The 70's and Movies

chops018

If the 60's was a defining decade for music then the 70's was a defining decade for cinema. So many good movies came out that decade, even the mediocre ones of that decade would thrash the 'good' ones from today.

Films like:

Alien.
Star Wars.
American Graffiti.
Apocalypse Now.
Deliverance.
And Justice For All.
The French Connection.
Dog Day Afternoon.
Airplane.
Blazing Saddles.
A Clockwork Orange.
Taxi Driver.
Chinatown.
The Exorcist.
The Godfather Part's 1 and 2.
Grease.
Saturday Night Fever.
Jaws.
The Omen.
Rocky.
The Deer Hunter.

There is probably so much more classics that I haven't even mentioned in there.

I know there has been films out over the years that have wowed me from time to time, such as the Lord of the Rings Trilogy or Inception, but no decade seems to have produced such a vast foray of movies that really did turn out to be brilliant in their own respects. You've got comedy classics, innovative and actually scary horrors, gangster epics, great war movies, dramas, action and sci-fi. These days some genres are gone so bad, comedies for example - it's rare you get a movie that is considered comedy gold by most people today, The Hangover maybe, but that's one in how many, even all of Will Ferrell's and his pack's movies were funny but they are quickly forgotten about, bar Anchorman that was actually brilliant.

TL;DR - Will we ever see a decade like the 70's again for cinema, I think it really was a once in a life time thing for hollywood, so many great up and coming directors, new scripts and takes on genres being experimented with. These days it seems a lot of movies I see I'm like "oh I've seen something similar etc." It's only a rare movie that comes along and makes me go "wow".

Rabies

What was great about the earlier years is the lack of special effects. Studios didn't need to get the viewer's attention with gimicks.

chops018

Rabies wrote: »

What was great about the earlier years is the lack of special effects. Studios didn't need to get the viewer's attention with gimicks.

Exactly, no flooding of 3D back then, it should only be used when it would enhance the movie - Avatar, Hugo being some examples. Not to push up ticket prices. Every second movie is 3D now.

kitakyushu

Easy Rider -> Raging Bull.

Hmm, that sounds like a good title for a book.

Duggy747

Also Dirty Harry / Outlaw Josey Wales / Close Encounters Of The Third Kind / All The Presidents Men.

Love 70's movies, very character driven movies overflowing with grit. Very unpolished looking which completely added to their tone and style.

Then the 80's came along and everything was all fancy looking but at least the special effects were stunning because, like the 70's movies, people actually crafted everything with their hands back then :pac:

Tipsy McSwagger

The 80s were better IMO. It had the best Star Wars film, Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Thing, Back to the Future, ET, Platoon, Ghostbusters, Batman, First Blood, Predator, Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, The Goonies, Raging Bull, Stand By Me, The Breakfast Club.

bullvine

Halloween, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot..

bullvine

Tipsy McSwagger wrote: »

The 80s were better IMO. It had the best Star Wars film, Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Thing, Back to the Future, ET, Platoon, Ghostbusters, Batman, First Blood, Predator, Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, The Goonies, Raging Bull, Stand By Me, The Breakfast Club.

Epic fail!!, left out the best film of the 80's

Tipsy McSwagger

bullvine wrote: »

Epic fail!!, left out the best film of the 80's

I left out a lot of brilliant 80s films.

mike65

The 70s was without question cinemas high water mark and also the beginnings of its drift into mindless spectacle. Of course no one realised it at the time but the double wammy of Jaws and Star Wars has an awful lot to answer for.

I won't list my favs as that is tedious and probably will contain many titles that other would list

bullvine

Tipsy McSwagger wrote: »

I left out a lot of brilliant 80s films.

No more so than Aliens, hands down the best film of the 80's

krudler

As an 80's child it will always be the decade closest to my heart movie wise, the 70's was definitely a stellar decade for films as well, it seemed Hollywood had a lot more trust in the audience back then, lots of tightly crafted thrillers and grownup films instead of dumbed down effects laden kids movies like we have now. Not that grownup films still aren't been made, far from it, but way too many movies are aimed at kids these days, its all for the the box office at the expense of the film.

chops018

Tipsy McSwagger wrote: »

The 80s were better IMO. It had the best Star Wars film, Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Thing, Back to the Future, ET, Platoon, Ghostbusters, Batman, First Blood, Predator, Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, The Goonies, Raging Bull, Stand By Me, The Breakfast Club.

Don't get me wrong the other decades has some fantastic movies aswell, but I don't they were the calibre of the 70's. The 70's just seemed to have a wow after wow film constantly (now I know there was probably a lot of duds in there too), but they were overflowing with new ideas, great characters, iconic scenes. I'm trying to say only a few movies in the other decades have done that now.. The 80's with maybe a few more than the others - the Shining, Raging Bull etc, but a bit less than the 70's, the 90's with Pulp Fiction, the 2000's with the LOTR's, the 2010's with the likes of Inception and maybe the Dark Knight Trilogy.

Tipsy McSwagger

chops018 wrote: »

Don't get me wrong the other decades has some fantastic movies aswell, but I don't they were the calibre of the 70's. The 70's just seemed to have a wow after wow film constantly (now I know there was probably a lot of duds in there too), but they were overflowing with new ideas, great characters, iconic scenes. I'm trying to say only a few movies in the other decades have done that now.. The 80's with maybe a few more than the others - the Shining, Raging Bull etc, but a bit less than the 70's, the 90's with Pulp Fiction, the 2000's with the LOTR's, the 2010's with the likes of Inception and maybe the Dark Knight Trilogy.

The 70s were the best for serious & intelligent films, the 80s for fun & action films.

mike65

I'd classify The Shining and Raging Bull as 70s films as they are definitely informed by that decades sensibilities - if they were true 80s they'd have a soundtrack of popular hits of the era with the tie in album

Melion

I can understand why movies nowadays are so bland and boring basically. There are no fresh storylines anymore, any movie that comes out now just isnt original, we have seen EVERYTHING in the 70's,80's and 90's.

Im obviously only talking about mainstream releases but while the average Joe and Josephine Soap want to go and watch Scary Movie 6, Paranormal Activity 17 etc, they will continue to churn them out.

Fishooks12

Melion wrote: »

I can understand why movies nowadays are so bland and boring basically. There are no fresh storylines anymore, any movie that comes out now just isnt original, we have seen EVERYTHING in the 70's,80's and 90's.

Im obviously only talking about mainstream releases but while the average Joe and Josephine Soap want to go and watch Scary Movie 6, Paranormal Activity 17 etc, they will continue to churn them out.

No they're not. There is huge amounts of quality film being made. You just need look harder.

mike65

I'm sure people of a certain age said exactly the same of films made in the 60s/70s/80s "its all rubbish, special effects, fast editing, pointless explosions, pretty boy faces, too many kids on the screen" etc.

krudler

Fishooks12 wrote: »

No they're not. There is huge amounts of quality film being made. You just need look harder.

There are but the majority of blockbusters are sequels, remakes etc, there are hardly any original concept blockbusters.

Melion

Fishooks12 wrote: »

No they're not. There is huge amounts of quality film being made. You just need look harder.

Check out the second part of my post.

Lennonist

Fishooks12 wrote: »

No they're not. There is huge amounts of quality film being made. You just need look harder.

Can you give us some info where we may find these quality films you speak of, websites that review them perhaps? When it comes to mainstream cinemas for example, it's rare that I find a film worth shelling out for anymore.

A film from the 1970's that the op left out, that I like, would be "The Last Picture Show".

krudler

Lennonist wrote: »

Can you give us some info where we may find these quality films you speak of, websites that review them perhaps? When it comes to mainstream cinemas for example, it's rare that I find a film worth shelling out for anymore.

A film from the 1970's that the op left out, that I like, would be "The Last Picture Show".

in the cinema right now there's Argo, Skyfall, Beasts of the Southern Wild (havent seen it yet but heard nothing but rave reviews), Frankenweenie and Ruby Sparks, all worth a watch.

chops018

krudler wrote: »

in the cinema right now there's Argo, Skyfall, Beasts of the Southern Wild (havent seen it yet but heard nothing but rave reviews), Frankenweenie and Ruby Sparks, all worth a watch.

Yes, they are all worth a watch, but that's it. Nothing we haven't seen before. Bond although it is a good watch filled with action, some funny parts, and a good script is just too similar to the Bournes and you can even see a hint of other movies in there, I believe I heard people mentioning that Sam Mendes followed Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight a bit.

Ruby Sparks is good, but it doesn't stick with you, it's gone from you as soon as it's over, albeit a 'fresh' movie if you will.

Haven't seen Frankenweenie, but Tim Burton has being doing nothing but declining lately.

Haven't seen Beasts of the Southern Wild so I can't comment.

Argo was a very well made film, but come on it's about a hostage crisis, nothing we haven't seen before. But I must say fair play to Ben Affleck he really did make it tense and left nothing out and had a lot of attention to detail.

But even though there are still some good movies coming out they do not have the wow factor or the innovation that the 70's had. The characters are rarely even iconic. The last iconic character that instilled in my mind was Javier Bardems 'Anton Chigurh' from the Coen Brother's 'No Country For Old Men', and that was from 2007.

Which is exactly my point in my OP - the 70's was a defining decade in cinema, so many fresh films that made the audience go 'WOW', with probably some of the most respected actors and directors up and coming, and hitting their prime and even going beyond that. New stories, new experimenting with special effects (without fake effects from computers), lot's of innovation and depth into characters and other areas of film making. There are still movies coming out like that yes, but not on the same scale as they did in the 70's.

Lennonist

krudler wrote: »

in the cinema right now there's Argo, Skyfall, Beasts of the Southern Wild (havent seen it yet but heard nothing but rave reviews), Frankenweenie and Ruby Sparks, all worth a watch.

"Beasts of the Southern Wind" is perhaps the only one of those films I would pay to watch in the cinema- it has had good reviews and the trailer looks interesting. It's only available on restricted release.

Frankenweenie, I might bring the kids to.

James Bond - give us a break. I'd consider watching James Bond on a Saturday evening on the telly, there is no way I would pay to watch James Bond.

Argo might watch on dvd maybe.

krudler

Lennonist wrote: »

"Beasts of the Southern Wind" is perhaps the only one of those films I would pay to watch in the cinema- it has had good reviews and the trailer looks interesting. It's only available on restricted release.

Frankenweenie, I might bring the kids to.

James Bond - give us a break. I'd consider watching James Bond on a Saturday evening on the telly, there is no way I would pay to watch James Bond.

Argo might watch on dvd maybe.

That's kinda bizarre but anyhoo..

2012 has been a great year for movies, if people just went to stuff that was worth watching we might see more of those kind of movies.

mitosis

Both 1930s (Gone with the wind eg) and 1940s (Casablanca eg) were superior to the '70s for film. The '70s was the watershed for music, imo.

mike65

Worth pointing out that the assessment of eras can only be done well after the fact, no one in the 1970s was banging on a about being in a golden age really.

chops018

mike65 wrote: »

Worth pointing out that the assessment of eras can only be done well after the fact, no one in the 1970s was banging on a about being in a golden age really.

Well I can honestly say that without a doubt we are in the golden age for TV shows. So many quality TV shows coming out of the US now, especially from the likes of HBO, AMC, FX and ShowTime. So maybe towards the end of the decade you had people recognising it.

mike65

There has been a quantum shift in television in the last 12-14 years.

Technocentral

mitosis wrote: »

Both 1930s (Gone with the wind eg) and 1940s (Casablanca eg) were superior to the '70s for film. The '70s was the watershed for music, imo.

40s were defo best for movies ever, no particular decade best for music, great new stuff every month music wise.

Technocentral

mike65 wrote: »

There has been a quantum shift in television in the last 12-14 years.

More like 20 - 22 years boss, Law and Order, NYPD Blue, Twin Peaks and Northern Exposure were the start of real, cinema quality brilliance on tv.

mike65

Actually that's true, but only in the States, in the UK things have broadly gone backwards - the late 70s to the late 80s was the best decade with everything from Boys from the Blackstuff to Threads to The Monocled Mutineer to GBH and beyond.

Technocentral

mike65 wrote: »

Actually that's true, but only in the States, in the UK things have broadly gone backwards - the late 70s to the late 80s was the best decade with everything from Boys from the Blackstuff to Threads to The Monocled Mutineer to GBH and beyond.

I disagree, no way now would you see a comedy show on British tv with a man dressed as a woman, ripped off 70s jokes and outdated gay stereotypes etc.

mike65

What? Little Britain you mean

pixelburp

Out of curiosity, how many here actually lived during the 1970s? I'm willing to bet most on this forum are anywhere between 18-35 & if all we have to look back on the 70s are its best films, of course we'll think it's the bee-knees - we have the benefit of hindsight & are largely unaware of the chaff that would have clogged cinemas just as much as it does today.

I don't think it's fair to pit a decade gone by against the decades we're living right now. It's only natural the 2000s seem poor in comparison, as we're living that era and experiencing all the garbage as it passes through the cinemas. That's only going to taint our impressions & carry on the age-old tradition that "year X is the worst year in history for cinema!!!eleven"

mike65

I survived the 70s though have forgotten the first half, and yes the cinemas had plenty of low ranking tosh in them, routine mainstream films that have been forgotten by just about everyone.

johnny_ultimate

chops018 wrote: »

But even though there are still some good movies coming out they do not have the wow factor or the innovation that the 70's had. The characters are rarely even iconic. The last iconic character that instilled in my mind was Javier Bardems 'Anton Chigurh' from the Coen Brother's 'No Country For Old Men', and that was from 2007.

Which is exactly my point in my OP - the 70's was a defining decade in cinema, so many fresh films that made the audience go 'WOW', with probably some of the most respected actors and directors up and coming, and hitting their prime and even going beyond that. New stories, new experimenting with special effects (without fake effects from computers), lot's of innovation and depth into characters and other areas of film making. There are still movies coming out like that yes, but not on the same scale as they did in the 70's.

What kind of frustrates me is how limited this argument is to Hollywood. I'd actually argue that while many of the trends established in America in the 70s have been harmful to cinema. Whatever about the quality of Jaws and Star Wars, they effectively kickstarted the unending summer blockbuster trend, which IMO isn't a wholly positive legacy.

The 1970s were also quite a mixed period for world cinema. The decades surrounding were hugely experimental and exciting - I'd count as many of my personal favourite films from the 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and even 80s, 90s and 00s as from the 70s - many more in some cases (<3 the 20s and 50s).

Cinema is still in good hands. I just saw The Master today. Amour is out next week. There's been Holy Motors, Beasts..., Rust & Bone, About Elly, Looper, What Richard Did, I Wish etc etc in the last few weeks. Excuse me if I don't sound the doomsday bell just yet.

It seems every other thread we have to bring this up, but cinema is still surprising and amazing, on a weekly or at least monthly basis. It's many audience members who seem to have given up.

krudler

Technocentral wrote: »

More like 20 - 22 years boss, Law and Order, NYPD Blue, Twin Peaks and Northern Exposure were the start of real, cinema quality brilliance on tv.

Homicide:Life On The Street too, the precursor to The Wire. TV these days has loads of tosh in reality shows but absolutely stellar dramas, Breaking Bad being the current crown jewel.

This argument is as flawed as the whole "foreign cinema is better than American cinema" one. As great as the 70s were there were still more than enough clunkers and while main stream cinema has over the past 3 decades became more reliant upon spectacle than story telling there is still some damn fine films being made. You just have to look a little harder for them. If you judge current American cinema solely on what's released in your local multiplex then you are missing out on some great films. This year alone has seen a wealth of inspiring, original, well made character and idea driven films.

What I love when discussing the 70s is how people always go for the obvious choices, they trot out the Godfather, French Connection, etc while missing out on some of the more interesting films that the decade produced.

Who'll Stop the Rain is one of the decades best film though it's criminally underseen. It was one of the best films about Vietnam and the scars it left.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ls-pAkjH1WY

Technically Cutter's Way was made and released int eh 80s but far as I'm concerned it's the last great 70s film and much like Who'll Stop the Rain it's a complicated morality play that's an immensely rewarding watch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBhprZR8IRQ

Recently released on Blu-Ray, the first time it's been available on to buy in over 2 decades Rolling Thunder is one of the best films of the 70s and makes for the perfect trilogy when combined with the above films. It's a dark, violent film about the Vietnam war and the effect it had on those who didn't get home so easily. Really is a stunning piece of cinema with a great central performance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hd4dW6sbplA

duckworth

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

I just saw The Master today. Amour is out next week.

Is the Master showing this week, or was it some kind of press screening you saw? Would love to see it this week, as i won't get a chance from next week onwards for nearly a month.

Technocentral

mike65 wrote: »

What? Little Britain you mean

TBH both that and O'Carroll's show are equally awful.

johnny_ultimate

duckworth wrote: »

Is the Master showing this week, or was it some kind of press screening you saw? Would love to see it this week, as i won't get a chance from next week onwards for nearly a month.

It was a London screening. I don't think anywhere is showing it in Dublin yet.