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.
11. 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 film stars Uttam Kumar, Amjad Khan, Amrish Puri, Sulakshana Pandit, Madan Puri, Utpal Dutt and Iftekhar. You can watch it here.
10. 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 movie’s cast includes Mahendra Sandhu as Anand, Danny Denzongpa as Raghav, Jagdeep, Padma Khanna, Murad, Rekha, and Helen. You may watch the film here.
9. 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.
8. 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 placed 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.
7. 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.
6. 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.
5. 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.
4. 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.
3. The Great Waldo Pepper (1975)
Directed by George Roy Hill, ‘The Great Waldo Pepper’ stars Robert Redford as the titular World War I veteran pilot. Having missed an opportunity to serve his country in the war, he takes to barnstorming with friend/fellow pilot Axel Olsson (Bo Svenson). The film offers a real take on barnstorming and its dangers, especially to the pilots’ lives. It was highly appreciated for its aerial sequences and dogfights and is considered among the best aviation films ever. You can watch it here.
2. Jaws (1975)
The blueprint for every shark film that was made since it was released, ‘Jaws’ is as iconic as it is terrifying, thanks to Steven Spielberg’s directorial prowess and John Williams’ immortal score that doesn’t fail to scare us even after 48 years of its release. The story takes place at Amity Island, which is tormented by a huge great white shark feeding on the tourists. It is up to police chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) to put an end to the bloody havoc for which he teams up with ichthyologist Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) and ship captain Quint (Robert Shaw). Based on Peter Benchley’s novel of the same name, ‘Jaws’ is one of the greatest contributions of the 1970s to world cinema. You can watch it here.
1. The Deer Hunter (1978)
Winner of five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, ‘The Deer Hunter’ is directed by Michael Cimino. The epic war film follows three steel factory workers, Michael (Robert De Niro), Steven (John Savage), and Nick (Christopher Walken), who get drafted into the Vietnam War. The horrors of the war and its aftermath, portrayed in a most visceral manner through genocide and torture, leave an ever-lasting trauma in all of them. With nerve-racking imagery and powerful themes, ‘The Deer Hunter’ is an immortal reminder of the futility of war. You can watch the film here.
Read More: Best 1980s Movies on Netflix
