Suggestions for gritty NYC in the 70s movies

Oh good, something to watch tonight.


Short Eyes (1977, Robert M. Young)
Based on a play by Miguel Pinero with a soundtrack by Curtis Mayfield it chronicles a a young, middle-class, white man accused of raping a young girl, who arrives at an unnamed New York City prison as socially and racially segregated as the outside world.

 

Just watched Serpico (1973) today and yep, it’s gritty NYC. Tons of NY scenes and neighborhoods.

 

The real life story happened in NYC but the movie changed the location to Chicago.

 

The Education of Sonny Carson (1974, Michael Campus)

 

Ditto - plus pretty much anything directed by Larry Cohen.

 

I know it’s not the 70s but it is gritty and a very good movie - last year’s Motherless Brooklyn.

 

Nighthawks (1981)... it's not technically the 1970's as it was shot in 1980, but close enough and a really underrated little thriller that was literally two decades ahead of it's time. The disco scene where Sly Stallone finally identifies Rutger Hauer is an all-timer... composition, editing, music, performances, a classic;

 

I suppose KLUTE would also fit the bill.

 

Heavy Traffic (1973, Ralph Bakshi)



Known as a flawed masterpiece, Bakshi employing a multitude of animation styles, it's a trip with issues.

 

The Seven-Ups (1974, Philip D'Antoni)
Same producers as French Connection. I like this one better.
streamer

 

Short Eyes was a real intense 70s prison movie. Not sure if it could be made today.

 

Yeah, reflected what was happening on the street - as prison does. Don't see why it couldn't be made today, though. HBO production maybe? I thought OZ was much worse in terms of PC and graphic violence.

 

This is great, thanks to all!

 

American Gangster (2007)......if you love 70's gritty New York flicks, this one is for you. A fantastic time capsule experience based on the life of Frank Lucas.

 

I hope I'm not misremembering but I think "Fingers" "Pelham 1-2-3" and "Needle Park" are scheduled to be on TCM this week .. hopefully LATER this week!!! Great lists...


First few minutes of Live and Let Die
Black Caesar a lot of new york
Trick Baby... if you wanna see PHILLY
Little Murders with Eliot Gould

ok so that's what I saw in the schedule there... DRAT why can't TCM get some kind of HD channel going??

 

This will be on TCM tomorrow !

 

Goodfellas

 

Or Abel Ferrara

 

They do offer an HD channel but most cable operators opt for the standard def. Sucks

 

The Telephone Book (1971, Nelson Lyon)

Chick falls in love with an obscene caller and sets out on a quest to meet him. It is an underground classic and I'm glad I found this funky streamer.

 

I was thinking not so much the prison part but the fact the child molestation part, it was a little creepy hearing him describe the incident which landed him in jail.

It was a great pretty much lost classic though. A friend at work had recommended, I had never heard of it.

 

Another good one!

 

I'll see your Serpico and raise you

 

Anything with Pacino on it.

 

Beat me to it, haha.

This movie is so "New York" that you can practically smell the garbage and the hobos.