6 Best Movies & Shows Released in The 1970s

A film like Autumn Sonata shouldn’t work; on paper, it’s simply a confrontation between a resentful daughter and her vain mother. But in the masterful hands of Ingmar Bergman, their knotty relationship unfolds in thrilling, cathartic, and painfully relatable ways. Every accusation feels like a lashing. Every breakdown rips your heart. As a viewer, you sympathize with whoever is onscreen--that’s how real each character seems. You root for the neglected daughter, but also for the pianist who followed her heart and chose career over children. As with most Bergman films, Autumn Sonata feels like an evisceration of one’s soul, but it will feel extra relatable to those of us who’ve harbored secret resentments over our parents or children.

Genre: Drama

Actor: Erland Josephson, Gunnar Björnstrand, Halvar Björk, Ingrid Bergman, Lena Nyman, Liv Ullmann, Marianne Aminoff, Mimi Pollak

Director: Ingmar Bergman

Rating: PG

Filmed in 1970s Manila, at the height of dictatorship in the Philippines, Manila in the Claws of Night is above all else a political statement—against tyranny, yes, but more significantly, against imperialism, capitalism, and class divide. It’s a weighty film, but director Lino Brocka, with help from cinematographer Mike de Leon, balances his potent ideas with stunning visuals. He captures Manila’s essence perfectly: neon signages point to its crippled reliance on capitalism, while the clash of old structures and weak new buildings point to colonialism’s reigning grip. Those familiar with the wrought history of the Philippines (or other third-world countries subjugated and then forgotten by Western powers, for that matter) will relate to Julio’s struggles. Those who aren’t, however, are in for an eye-opening experience.

Genre: Drama, Mystery

Actor: Bembol Roco, Hilda Koronel, Joe Gruta, Joonee Gamboa, Lily Gamboa Mendoza, Lorli Villanueva, Lou Salvador Jr., Orlando Nadres, Sibyl Santiago, Spanky Manikan, Tommy Abuel

Director: Lino Brocka

“What if I meet my soulmate while in a relationship with someone else?” It’s a worry we’ve all had, but The Heartbreak Kid’s protagonist Lenny takes it a step further. He acts upon his desires and pursues a woman he met while on a honeymoon trip with his wife. Suddenly, the lines are blurred. Is he being romantic or irrational? Positive or delusional? If he’s such a prick, why is his character so compelling? Why is he so easy to root for? The Heartbreak Kid has been labeled a romantic comedy, and it is, but it’s also a character study about the so-called Nice Guy, the leading men who feel entitled to good things because they don’t (overtly, at least) treat their partner like a hunk of meat. It’s also a lesson in how we tend to use people and confuse things like aspiration and fear of loneliness for love. Plenty of things happen all at once in The Heartbreak Kid, making it a bit more layered than your typical romcom.

Genre: Comedy, Romance

Actor: Art Metrano, Audra Lindley, Augusta Dabney, Charles Grodin, Cybill Shepherd, Doris Roberts, Eddie Albert, Jeannie Berlin, Joel Thingvall, William Prince

Director: Elaine May

Rating: PG