The 1970s was a period of uninhibited auteur control, auteurism, gritty realism, and ground-breaking narrative risks. Here are the cornerstone masterpieces that shaped modern cinema.
The aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty transfers control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant youngest son, establishing a new paradigm for American crime cinema.
Gordon Willis' shadow-heavy cinematography redefined visual storytelling, creating a dark, tragic tone that won 3 Academy Awards including Best Picture.
A mentally unstable veteran works the night shift in New York City, where the perceived moral decay fuels his growing compulsion to take drastic action.
Scorsese's visceral direction paired with Bernard Herrmann's haunting score captures urban isolation unlike any film before or since.
A U.S. Army officer serving in Vietnam is tasked with assassining a renegade Special Forces Colonel who has set himself up as a god to a local tribe.
Famous for its arduous production, the film remains a staggering visual and auditory meditation on psychological madness and war.