after experimental plastic surgery, and her victims turn into blood-thirsty zombies, leading into a city-wide epidemic.Early David Cronenberg horror film is quite gruesome but quite addictive. One of my guilty pleasures.
- DirectorWerner HerzogStarsKlaus KinskiIsabelle AdjaniBruno GanzCount Dracula moves from Transylvania to Wismar, spreading the Black Plague across the land. Only a woman pure of heart can bring an end to his reign of horror.Werner Herzog makes a vampire film and it is nothing like any other vampire film ever. Dracula brings the plague to Western Europe. Slow but very engaging.
- DirectorHall BartlettStarsJames FranciscusJuliet MillsPhilip AhnA skilled flyer but very rebellious young seagull is kicked out of his clan. However, instead of being sad or lonely, he decides to enjoy and explore his newfound freedom.A lot of people found this pretentious but I was moved. Be forewarned that the film's main character is a seagull. If that doesn't bother you, the story will interest you greatly. Cinematography is spectacular.
- DirectorJoan Micklin SilverStarsJohn HeardMary Beth HurtPeter RiegertCharles is a bored civil servant struggling through a harsh Utah winter. He spends most of his time reflecting on his romance with Laura, a coworker who left him to return to her husband, an A-Frame salesman.Sad, nuanced film on unrequited love and obsession. The original release had a tacked on happy ending(not present in the original novel) and the film bombed. That scene was cut and the film was re-released and did better. Mary Beth Hurt is amazing in this as is Peter Reigert who is quite funny. John Heard is good as the lead and never veers into caricature. Although it is a sad film, it is never depressing.
- DirectorAlbert MayslesDavid MayslesCharlotte ZwerinStarsMick JaggerKeith RichardsMick TaylorWhen three hundred thousand members of the Love Generation collided with a few dozen Hells Angels at San Francisco's Altamont Speedway, the bloody slash that transformed a decade's dreams into disillusionment was immortalized on this film.Absolutely stunning documentary that follows the Rolling Stones in concert in the USA including giving a free concert in San Francisco(Altamont raceway) where the Hell's Angels provided security! That concert takes up about half of the film's running time and it is incredible. You simply can't keep from watching even though it is a catastrophe of biblical proportions. People are beaten up by the bikers (including one of the members of Jefferson Airplane), countless people jump onstage and, tragically, a man is stabbed to death. The looks on the members of the Rolling Stones as things deteriorate is one of genuine concern. Still, it makes for great drama(you will be riveted to your seat throughout). A masterpiece of documentary cinema with a great soundtrack to boot but it isn't for the faint of heart.
- DirectorJoan Micklin SilverStarsSteven KeatsCarol KaneMel HowardIn 1896, a Russian Jewish woman immigrates to New York's Lower East Side to reunite with her Americanized husband, but has difficulty assimilating.Beautiful film on Jewish immigrants in New York at the end of the 19th century includes a wonderful Oscar-nominated performance by Carol Kane. A thoughtfully made historical film full of magical moments. A must see.
- DirectorPier Paolo PasoliniStarsHugh GriffithLaura BettiNinetto DavoliPasolini's artistic, sometimes violent, always vividly cinematic retelling of some of Chaucer's most erotic tales.Probably the most WTF movie on this list. I was expecting bawdy humour with some funny moments. What I got was extreme titillation and tons of ridiculous characters. I don't understand how this won best film at Berlin. I realize that the original Chaucer poem was pretty risque but Pasolini leaves nothing to the imagination. Its a festival of nudity and scatology with one very disturbing scene (the Friar's Tale). Nothing sexy here, give it a pass unless you like dirt and grime on everything.
- DirectorNeil LeiferStarsSuzanne SomersIan McShaneAdam FaithA has-been, alcoholic former soccer star determines to make a comeback. He gets help from his former girlfriend, now a rock star, and her partner.Absurd mishmash of sports movie and disco music. The soccer sequences are good. The music sequences will make you want to put wax in your ears. Definitely fits in the WTF category.