1970-1979

1970

• Altman's M.A.S.H.
  
• Wadleigh's Woodstock sets a new style for concert musicals
  
• Sony sells Portapak half-inch portable videotape system. Video movement begins
  
  1971
  
• Bananas marks the feature film debut of Woody Allen. Its also the debut of Sylvester Stallone.
  
• Cable television continues its rapid expansion, showing Hollywood movies without commercials
  
  1972
  
• The Godfather, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, stars Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, James Cann. It becomes the most profitable film to date
  
• Marlon Brando makes one of the most controversial films, Last Tango In Paris. It is one of the few X-rated films to be critically acclaimed.
  
• Home Box Office (HBO) becomes the first premium pay cable station.
  
  1973
  
• American Graffiti, directed by George Lucas becomes a launching block for stars Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Harrison Ford, Bob Hopkins, Paul Le Mat and Susan Sommers.
  
• The Exorcist marks renewed interest in horror and shock effects in film
  
• To maximize profits from weekend audiences, the industry decide to move major film opening from mid-week to fridays.
  
  1974
  
• Steven Speilberg makes his directorial debut with The Sugarland Express.
  
• In Canada, Oliver Stone debuts as a director in Seizure.
  
• The Towering Inferno, marks the first time that two studios, Fox and Warner Brothers, collaborated on a film. The movie opens the door to disaster films.
  
• Mel Brooks makes his first satirical comedy, Blazing Saddles.
  
• MGM opts out of the film business, sells studio, sets, and costumes.
  
  1975
  
• Jaws, directed by Steven Speilberg, stars Richard Dreyfuss, Robert Shaw, and Roy Scheider. It breaks all box-office records and begins the summer blockbuster trend.
  
• One Flew Over the Cockoo's Nest, directed by Milos Forman, stars Jack Nicholson, becomes the first film since 1934 to win the top five Oscars.
  
• Rocky Horror Picture Show becomes an immediate cult hit on both sides of the Atlantic.
  
• Altman's Nashville released
  
• Dolby film sound system introduced
  
• Sony markets home videotape Betamax system with a sales price of $2000.
  
• Creative Artists Agency (CAA) is founded my Michael Ovitz. They begin "packaging" talent for movies and will soon help cause the increase in movie costs.
  
  1976
  
• The Rocky dynasty begins, directed by John G. Avildsen; all sequels directed by Sylvester Stallone.
  
• Taxi Driver, directed by Martin Scorsese, stars Robert de Niro, Cybil Shepard, Harvey Keitel and the teen-aged Jodie Foster.
  
• Paramount becomes the first studio to release its film library onto Betamax.
  
• JVC and Matsushita begin selling VHS systems.
  
  1977
  
• Star Wars, directed by George Lucas, revolutionizes science fiction and special effects.
  
• Close Encounters of the Third Kind, directed and written by Steven Speilberg.
  
• Grand Theft Auto, Ron Howard's directorial debut.
  
• Critical and commercial success of Woody Allen's Annie Hall.
  
• Saturday Night Fever, stars John Travolta, and begins huge Disco music trend.
  
  1978
  
• Superman, directed by Richard Donner, starts comic book film trend.
  
• La Cage aux Folles, directed by Edouard Molinaro, becomes huge French hit.
  
• Grease becomes one of the biggest grossing musicals ever
  
  1979
  
• The China Syndrome foreshadows events at Three Mile Island several weeks before the actually occur.
  
• Francis Coppola's Apocalypse Now is finally released
  
• Miramax films, independent distributor, founded by Harvey and Bob Weinstein
  
  
  

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