Gritty, Natural, Realistic Movies of the 1970s

You might want to watch the decline of western civilization 1. While it was released in 81, it's a... rockumentary on the punk rock scene in LA. Punk rock was definitely a 70s thang.

Watch it again


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I also question the "gritty realism" credentials of Buffalo '66. The main things I remember about that movie are the more fantastic elements like the "Moonchild" tap dance or the "Heart of the Sunrise" shoot-out.

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I grew up on that and loved it and the soundtrack is forever burned into my cortex.

What about "Last Tango In Paris"? It might be stylish, but it still fits the criteria of "gritty, natural, and realistic" for its time.

I think it's just how one views the word "gritty". I don't think of Harry and Tonto that way either. That doesn't mean you're wrong.

Mr. Majestyk
Charley Varrick
Sorcerer
Death Wish
The Hospital
The Missouri Breaks

Looking for Mr Goodbar

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three
Fat City
Cotton Comes to Harlem
Get Carter
Cisco Pike

Oh crap, how could I forget The Seven Ups? And Rolling Thunder.

And Across 110th Street

And I know Billy Jack is the protagonist but Born Losers is another one.

Man I thought that was a helluva movie. And definitely fits the description.

While I don't remember the reviews for that one being great, I've always been kind of interested in checking it out anyway, considering that Richard Brooks directed it (who also made In Cold Blood, one of all my all-time favorites), who strikes me as a fascinating example of a director who managed to be successful back in the Classical Hollywood period, while also transitioning surprisingly effortlessly to the New era, so I'm interested in seeing if Goodbar bears that out.

Yeah, Looking For Mr Goodbar is pretty terrific. I had no idea it was the same guy who did In Cold Blood. I'm actually not sure which of the two movies I prefer. Probably Blood, but who knows. I'm a desperate contrarian, so maybe Goodbar if I'm particularly drunk.. get back to me in an hour

Yup; he's also the same guy who did Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, a movie that's about as Classical Hollywood as it gets, IMO, which makes the stylistic transformation of his work later on all the more impressive.

I think Richard Brooks is one of the most underrated directors, but he lost me with "Goodbar", and his career seemed to have died in the 80s, just like another underrated director, Hal Ashby

It's very good. It has this fascinating structure to it, which I won't describe so as not to ruin anything, and a masterful performance from Diane Keaton as well as chilling debut performances from both Richard Gere and Tom Beringer.
The movie took a lot of heat from critics for not being just like the book which was a controversial sensation at the time.
I was a child when it came out and it was so controversial that my suburban mom would only whisper about it on the phone and anyone who admitted to having gone to see it was kinda looked at sideways. My mom was one of them.
Nominated for Best Cinematography so you can go in resting assured that it will look good.

The Honeymoon Killers (1970)

Battles without Honor and Humanity perhaps.
Maybe the Poliziotteschi crime films of the 70’s from Italy.

Another big thumbs up for this one...Diane Keaton won the Best Actress Oscar the same year for Annie Hall, but she should have won for this film.

Loved Panic in Needle Park