The 1970s were a golden age of cinema, and while Netflix may not have the most extensive collection of 70s movies, it still offers a selection that is both entertaining and historically significant. These films, often produced in partnership with Universal Pictures and United Artists, showcase the decade's unique blend of entertainment value and cultural impact. From disaster movies to sports dramas, comedies to Westerns, these films represent a time when Hollywood was pushing boundaries and setting trends. Here's a closer look at some of the best 70s movies streaming on Netflix, each offering a unique perspective on the era's cinematic landscape.
Airport
A disaster movie classic, "Airport" is an all-star affair that effectively created the template for a decade of disaster-movie filmmaking. Directed by George Seaton, the film tracks a frantic night at a fictional Midwestern airport during a blizzard, with Burt Lancaster's airport manager facing a stalled aircraft and a passenger concealing a bomb on a transatlantic flight. The interlocking storylines and soap-opera melodrama, combined with action-movie tension, make it a compelling genre artifact. While it may not be a sophisticated film today, its impact on the disaster movie subgenre is undeniable, leading to three awful sequels.
Slap Shot
George Roy Hill's "Slap Shot" is a sports comedy that delves into the darker side of minor league hockey. Set in a fictional Western Pennsylvania mill town, the film explores the economics of desperation and the ease with which violence can be turned to when one's material world is full of struggle and despair. Hill, who collaborated with Paul Newman on the film, creates a poignant sense of realism that sets the movie apart from its sports comedy peers. The film's focus on the Hanson Brothers, played by real-life hockey players, adds a layer of authenticity to the raucous and rowdy team dynamics.
National Lampoon's Animal House
A cult classic and a defining film of the 1970s, "Animal House" is a raunchy and crude college-set comedy that spoke to a rowdy generation of young people. Directed by John Landis, the film features a string of skits and jokes that, while not all age well, still capture the futile effort to mature when becoming an adult. The ensemble cast, including John Belushi as the absent-minded Bluto Blutarski, delivers genuinely funny performances that have made the film a lasting part of cinematic history.
Smokey and the Bandit
Hal Needham's directorial debut, "Smokey and the Bandit," is a summer blockbuster that became the second-highest-grossing film of 1977. The film stars Burt Reynolds as a good-natured Southern outlaw who accepts a bet to transport a truckload of Coors beer from Texarkana to Atlanta in 28 hours. The film's charisma, thrilling driving stunts, and easygoing hangout vibe make it a delightful classic. However, the sequels and TV movies that followed are generally disappointing, with the original film remaining the best in the franchise.
Rocky
Sylvester Stallone's "Rocky" is a sports character drama that won the Best Picture Oscar at the 1977 Academy Awards. Directed by John G. Avildsen, the film reflects contemporary hardships and the pursuit of the American Dream. It's a celebration of tenacity, hard work, and ambition, with a sobering sense of adrift yearning for an elusive dream. The film's success lies in its ability to balance social realism with a crowd-pleasing narrative, making it a classic sports movie that continues to resonate with audiences.
Rocky II
A sequel that can't consistently justify the continuation of the story, "Rocky II" focuses on a rematch between the champ Apollo Creed and Rocky. While it's a well-made film with solid formal chops, it loses some of the texture of the world and character that made the original "Rocky" such a classic. However, it remains a perfectly entertaining sequel, with Stallone continuing to carry ample charm as the title character.
High Plains Drifter
Clint Eastwood's "High Plains Drifter" is a meaner and more sadistic Western than any of the Leone movies. Eastwood, in a stoic and nameless stranger persona, influences an existing conflict in a town, painting himself as the Devil incarnate. The film's truculent depiction of the Old West and Eastwood's decision to use his movie-star power to deliver a troubling veracity of life in an earlier time make it a brave and honest cinematic work.
American Graffiti
George Lucas' "American Graffiti" is a low-budget ensemble piece that captures the blissed-out wave of early '60s California youth culture. Set over the course of a single summer night in 1962 Modesto, California, the film tracks several characters simultaneously, their stories loosely braided as they cruise the Modesto strip beneath amber neon. The film's elegiac quality and nostalgic exterior, combined with Lucas' understanding of the future, make it a timeless coming-of-age movie that captures a lost cultural naivety.
