The 1970s were a wild time for cinema and an era where trailblazing filmmakers pushed social and political boundaries with fun-filled, trashy movies. As the dawning of the New Hollywood era, which put power firmly in the hands of the creatives, the 1970s saw a litany of outrageous, subversive, and totally trashy movies get greenlit and funded and led to some of the most enduring and unusual cult classics ever made. From over-the-top horrors rated NC-17 or X to unique B-movie releases that bordered on poor taste, this was a time in moviemaking where anything was possible.
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Some of the best filmmakers of the 1970s embraced trashy fun as they released badly received movies that have since been reappraised as underappreciated cult classics of their era. As a time when the culture reflected the surreal and psychedelic aftereffects of the social upheaval of the 1960s, it’s no surprise that these developments were reflected in the cinema of the following decade. While some of these films may be so subversive they turn certain viewers away, for others, they were pure trashy, fun-filled entertainment.
10 Zardoz (1974)
Directed by John Boorman
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8/10 Zardoz RSci-FiAdventureFantasy
Zardoz, directed by John Boorman, is a 1974 science fiction film set in a dystopian future. Sean Connery stars as Zed, an exterminator who uncovers the truth about the god-like entity Zardoz, who controls his society. The film explores themes of class division and human evolution within a surreal and complex narrative.
Director John Boorman Release Date February 6, 1974 Writers John Boorman Cast Sean Connery , Charlotte Rampling , Sara Kestelman , John Alderton , Sally Anne Newton , Niall Buggy , Bosco Hogan , Jessica Swift Main Genre Sci-Fi
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While Sean Connery may have come to encapsulate the very definition of suave 1960s charisma as James Bond, in the following decade, he embraced a whole other kind of cinematic strangeness. Zardoz was an underrated 1970s fantasy that famously featured Connery sporting a strikingly skimpy outfit that could only be described as a red mankini. Zardoz was a truly wild post-apocalyptic story about a man named Zed (Connery) living among stone-worshipping barbarians, growing food for a hidden elite called the Eternals.
Zardoz was full of trippy visuals and intense special effects as Zed began to learn more about the mysterious stone idol and found himself caught between two camps as it built toward its epic gun-filled conclusion. While Zardoz was badly received upon release, it’s since gained a reputation as an underrated cult classic. With an outrageous concept, some questionable outfit choices, and some pretentious fantasy-filled jargon, Zardoz was nothing but fun.
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9 Lisztomania (1975)
Directed by Ken Russell
While the 1970s were a great time for filmmaking that saw now legendary directors like Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola making some of their best work in the United States, across the pond in Britain, there was also a lot of experimentation going on. One of the best examples of this was Ken Russell, an outrageous filmmaker who was never afraid to push boundaries in taste and visuals. With a love for eccentric, over-the-top biopics of classical musicians, Ken Russell’s 1974 exploration of the life and work of Franz Liszt was truly one of his wildest.
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Lisztomania starred Roger Daltrey from The Who as the titular composer and brought together the wild genius of its protagonist, outrageous sexuality, and vampiric subplot that pushed things into the realm of the surreal. With music by Rick Wakeman from progressive rock band Yes and scenes depicting Daltrey riding on a giant phallic object, this was a film that could have only been amid the strange and surreal context of 1970s rockstardom. From celebrity guest appearances such as Ringo Starr as the Pope to endless, outlandish imagery, Lisztomania was a wild ride from start to finish.
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8 Foxy Brown (1974)
Directed by Jack Hill
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Foxy Brown RActionCrimeThriller
Foxy Brown, directed by Jack Hill, follows a determined woman seeking vengeance against the mobsters responsible for her boyfriend’s murder. Going undercover as a high-class sex worker, she navigates the criminal underworld to exact her own brand of justice.
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*Availability in US Director Jack Hill Release Date April 5, 1974 Writers Jack Hill Cast Pam Grier , Antonio Fargas , Peter Brown , Terry Carter , Kathryn Loder , Harry Holcombe , Conrad Bachmann , Jack Bernardi , Juanita Brown , Russ Grieve , H.B. Haggerty , Kimberly Hyde , Edward Knight , Sid Haig , Sally Ann Stroud , Bob Minor , Tony Giorgio , Fred Lerner , Judith Cassmore , Boyd ‘Red’ Morgan , Robert Nadder , Brenda Venus , Jon Cedar , Esther Sutherland , Mary Foran , Jeannie Epper , Stephanie Epper , Peaches Jones , Helen Boll , Rodney Grier , Roydon Clark , Don Gazzaniga , Jay Fletcher Character(s) Foxy Brown , Link Brown , Steve Elias , Michael Anderson , Katherine Wall , Judge Fred Fenton , Roy , Tedesco , Claudia , George , Brandi , Jennifer , Adams , Hays , Deb , Oscar , Eddie , Bunyan , Vicki , Slauson , Chemist , Arabella , Dr. Chase , Nurse Crockett , Bartender , Bobbie , Jackie , Barbara , Large Lady , Dawes , Sly , O’Brien , Taco Cook Runtime 94 Minutes Main Genre Action Expand
After all the trailblazing Civil Rights activism of the 1960s, Black filmmakers during the 1970s sought to take charge of their representation through Blaxploitation cinema. This was a style of moviemaking focused on the African-American experience as its music, performances, and entire aesthetic pushed against the normal standards of Hollywood productions. One prime example of this was Foxy Brown, an intensely fun action film starring Pam Grier.
Foxy Brown provided a female-centric spin on the Blaxploitation genre, as its themes of female empowerment paired with overt sexuality made it a fun and progressive film. While Foxy Brown did gain some controversy and was seized and confiscated in the United Kingdom under the Obscene Publications Act (via Melon Farmers), this did not stop it from becoming a classic of its genre. Quentin Tarantino even paid homage to Foxy Brown when he cast Pam Grier as the lead in his own tribute to Blaxploitation cinema Jackie Brown.
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7 The Warriors (1979)
Directed by Walter Hill
The Warriors RThrillerCrimeAction
Directed by Walter Hill and based on the 1965 novel of the same name by Sol Yurick, The Warriors is a 1979 Thriller and Action release. The plot sees a gang that must travel through rival territory to make it home safe after being framed for murder.
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*Availability in US Director Walter Hill Release Date February 9, 1979 Studio(s) Paramount Pictures Distributor(s) Paramount Pictures Writers Walter Hill , David Shaber Cast David Harris , Brian Tyler , Dorsey Wright , James Remar , Michael Beck Runtime 92 minutes Budget $4 million Expand
As an unapologetically gritty tale of New York street gangs, The Warriors was trashy fun in every sense of the word, as trash literally littered the streets they were surrounded by. As a ruthless and wild showcase of pure theatricality, director Walter Hill leaned into the electrifying danger of a group of Coney Island teens trying to survive a showdown against an assortment of bizarre criminal gangs. As a cult classic that went unappreciated during its own time, The Warriors has gained a special place in popular culture and has been referenced in everything from The Simpsons to John Wick.
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With campy, over-the-top dialogue and highly stylized chases through city streets, The Warriors was pure 1970s, B-movie chaotic fun. As implausible as it was enjoyable, what The Warriors lacked in character depth was made up in pure energy as the shallow street gangs perfectly encapsulated the frustrating anger of youth as disenfranchised young people directed their violent impulses toward one another. Even President Ronald Reagan was a fan of the film (via Salon) and reportedly phoned its lead actor, Michael Beck, to tell him that he had screened the movie at Camp David and enjoyed it immensely.
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6 Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971)
Directed by Don Taylor
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Escape from the Planet of the Apes GActionSci-Fi
Set after the events of Beneath the Planet of the Apes, three apes, Cornelius, Zira, and Dr. Milo, are brought from the future to 1970s America. Initially treated as celebrities, the trio soon faces fear and prejudice from humans who see them as a threat to mankind’s supremacy, forcing them to fight for their right to exist.
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*Availability in US Director Don Taylor Release Date May 26, 1971 Studio(s) APJAC Productions Distributor(s) 20th Century Fox Writers Paul Dehn , Pierre Boulle Cast Roddy McDowall , Kim Hunter , Sal Mineo , Ricardo Montalban Runtime 98 minutes Franchise(s) Planet of the Apes Sequel(s) Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972) , Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973) Budget $2.5 Million Main Genre Sci-Fi Expand
While the first Planet of the Apes movie was an undeniable sci-fi classic of the 1960s, as the series continued with sequels throughout the 1970s, it became increasingly bizarre but no less fun. Escape from the Planet of the Apes was the third film in the series, and it saw the futuristic chimpanzees Cornelius, Zira, and Dr. Milo repairing a spaceship and entering a time warp back to the 20th century. This was the first time the Planet of the Apes series was set in the present day and acted as a fascinating precursor to the subsequent reboot series currently being made.
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Escape from the Planet of the Apes has a lower budget than the previous entries in the series, which gave it more of an enjoyable B-movie aesthetic as it leaned into the wackier side of this franchise. As a character-driven story with plenty of thematic depth, Escape from the Planet of the Apes saw the apes embraced by humanity as they were lavished with media attention and became celebrity figures. This was a fun direction for the series that tried something new with its outrageous concept.
5 Tommy (1975)
Directed by Ken Russell
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Tommy PGDramaMusic
Tommy, released in 1975 and directed by Ken Russell, follows a psychosomatically deaf, dumb, and blind boy who becomes a pinball prodigy. His unique abilities capture the fascination of a religious cult, shedding light on themes of trauma and celebrity.
Director Ken Russell Release Date March 19, 1975 Cast Ann-Margret , Oliver Reed , Roger Daltrey , Elton John , Eric Clapton , John Entwistle , Keith Moon , Paul Nicholas , Jack Nicholson , Robert Powell , Pete Townshend , Tina Turner , Arthur Brown , Victoria Russell , Ben Aris , Mary Holland , Gary Rich , Dick Allan , Barry Winch , Eddie Stacey , Liza Strike , Simon Townshend , Vicki Brown , Mylon LeFevre , Kit Trevor Character(s) Nora , Frank , Tommy , The Pinball Wizard , The Preacher , Himself , Uncle Ernie , Cousin Kevin , The Specialist , Captain Walker , The Acid Queen , The Priest , Sally Simpson , Reverend Simpson , Mrs. Simpson , Rock Musician , President Black Angels , Young Tommy , Bovver Boy , Vocal Chorus (voice) Runtime 111 minutes YouTube Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkD78qRf3gQ Expand
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The psychedelic era of the 1970s saw the production of some truly wild and trashy movies, with Ken Russell’s Tommy as one of the weirdest. Starring Roger Daltrey from The Who and based on that band’s 1969 concept album of the same name, Tommy told the story of a “deaf, dumb, and blind” Messiah figure who “sure plays a mean pinball.” With countless celebrity appearances from everybody, including Elton John, Eric Clapton, Tina Turner, and even Jack Nicholson, this outrageous musical was told entirely through song with no traditional dialogue.
From outrageous scenes of Ann-Margret bathing in a bathtub full of baked beans to Elton John performing in the most bizarre oversized outfit ever seen on film, Tommy took the surreal, mystical, and psychological themes of its concept album source and turned the wildness up to eleven. As a genuinely unforgettable film, Tommy was nothing but fun and a real treat for lovers of over-the-top theatrical rock music. With plenty of bizarre, trippy visuals and some of the best ever made, Tommy had to be seen to be believed.
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4 Race with the Devil (1975)
Directed by Jack Starrett
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Race with the Devil PGActionHorrorThriller
Race with the Devil follows two couples on an RV trip from Texas to Colorado who become targets of a deadly pursuit after inadvertently witnessing a murder during a Satanic ritual. Released in 1975, the film combines elements of horror and suspense as they confront relentless followers in a fight for survival.
Director Jack Starrett Release Date June 1, 1975 Writers Lee Frost Cast Peter Fonda , Warren Oates , Loretta Swit , Lara Parker , R.G. Armstrong , Clay Tanner , Carol Blodgett , Phil Hoover , Ricci Ware , Paul A. Partain , James N. Harrell , Karen Miller , Arkey Blue , Jack Starrett , Wes Bishop , R.C. Keene , Joyce King , Paul Maslansky , Dan Hewitt Owens , Tommy Splittgerber Character(s) Roger , Frank , Alice , Kelly , Sheriff Taylor , Delbert , Ethel Henderson , Mechanic , Ricci Ware , Cal Mathers , Gun Shop Owner , Kay , Arkey Blue , Gas Station Attendant , Deputy Dave , Satanist (uncredited) , Librarian (uncredited) , Road Worker in Cowboy Hat (uncredited) , Jay (uncredited) , Shop Foreman (uncredited) Runtime 88 minutes YouTube Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmqMecR-Wdg Expand
Horror movies during the 1970s contributed to a moral crisis known as the Satanic Panic, as films concerning devil worshipers led to a false perception that occult rituals and Satanism were running rampant throughout America. While this was influenced by major releases like The Exorcist, movies like Race with the Devil leaned into these concerns for some trashy B-movie horror fun. As the story of two couples pursued by a Santaic cult after witnessing a human sacrifice, Race with the Devil was a frighteningly fun mashup of horror, action, and car chase movie tropes.
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Race with the Devil fared well at the box office at the time of its release and has since become a cult classic of 1970s horror. With a bare-bones plot that’s more of an excuse to up the carnage and provide viewers with pure horror movie spectacle, Race with the Devil featured two strong lead performances from Peter Fonda and Warren Oates. As the perfect example of an excellent drive-in movie, Race with the Devil was a fast-paced, fun-filled thriller.
3 Flesh For Frankenstein (1973)
Directed by Paul Morrissey
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Flesh for Frankenstein RHorror
Flesh for Frankenstein, directed by Paul Morrissey, follows Baron Frankenstein and his assistant Otto in their quest to create new life within the confines of their opulent mansion. As they amass body parts for their experiments, the household descends into a surreal mix of death, depravity, and macabre humor.
Director Paul Morrissey Release Date March 17, 1974 Writers Paul Morrissey , Tonino Guerra , Pat Hackett , Mary Shelley Cast Joe Dallesandro , Udo Kier , Monique van Vooren , Dalila Di Lazzaro , Arno Jürging , Srđan Zelenović , Nicoletta Elmi , Marco Liofredi , Liù Bosisio , Rosita Torosh , Fiorella Masselli , Cristina Gaïoni , Carla Mancini , Imelde Marani Character(s) Nicholas , Baron Frankenstein , Baroness Katrin Frankenstein , Female Monster , Otto , Male Monster , Monica Frankenstein , Erik Frankenstein , Olga , Sonia , Large Prostitute , Nicholas’ Girlfriend , Farmer , Blonde Prostitute Runtime 95 Minutes Main Genre Horror Expand
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Flesh for Frankenstein was also released under the title Andy Warhol’s Frankenstein, although the famous pop artist had little involvement in the final film. Packed with sexuality, nudity, and violence, this outrageous adaptation of Mary Shelley’s classic 1818 novel was even rated X for its graphic concept. With a unique twist on a classic tale, Flesh for Frankenstein starred Udo Kier as Baron Frankenstein, a mad scientist attempting to reanimate male and female zombies that mate and create a master race.
As a tongue-in-cheek exercise in boundary-pushing, Flesh for Frankenstein was pure B-movie fun that took the vivid presentation of classic horror characters seen in Hammer Film Productions and pushed them to the absolute extreme. While Flesh for Frankenstein won’t be to everybody’s tastes, for lovers of subversive horror, it was a truly trailblazing depiction of gory violence and seditious sex. The gruesome action on display was made even more effective due to Flesh for Frankestein’s use of 3D technology.
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2 The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
Directed by Jim Sharman
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10/10 The Rocky Horror Picture Show RComedyHorrorMusicalSci-Fi
Originally based on a stage play, The Rocky Horror Picture show is considered one of the most significant countercultural films of all time and maintains a wide cult following to this day. The film stars Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, and Barry Bostwick, and follows Brad and Janet, a young couple who, after experiencing car trouble on a stormy night, are taken in by scientist Dr. Frank-N-Furter, an alien transvestite who lives in a nearby castle with his equally colorful servants.
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*Availability in US Director Jim Sharman Release Date August 15, 1975 Studio(s) 20th Century Distributor(s) 20th Century Writers Richard O’Brien , Jim Sharman Cast Richard O’Brien , Peter Hinwood , Tim Curry , Barry Bostwick , Nell Campbell , Patricia Quinn , Susan Sarandon , Meat Loaf Runtime 100 minutes Franchise(s) The Rocky Horror Picture Show Budget $1.2 million Main Genre Comedy Expand
The pop culture influence of The Rocky Horror Picture Show was undeniable, as the movie has become shorthand for a transgressive cult cinema. With a loyal fanbase who still regularly attend interactive, fancy-dress screenings of the film, Rocky Horror connected with viewers in a way that few other movies have, as its LGBTQ+ representation was unlike anything viewers had ever seen at the time. As it told the musical story of two young people who come upon the house of the mad scientist and “sweet transvestite” Dr. Frank N. Furter, Rocky Horror was a trailblazing piece of queer cinema.
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As a tribute to the horror and sci-fi B movies of the 1930s through the early 1960s, Rocky Horror had a unique appeal as it blended genres and featured now iconic songs from its cast of strange and unusual characters. From Tim Curry’s legendary performance as Furter, Susan Sarandon as Janet, and Meatloaf as the delivery boy Eddie, Rocky Horror had plenty of cult appeal and was nothing but fun. While the reception to Rocky Horror was extremely negative at first, its reputation as a midnight movie classic meant it’s endured so well all these years later.
1 Pink Flamingos (1972)
Directed by John Waters
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Pink Flamingos
Pink Flamingos is a 1972 film by John Waters, known for its provocative and controversial content. The film stars Divine as Babs Johnson, who competes for the title of “Filthiest Person Alive” against a couple engaged in nefarious activities. Pink Flamingos is often cited for its shock value and unique approach to the underground cinema of the 1970s.
Director John Waters Release Date March 17, 1972 Cast Divine , David Lochary , Mink Stole , Mary Vivian Pearce , Danny Mills , Edith Massey Runtime 107 Minutes
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One cult filmmaker who always pushed the audience’s expectations and was never happy to settle for normality was John Waters. Known for his truly transgressive films, which embraced the outrageous, Pink Flamingos was probably the best example of Waters’ boundary-pushing aesthetic and lack of concern for mainstream appeal. While Pink Flamingos embraced nudity, frivolity, profanity, and notoriously scatology, it was also an exercise in pure fun and an example that cinema can be anything filmmaking wants it to be.
Pink Flamingos was a notoriously crude movie that featured its assortment of oddball characters in increasingly shocking and scandalous situations. With the drag queen Divine as “the filthiest person alive” Babs Johnson, Pink Flamingos saw her facing off against an abominable sleazy couple who attempted to humiliate her and take her title away. While this exercise in poor taste may be too much for some to bear, for others, Pink Flamingos was pure, unhinged fun.
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Sources: Melon Farmers, Salon