A2P Cinema's
200 Favorite Films of the 1970s

At the start of the 1970s, Hollywood was suffering from some financial struggles. Born as a result was "The New Hollywood". Studios were looking for smaller budgets and were more willing to take risks with young independent filmmakers who were given creative freedom. Films were not made primarily for "stars" the way they were in the old studio days, and performances took a full turn towards a method style of acting. Thus Hollywood films of 1970s reflected the influences of international films from the 1950s and 1960s, specifically the European filmmakers (and perhaps most notable the French New Wave of the 1960s). American war and crime films became much grittier and went away from conventional genre. Meanwhile, European cinema was now prepared to take on a more global presence in the mainstream of America and those films reflected deeper meanings and artistry. Horror cinema reached a new found artistic peak throughout the world, specifically in Italy (with old masters like Mario Bava and new filmmakers such as Dario Argento). Japanese cinema was towards the end of its "New Wave" movement that began in the late 1950s, and its film industry suffered from the emergence of television.

The 1970s also perhaps gave birth to what has since defined the industry and exploded in the 1980s - the Blockbuster. The influential film that might of ascended it all was 1975s Jaws directed by a then young and not well known filmmaker Steven Spielberg, who like many of the directors to emerge in the New Hollywood, was a young filmmaker inspired by influences of 1950s/60s international films and classic Golden Era Hollywood.

Look over the list ... I would be very interested in you sending your choices or sharing feedback (did I miss anything?).
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THE SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE (1973)
Directed by: Víctor Erice (1st of 1 films on list)
Spain

MCCABE & MRS. MILLER (1971)
Directed by: Robert Altman (1st of 12 films on list)
United States

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CRIES AND WHISPERS (1972)
Directed by: Ingmar Bergman (1st of 5 films on list)
Sweden

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DAYS OF HEAVEN (1978)
Directed by: Terrence Malick (1st of 2 films on list)
United States

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NASHVILLE (1975)
Directed by: Robert Altman (2nd of 12 films on list)
United States

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THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE (1974)
Directed by: Tobe Hooper (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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STALKER (1979)
Directed by: Andrei Tarkovsky (1st of 3 films on list)
Soviet Union

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BARRY LYNDON (1975)
Directed by: Stanley Kubrick (1st of 2 films on list)
United Kingdom / United States

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A WOMAN UNDER THE INFLUENCE (1974)
Directed by: John Cassavetes (1st of 4 films on list)
United States

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KILLER OF SHEEP (1978)
Directed by: Charles Burnett (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13 (1976)
Directed by: John Carpenter (1st of 3 films on list)
United States

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SUSPIRIA (1977)
Directed by: Dario Argento (1st of 3 films on list)
Italy

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THE LONG GOODBYE (1973)
Directed by: Robert Altman (3rd of 12 films on list)
United States

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DON'T LOOK NOW (1973)
Directed by: Nicolas Roeg (1st of 2 films on list)
United Kingdom / Italy

DAWN OF THE DEAD (1978)
Directed by: George A. Romero (1st of 2 films on list)
United States

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DEEP RED (1975)
Directed by: Dario Argento (2nd of 3 films on list)
Italy

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THE MIRROR (1973)
Directed by: Andrei Tarkovsky (2nd of 3 films on list)
Soviet Union

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WALKABOUT (1971)
Directed by: Nicolas Roeg (2nd of 2 films on list)
United Kingdom / Australia

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CLAIRE'S KNEE (1970)
Directed by: Eric Rohmer (1st of 2 films on list)
France

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CARRIE (1976)
Directed by: Brian De Palma (1st of 4 films on list)
United States

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JAWS (1975)
Directed by: Steven Spielberg (1st of 2 films on list)
United States

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ALI: FEAR EATS THE SOUL (1974)
Directed by: Rainer Werner Fassbinder (1st of 4 films on list)
West Germany

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THE PASSENGER (1975)
Directed by: Michelangelo Antonioni (1st of 1 films on list)
Italy / France / Spain

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VENGEANCE IS MINE (1979)
Directed by: Shôhei Imamura (1st of 1 films on list)
Japan

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ANNIE HALL (1977)
Directed by: Woody Allen (1st of 4 films on list)
United States

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HALLOWEEN (1978)
Directed by: John Carpenter (2nd of 3 films on list)
United States

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CHINATOWN (1974)
Directed by: Roman Polanski (1st of 3 films on list)
United States

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NETWORK (1976)
Directed by: Sidney Lumet (1st of 3 films on list)
United States

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SCENES FROM A MARRIAGE (1974)
Directed by: Ingmar Bergman (2nd of 5 films on list)
Sweden

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BADLANDS (1973)
Directed by: Terrence Malick (2nd of 2 films on list)
United States

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THE CONVERSATION (1974)
Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola (1st of 4 films on list)
United States

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KILLING OF A CHINESE BOOKIE (1976)
Directed by: John Cassavetes (2nd of 4 films on list)
United States

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HOME FROM THE SEA (1972)
Directed by: Yôji Yamada (1st of 3 films on list)
Japan

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AGUIRRE, THE WRATH OF GOD (1972)
Directed by: Werner Herzog (1st of 4 films on list)
West Germany / Mexico / Peru

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CRIA CUERVOS (1976)
Directed by: Carlos Saura (1st of 1 films on list)
Spain

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APOCALYPSE NOW (1979)
Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola (2nd of 4 films on list)
United States

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THE MARRIAGE OF MARIA BRAUN (1978)
Directed by: Rainer Werner Fassbinder (2nd of 4 films on list)
West Germany

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MIKEY AND NICKEY (1976)
Directed by: Elaine May (1st of 3 films on list)
United States

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THE GODFATHER PART 2 (1974)
Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola (3rd of 4 films on list)
United States

THAT OBSCURE OBJECT OF DESIRE (1977)
Directed by: Luis Buñuel (1st of 3 films on list)
France / Spain

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THE LAST PICTURE SHOW (1971)
Directed by: Peter Bogdanovich (1st of 3 films on list)
United States

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THE DISCREET CHARM OF THE BOURGEOISIE (1972)
Directed by: Luis Buñuel (2nd of 3 films on list)
France

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PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK (1975)
Directed by: Peter Weir (1st of 2 films on list)
Australia

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THE GODFATHER (1972)
Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola (4 of 4 films on list)
United States

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HAROLD AND MAUDE (1971)
Directed by: Hal Ashby (1 of 6 films on list)
United States

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DAY FOR NIGHT (1973)
Directed by: François Truffaut (1st of 5 films on list)
France / Italy

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THE CONFORMIST (1972)
Directed by: Bernardo Bertolucci (1st of 1 films on list)
Italy / France / West Germany

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AUTUMN SONATA (1978)
Directed by: Igmar Bergman (3rd of 5 films on list)
Sweden / France / United Kingdom / West Germany

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TRAFIC (1971)
Directed by: Jacques Tati (1st of 1 films on list)
France / Italy

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CALIFORNIA SPLIT (1974)
Directed by: Robert Altman (4th of 12 films on list)
United States

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PUNISHMENT PARK (1971)
Directed by: Peter Watkins (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND (1977)
Directed by: Steven Spielberg (2nd of 2 films on list)
United States

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TWO LANE BLACKTOP (1971)
Directed by: Monte Hellman (1st of 25 films on list)
United States

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A NEW LEAF (1971)
Directed by: Elaine May (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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IMAGES (1972)
Directed by: Robert Altman (5th of 12 films on list)
United Kingdom / United States

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MARTIN (1982)
Directed by: George A. Romero (2nd of 2 films on list)
United States

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THE WICKER MAN (1973)
Directed by: Robin Hardy (1st of 1 films on list)
United Kingdom

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DELIVERANCE (1972)
Directed by: John Boorman (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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3 WOMEN (1977)
Directed by: Robert Altman (6th of 12 films on list)
United States

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THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT (1972)
Directed by: Wes Craven (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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THE BROOD (1979)
Directed by: David Cronenberg (1st of 3 films on list)
Canada

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PAT GARRETT AND BILLY THE KID (1973)
Directed by: Sam Peckinpah (1st of 2 films on list)
United States / Mexico

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THE HEARTBREAK KID (1972)
Directed by: Elaine May (3rd of 3 films on list)
United States

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BAD NEWS BEARS (1976)
Directed by: Michael Ritchie (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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LISA AND THE DEVIL (1973)
Directed by: Mario Bava (1st of 3 films on list)
Spain / Italy

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THE LAST DETAIL (1973)
Directed by: Hal Ashby (2nd of 6 films on list)
United States

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WHAT'S UP, DOC? (1972)
Directed by: Peter Bogdanovich (2nd of 3 films on list)
United States

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FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED (1970)
Directed by: Terence Fisher (1st of 1 films on list)
United Kingdom

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CAMERA BUFF (1979)
Directed by: Krzysztof Kieslowski (1st of 2 films on list)
Poland

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MASH (1970)
Directed by: Robert Altman (7th of 12 films on list)
United States

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DARK STAR (1974)
Directed by: John Carpenter (3rd of 3 films on list)
United States

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CHLOE IN THE AFTERNOON (1972)
Directed by: Éric Rohmer (2nd of 2 films on list)
France

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LE BOUCHER (1970)
Directed by: Claude Chabrol (1st of 3 films on list)
France

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ERASERHEAD (1977)
Directed by: David Lynch (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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OPENING NIGHT (1977)
Directed by: John Cassavetes (3rd of 4 films on list)
United States

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CASTLE OF SAND (1974)
Directed by: Yoshitarô Nomura (1st of 4 films on list)
Japan

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THE TENANT (1976)
Directed by: Roman Polanski (2nd of 3 films on list)
France

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MEAN STREETS (1973)
Directed by: Martin Scorsese (1st of 4 films on list)
United States

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PAPER MOON (1973)
Directed by: Peter Bogdanovich (3rd of 3 films on list)
United States

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LOVE AND ANARCHY (1973)
Directed by: Lina Wertmüller (1st of 3 films on list)
Italy / France

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LIVE TODAY, DIE TOMORROW! (1970)
Directed by: Kaneto Shindô (1st of 1 films on list)
Japan

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GIMME SHELTER (1970)
Directed by: Albert and David Maysles (1st of 3 films on list)
United States

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DERSU UZALA (1975)
Directed by: Akira Kurosawa (1st of 1 films on list)
Soviet Union / Japan

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DOG DAY AFTERNOON (1975)
Directed by: Sidney Lumet (2nd of 3 films on list)
United States

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SISTERS (1972)
Directed by: Brian De Palma (2nd of 4 films on list)
United States

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FIVE DOLLS FOR AUGUST MOON (1970)
Directed by: Mario Bava (2nd of 4 films on list)
Italy

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FIVE EASY PIECES (1970)
Directed by: Bob Rafelson (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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ROCKY (1976)
Directed by: John G. Avildsen (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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SEVEN BEAUTIES (1975)
Directed by: Lina Wertmüller (2nd of 3 films on list)
Italy

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THIEVES LIKE US (1974)
Directed by: Robert Altman (8th of 12 films on list)
United States

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FRENZY (1972)
Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock (1st of 2 films on list)
United Kingdom / United States

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A BAY OF BLOOD (1971)
Directed by: Mario Bava (3rd of 4 films on list)
Italy

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F FOR FAKE (1973)
Directed by: Orson Welles (1st of 1 films on list)
France / Iran / West Germany

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THE LAST WAVE (1977)
Directed by: Peter Weir (2nd of 2 films on list)
Australia

YELLOW HANDKERCHIEF (1977)
Directed by: Yôji Yamada (2nd of 3 films on list)
Japan

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XALA (1975)
Directed by: Ousmane Sembene (1st of 1 films on list)
Senegal

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THE FURY (1978)
Directed by: Brian De Palma (3rd of 4 films on list)
United States

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THE AMERICAN FRIEND (1977)
Directed by: Wim Wenders (1st of 1 films on list)
West Germany / France

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HARLAN COUNTY U.S.A. (1976)
Directed by: Barbara Kopple (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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THE OUTFIT (1973)
Directed by: John Flynn (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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REAL LIFE (1979)
Directed by: Albert Brooks (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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SWEET SWEETBACK'S BAADASSSSS SONG (1971)
Directed by: Melvin Van Peebles (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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BOUND FOR GLORY (1976)
Directed by: Hal Ashby (3rd of 6 films on list)
United States

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THE INCIDENT (1978)
Directed by: Yoshitarô Nomura (2nd of 4 films on list)
Japan

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SOLARIS (1972)
Directed by: Andrei Tarkovsky (3rd of 3 films on list)
Soviet Union

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THE EXORCIST (1973)
Directed by: Wiliam Friedkin (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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A PERFECT COUPLE (1979)
Directed by: Robert Altman (9th of 12 films on list)
United States

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ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST (1975)
Directed by: Milos Forman (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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THE FRIENDS OF EDDIE COYLE (1973)
Directed by: Peter Yates (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

THE DEMON (1978)
Directed by: Yoshitarô Nomura (3rd of 4 films on list)
Japan

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21 UP (1977)
Directed by: Michael Apted (1st of 2 films on list)
United Kingdom

WHEN A STRANGER CALLS (1979)
Directed by: Fred Walton (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

IN A YEAR OF 13 MOONS (1978)
Directed by: Rainer Werner Fassbinder (3rd of 4 films on list)
West Germany

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BREWSTER MCCLOUD (1970)
Directed by: Robert Altman (10th of 12 films on list)
United States

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CONVERSATION PIECE (1974)
Directed by: Luchino Visconti (1st of 1 films on list)
Italy / France

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WANDA (1970)
Directed by: Barbara Loden (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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NUMERO DEUX (1975)
Directed by: Jean-Luc Godard (1st of 2 films on list)
France

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ALICE, SWEET ALICE (1976)
Directed by: Alfred Sole (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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THE SILENCE (1971)
Directed by: Masahiro Shinoda (1st of 1 films on list)
Japan

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COMING HOME (1978)
Directed by: Hal Ashby (4th of 6 films on list)
United States

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THE DRILLER KILLER (1979)
Directed by: Abel Ferrara (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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THE PHANTOM OF LIBERTY (1974)
Directed by: Luis Buñuel (3rd of 3 films on list)
France

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LACOMBE, LUCIEN (1974)
Directed by: Louis Malle (1st of 1 films on list)
France / Italy / West Germany

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DONKEY SKIN (1970)
Directed by: Jacques Demy (1st of 1 films on list)
France

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ALICE DOESN'T LIVE HERE ANYMORE (1974)
Directed by: Martin Scorsese (2nd of 4 films on list)
United States

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MANHATTAN (1979)
Directed by: Woody Allen (2nd of 5 films on list)
United States

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NOSFERATU THE VAMPYRE (1979)
Directed by: Werner Herzog (2nd of 4 films on list)
West Germany / France

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HEARTS AND MINDS (1974)
Directed by: Peter Davis (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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BEING THERE (1979)
Directed by: Hal Ashby (5th of 6 films on list)
United States / West Germany

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THE MAGIC FLUTE (1975)
Directed by: Ingmar Bergman (4th of 5 films on list)
Sweden

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THE TAKING OF PELHAM 1 2 3 (1974)
Directed by: Joseph Sargent (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL (1975)
Directed by: Terry Gilliam / Terry Jones (1st of 1 films on list)
United Kingdom

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JEREMIAH JOHNSON (1972)
Directed by: Sydney Pollack (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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THE WILD CHILD (1970)
Directed by: François Truffaut (2nd of 5 films on list)
France

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RUNNING FENCE (1977)
Directed by: Albert and David Maysles (2nd of 3 films on list)
United States

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FAMILY PLOT (1976)
Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock (2nd of 2 films on list)
United States

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THE BIRD WITH CYRSTAL PLUMMAGE (1970)
Directed by: Dario Argento (3rd of 3 films on list)
Italy / West Germany

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PLAY IT AGAIN, SAM (1972)
Directed by: Herbert Ross (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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KISS OF DEATH (1977)
Directed by: Mike Leigh (1st of 1 films on list)
United Kingdom

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THE SCAR (1976)
Directed by: Krzysztof Kieslowski (2nd of 2 films on list)
Poland

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SERPICO (1973)
Directed by: Sidney Lumet (3rd of 3 films on list)
United States / Italy

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7 PLUS SEVEN (1970)
Directed by: Michael Apted (2nd of 2 films on list)
United Kingdom

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SLEEPER (1973)
Directed by: Woody Allen (3rd of 4 films on list)
United States

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SHAMPOO (1975)
Directed by: Hal Ashby (6th of 6 films on list)
United States

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ROMA (1972)
Directed by: Federico Fellini (1st of 2 films on list)
Italy / France

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TESS (1979)
Directed by: Roman Polanski (3rd of 3 films on list)
United Kingdom / France

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THE CHINA SYNDROME (1979)
Directed by: James Bridges (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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THE GREEN ROOM (1978)
Directed by: François Truffaut (3rd of 5 films on list)
France

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VILLAGE OF EIGHT GRAVESTONES (1977)
Directed by: Yoshitarô Nomura (4th of 4 films on list)
Japan

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COCKFIGHTER (1974)
Directed by: Monte Hellman (2nd of 2 films on list)
United States

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SHIVERS (1975)
Directed by: David Cronenberg (2nd of 3 films on list)
Canada

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ALIEN (1979)
Directed by: Ridley Scott (1st of 1 films on list)
United Kingdom / United States

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FOUR NIGHTS OF A DREAMER (1971)
Directed by: Robert Bresson (1st of 1 films on list)
France / Italy

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LA RUPTURE (1970)
Directed by: Claude Chabrol (2nd of 3 films on list)
France

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ELECTRA GLIDE IN BLUE (1973)
Directed by: James William Guercio (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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THE RED CIRCLE (1970)
Directed by: Jean-Pierre Melville (1st of 1 films on list)
France / Italy

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CITIZENS BAND (1977)
Directed by: Jonathan Demme (1st of 3 films on list)
United States

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EMPIRE OF PASSION (1978)
Directed by: Nagisa Ôshima (1st of 1 films on list)
Japan

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A WEDDING (1978)
Directed by: Robert Altman (11th of 12 films on list)
United States

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WOYZECK (1979)
Directed by: Werner Herzog (3rd of 4 films on list)
West Germany

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CRAZY MAMA (1975)
Directed by: Jonathan Demme (2nd of 3 films on list)
United States

RABID DOGS (1974)
Directed by: Maro Bava (4th of 4 films on list)
Italy

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THE HIRED HAND (1971)
Directed by: Peter Fonda (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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PATTON (1970)
Directed by: Franklin J. Schaffner (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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INNOCENTS WITH DIRTY HANDS (1975)
Directed by: Claude Chabrol (3rd of 3 films on list)
France / Italy / West Germany

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THE VILLAGE (1975)
Directed by: Yôji Yamada (3rd of 3 films on list)
Japan

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SMALL CHANGE (1976)
Directed by: François Truffaut (4th of 5 films on list)
France

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CHINESE ROULETTE (1976)
Directed by: Rainer Werner Fassbinder (4th of 4 films on list)
West Germany / France

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THE LAST WALTZ (1978)
Directed by: Martin Scorsese (3rd of 4 films on list)
United States

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A CLOCKWORK ORANGE (1971)
Directed by: Stanley Kubrick (2nd of 2 films on list)
United Kingdom / United States

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SWEPT AWAY (1974)
Directed by: Lina Wertmüller (3rd of 3 films on list)
Italy

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BED & BOARD (1970)
Directed by: François Truffaut (5th of 5 films on list)
France / Italy

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SUPERMAN (1978)
Directed by: Richard Donner (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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GREY GARDENS (1975)
Directed by: Albert and David Maysles (3rd of 3 films on list)
United States

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TOUT VA BIEN (1972)
Directed by: Jean-Luc Godard (2nd of 2 films on list)
France / Italy

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FAMILY NEST (1977)
Directed by: Béla Tarr (1st of 1 films on list)
Hungary

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AMARCORD (1973)
Directed by: Federico Fellini (2nd of 2 films on list)
Italy / France

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ESCAPE FROM ALCATRAZ (1979)
Directed by: Don Siegel (1st of 3 films on list)
United States

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STAR WARS: EPISODE IV A NEW HOPE (1977)
Directed by: George Lucas (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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THE SERPENT'S EGG (1977)
Directed by: Ingmar Bergman (5th of 5 films on list)
West Germany / United States

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SHOLAY (1975)
Directed by: Ramesh Sippy (1st of 1 films on list)
India

BANANAS (1971)
Directed by: Woody Allen (4th of 4 films on list)
United States

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK (1977)
Directed by: Martin Scorsese (4th of 4 films on list)
United States

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PLAY MISTY FOR ME (1971)
Directed by: Clint Eastwood (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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HUSBANDS (1970)
Directed by: John Cassavetes (4th of 4 films on list)
United States

THE DEER HUNTER (1978)
Directed by: Michael Cimino (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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GREASE (1978)
Directed by: Randal Kleiser (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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STROSZEK (1977)
Directed by: Werner Herzog (4th of 4 films on list)
West Germany

RABID (1977)
Directed by: David Cronenberg (3rd of 3 films on list)
Canada

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BUFFALO BILL AND THE INDIANS, OR SITTING BULL'S HISTORY LESSON (1976)
Directed by: Robert Altman (12th of 12 films on list)
United States

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BRING ME THE HEAD OF ALFREDO GARCIA (1974)
Directed by: Sam Peckinpah (2nd of 2 films on list)
Mexico / United States

OBSESSION (1976)
Directed by: Brian De Palma (4th of 4 films on list)
United States

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THE SHOOTIST (1976)
Directed by: Don Siegel (2nd of 3 films on list)
United States

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THE MASTER AND MARGARET (1972)
Directed by: Aleksandar Petrovic (1st of 1 films on list)
Yugoslavia / Italy

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KRAMER VS. KRAMER (1979)
Directed by: Robert Benton (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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THE RESCUERS (1977)
Directed by: J.Lounsbery / W.Reitherman Sheridan (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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THE POSIDEON ADVENTURE (1972)
Directed by: Ronald Neame (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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AND SOON THE DARKNESS (1970)
Directed by: Robert Fuest (1st of 1 films on list)
United Kingdom / Italy

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THE BEGUILED (1971)
Directed by: Don Siegel (3rd of 3 films on list)
United States

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THE STING (1973)
Directed by: George Roy Hill (1st of 1 films on list)
United States

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