10 trashy films from the 1970s that were nothing more than fun

The 1970s were a wild time for cinema and a time when pioneering filmmakers pushed social and political boundaries with trashy and entertaining films. At the dawn of the New Hollywood era, which placed power firmly in the hands of creatives, the 1970s saw a litany of outrageous, subversive, and downright trashy films get the green light and financing and lead to some of the most enduring and unusual cult classics. already done. From over-the-top NC-17 or X-rated horrors to exclusive B-movie releases that bordered on bad taste, this was a time in cinema when anything was possible.

Some of the best filmmakers in the 1970s embraced pointless fun by releasing poorly received films that have since been re-evaluated as underrated cult classics of their time. At a time when culture reflected the surreal and psychedelic effects of the social upheaval of the 1960s, it is no surprise that these developments were reflected in the cinema of the following decade. While some of these films can be so subversive that they turn off certain viewers, for others, they were pure pointless and entertaining entertainment.

10

Zardoz (1974)

Directed by John Boorman

While Sean Connery may have encapsulated the very definition of 1960s smooth charisma as James Bond, in the decade that followed, he embraced another kind of cinematic weirdness. Zardoz was an underrated 1970s costume that featured Connery sporting a surprisingly 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 mind-bending visuals and intense special effects as Zed began to learn more about the mysterious stone idol and found himself trapped between two camps as it neared its epic weapon-filled conclusion. While Zardoz was poorly received upon release, it has since gained a reputation as an underrated cult classic. With an outrageous concept, some questionable clothing choices, and some pretentious, fantasy-filled jargon, Zardoz It was nothing but fun.

9

Lisztomania (1975)

Directed by Ken Russell

While the 1970s were a great time for cinema, which saw legendary directors like Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola doing some of their best work in the United States, across the pond in Britain, there was also a lot of experimentation. in progress. One of the best examples of this was Ken Russell, an outrageous filmmaker who was never afraid to push boundaries of taste and visuals. With a love of eccentric and exaggerated biographies of classical musicians, Ken Russell’s 1974 exploration of the life and work of Franz Liszt was truly one of his wildest.

Lisztomania starred Roger Daltrey of The Who as the titular composer and brought together its protagonist’s wild genius, outrageous sexuality, and vampiric subplot that took things into the realm of the surreal. With music by Rick Wakeman of the progressive rock band Yes and scenes depicting Daltrey astride a giant phallic object, this was a film that could only have taken place amid the strange and surreal context of 1970s rock stardom. like Ringo Starr as the Pope to endless and bizarre images Lisztomania It was a wild ride from start to finish.

8

Foxy Brown (1974)

Directed by Jack Hill

After all the pioneering civil rights activism of the 1960s, black filmmakers during the 1970s sought to take control of their representation through Blaxploitation cinema. This was a style of filmmaking that focused on the African-American experience, as its music, performances, and overall aesthetic went against the normal standards of Hollywood productions. An excellent example of this was Brown Foxan intensely entertaining action film starring Pam Grier.

Brown Fox provided a female-centric version of the Blaxploitation genreas its themes of female empowerment combined with open sexuality made it a fun and progressive film. While Brown Fox gained some controversy and was seized and confiscated in the UK under the Obscene Publications Act (via melon farmers), that didn’t stop it from becoming a classic of the genre. Quentin Tarantino also paid tribute to Brown Fox when he cast Pam Grier as the lead in his own Blaxploitation cinema tribute Jackie Brown.

7

The Warriors (1979)

Directed by Walter Hill

As an unapologetically gritty story about New York street gangs, The Warriors It was pointless fun in every sense of the wordas trash literally covered the streets they were surrounded by. In a relentless, wild display of pure theatricality, director Walter Hill focused on the electrifying danger of a group of Coney Island teenagers trying to survive a showdown against a variety of bizarre criminal gangs. Like a cult classic that went unappreciated in its time, The Warriors has gained a special place in popular culture and has been referenced in everything from The Simpsons to John Wick.

With exaggerated dialogue and highly stylized chases through the city streets, The Warriors was pure chaotic 1970s B-movie fun. As implausible as it was enjoyable, what The Warriors The lack of depth of character was made up of pure energy, as the superficial street gangs perfectly encapsulated the frustrating rage of youth, as disenfranchised youth turned their violent impulses on each other. Even President Ronald Reagan was a fan of the film (via Salon) and allegedly called his lead actor, Michael Beck, to tell him that he had shown the film at Camp David and that he liked it immensely.

6

Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971)

Directed byDon Taylor

While the first Planet of the Apes The film was an undeniable classic of 1960s science fiction, and as the series continued with sequels throughout the 1970s, it became increasingly bizarre, but no less entertaining. Escape from the Planet of the Apes was the third film in the series and saw futuristic chimps Cornelius, Zira and Dr. Milo repairing a spaceship and entering a time tunnel dating back to the 20th century. This was the first time that Planet of the Apes The series was set in the present day and acted as a fascinating precursor to the subsequent reboot series currently being made.

Escape from the Planet of the Apes has a smaller budget than previous entries in the serieswhich gave it a more pleasing 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 I saw monkeys embraced by humanity as they received media attention and became celebrities. This was a fun direction for the series that tried something new with its outrageous concept.

5

Tommy (1975)

Directed by Ken Russell

The psychedelic era of the 1970s saw the production of some truly wild and trashy films, featuring Ken Russell Tommy as one of the strangest. Starring Roger Daltrey of The Who and based on the band’s 1969 concept album of the same name Tommy told the story of a “deaf, dumb and blind“Figure of the Messiah who”He sure plays some mean pinball..” With countless celebrity appearances from everyone including Elton John, Eric Clapton, Tina Turner and even Jack Nicholson, this outrageous musical was told entirely through song, without any traditional dialogue.

Of outrageous scenes of Ann-Margret bathing in a bathtub filled with 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 his concept album and turned the savagery up to eleven. Like a truly unforgettable film, Tommy was nothing but fun and a real treat for lovers of over-the-top theatrical rock. With lots of bizarre, mind-bending visuals and some of the best ever made, Tommy It had to be seen to be believed.

4

Race with the Devil (1975)

Directed by Jack Starrett

Horror films during the 1970s contributed to a moral crisis known as the Satanic Panic, as films about devil worshipers led to a false perception that occult rituals and Satanism ran rampant across America. Although this was influenced by major releases such as The Exorcistmovies like Race with the Devil leaned into these concerns to enjoy a trashy B-horror movie. Like the story of two couples persecuted by a holy cult after witnessing a human sacrifice, Race with the Devil was a frighteningly fun mashup of horror, action, and car chase movies.

Race with the Devil did well at the box office at the time of its release and has since become a cult classic of 1970s horror. With a basic plot that’s more of an excuse to ramp up the carnage and provide viewers with pure horror movie spectacle, Race with the Devil It featured two strong lead performances from Peter Fonda and Warren Oates. As a perfect example of a great drive-in movie, Race with the Devil It was a fast and fun thriller.

3

Meat for Frankenstein (1973)

Directed by Paul Morrissey

Meat for Frankenstein was also released under the title Frankenstein by Andy Warholalthough the famous pop artist had little involvement in the final film. Filled 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, Meat for Frankenstein starred Udo Kier as Baron Frankensteina mad scientist who attempts to reanimate male and female zombies who mate and create a master race.

As an ironic exercise in pushing limits, Meat for Frankenstein it was pure B-movie fun that took the vivid presentation of classic horror characters seen at Hammer Film Productions and took them to the absolute extreme. While Meat for Frankenstein While it won’t be to everyone’s taste, for lovers of subversive horror, it was a truly pioneering depiction of bloody violence and seditious sex. The gruesome action on display was made all the more effective due to Meat for Frankenstein use of 3D technology.

2

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

Directed by Jim Sharman

The influence of pop culture The Rocky Horror Picture Show was undeniable, as the film became shorthand for transgressive cult cinema. With a loyal fan base who still regularly attend the interactive, costumed screenings of the film, Rocky horror it connected with viewers in a way few other films did, as its LGBTQ+ representation was unlike anything viewers had seen at the time. By telling the musical story of two young people who arrive at the mad scientist’s house and “sweet transvestite”Dr. Rocky horror was a pioneering piece of queer cinema.

As an homage to the horror and science fiction 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 the legendary performances of Tim Curry as Furter, Susan Sarandon as Janet and Meatloaf as delivery man Eddie, Rocky horror It had a lot of cult appeal and was fun. While the reception Rocky horror was extremely negative at first, its reputation as a midnight movie classic has meant it has held up so well all these years later.

1

Pink Flamingos (1972)

Directed by John Waters

One cult filmmaker who always exceeded the public’s expectations and was never happy to settle for normality was John Waters. Known for his truly transgressive films that 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, swearing and notoriously scatology, it was also an exercise in pure fun and an example that cinema can be whatever cinema wants it to be.

Pink Flamingos was a notoriously crude film that featured its assortment of eccentric characters in increasingly shocking and scandalous situations. With drag queen Divine as “the dirtiest person in the world” Babs Johnson, Pink Flamingos saw her facing an abominable and despicable couple who tried to humiliate her and take away her title. While this tasteless exercise may be too much for some, for others, Pink Flamingos it was pure, uncontrolled fun.

Sources: melon farmers, Salon