11 Unapologetic Movies from the 1970s That Don't Require Your Admiration

      These 12 unabashed films from the 1970s prioritize entertainment over respect.

      But First

      Credit: C/O

      We’re not referring to X-rated films, which belong to a separate category. Similarly, we’re not including films like Serpico, The French Connection, and Mean Streets that showcase shamelessness but maintain a certain level of class.

      Instead, we're focusing on films that shock and sensationalize purely for the sake of exhilarating — or perhaps not-so-exhilarating — thrills.

      Here we go.

      Smokey and the Bandit (1977)

      Universal Pictures – Credit: Universal Pictures

      Smokey and the Bandit features an extended car chase — and what a chase it is — with a straightforward, inappropriate romance interspersed between Bandit (Burt Reynolds) and runaway bride/hitchhiker Carrie (Sally Field).

      Everything about this film feels outdated, from the CB radios to hitchhiking, yet it remains utterly captivating. The casting is also a delight, featuring Jackie Gleason as Sheriff Buford T. Justice and Paul Williams as Little Enos Burdette.

      Fans of Dukes of Hazzard might enjoy comparing the film and the show, potentially engaging in some spirited debates about which came first.

      Caligula (1979)

      Produzioni Atlas – Credit: C/O

      Penthouse founder Bob Guccione’s attempt to create a mainstream film resulted in Caligula — a tale of the hedonistic Roman emperor featuring prominent names.

      With the fearless Malcolm McDowell leading the cast, alongside Teresa Ann Savoy, Helen Mirren, and Peter O'Toole, the film is primarily infamous for its exaggerated sex scenes.

      Though Gore Vidal, a respected writer, penned the script, he distanced himself from the project after director Tinto Brass made significant changes.

      The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

      Bryanston Distributing Company – Credit: C/O

      This unapologetically audacious film (starting with its title) leverages its grotesqueness to chilling effect. It stands as one of the most gripping horror films ever, characterized by its intense atmosphere filled with sex and violence.

      With unsettling sounds of animals and buzzing flies, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre establishes from the outset that it will push boundaries, even prior to the first rev of Leatherface’s chainsaw.

      Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS (1975)

      Cinépix Film Properties – Credit: C/O

      Ilsa, She Wolf of the S.S. begins with a pretentious opening card (see above), but it serves merely as a framework for the story of Ilsa, a villainous Nazi warden who wishes to prove that women can endure suffering better than men, thereby earning the right to fight for Hitler.

      Naturally, she demonstrates this through a series of “experiments” on women who are, at best, barely clothed. Let’s all agree: “They wouldn’t be able to make this today.”

      Directed by Don Edmonds, this Canadian film received a critique from Gene Siskel, who labeled it “the most degenerate picture I have seen to play downtown.” It’s unclear whether he considered that a compliment or not.

      The Driller Killer (1979)

      Rochelle Films – Credit: C/O

      Abel Ferrara has directed notable classics — including King of New York and Bad Lieutenant — but he honed his craft with The Driller Killer. (His debut was an adult film in which he also acted.)

      Ferrara also stars in The Driller Killer (above), which tells the tale of a New York City artist who channels his urban frustration into a killing spree using a power tool.

      The film made the UK's “video nasties” list, criticized for its extreme content.

      Dolemite (1975)

      Dimension Pictures – Credit: C/O

      While we hold Dolemite in high regard, the film unquestionably falls into the sleazy category, given that its hero is a pimp.

      Rudy Ray Moore’s endlessly entertaining Blaxploitation character emerged from his raunchy stand-up routines, sharing tales of streetwise hustler Dolemite, who famously declared, “Dolemite is my name and f—ing up motherf—ers is my game.”

      Dolemite also exemplified independent filmmaking, a theme explored in the recent film Dolemite Is My Name starring Eddie Murphy.

      Thriller: A Cruel Picture (1973)

      Europa Film – Credit: C/O

      Considered one of the finest exploitation films ever created, this Swedish film directed by Bo Arne Vibenius features Christina Lindberg as a mute woman who endures a succession of harrowing traumas — which Vibenius boldly depicts onscreen.

      Ultimately, she acquires a double-barrel shotgun and embarks on a well-deserved revenge quest against her assailants.

      The Last House on the Left (1972)

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