Films are a reflection of our society, though not a perfect one. In matters cultural, social, political, historical, films show us what we value, what we want, what we fear--who we are and who we wish to be. Films made at a particular time are an interpretive cultural artifact of that time, while films made later have the benefit of distance and perspective in interpreting and presenting the meanings and lessons of that time. Additionally, films are an art form, and like any art form, are open to multiple interpretations by viewers.
For those born too late to have experienced the 70's, these 30 films represent a microcosm of the decade, though not a perfect one, by any means--films are mostly American and mostly of the period. ICYC, I included Star Wars and Jaws to represent the explosion of blockbuster films, a cultural phenomenon that haunts us to this day.
List image (clockwise from top left): All the President's Men; Dazed and Confused; An Unmarried Woman; Shaft
