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 BonarBeginning in 1951, neurotic married accountant George and naive married homemaker Doris have a one-night stand and then meet at the same place once each year. As 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.