Gritty Realistic 70s Action/Dramas...

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

I think it's Twilight Time putting out The Driver, not Olive.

I know I saw it as a teenager on VHS but I don't remember much about it outside of the fact that I liked it.

[Scott Intellectual Carrot Find all posts View Profile Close Scott]

I don't like NIGHT MOVES anymore ....

Curious, how come?

[Paul L Scholar of Sleaze Find all posts View Profile Close Paul L]

THE FRIENDS OF EDDIE COYLE, obviously. Surprised no-one has mentioned this yet. I've also had a long-held soft spot for BUSTING.

Moving into the early 1980s, but still tinged with that 70s vibe, I'd add FIGHTING BACK and John Flynn's DEFIANCE.

And if you're throwing in SITTING TARGET, I'll add Michael Tuchner's VILLAIN, Michael Apted's THE SQUEEZE, Tom Clegg's McVICAR, Ian Merrick's THE BLACK PANTHER, Sidney Lumet's THE OFFENCE, Donald Cammell's PERFORMANCE, Mike Hodges' TV films 'Suspect' and 'Rumour' (and, of course, GET CARTER) and David Wickes' SWEENEY! :)

[Quot Bark! Go away Find all posts View Profile Close Quot]

Some great mentions so far (The Driver, Who'll Stop the Rain to rename a couple), to which I'd like to add:

Remember My Name
Play Misty For Me
Rolling Thunder
Macon County Line
Ode to Billy Joe
Aloha Bobby and Rose
The Panic in Needle Park
Carney
White Line Fever (and check out the TV-movie, Tribes, for even more Jan-Michael Vincent goodness)

I'm sure I'll remember tons more after posting this, so I shall return...

[Scott Intellectual Carrot Find all posts View Profile Close Scott]

The Gambler - 1974

[Richard--W a straight arrow Find all posts View Profile Close Richard--W]

Don't overlook the blaxploitation films of the 1970s. Shaft you know about, but there are so many good ones:

Across 110th Street -- a minor masterwork, this.
Bamboo Gods and Iron Men -- love this title.
Black Caeser
Black Mama, White Mama*
Bucktown
Coffy*
Cleopatra Jones*
Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold*
Come Back Charleston Blue
Cotton Comes to Harlem
Detroit 9000
Foxy Brown*
Friday Foster*
Hammer
Hell Up In Harlem
Sheba, Baby*
Slaughter
Slaughter's Big Ripoff
Superfly -- under-the-fingernails-gritty
Three the Hard Way
Trouble Man
Truck Turner
Which Way Is Up

and a hundred more. Lots of Death Wish-style action. They are all good, solid genre films. The two Slaughter films are particularly strong and well-made. Black Caeser and its sequel Hell Up In Harlem are nearly classic examples of the genre.

*female leads.

[Paul L Scholar of Sleaze Find all posts View Profile Close Paul L]

Don't overlook the blaxploitation films of the 1970s. Shaft you know about, but there are so many good ones:

Across 110th Street -- a minor masterwork, this.
Black Caeser
Come Back Charleston Blue
Cotton Comes to Harlem
Foxy Brown*
Hammer
Hell Up In Harlem
Sheba, Baby*
Slaughter
Slaughter's Big Ripoff
Superfly -- under-the-fingernails-gritty
Trouble Man
Truck Turner

These are my favourite black action films from your list, Richard. SUPERFLY, ACROSS 110th STREET and TROUBLE MAN may be my absolute favourites of the subgenre. I also like the Jesse Crowder films that Fred Williamson made (and MEAN JOHNNY BARROWS) - cheap action pics, certainly, but they get extra points from me for their location work, which gives them a 'grit' they otherwise may have lacked.

[Quot Bark! Go away Find all posts View Profile Close Quot]

Good call on the two Coffin Ed and Gravedigger Jones flicks.

Richard, have you seen Gordon Parks' The Super Cops? Seeing your Superfly namecheck reminded me of it, a sorely underseen urban exploitation film (hard to call it blaxploitation since the two "heroes" are white)...

[Richard--W a straight arrow Find all posts View Profile Close Richard--W]

THE SUPER COPS is a lot of fun and I like it, but is it gritty? I'm glad this finally came out. Several of Gordeon Parks' best films are still missing in action.

MEAN JOHNNY BARROWS is a superb film, but my memory fails me on the Jesse Crowder films. Which are they?

Perusing my shelves I come across three of the grittiest dramas of the 1970s: CINDERELLA LIBERTY (costarring a down & dirty Marsha Mason before she started making "decent" movies), THE LAST DETAIL with Jack Nicholson, and Peckinpah's BRING ME THE HEAD OF ALFREDO GARCIA. Together with THE PANIC IN NEEDLE PARK, these are the grittiest films of the decade.

The original WALKING TALL and FRAMED, both with Joe Don Baker, fit the bill. So does THE HIT with BILLY DEE WILLIAMS which just came out on blu.

[Richard--W a straight arrow Find all posts View Profile Close Richard--W]

THE HARDER THEY COME (Jamaica, 1972) by Perry Henzel.

WANDA (1970) by Barbara Loden.


Let us know if you liked any of these, Alison.

[Paul L Scholar of Sleaze Find all posts View Profile Close Paul L]

THE SUPER COPS is a lot of fun and I like it, but is it gritty? I'm glad this finally came out. Several of Gordeon Parks' best films are still missing in action.

MEAN JOHNNY BARROWS is a superb film, but my memory fails me on the Jesse Crowder films. Which are they?

[Chris Kewley Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chris Kewley]

Don't overlook the blaxploitation films of the 1970s. Shaft you know about, but there are so many good ones:

Across 110th Street -- a minor masterwork, this.
Bamboo Gods and Iron Men -- love this title.
Black Caeser
Black Mama, White Mama*
Bucktown
Coffy*
Cleopatra Jones*
Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold*
Come Back Charleston Blue
Cotton Comes to Harlem
Detroit 9000
Foxy Brown*
Friday Foster*
Hammer
Hell Up In Harlem
Sheba, Baby*
Slaughter
Slaughter's Big Ripoff
Superfly -- under-the-fingernails-gritty
Three the Hard Way
Trouble Man
Truck Turner
Which Way Is Up

and a hundred more. Lots of Death Wish-style action. They are all good, solid genre films. The two Slaughter films are particularly strong and well-made. Black Caeser and its sequel Hell Up In Harlem are nearly classic examples of the genre.

*female leads.

Blaxploitation is a passion of mine & if I may add a few to your fantastic list, Hit Man (1972) Bernie Casey is tops here, great spin on Get Carter. Together Brothers (1974) Truly a gritty vibe off this one & lastly Gordon's War (1973) great action. I also have a soft spot for Black Fist although many dislike that film

[Richard--W a straight arrow Find all posts View Profile Close Richard--W]

Paul, I guess I have some catching up to do with those Jesse Crowder films.

...Richard, have you seen Gordon Parks' The Super Cops? Seeing your Superfly namecheck reminded me of it, a sorely underseen urban exploitation film (hard to call it blaxploitation since the two "heroes" are white)...

Watched this the other night and really enjoyed it. Definitely qualifies as gritty NYC action.

Another one: THE VALACHI PAPERS (1971) with Charles Bronson, directed by Terence 007 Young.

Blaxploitation is a passion of mine & if I may add a few to your fantastic list, Hit Man (1972) Bernie Casey is tops here, great spin on Get Carter. Together Brothers (1974) Truly a gritty vibe off this one & lastly Gordon's War (1973) great action. I also have a soft spot for Black Fist although many dislike that film

Great suggestions. I haven't seen BLACK FIST. I haven't seen GORDON'S WAR in ages. It isn't on authorized DVD and the unauthorized DVD looks like shvt on shingle. Most of Gordon Parks' films remain unreleased on DVD, unfortunately.

[Paul L Scholar of Sleaze Find all posts View Profile Close Paul L]

Anybody care to tell me whether DUSTY AND SWEETS McGEE, out now on Warner Archives, is worth the investment? I've never seen this one; sounds interesting.

[Barry M Super Fiend Find all posts View Profile Close Barry M]

Re: Gritty Realistic 70s Action/Dramas...

GORDON'S WAR is on a great double feature from Shout Factory. OFF LIMITS is off topic for this thread, but a lot of fun.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004RBC5H4