Movies tagged with 70s

American Graffiti

In 1973, as the Vietnam War wound down and the Watergate hearings fired up, it is no wonder that Americans were nostalgic for the simpler days. Filmmaker George Lucas certainly was, as he took us all on a virtual trip back to a small town in California, circa 1962, in his acclaimed film, American Graffiti. Filled with fast cars, angst-filled teens, sock hops, carhops, and a smorgasbord of classic rock and roll, American Graffiti won the hearts of anyone who happened to live through that bygone era, and many that didn't.

Attack of the Killer Tomatoes!

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Not since the era of Ed Wood has a movie been so delightfully bad it was actually good. Attack of the Killer Tomatoes! was so bad, in fact, that one might actually surmise that the filmmaker purposefully set out to make the worst movie possible…and they would be right. Producer John De Bello was determined to make a spoof of the horrifically bad 1950s-style horror films, and he succeeded so magnificently that the movie set the benchmark for bad movies for perhaps centuries to come. Let's take a look back at this unforgettable film, released in 1978.

Bedknobs and Broomsticks

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There are almost as many similarities between Bedknobs and Broomsticks and Mary Poppins as there are between the Kennedy and Lincoln administrations – although those of the former are certainly less coincidental. Both films incorporated animation into live-action sequences. Both had magical guardians who managed to spellbind the precocious children under their care. Both took place in London and actor David Tomlinson had a supporting role in each film. Other than that, they were completely different.

Blazing Saddles

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The king of parodies, Mel Brooks, took on the wild west in his 1974 classic, Blazing Saddles. Featuring an all-star cast, this tale of a black sheriff in an all-white town pulled no comedic punches (not even in regard to a horse), delivering what is considered to be one of the funniest movies of all time.

Bugsy Malone

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Plenty of films over the years have depicted Chicago during the gang-ridden Prohibition Era. How many of them were musical comedies starring kids as pie throwing gangsters? Only one that we know of - the unforgettable 1976 classic, Bugsy Malone. Starring Scott Baio (Chachi from Happy Days), a very young Jodie Foster, and featuring the lyrics and music of composer Paul Williams, Bugsy Malone was a tongue-in-cheek ode to a violent era, and full of loving jabs at 1930s gangster films.

Charlotte’s Web

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From the mind of author, E.B. White came this touching animated feature about the tale of a pig and the spider that saved him from becoming dinner, in the timeless 1973 musical classic, Charlotte’s Web. It remains one of the most beloved children's stories of all time.

Close Encounters of the Third Kind

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Years before theater audiences were introduced to a friendly little alien with a glowing finger and a penchant for Reece's Pieces, director Steven Spielberg offered another compelling tale about visitors from another planet. Having recently put his name on the map with a little summer blockbuster called Jaws, he would switch to the science fiction genre in 1977. The result was Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and audiences would never look at the skies (or a clump of mashed potatoes, for that matter) in quite the same way.

Escape to Witch Mountain

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A classic film in the Disney live-action arsenal, Escape to Witch Mountain was a 1975 feature based on Alexander Key’s 1968 sci-fi book about young orphaned siblings that display mysterious psychic powers. More eerie than scary, it charmed millions of young moviegoers, who still hold a fond place in their heart for this timeless offering.

Grease

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Grease is the word, alright. Based on the long-running Broadway musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, this 1978 film provided an homage to the 1950’s, complete with catchy songs, impressive dance numbers, and a classic love story. Much of the movie’s success can be attributed to stars John Travolta, who was hot off his starring role in Saturday Night Fever, and Olivia Newton-John, already a pop music superstar. They were joined by talented real life 50’s icons Eve Arden, Sid Caesar, Edd Byrnes and Frankie Valli, and the result was a movie still fondly remembered by a generation of fans.

Halloween

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Director John Carpenter always held a particular fondness for the horror/thriller genre from the time he began making films. But it was the 1978 film Halloween, a gruesome story of a murderous stalker, that truly catapulted his career - and the genre of slasher films that would follow. Featuring the film debut of a very young Jamie Lee Curtis and the internationally acclaimed actor Donald Pleasence, Halloween is an annual favorite, a must-watch every time October rolls around.