1970s Films

A 1970 animated Christmas film directed by Barry Mahon and Tony Benedict. When a park ranger tells two bear cubs, Nikomi and Chinook, about Christmas and Santa Claus, they become determined to stay awake instead of hibernating so they can meet Santa. Their mother, Nana, cynically tells them there is no Santa, but the cubs' faith persists. The ranger is eventually persuaded to impersonate Santa to fulfill their wish. The theatrical release includes live-action bookend sequences directed by Barry Mahon, often edited out in television broadcasts. The film aired in syndication regularly during the holiday season for decades and is marked Public Domain on Archive.org.

Animation · Family · Fantasy

A 1971 American crime comedy-drama directed by Ivan Passer, his first American film after fleeing Czechoslovakia. George Segal stars as J, a former hairdresser turned heroin addict who scrounges for his next fix on the mean streets of New York City while committing petty crimes and running errands for a drug dealer. When he tries to steal a car, he meets Parm (Karen Black), and begins a tenuous romance. The film also features Paula Prentiss and an early supporting role by Robert De Niro. Shot on location in Manhattan, particularly Times Square, the film was not registered for copyright at the time of its release, placing it in the public domain.

Comedy · Crime · Drama

A 1971 American biographical film starring George Hamilton as motorcycle daredevil Evel Knievel. Directed by Marvin J. Chomsky and co-written by John Milius, the film depicts Knievel reflecting on major events in his life — particularly his relationship with his wife Linda (Sue Lyon) — through a flashback narrative leading up to a big jump. Much of the film was shot in Knievel's hometown of Butte, Montana, with actual stunt footage intercut with staged scenes. The film ends with Knievel completing his February 1971 jump at the Ontario Motor Speedway and riding toward the Grand Canyon, referencing a planned jump that never materialized. Although the film bears a copyright statement, it was never registered for copyright, placing it in the public domain.

Action · Biography · Drama

A 1972 American science fiction film mostly filmed in 1967 under Herbert J. Leder's direction but completed years later without the original cast, costumes, or sets. Spies discover that the Red Chinese have built a "doomsday machine" capable of destroying the surface of the Earth, and plan to use it within days. The U.S. scrambles a mission to Venus, at the last minute replacing three male crew members with female ones to ensure repopulation. The film is notorious for its disjointed production history and marked Public Domain on Archive.org. Casey Kasem appears as the Mission Control Officer.

Sci-Fi

A 1972 Spanish-British science fiction horror film directed by Eugenio Martín, starring Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, and Telly Savalas. British anthropologist Alexander Saxton (Lee) discovers a frozen prehistoric humanoid in Manchuria in 1906 and boards the Trans-Siberian Express to transport it to Europe. But when passengers begin turning up dead — their brains drained of memories — Saxton and his rival Dr. Wells (Cushing) realize the creature is alive and possesses the power to absorb minds and control bodies. Telly Savalas appears in the final act as a Cossack captain. The film was shot in Madrid and marked Peter Cushing's first film after the death of his wife. The screenplay was by blacklisted writer Julian Zimet (credited as Julian Halevy). The film is marked Public Domain on Archive.org.

Horror · Sci-Fi

A 1972 American made-for-television horror film directed by Daniel Petrie, broadcast on ABC Movie of the Week. After several locals are viciously murdered in a Louisiana bayou town, Sheriff Aaron Whitaker (David Janssen) begins to suspect he may be dealing with a werewolf. As the investigation deepens, the suspects include the town doctor, a swamp dweller, and the local aristocrat Andrew Rodanthe (Bradford Dillman), whose sister Louise (Barbara Rush) becomes the sheriff's romantic interest. Based on the novel by Leslie H. Whitten, the film is a Southern Gothic murder mystery with a lycanthropic twist, filmed on location in Burnside and Clinton, Louisiana. The film is marked Public Domain on Archive.org.

Horror · Mystery · Thriller

A 1972 American slasher film directed by Theodore Gershuny, starring Patrick O'Neal, Mary Woronov, and John Carradine. The plot follows a series of murders that occur in a small New England town on Christmas Eve after a man inherits a family estate which was once an insane asylum. As the body count rises, the town's dark secrets are revealed through a series of eerie phone calls and flashbacks. The film was produced by Lloyd Kaufman (later of Troma Entertainment) and is considered a precursor to the slasher genre that would explode later in the decade. Although a copyright statement appears in the credits, the film was never registered for copyright, placing it in the public domain.

Horror · Thriller · Mystery

A 1973 American science fiction thriller directed by Denis Sanders from a screenplay by Nicholas Meyer (later director of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan). In a small California town, male scientists at a top-secret research facility begin dying after extreme sexual exertion. State Department agent Neil Agar (William Smith) investigates and uncovers a horrific plot: a mad scientist (Anitra Ford) is using radiation-mutated bee serum to transform women into queen bees who seduce men to death. Roger Ebert called it "the best schlock soft-core science fiction movie" of its era. The film is a cult favorite, praised as a stinging satire of 1970s sexual politics. It is marked Public Domain on Archive.org.

Sci-Fi · Horror · Thriller

The last of Hammer's Dracula films to feature Christopher Lee, and the third to pair him with Peter Cushing's Van Helsing. In modern London, Scotland Yard uncovers a secret society of powerful figures dabbling in the occult and a plague designed to wipe out humanity, and the trail leads to a reclusive property developer named D.D. Denham, who is in truth Count Dracula himself. The film moves the series into contemporary conspiracy thriller territory, with bikers, Satanists, and a biological weapon. Lee, who had grown tired of the role, gives Dracula a colder, more calculating edge here. The film fell into the public domain in the United States and circulates widely under this title and as Count Dracula and His Vampire Bride.

Horror

Originally aired as an ABC Movie of the Week on November 12, 1974, this thriller directed by Burt Kennedy follows a man traveling through a remote backwoods area who is taken captive by a group of orphaned children. The children want him to become their father, and adults who refuse that particular honor have a way of disappearing. Stacy Keach leads the cast alongside Samantha Eggar, John Savage, and Robby Benson. The film, also known as *Evil in the Swamp*, was produced by Cinemation Industries and filmed in Lebanon, Tennessee. Because it was published in the United States between 1929 and 1977 without a copyright notice, it is in the public domain.

Horror · Thriller

A 1974 Japanese martial arts film directed by Shigehiro Ozawa and starring Sonny Chiba as Takuma Tsurugi, a mercenary karate master. When both the Yakuza and the Mafia plot to kidnap the daughter of a deceased oil magnate, Tsurugi is hired by each side — but when neither will meet his price, he switches sides to protect the heiress. The film was released in the United States by New Line Cinema and became one of the distributor's first commercial successes. It is notable as the first film to receive an X-rating in the US solely for violence, thanks to Chiba's brutally realistic karate techniques. The film spawned multiple sequels and cemented Chiba's status as an international martial arts icon.

Action · Crime · Thriller

A 1975 American Western film directed by Earl Bellamy. When the eldest daughter of a pioneer family is kidnapped by a mysterious Native American warrior, her teenage brother Sam Sutter (Stewart Petersen) sets out to rescue her. Along the way, he encounters a wise but alcoholic trapper named Russian (Richard Boone) who agrees to help him track down the unknown tribe. Their perilous journey into the remote Red Rock region of Utah brings them face to face with Chief Cut Tongue (Henry Wilcoxon), whose solution to the situation is treacherous — Sam must sacrifice his own life by passing the test of "Crooked Sky" and shield his sister from an executioner's arrow. The film is marked Public Domain on Archive.org.

Western · Adventure · Family

A 1976 American science fiction horror film directed by Ralph Nelson, starring Rock Hudson. A scientist (Hudson) doing experiments on a human fetus discovers a method to accelerate the fetus into a mature adult in just a few days using a growth hormone. His creation, Victoria (Barbara Carrera), develops rapidly into a beautiful and brilliant woman — but soon begins to exhibit horrifying psychopathic tendencies. As she accelerates beyond his control, the scientist must confront the ethical and physical consequences of playing God. The film also features Diane Ladd and Roddy McDowall, with a cameo by psychologist Dr. Joyce Brothers playing herself.

Sci-Fi · Horror

A low-budget creature feature directed by Richard Ashe and written by Bill Finger, co-creator of Batman. Mineralogist Paul Carlson (Chase Cordell) is struck in the head by a meteorite fragment during a meteor shower, embedding itself in his skull. Under the light of the full moon, Paul transforms into a reptilian monster that prowls the New Mexico desert, killing anyone it encounters. His girlfriend Kathy and Professor "Johnny Longbow" Salinas race to find a cure before the next full moon. Shot in Albuquerque in 1972 on a $300,000 budget, the film features local non-actors as extras and a performance of the song "California Lady" by Frank Larrabee and his band, who happened to be staying at the same hotel as the crew. The film was featured on Mystery Science Theater 3000. The film is in the public domain.

Horror · Sci-Fi

A 1977 Italian science fiction film directed by Alfonso Brescia (credited as Al Bradley), originally titled Anno Zero - Guerra Nello Spazio. A strange signal arrives on Earth disturbing all communications. Captain Alex Hamilton (John Richardson) is sent with his spaceship and crew beyond the Solar System to find the source. They reach an unknown planet where a giant robot has enslaved a population of humanoids by taking their psychic energies. The crew pledges to help the inhabitants escape their enslavement and destroy the computer. The film is a low-budget Italian space opera typical of the post-Star Wars exploitation boom.

Sci-Fi · Adventure

A 1977 American made-for-television horror film directed by Herb Wallerstein from a teleplay by Joseph Stefano (co-creator of The Outer Limits and writer of Psycho). A bloodthirsty Bigfoot-like creature terrorizes a ski resort in the Colorado Rockies during the town's annual Snow Carnival. Former Olympic skiing champion Gar Seberg (Bo Svenson) and his wife Ellen (Yvette Mimieux) arrive seeking work, only to find vacationers disappearing. The resort owner (Sylvia Sidney) tries to keep the killings secret to protect her business, while the sheriff (Clint Walker) blames a rogue bear. One of the many Jaws-inspired creature features of the late 1970s, the film is notable for its POV monster shots and location filming in Crested Butte, Colorado.

Horror · Thriller

A 1978 American made-for-television science fiction film directed by David L. Hewitt and Kenneth Hartford. An intelligence agent (Robert Vaughn) discovers a Nazi plot to revive the Third Reich by replacing world leaders with obedient clones. The film follows his efforts to convince the authorities that surviving Nazis are using cloning technology to infiltrate global governments. The film features Keenan Wynn, Merrie Lynn Ross, and Aldo Ray in supporting roles. It is marked Public Domain on Archive.org.

Sci-Fi · Thriller

Abel Ferrara's feature debut, a grimy, hallucinatory descent into urban madness shot on 16mm in New York's Union Square. Ferrara himself stars (credited as Jimmy Laine) as Reno Miller, a struggling artist driven to madness by poverty, noise, and the pressures of city life. He vents his rage by stalking derelicts at night with a power drill. The film blends punk rock energy with Catholic guilt and Expressionist horror, anticipating the themes of sin and redemption that would define Ferrara's later work in Bad Lieutenant and King of New York. The Driller Killer was one of the notorious "video nasties" prosecuted in the UK under the Obscene Publications Act, giving it a notoriety that overshadowed its art-house ambitions. The film is in the public domain.

Horror · Thriller