Hey there, movie buffs! Get ready to take a trip down memory lane because we’re about to celebrate a truly epic year in cinematic history: 1974. If you ask any serious cinephile what the single best year for movies was, there’s a really good chance that 1974 will pop up in the conversation, and for excellent reason! New Hollywood was buzzing with creativity, bringing us instant classics that reshaped the industry.
But 1974 wasn’t just about those gritty prestige dramas and neo-noirs that dominated the critical acclaim. Oh no, the silver screen offered so much more! Comedy lovers were absolutely spoiled with not one, but two brilliant parodies from the legendary Mel Brooks, showing just how diverse and exciting film could be. It was a year where every genre seemed to get its moment in the sun, from intense action flicks to thought-provoking thrillers.
So, buckle up, grab your popcorn, and let’s journey back exactly 50 years to a time when cinema was truly on fire. We’ve hand-picked 6 of the most influential and unforgettable films from that incredible year. Get ready to test your movie knowledge and see how many of these absolute masterpieces you’ve managed to catch. Don’t forget to keep a mental tally – how many of these have you seen? Let’s dive in!
1. **Blazing Saddles** Widely recognized as one of the funniest films ever made, Mel Brooks’s western pastiche is an absolute joke bag of a movie that still makes us laugh out loud today. It stars the brilliant Cleavon Little as a Black sheriff, sent to protect the sleepy, backwater town of Rock Ridge from marauders who are clearly up to no good. He gets some unexpected help from an alcoholic gunslinger known as The Waco Kid, played by the iconic Gene Wilder.
The plot, while hilarious, is really just a clever skeleton designed to hang all the incredible gags. We’re talking about everything from the infamous farting cowboys, to Mongo punching out a horse with one blow, and even Sheriff Bart hilariously taking himself hostage. The list of memorable moments and quotable lines goes on and on for miles, solidifying its place as a comedy legend. From its fearless toying with racial politics to a slew of lines you can’t help but repeat, this movie is truly beyond iconic. You can currently catch this timeless comedy on The Roku Channel or Prime Video.
2. **The Street Fighter** Prepare for an intense ride with this iconic martial arts film, which holds the distinction of being the first movie ever given an X rating in the United States solely due to its graphic violence. It’s an absolute showcase for Sonny Chiba’s electrifying fighting talent, a performance that rightfully launched him into international stardom and cemented his legendary status. In the film, Chiba plays Takuma Tsurugi, a martial artist who doubles as a killer-for-hire, who unfortunately finds himself on the wrong side of the powerful yakuza.
What follows is a relentless quest for survival, forcing Tsurugi to destroy dozens upon dozens of men to escape their brutal revenge. The plot, while present, exists almost entirely to propel Sonny Chiba into a dizzying series of group fights where he dispatches skilled brawlers with astonishing speed and bone-crunching ferocity. Fans of crime thrillers might recognize its famous finale, which prominently appears in the 1993 film *True Romance*. In that movie, young lovers Clarence and Alabama bond over watching this flick – and its sequels, *Return of the Street Fighter* and *Sister Street Fighter* (both also released in 1974!) – on their first date, with Clarence even offering a very colorful synopsis. You can stream this martial arts classic on Tubi or Prime Video.
3. **The Great Gatsby** If you, like many of us, were ‘forced’ to read the classic F. Scott Fitzgerald novel in high school, then you’ll appreciate director Jack Clayton’s 1974 film adaptation. It beautifully brought a gauzy, almost dreamlike sheen to the opulent yet ultimately hollow world of the uber-wealthy Jay Gatsby, brought to life by the effortlessly charming Robert Redford. Mia Farrow shines as the captivating, yet ultimately shallow, wannabe socialite Daisy, surrounded by the hollow cares and endless parties of the champagne set.
The entire movie unfolds through the melancholy and observant eyes of Gatsby’s neighbor Nick, portrayed by Sam Waterston. It elegantly floats through a tangled social web of infidelities, sudden violence, and endless drunkenness, all while showcasing a keen eye for glamorous costuming and breathtaking scenery that truly immerses you in the Jazz Age. Underneath all that glitter and lavish display, Redford and Farrow deliver truly romantic fireworks, capturing the complicated allure of their characters. Meanwhile, Bruce Dern provides the relatable charm and raw rage of a man watching his wife slip away from him. In our current era of shows like *White Lotus* and films like *Triangle of Sadness*, which revel in watching vapid rich people fall apart, this movie feels incredibly timely and relevant once again. You can rediscover the Roaring Twenties on Pluto TV or Prime Video.
4. **Foxy Brown** Get ready for some serious action, because when a ruthless drug ring brutally kills her boyfriend, the fierce and unforgettable Foxy Brown, played by the incomparable Pam Grier, springs into action. She goes deep undercover, determined to take down an influential “modeling agency” that, as she soon discovers, has its shadowy fingers in a disturbing number of governmental pies. This blaxploitation flick, masterfully crafted by writer/director Jack Hill, is packed with truly brutal revenge sequences, making it easy to understand why it initially repulsed most major contemporary critics upon its release.
Despite the initial critical reception, *Foxy Brown* quickly earned an uproarious and devoted cult following, solidifying its place in cinematic history. The film was groundbreaking in many ways, effectively inventing the blueprint for other exploitation flicks that featured strong, empowered women in leading roles. Its success was propelled largely by Pam Grier’s profound watchability and her intense, magnetic acting skill, which made her a captivating force on screen. This movie boldly turned Grier into the very first female action star, a true pioneer, and its heavyweight violence and uncompromising style inspired countless filmmakers of the era and beyond. Even Quentin Tarantino, a known admirer, got the honor of teaming with Grier for his own blaxploitation homage, 1997’s *Jackie Brown*. Don’t miss this iconic film on Tubi, Pluto TV, or Prime Video.
5. **The Conversation** Step into the deeply paranoid world of Harry Caul, expertly played by Gene Hackman, a wire-tapping specialist haunted by a previous botched job and weighed down by a pervasive sense of Catholic guilt. His life takes a sharp turn when a mysterious man hires him for what seems like a routine recording of a man and woman who appear worried for their lives. However, Caul soon finds himself inextricably pulled into a violent scheme that only serves to amplify his already intense paranoia, blurring the lines between what is real and what he fears.
Director Francis Ford Coppola was reportedly inspired by *Blow Up*, a 1966 psychological thriller from Michelangelo Antonioni, which centered on a photographer who inadvertently captures a murder on camera. These two films, along with Brian De Palma’s 1981 film *Blow Out*, are often considered part of a loose trilogy, as all of them brilliantly explore the then-developing phenomenon of being recorded publicly and the unsettling idea of how a seemingly clear recording might still offer a profoundly fuzzy, distorted version of reality. *The Conversation* justly scored a win at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival and serves as a magnificent spotlight for Hackman’s subtle, yet immensely powerful, acting work. He delivers a stunning performance as the grizzled veteran, playing beautifully off the youthful force of Harrison Ford, who co-stars. Though a critical darling, the film sadly won no Academy Awards; a bittersweet moment for Coppola, who famously lost to himself for directing *The Godfather Part II* in the very same year. This thought-provoking thriller is available on Prime Video.
6. **The Parallax View** Get ready for a masterclass in political paranoia with *The Parallax View*. The tension begins immediately when journalist Lee Carter, portrayed by Paula Prentiss, witnesses the shocking assassination of a presidential hopeful at the very top of Seattle’s iconic Space Needle. While the official story quickly labels the murder as the act of a lone gunman, a chilling pattern emerges: several other witnesses to the event have mysteriously turned up dead. Fearing she will be next, Carter desperately reaches out to her ex-boyfriend, Warren Beatty, a fellow investigative reporter, urging him to help her uncover what’s truly going on beneath the surface.
What unfolds from that moment is a masterful political thriller, a dizzying spiral of paranoia and large-scale deceit that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The film is anchored by a phenomenally charismatic and deeply compelling performance from Warren Beatty, who perfectly embodies the determined, yet increasingly wary, reporter. It also boasts an electric supporting cast, including a young William Daniels, who many will recognize as the beloved Mr. Feeny from *Boy Meets World*, adding another layer of intrigue to this unforgettable journey into the heart of a conspiracy. This gripping thriller can be streamed on Prime Video.
