The 1970s were undoubtedly a great time for cinema — during this decade, unconventional and bolder films were brought to the big screen, presenting audiences with an edgier and slightly more controversial view of unforgettable stories. Even though movies generally had realistic elements to them during this time, some of the best fantasy flicks today (like the original Star Wars trilogy) were also a massive part of the decade.
Considered one of the most groundbreaking eras in film, introducing audiences to unique movies that are now regarded as highly influential, the revolutionary 1970s cinema featured quite a few memorable titles that stand the test of time, which makes us wonder: Apart from those we all know and love, which are the overlooked gems that aren't appreciated enough? From The Sentinel to Sleuth, these are Redditor's picks.
11 'The Sentinel' (1977)
Directed by Michael Winner, The Sentinel is a 1977 horror film following a fashion model (Cristina Raines) who moves into a home where a blind priest (JohnCarradine) lives and starts experiencing strange physical issues, struggles to fall asleep, and simply can not stop looking back at her suicide attempt. When she learns that the house is solely home to the priest and herself, things start to get extra weird.
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On Reddit, the original poster of a Reddit discussion named "favorite underrated/under-discussed movies of the 70s," 2 Gjack71, could not believe they forgot to add the film to their list when viken1976 mentioned it. "Oh, man, how could I forget The Sentinel!" They wrote. "Great freakin movie. Scared the crap out of me as a kid."
10 'Shampoo' (1975)
Hal Ashby's social satire Shampoo stars the talented Warren Beatty, one of the biggest actors of the decade. Set in 1968, the comedy-drama centers on thirty-something Beverly Hills hairdresser and womanizer George Roundy as he navigates through his love and career lives and fails not to get into trouble each time.
"I'm kind of obsessed with this movie. Warren Beatty and Julie Christie are great in it and it's hilarious," stuntinisahobbit admits on the platform, even naming it "underrated" and "one of the best movies of the decade." Additionally, they also highlight how good Paul Simon's soundtrack is.
9 'Silent Running' (1972)
This 1972 science fiction film depicts Ecologist Freeman Lowell's (BruceDern) mission to keep a greenhouse aboard a space station to preserve diverse plants for future generations after all botanical life on Earth has ended. When he is told to destroy the greenhouse in lieu of shipping goods, he rebels with the help of three robots and a tiny human crew.
The Douglas Trumbull environmental, social-political movie is also a popular film on the platform, being mentioned frequently when users were asked which are some 1970s hidden gems. "Bruce Dern as a captain of a spaceship Ark of trees that represents human survival," a deleted user explains.
8 'Scarecrow' (1973)
Starring Al Pacino at his prime, Scarecrow is a Jerry Schatzberg drama centering around two drifters (Pacino and Gene Hackman) who wander around and head east together. In the meantime, their bond grows stronger, and an unlikely between the two flourishes.
On the platform, isavefilms believes that the "lesser-known" road film is "stellar." On the same post, a deleted account shares, in a different comment, that it is a "great road movie/drama that was kind of ignored," starring Pacino and Hackman at their best. While Scarecrow may not be a masterpiece, it is a very entertaining film of the genre.
7 'Deathdream' (1974)
In this compelling horror movie, viewers tag along as a young soldier (RichardBackus) who was presumed dead at the war in Vietnam returns to his parents' house. However, the family starts to get a bit concerned when his behavior grows increasingly strange.
RELATED: Th Best Movies of 1974, Ranked
Directed by Bob Clark, Deathdream makes for an absorbing watch; many people on the platform seem to believe that it is one of the biggest hidden gems in the horror genre. "I really love Deathdream, nice to see it get a mention, I rarely hear it discussed," Egon-Strangler commented.
6 'The Driver' (1978)
A stylish film through and through, The Driver follows an enigmatic unnamed protagonist (Ryan O'Neal), who specializes in steering getaway cars through the tightest of spaces. Needless to say, this obviously makes him highly sought after in the criminal community. Sounds familiar?
There is no doubt that Walter Hill's work remains a highly influential film, and the way it inspired big movies like the Ryan Gosling-led Drive is proof. "The Driver is my favorite movie from the 70’s, one of my favorites of all time really, wish it got a bit more love," a deleted user wrote.
5 'The China Syndrome' (1979)
Starring legendary actress and activist Jane Fonda, the entrancing The China Syndrome centers on a news reporter and her cameraman (played by Michael Douglas) who become unintentional witnesses to a SCRAM incident, an emergency core shutdown operation at a nuclear power station in California.
James Bridges' effective mystery thriller tackles themes that are still relevant today, including the dangers of nuclear energy and the disregard for public safety. As AdamFiction describes it, "a disaster film that often goes unnoticed as it doesn't feature the massive destruction setpieces typical of the genre," they wrote. "But it does have an amazing story about a team of reporters who discover a coverup surrounding a possible nuclear reactor meltdown."
4 'Paper Moon' (1973)
This Peter Bogdanovich comedy reunites real-life father and daughter (Ryan O'Neal and Tatum O'Neal) to incredible results. The two team up as con artists in 1930 Kansas, when Moses' plan to dupe Addie's mother's money goes terribly wrong and he is basically forced to take her on as a partner.
While it is often regarded as a classic, Paper Moon arguably does not get the love it deserves, and jcd1974, who thoroughly believes the film is a "frequently overlooked gem," agrees. On top of being an incredibly well-executed movie (with an unforgettable ambiguous ending), this brilliant feature provides audiences with a memorable father-daughter relationship dynamic.
3 'The Parallax View' (1974)
Alan J. Pakula's mystery thriller depicts an investigation surrounding the Parallax Corporation, whom political reporter Joe Frady (Beatty) begins to believe may be involved in a presidential contender's violent murder. In the meantime, other people from the same field start turning up dead, leaving behind a gigantic conspiracy to be uncovered.
Featuring great performances and a gripping narrative, The Parallax View is arguably one of the most legendary films from the 1970s, as well as one of the most overlooked — at least that is what people on Reddit seem to think. According to Woodsman-8-5-1956, for one, "Parallax View is an underrated gem."
2 'A Woman Under The Influence' (1974)
An incredible dramatic feature by John Cassavetes, A Woman Under the Influence centers on a woman (Gena Rowlands, whose performance is simply outstanding) who is struggling with her mental health. While her husband (Peter Falk) attempts to deal with her instability, it eventually starts taking a toll on their marriage.
Not only does this enthralling 1974 movie reflect on marriage and the effects of decaying mental health, but also on parenthood and toxic masculinity. When users were asked which are some lesser-known '70s flicks on the website, RayAnselmo mentioned the film and described it as a woman losing her mind and "Peter Falk as the husband helping to send her there."
1 'Sleuth' (1972)
Based on the classic AnthonyShaffer play, this captivating mystery thriller by Joseph L. Mankiewicz pits Andrew Wyke (LaurenceOlivier), a wealthy detective novelist and game enthusiast, against Milo Tindle (MichaelCaine), a middle-class hair salon owner and the lover of his wife.
RELATED: The Best Movies of 1972, Ranked
"Sleuth with Laurence Olivier and Michael Caine was great," keith_richards_liver noted. "And it's directed by Joseph Mankiewicz." With an intriguing narrative, this 1972 flick surely makes for an absorbing time in front of the screen, and the fantastic performances from both leads add to it.
NEXT: 10 Movies From the 1970s Everyone Should See At Least Once
