Best Movies of the 1970s, Ranked

17 films, ranked on my own star ratings by Arwin Edward Bagaslao. Updated 2026-09-29.

This is my ranked list for films from the 1970s, based on the ones that connected with me the most and felt strongest in my own taste. What I like about this decade is how loaded it feels at the top. I can get pure adventure, crime, war mad

1. 1
   Star Wars (1977)

   ★★★★½
2. 2
   The Godfather (1972)

   ★★★★½

   This watch clicked for me in a way it didn’t before.

3. 3
   Apocalypse Now (1979)

   ★★★★

   The cinematography and color grading shocked me.

4. 4
   The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)

   ★★★★

   To be frank, there are some really nice cinematic shots here, especially in the desert sequences.

5. 5
   The Godfather Part II (1974)

   ★★★★

   The Godfather Part II shifts away from loud violence into quiet power plays, where conversations, looks, and decisions carry more danger than gunfire.

6. 6
   Pumping Iron (1977)

   ★★★½
7. 7
   Alien (1979)

   ★★★

   Atmospheric start. Calm before the storm.

8. 8
   Taxi Driver (1976)

   ★★★

   Ang bata ni Robert De Niro dito. Parang batang Jake Gyllenhaal energy sa Donnie Darko.

9. 9
   Rocky (1976)

   ★★★

   Rocky feels less like a boxing movie and more like a character study about a guy who has spent his whole life settling.

10. 10
    Jaws (1975)

    ★★

    Tinry ko panoorin sa 4DX and maganda naman, para ka talagang nasa boat, halos nakaka trigger ng sea sickness 🤢.

11. 11
    Network (1976)
12. 12
    The Conversation (1974)

    ★★

    Stanley saying “Let’s take a break” really resonated with what I was thinking while watching.

13. 13
    Moonraker (1979)

    ★½

    Fun action ideas and ambitious production design, but the tension never fully lands.

14. 14
    A Clockwork Orange (1971)

    ★½

    The film throws you into a world of delinquent energy and never lets you settle.

15. 15
    Fist of Fury (1972)

    ★½

    I can clearly see shots here that later inspired Quentin Tarantino in Kill Bill, especially the sudden zoom into close up reactions.

16. 16
    Enter the Dragon (1973)

    ★

    A more polished and cinematic evolution of Bruce Lee’s formula, even if the emotional hook feels lighter.

17. 17
    The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

    ★

    I went into The Rocky Horror Picture Show completely blind, so I had no idea that this was a musical.