10 Movies From the 1970s That Were Just Weird

The 1970s were truly an exciting time for cinema. Theaters offered something for everyone, from acclaimed dramas like The godfather and One flew over the cuckoo’s nest for pop culture phenomena like Star Wars and Jaws. Filmmakers were using new techniques and coming up with new ideaspaving the way for a new generation of cinema pioneers. This revolution in cinematographic art allowed the creation of countless films that are currently acclaimed as some of the best of all time.

Of course, this exciting race also brought with it its fair share of rather unusual ideas. Many filmmakers were venturing into uncharted territory, making films about unique ideas that had never been shown before. Some of these “weird” concepts ended up laying the foundation for hugely successful films. Others, unfortunately, did not receive as much praise. Regardless of their level of success, all of these unusual films manage to highlight the creative scene of 1970s cinema, showcasing some of the most captivating and strange ideas ever committed to cinema.

10

Pink Flamingos (1972)

Directed by John Waters

John Waters really left nothing to the imagination with his 1972 black comedy, Pink Flamingos. The film stars iconic drag queen Divine as a criminal who was recently dubbed “the dirtiest person in the world.” The announcement of this unusual title triggers an all-out war between Divine and his rivals, Connie and Raymond Marble, who are determined to overcome Divine’s filth and steal the title for themselves.

The film not only received an NC-17 rating, but seemed determined to earn it by proudly displaying some of the most outrageous acts imaginable. At the very least, it’s hard not to admire Pink Flamingos for its brazen and unapologetic approach to the story it is trying to tell.

The film contains numerous elements that could easily deter audiences from watching it, but the filmmakers seemed to remain completely unconcerned with this fact. Pink Flamingos is not only one of the strangest films of the 70s, but perhaps the proudest of that title. With an ending that is sure to stay in viewers’ minds for years after watching it, Pink Flamingos is a fundamental piece of strange cinema.

9

Zardoz (1974)

Directed by John Boorman

The 70s were no stranger to fantasy films, but John Boorman’s Zardoz is easily among the strangest films of this era. The film is set in the year 2293, in a world where humans have been divided into two categories; the immortal Eternals and the humble Brutals, who must spend their lives growing food to nourish the Eternals.

The titular entity, Zardoz, is a huge flying stone head who gives commands to the Brutals, often directing them to kill each other. Needless to say, the film isn’t as light-hearted as most fantasy films. To see an additional element of strangeness provided by Zardozone need look no further than the film’s protagonist.

The strange fantasy film stars action icon Sean Connery as Zed, a Brutal who manages to infiltrate the world of the Eternals. Connery, however, looks almost as suave as he did in his beloved James Bond films. Instead, he spends much of the film wearing an outfit that could accurately be compared to a bright red diaper. Anyone who’s ever wanted to see the Bond star do something more innovative should definitely check it out Zardoz.

8

The Baby (1973)

Directed by Ted Post

As far as underrated psychological horror films go, Ted Post’s 1973 film, The babydefinitely presents one of the most unconventional ideas. The film follows a social worker named Ann who is tasked with investigating the unusual Wadsworth family after her husband is in a serious car accident.

The Wadsworth family includes four people: Mrs. Wadsworth, her two adult daughters, and Baby. Baby, however, is not a child. Instead, he is a grown man in his early twenties who has been relentlessly abused and neglected, to the point where he behaves as if he were a newborn child. The baby is extremely disturbing for audiences to watch, which, as psychological horror, probably means it’s achieving its goal quite effectively.

The vision of a grown man who has been reduced to acting like a child will certainly linger in viewers’ minds long after the credits roll. Even with its bizarre premise, however, The baby manages to tell a chilling story. Packed with disturbing imagery and plenty of violent twists and shocking twists, The baby is a thrilling example of weird 70s cinema.

7

The Top (1970)

Directed by Alejandro Jodorowsky

Feature film by Alejandro Jodorowsky from 1970, El Topoit is without a doubt one of the strangest but consistently captivating westerns ever created. The film focuses on the life of the titular cowboy, El Topo, following him as he traverses the West on a quest to achieve enlightenment. Although the film follows some form of linear narrative, the story was hardly what led audiences to see El Topo. Instead, viewers were enchanted by the bizarre characters and unusual situations that El Topo experiences throughout his journey.

It’s hard to describe El Topo as anything other than a cross between a classic Western and something like Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Even with a budget of just $400,000, this Spanish-language film is packed with sprawling sets, mesmerizing visuals, and brutal gunfights. El Topo has been considered everything from a bizarre mess to an underrated masterpieceindicating that its beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder.

6

Let’s Scare Jessica to Death (1971)

Directed by John Hancock

Initially, Let’s scare Jessica to death It probably doesn’t look too unconventional. The 1971 horror film follows a woman named Jessica who becomes increasingly worried about her mental state recovering after she begins having several unusual encounters upon moving into her new home.

Now add the fact that Your new acquaintance may (or may not) be a blood-sucking vampireand you have a beautifully weird 70s horror show. Part of what it does Let’s scare Jessica to death So interesting, despite its peculiarities, is the unreliability of its protagonist.

Throughout the film, the public is intentionally left unsure whether the disturbing images they see are actually occurringor if they are just a product of Jessica’s unstable mind. This uncertainty adds a compelling element of mystery to the film, keeping viewers guessing not just until the end, but well after the credits roll. Even with its strange premise, Let’s scare Jessica to death proves effective in achieving his daunting goals.

5

The discreet charm of the bourgeoisie (1972)

Directed by Luis Buñuel

Even some of the critically acclaimed films of the 1970s had undeniably strange concepts. THE Oscar-winning French film, The discreet charm of the bourgeoisiecertainly falls into this category. Basically, the movie is simply about a group of people trying to have a meal together. Unfortunately, a non-stop series of bizarre outages seems to perpetually prevent them from doing so.

While the idea of ​​a few people struggling to find time to have dinner together seems more like an everyday occurrence than a movie plot, the film finds creative ways to make the most of the idea. The discreet charm of the bourgeoisie received much praise from critics, applauding his humor and clever writing in particular. The surrealist film serves as a fun celebration of the eccentric ideas that set the 1970s apart from other eras in cinema history.

Through this film, director Luis Buñuel manages to create something completely bizarre and surprisingly relatable. Most viewers have probably never experienced most of the specific events depicted in the film, but almost everyone can relate to the feeling of having plans repeatedly thrown off course.

4

The Day of the Dolphin (1973)

Directed byMike Nichols

A brilliant scientist, played by acclaimed actor George C. Scott, must fight for a solution when the dolphins he trained to speak English are suddenly kidnapped and instructed to assassinate the President of the United States. This crazy premise sets the tone for Dolphin Dayan offbeat sci-fi thriller directed by EGOT winner Mike Nichols and written by Buck Henry, the Oscar-nominated writer of The graduate.

​​​​​​Although the film received mixed reviews, it managed to secure several Oscar nominations. Full of espionage, explosions and talking dolphins, Dolphin Day and 70s cinema at the height of its delicious strangeness. It really is a film that viewers should see for themselves, as describing it is unlikely to do it justice.

While the premise of English-speaking dolphins being coerced into killing the president is as strange as it sounds, the film manages to highlight the themes of communication and friendship at its core. If nothing else, Dolphin Day It’s guaranteed to be amazing when watched with friends.

3

The Car (1977)

Directed by Elliot Silverstein

What would happen if you took the beloved 1975 blockbuster, Jawsand recreated it with a car instead of a shark? This appears to be the question asked by the creative team behind The cara 1977 horror film directed by Elliot Silverstein. The film follows a team of individuals determined to destroy the sentient automobile that has been terrorizing residents of your humble city.

The task proves to be more difficult than they expected, as the car actually has a mind of its own and remains completely unaffected by the initial methods of stopping it. While it may not be the most critically acclaimed film of the time, The car is a fun showcase of the unabashed weirdness of ’70s cinema and a fun experience for fans of cheesy horror films.

Packed from start to finish with high-speed automobile action, The car It’s as exciting as it is scary. Fortunately, audiences know they are in good hands with James Brolin’s on-screen heroics. Brolin facing off against a living car may be one of the strangest battles ever put on screen, but it’s the perfect showdown to sum up this era in cinema.

2

Phase IV (1974)

Directed bySaul Bass

Another cornerstone of 70s sci-fi horror is Phase IVa 1974 film directed by Saul Bass, and based on a short story by HG Wells. In simplistic terms, the film highlights a team of scientists struggling to understand the strange behavior of huge clusters of ants. Of course, these are not normal ants.

These hyper-evolved insects begin to work together to form strange geometric shapes and act violently against humans. As with most cheesy 70s sci-fi films, the film gives the impression that the fate of the entire world could be at stake. Where Phase IV stands out from other science fiction horror films in its willingness to give its non-human antagonists real personality.

In addition to human characters, some ants also receive their own narratives. Viewers can see how the ants live in their colonies, and some of the insects even go on a daring mission into the human laboratory. While it’s a bit of an odd choice to show so much of the story from the ants’ perspective, it’s unique decisions like these that make Phase IV a pleasantly different viewing experience.

1

Lepus Night (1972)

Directed by William F. Claxton

“How many eyes does horror have? How many times will terror strike?“While one might imagine this to be the tagline for a film about some sort of fearsome creature from another world, the real beasts featured in the film are actually much more adorable. William F. Claxton’s 1972 horror film, Lepus Nightcharacteristics a small town being terrorized by a horde of huge rabbits.

The city must band together to defeat these scientific experiments gone wrong before they can kill every human they encounter. The ’70s were a prime time for fans of so-bad-they’re-good movies, and Lepus Night is a candidate for the grand prize in this category.

The characters are cheesy, the acting is underwhelming, and the story is as crazy as it soundsbut Lepus Night It is, however, a thoroughly entertaining experience for viewers. The icing on this film’s cake are the bunnies themselves, who are often much more cute than intimidating, despite the filmmakers’ best efforts. Lepus Night is a prime example of the lovable and strange world of 1970s cinema.