Shubhabrata Dutta
We cannot ignore that there is no future without the present, and there would have been no present without the past. Thus, as we progress toward the future, it is normal to turn back to see how far we have come. As technology advances and society develops, movies develop, too, serving as a means to reflect society and its norms of the time, as well as pioneering new ways of filmmaking. In this list, we bring you the 20 best movies from the 1970s on Netflix. Each of these will take you back in time and give you a taste of how things were back then.
16. Bandie (1978)
Directed by Alo Sarkar, ‘Bandie’ is an Indian Bengali movie. A concoction of complexities, it tells the story of Bhola, a thief, who finds himself rather politely arrested by Bharatpur’s Senapati Raghuvir Singh. Raghuvir wants to use him as the impersonator of the dead King Brajbhan Singh’s missing son Uday Singh, until the latter is found. Uday’s disappearance seems to be a part of Brajbhan’s brother Vikram’s plan to usurp the throne.
Meanwhile, Bhola, too, comes across a cabin that is seemingly connected to the murder of his mother when he was a kid and starts looking into it. How these two are connected and why Raghuvir chose Bhola to impersonate Uday are what the movie answers most dramatically. The movie stars Uttam Kumar, Amjad Khan, Amrish Puri, Sulakshana Pandit, Madan Puri, Utpal Dutt and Iftekhar. You can watch it here.
15. Khoon Khoon (1973)
A Hindi remake of ‘Dirty Harry’ starring Clint Eastwood, with the usual Bollywood spices incorporated, ‘Khoon Khoon’ sends a hardened cop, Anand, on a chase after a ruthless psychotic killer, Raghav, who has been killing people randomly across the city. Unless he is paid the ransom he demands, the dead bodies will keep on piling up. How the police, led by Officer Anand, manage to apprehend Raghav is what we find out. The cast of the movie includes Mahendra Sandhu as Anand, Danny Denzongpa as Raghav, Jagdeep, Padma Khanna, Murad, Rekha, and Helen. You may watch the film here.
14. Salaakhen (1975)
In what can only be called a play of fate, two inseparable childhood friends, Raju (boy) and Guddi (girl), get separated due to a tragedy, only to reunite years later and become lovers, thanks to different names, Seema (the girl) and Chander (the boy), without realizing that they were once the best of friends. Seema is a singer, while Chander is a thief. As they head to their respective homelands, which, unbeknownst to them, are one and the same, a shocking truth awaits them. Directed by A. Salaam, the cast of ‘Salaakhen’ (translates to ‘Prison Bars’ in English) includes Shashi Kapoor, Sulakshana Pandit, Mehmood, Sudhir, Anjana Mumtaz, Mac Mohan, and Amrish Puri. Feel free to check out the movie here.
13. Elaan (1971)
‘Elaan’ is an entertaining Hindi sci-fi thriller directed by K. Ramanlal. Freelance photographer/journalist Naresh Saxena is given a dangerous assignment by his ladylove Mala’s father, Mr. Mehta, who is the editor of the newspaper agency for which he works. Naresh has to go to a remote island and bring to light the illegal activities going on over there. However, things take a drastic turn when he is captured and put in a prison that they share with a scientist and a troublemaker. The scientist gives him a ring that makes the person invisible when put inside the mouth. What follows is how Naresh uses the ring to escape and then bring the criminals to justice. The cast includes Vinod Mehra, Vinod Khanna, Rekha, Madan Puri, Helen, Rajendra Nath and Iftekhar. You can check out the film here.
12. FTA (1972)
‘FTA,’ short for Free Theater Associates, is a documentary film that follows a road show from 1971, which opposed the Vietnam War and was targeted towards the G.I.s (‘Galvanized Iron,’ that is, soldiers of the U.S. Army and those of the U.S. Air Force). And by targeted, we mean that it pointed a finger at the politics and bureaucracy and America’s unnecessary involvement in the Vietnam War. Led by actors Jane Fonda and Donald Sutherland, FTA aimed to help soldiers raise their voices against the war. The show was performed in military bases across the country, the Philippines, and Japan. The film is directed by Francine Parker. You can watch it here.
11. Richard Pryor: Live in Concert (1979)
‘Richard Pryor: Live in Concert’ is a stand-up comedy film directed by Jeff Margolis. It was recorded on December 10, 1978, at the Terrace Theatre in Long Beach, California. Considered one of the greatest recorded performance films ever, the film showcases legendary stand-up comedian Richard Pryor as he talks about race, culture, the police, sex, and more; and all of these are underscored by humor and satire as well as propelled by sharp comic timing. If you want to be a part of something historic, you can stream this film right here.
10. Manoranjan (1974)
Directed by Shammi Kapoor, ‘Manoranjan,’ which translates to “entertainment” in English, is a Hindi movie that revolves around a guy named Ratan. He is a now-suspended rookie police officer who takes up the guise of a “Nawab” to spend time with a female prostitute named Nisha, whom he had befriended while patrolling Manoranjan Street, an infamous red-light district, and doesn’t want her to use her body to earn money.
But when he decides to stop using his disguise, he finds himself in trouble because the police think that he has killed the Nawab and is now coming after him. What follows is a hilarious string of events that have Ratan and Nisha going berserk. The stellar ensemble includes Sanjeev Kumar as Ratan, Zeenat Aman as Nisha, Shammi Kapoor, Dev Kumar, Asit Kumar Sen, Madan Puri, and Murad. You can stream the film here.
9. The Other Side of the Mountain (1975)
Based on the true story of alpine ski racing champion Jill Kinmont, this Larry Peerce-directed biographical drama chronicles the life of Kinmont. It focuses on her near-fatal crash at the age of 18 during a 1955 skiing competition in Utah, a year before she was going to take part in the Olympics (1956), and her subsequent recovery, aided by her fiancé/fellow skier Dick Buek, family and friends. The crash paralyzed her from her shoulders down (quadriplegic). ‘The Other Side of the Mountain,’ also known as ‘A Window to the Sky,’ is based on E. G. Valens’ 1966 biography ‘A Long Way Up.’ The cast includes Marilyn Hassett as Jill Kinmont and Beau Bridges as Dick Buek. You can watch the film here.
8. Play Misty for Me (1971)
Directed by Clint Eastwood, who also stars in the film, ‘Play Misty for Me’ is a psychological thriller. Eastwood plays the role of RJ Dave Garner, whose one-night stand with his fan named Evelyn Draper takes the shape of a dangerous game wherein Evelyn won’t stop stalking him. She ups the ante of the game by breaking into Garner’s house, attacking his maid Birdie, and even kidnapping his ex-girlfriend Tobie while Garner desperately searches for a way to get rid of her. Alongside Eastwood, the cast includes Jessica Walter as Evelyn Draper, Donna Mills as Tobie, and Clarice Taylor as Birdie. You can watch the film here.
7. Hitler: A Career (1977)
A documentary movie by Christian Herrendoerfer and Joachim Fest, ‘Hitler: A Career’ shows Adolf Hitler’s rise to power from a German POV. Using primarily archival footage, the film explores the different traits of Adolf Hitler that made him who he was and how he is still known as. It explores fascism and throws light on how Hitler, using his talents of persuasion and politics, led the German folk to believe in his ideologies. A controversial yet compelling take on the personality of a dictator and his empire, ‘Hitler: A Career’ is a must-watch. You can stream it here.
6. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
A comedy film that can easily be termed as a satire of the highest order, ‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail’ is directed by Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones of the Monty Python comedy group, the rest of whose members include Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, and Michael Palin. The film brings together Arthurian legends with a present-day murder investigation and tells the story of King Arthur and his knights whom God commands to find the Holy Grail and how, in the endeavor, they encounter many dangerous but silly obstacles, but one of these obstacles means serious business, i.e., the police. Alongside the ones mentioned above, the rest of the cast of the film includes Carol Cleveland, Neil Innes, and Connie Booth. You can check out the film here.
5. Life of Brian (1979)
Another project by the Monty Python group, ‘Life of Brian,’ shows what happens when The Three Magi mistake baby boy Brian for Jesus Christ and set off a chain of events that make the movie a laughter riot and a satire that is expected of a Monty Python production. Brian is born on the same day as Jesus, and he joins a faction that is against the Romans taking over Judea or Judaea. He falls in love with a woman named Judith and is even declared the Messiah, AKA Brian of Nazareth, something he doesn’t want or care about. In this way, the film is set from the POV of those who weren’t interested in what Jesus had to say. The cast includes Graham Chapman as Brian of Nazareth, Terry Jones, Eric Idle, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Michael Palin, and Terence Bayler. You may watch the film here.
4. Lal Patthar (1971)
‘Lal Patthar’ is an Indian Hindi movie directed by Sushil Majumdar and is a remake of an Indian Bengali movie named ‘Lal Pathar’ that was released in 1964. Set against the backdrop of the historical red sandstone city of Fatehpur Sikri in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India, the movie centers on Gyan Shankar Rai, AKA Raja Kumar Bahadur, who breaks his vow of abstinence after bringing Saudamani, a young woman, home, and even renames her as Madhuri.
While he treats her as his wife, he doesn’t marry her. Then, years later, he marries Sumita, a woman half his age, and brings her home. However, upon finding out that Sumita has a lover named Shekhar, Kumar Bahadur plots an end for the lovebirds, assisted by Madhuri, who is secretly jealous of Sumita. The stellar cast includes Raaj Kumar as Raja Kumar Bahadur, Hema Malini as Saudamani aka Madhuri, Rakhee Gulzar as Sumita, Vinod Mehra as Shekhar, Ajit, D. K. Sapru, and Asit Sen. You can watch the movie here.
3. American Graffiti (1973)
Directed by George Lucas, this coming-of-age drama showcases the 1960s American culture through the POV of four high school students, Curt Henderson, Steve Bolander, Terry Fields, and John Milner. The film takes place over the course of a single night in California, wherein the boys enjoy the last evening of their summer holidays as high schoolers. Pop culture, rock-n-roll, counterculture movement, hot rods, and radio, ‘American Graffiti’ explores all these themes and more while giving us a timeless coming-of-age comedy classic that was inspired by Lucas’s own teenage years. The cast includes Ron Howard, Harrison Ford, Paul Le Mat, Richard Dreyfuss, Charles Martin Smith, Cindy Williams, and Candy Clark. You can watch ‘American Graffiti’ here.
2. Animal House (1978)
Directed by John Landis, this whacky comedy is set in 1962 and follows the misadventures and exploits of the Delta Tau Chi fraternity of the fictional Faber College. The members include new recruits Larry Kroger (Tom Hulce) and Kent Dorfman (Stephen Furst), along with core members Robert Hoover (James Widdoes), John Blutarsky (John Belushi), Eric Stratton (Tim Matheson), Donald Schoenstein (Peter Riegert), and Daniel Simpson Day (Bruce McGill). Vernon Wormer (John Vernon), the dean of Faber College, is fed up with the fraternity and its violations and has directed another fraternity leader, Greg Marmalard (James Daughton) of the Omega Theta Pi, to find a way to have the Delta students expelled. The events that follow make this film a timeless classic that laid the blueprint for comedy film franchises like ‘Police Academy’ and ‘American Pie.’ You can watch the ‘Animal House’ here.
1. The Sting (1973)
From director George Roy Hill comes an Academy-Award-winning heist film featuring Robert Redford and Paul Newman as Henry Gondorff, who is a pro conman, and Johnny Hooker, who is an amateur wanting to learn the art. Hooker reaches out to Gondorff to take down Irish-American crime boss Doyle Lonnegan (Robert Shaw), who killed Hooker’s buddy Luther (Robert Earl Jones). Luther is the one who told Hooker to learn the “big con” from Gondorff. After initial reluctance, Gondorff agrees, and together, the two chalk out an elaborate sting operation, including setting up a fake off-track betting parlor. Will they be able to con Lonnegan successfully? To find out, you can watch ‘The Sting’ here.
Read More: Best 1980s Movies on Netflix
