5 Forgotten ’70s Movies on Prime Video That Have Aged Like Fine Wine

The 1970s were an exciting time in cinema. The pivotal period, dubbed “The New Hollywood Era,” saw a wave of fledgling directors and actors rise to the forefront as older icons retired and left the silver screen behind. Some of the most influential talents emerged, and they would set the tone for how the 1980s and even later decades of moviemaking would be formulated. Directors like Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, Mel Brooks, George Lucas, and Steven Spielberg took the industry to new heights and were given the freedom to let their creativity push the medium into new, uncharted territory.

Now is an ideal time to check out options from this groundbreaking era that are free to stream on Prime Video. From a dark comedy about a Mars mission hoax to one of the best satires of all time, Prime Video has a great selection to choose from. If you’re curious about this pivotal turning point in American cinema, or want to partake in some classic movie nostalgia, these are the five ‘70s movies that deserve to be rediscovered on Prime right now.

Note: These titles are currently available in the US; availability in other countries may vary.

1

‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail’ (1975)

close up of Tim the Enchanter (John Cleese) Monty Python and the Holy Grail

As the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention. The extremely tight budget of $400K forced the filmmakers of Monty Python and the Holy Grail to come up with creative solutions that have only made the movie all the more iconic. If they had been given a budget big enough for horses, there never would have been the coconut bit. And instead of the middle of the movie being bogged down by montages or a costly excess of scenes, a book with various hands turning pages and the comical animations the TV series was known for were utilized, giving the film even more signature Monty Python flair.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail was one of the first fan-funded projects, and several of the more famous backers included rock musicians such as Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, and Jethro Tull. All of the original cast from the TV series signed on for the historical-themed romp, and fans of the show were not disappointed. Monty Python and the Holy Grail is irreverent, highly quotable, and uniquely clever. It has endless rewatchability and is as funny to watch now as it was upon its debut. Now is the perfect time to take advantage of its availability and enjoy this much-loved gem while it is free to stream on Prime.

2

‘The Towering Inferno’ (1974)

Paul Newman faces the fire in 'The Towering Inferno' — Paul Newman faces the fire in ‘The Towering Inferno’

The OG skyscraper disaster movie, The Towering Inferno, has intense and perilously high stakes, literally. The plot involves a group of people who become trapped in a colossal skyscraper when a massive fire breaks out. There are many parallels to the well-known action movie Die Hard, and it is easy to see how influential The Towering Inferno was. Both movies involve a dangerous event in a tall glass building on the night of a party, and both feature a dynamic duo of heroes who try to save the day. In The Towering Inferno, rescue comes in the form of the building’s architect, Doug Roberts (Paul Newman), and a fire chief named Michael O’Halloran (Steve McQueen).

The cast of The Towering Inferno is impressive and includes Hollywood legends Faye Dunaway, Fred Astaire, William Holden, and Richard Chamberlain. The action is heart-racing and feels palpable. Your palms may even start to sweat as the combination of heat and dizzying heights intensifies the already treacherous situations. If you want a solid adrenaline rush that is ablaze with drama, The Towering Inferno is your next watch.

3

‘Sunday Bloody Sunday’ (1971)

Glenda Jackson rests against Murray Head on a park bench in Sunday Bloody Sunday

Sunday Bloody Sunday is a candid look into the lives of a love triangle in London. The story revolves around a contemporary artist named Bob (Murray Head) and his love affairs with a divorced woman named Alex (Glenda Jackson) and a middle-aged male doctor named Daniel (Peter Finch). Bob is open about his love for both of them, and Alex and Daniel agree to some extent to accept the open relationship.

Sunday Bloody Sunday has several interesting observations about love, compromise, and loneliness. It features lovely cinematography, and the acting and direction are superb. While it wasn’t a box office success in the United States, Sunday Bloody Sunday received widespread critical acclaim and earned four Academy Award nominations.

It is either a story about love and how it should be free and unencumbered, or it is a story of compromise and manipulation.

Sunday Bloody Sunday can be understood from varying points of view. It is either a story about love and how it should be free and unencumbered, or it is a story of compromise and manipulation. Bob says that he cares for Alex and Daniel, but not enough to make him want to stay in London, as he prepares to move to New York to sell his art. Bob may have also zeroed in on these two individuals, both several years older than him, because he knew they were lonely enough that they wouldn’t demand all of him. As film critic Roger Ebert stated, “This is not a movie about the loss of love, but about its absence.” Sunday Bloody Sunday makes for a subtly melancholy romance, and it is one of the most celebrated ’70s movies for free on Prime right now.

4

‘Capricorn One’ (1978)

James Brolin, Sam Waterston, and OJ Simpson together in a hallway in Capricorn One — James Brolin as Charles Brubaker, Sam Waterston as Peter Willis, and O.J. Simpson as Jack Walker, together in a hallway in Capricorn One

Science fiction and conspiracy theory movies were reaching their zenith in the 1970s, and one immersive picture that combines the two is Capricorn One. In the movie, NASA officials realize that a malfunction on a planned mission to Mars could be catastrophic. With the threat of losing face and losing funding, they decide to fake everything: the mission, the landing, everything. The three astronauts involved, Charles (James Brolin), John (O.J. Simpson), and Peter (Sam Waterston), only find out at the very last second that they are being pulled from the mission, and they are whisked away to a remote location where fake footage of them is filmed. All seems to be convincing enough until a reporter named Robert Caulfield (Elliott Gould) intensifies his investigation of the project.

Many Americans believed that the Apollo 11 moon landing was faked. Capricorn One hits this nerve and plays it like a zither. The timing and release of the movie were crucial after political assassinations, conspiracies, and government mistrust were peaking. As Collider’s Liam Gaughan notes, “A post-Watergate America was much more willing to accept this as realistic than it would have been previously.”

Capricorn One is a well-suited watch for fans of historic sci-fi and political thrillers. It has strong moments of suspense and several twists and turns along the way. Who would have guessed that nearly five decades later the plot of Capricorn One would remain surprisingly relevant? As AI-generated content and deepfake instances grow, this seemingly odd and outlandish premise does not seem too far off.

5

‘Hot Stuff’ (1979)

Jerry Reed, Luis Avalos, Suzanne Pleshette, and Dom DeLuise holding boxes and looking off camera in Hot Stuff

Comedy fans should check out the slapstick riot that is Hot Stuff. Dom DeLuise stars as Ernie, a cop who is tired of all the chaos and just wants to retire. When the police captain recruits Ernie to be the lead in an undercover sting operation, he is less than enthused. The plan is to set up a shop that attracts criminals to sell their stolen goods, with Ernie posing as the business owner. The plan works to a dramatic extent, and a hilarious barrage of shenanigans and exciting circumstances take place.

Hot Stuff is a viewer favorite with an impressive 74% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. It is full of laughs, and all of the cast are brilliant. Among the more whimsical and amusing parts of the movie, there are also solid action scenes with explosions, car chases, and more. There’s even a sweet romance subplot! Hot Stuff is an audience favorite for a reason. It is a super fun 1970s buddy cop comedy and one of DeLuise’s best.