Every infrequently, it is a good suggestion to hint our movie historical past to grasp how we reached its present stage. As we glance again, we get to see a street made up of tons of of hits that turned business classics, others that made historical past for his or her phenomenal box-office efficiency, after which there are those who gained their fame for the precise reverse. Moreover, a stroll down reminiscence lane additionally allows us to revisit the careers of these we now contemplate the perfect filmmakers within the business who, similar to everybody else, have been as soon as aspiring artists taking their very first steps. Year after yr, cinema grew richer with all these parts and plenty of extra, which nonetheless proceed to pave the best way for the longer term.
Probably no matter yr we select to investigate by way of movie-making developments will yield some very fascinating observations. Particularly, 1973 proved to be fairly a yr for the business in some ways. For one, it marked main releases that have been a watershed in plenty of genres, and even as we speak, 50 years later, they’re nonetheless making waves. Furthermore, it was an experimental yr that introduced revolutionary, award-winning productions, a lot of which mirrored on up to date points and showcased among the most iconic performances within the historical past of cinema.
1973 supplied a variety of movies throughout each style, to please the whole viewers. Here are the perfect movies of 1973 which are nonetheless value watching half a century later.
15 The Way We Were
Columbia Pictures
Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford star in The Way We Were, a romantic movie that turned one of many highest-grossing productions of 1973. In it, they play Katie Morosky and Hubbell Gardiner, two very totally different individuals who meet in faculty and, years later, reunite to embark on a passionate romance. But, as so typically occurs, their love for one another falls brief, and their variations in political beliefs and their mind-set will throw many obstacles in the best way of their relationship.
This manufacturing, which made historical past as the most effective romantic movies ever, is likely one of the first ones in Sydney Pollack’s profession, and it’s based mostly on Arthur Laurents’ novel launched a yr earlier. The Way We Were received a Golden Globe and an Academy Award for Best Original Song, amongst many different accolades.
14 The Last Detail
Columbia Pictures
Three years after rising to fame within the 1970 movie Five Easy Pieces, Jack Nicholson earned his second Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his main position within the comedy-drama The Last Detail. This manufacturing, directed by Hal Ashby and based mostly on Darryl Ponicsan’s novel of the identical identify, options two Navy lifers as they escort a sailor to a jail in Maine, the place he’s to serve an eight-year sentence. But what ought to have been a job like every other takes a flip for the more severe after they befriend the prisoner, making it more durable for them to drop him off on the jail.
Joining Nicholson within the forged of this manufacturing are Randy Quaid, Otis Young, Clifton James, and Carol Kane.
13 Sleeper
United Artists
Sleeper is a science fiction comedy that each parodies and pays tribute to the best classics of each genres. It is directed by Woody Allen, who additionally stars alongside Diane Keaton, Don Keefer, Bartlett Robinson, John Beck, and Douglas Rain. In the movie, Allen performs Miles, a person who will get cryogenically frozen in 1973 following a routine operation and illegally defrosted 200 years later by a gaggle of scientists rebelling towards the U.S. police state.
12 Amarcord
Warner Bros.
Federico Fellini directs Amarcord, a comedy-drama partly impressed by actual occasions that received, amongst different accolades, the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. This Franco-Italian movie focuses on a younger man named Titta and a few of his family and friends as they stay within the village of Borgo San Giuliano in the course of the Fascist regime of the Nineteen Thirties.
The fundamental character is predicated on Luigi Titta Benzi, one of many director’s childhood associates, portrayed within the movie by Bruno Zanin. Joining Zanin within the forged are Pupella Maggio, Magali Noël and Armando Brancia.
Related: Great Movies That Turn 30 This Year
11 Papillon
Columbia Pictures
Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman star in Papillon, a drama movie by Franklin J. Schaffner, impressed by the memoirs of author and convict Henri Charrière. In this manufacturing, McQueen performs Papillon, a person convicted to life imprisonment in French Guiana for a criminal offense he didn’t commit who, after teaming up with one other convict with the identical destiny, units out on a mission to flee the place by any means potential.
This manufacturing, which immediately turned a box-office hit, was extremely praised by critics and earned a number of awards. Charrière’s story made its approach again to the silver display in 2017 with Michael Noer directing and Charlie Hunnam and Rami Malek within the lead roles, though this manufacturing was not as nicely acquired as the unique movie.
10 Enter the Dragon
Warner Bros.
Bruce Lee was, palms down, probably the most influential figures in martial arts, and a serious contributor to the recognition of martial arts movies again within the Nineteen Seventies. Among probably the most acclaimed motion pictures of his profession it’s value mentioning Enter the Dragon, which gave him his final starring position previous to his dying in July 1973. In this movie directed by Robert Clouse, Lee performs a martial arts knowledgeable who will get concerned in a contest with a purpose to catch the crime lord chargeable for his sister’s dying. Supporting Lee on this top-grossing manufacturing are John Saxon, Jim Kelly, Ahna Capri, and Shih Kien.
9 The Wicker Man
British Lion Films
The Wicker Man is a British movie by Robin Hardy that, again in 1973, rose to change into a people horror basic. Inspired by David Pinner’s novel Ritual and starring Edward Woodward, Christopher Lee, Britt Ekland, and Diane Cilento, the film follows a policeman who lands on a Scottish island to research the disappearance of a younger lady, however as he progresses together with his work he uncovers some shady secrets and techniques of the locals, who look like decided to thwart his investigation.
The excellent reception of this manufacturing prompted the event of an American remake starring Nicolas Cage, though this one flopped on the field workplace and with critics (per Collider).
8 Serpico
Columbia Pictures
Back in 1973, Serpico earned Al Pacino the primary of a number of Golden Globes for Best Actor. This manufacturing directed by Sidney Lumet is impressed by Peter Maas’ ebook of the identical identify and recounts the life story of Frank Serpico, a New York City cop who fought for a few years towards corruption inside the armed forces, going as far as to publicly denounce it, thereby placing himself in extraordinarily dangerous place.
Joining Al Pacino on this biographical crime movie are John Randolph, Jack Kehoe, Biff McGuire and Tony Roberts.
Related: The Exorcist (1973): Explaining the Ending of One of the Scariest Horror Movies of All Time
7 Paper Moon
Paramount Pictures
Paper Moon is a comedy drama by Peter Bogdanovich starring Ryan and Tatum O’Neal, a real-life father-daughter duo. It was Tatum’s performing debut, and for it, she turned the youngest actress to win an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in historical past when she was simply 10 years previous.
Paper Moon is predicated on Joe David Brown’s novel Addie Pray and is ready in the course of the Great Depression. In it, Ryan performs Moses, a con man who should drive a lady who could be his daughter to her new residence after her mother passes away. But alongside the best way, the person discovers her unbelievable skills for scams and agrees to workforce up along with her, finally growing a bond like no different.
6 The Sting
Universal Pictures
Paul Newman and Robert Redford star in The Sting, a George Roy Hill movie that, for a lot of, ranks as the perfect con movie within the historical past of cinema and one of many most interesting productions of all time. In it, they star as Henry and Johnny, two con males who, following the homicide of considered one of their associates, determine to take revenge on the crime boss that induced it by pulling off the proper rip-off, one thing that might not be as straightforward as they anticipate.
Upon its launch, The Sting loved a powerful vital and viewers reception, and earned ten Academy Award nominations, rising as a winner in seven classes.
5 Don’t Look Now
British Lion Films
Don’t Look Now is a thriller movie directed by Nicolas Roeg, impressed by a brief story by Daphne du Maurier from her ebook Not After Midnight, and Other Stories. At the time of its launch, the movie was warmly acquired, however induced appreciable controversy for that includes an express intercourse scene. Over the years, Don’t Look Now’s fame improved steadily, to the purpose the place it’s now thought of a vital piece of filmmaking.
The movie stars Julie Christie and Donald Sutherland as Laura and John, a married couple who relocate to Venice whereas grieving for his or her daughter Christine, who died in an accident. Their life takes a flip for the more severe after assembly two sisters who declare to keep up a correspondence with their deceased daughter, who appears to be making an attempt to warn them of nice hazard.
4 Mean Streets
Warner Bros.
The crime movie Mean Streets went down in historical past for 2 issues specifically: it was Martin Scorsese’s first manufacturing ever to win each viewers and important acclaim, and it additionally marked his first collaboration with Robert De Niro.
This movie, which additionally starred Harvey Keitel, David Proval, Amy Robinson and Victor Argo, options Charlie, a younger Italian-American man who’s taking his first steps within the mob and continually feels chargeable for the actions of his reckless buddy Johnny. When the latter contracts a debt he’s unable to pay, Charlie helps him escape, however their issues appear to be approach too massive to go away behind so simply.
3 Badlands
Warner Bros.
Badlands is the crime drama movie that marked Terrence Malick’s directorial debut. It stars Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek, and was impressed by the crimes dedicated by Charles Starkweather and Caril Ann Fugate again in 1958. It follows Holly, a 15-year-old lady who falls in love with a troubled boy ten years older than her named Kit, a lot to her father’s disapproval. After a feud between them escalates too far, Kit murders the person and the couple is compelled to flee, embarking on a journey that ends in many deaths alongside the best way.
2 American Graffiti
Universal Pictures
In 1971, George Lucas made his directorial debut with the sci-fi movie THX 1138, which, on the time, was not nicely acquired by neither critics nor audiences. Fortunately, two years later, and some time earlier than he rose to fame with the Star Wars franchise, he redeemed himself with American Graffiti, a coming-of-age film impressed by his experiences in the course of the Sixties in Modesto, California.
This Francis Ford Coppola manufacturing stars Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Paul Le Mat and Charles Martin Smith, and follows a gaggle of younger individuals having fun with the final day of their summer time (Summer is right here SALE) trip earlier than faculty. American Graffiti earned 5 nominations on the Academy Awards and 4 on the Golden Globes, taking residence the award for Best Motion Picture, with Paul Le Mat rising as Most Promising Newcomer.
1 The Exorcist
Warner Bros. Pictures
Rounding out this listing is a movie that, again in 1973, completely modified the way forward for horror cinema: The Exorcist. This William Friedkin movie based mostly on William Peter Blatty’s novel of the identical identify took the world by storm, changing into a popular culture icon that’s nonetheless related as we speak and one of many highest-grossing movies in historical past. It follows Regan, a 12-year-old lady who undergoes a fancy exorcism after a demon takes possession of her physique.
Ellen Burstyn, Linda Blair, Max von Sydow and Jason Miller headline the forged of this manufacturing that scored ten Academy Award nominations, taking residence Best Screenplay and Best Sound. The Exorcist’s large reputation sparked the event of a franchise comprising a number of movies and a TV sequence. The Exorcist: Believer, the sixth installment within the franchise, is due for launch this October.
First seem at 15 Best Movies That Turned 50 in 2023
