POLL: Best Picture of the 1970s?

I’m going to pick up where the previous guy left off with the 2000-2009 era.
The 90s were solid—great movies—but I think I’ll skip over them since > ended up taking the Oscar over heavy hitters like >, >, >, >, or >. As for the 80s? Pretty dismal.

So, let's look at the best Best Picture winner from the 70s.
I’m fairly certain > will pull the most votes here, but...

1970. >


1971. >


1972. >


1973. >


1974. >


1975. >


1976. >


1977. >


1978. >


1979. >

Here’s how I see it:

It’ll likely come down to a showdown between The Godfather, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and maybe something else entirely.
The Deer Hunter.

If I had to cast my vote, I’d be choosing between The Sting or The Deer Hunter.
Sting is easily the most entertaining one on the list, whereas The Deer Hunter hits hard because of how raw it is—all that suffering and the Russian roulette scenes just feel too real.

Let's just go with The Deer Hunter.

Now that is an impressive selection!

In my eyes, nothing will ever top it: One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest remains number one.

1. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
2. The Godfather
3. The French Connection
4. The Sting
5. The Deer Hunter
6. Annie Hall
7. The Godfather: Part II
8. Midnight Cowboy
9. Patton
10. Rocky

The Godfather

Yeah, it's solid
I've seen all of them 😁

1. "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest"
2. "The Godfather"
3. "Annie Hall"
4. "The Godfather : Part II"
5. "Patton"
6. "Midnight Cowboy"
7. "The Deer Hunter"
8. "Sting"
9. "Rocky"

I haven't actually sat down to watch "The French Connection" yet 😢

The competition is honestly pretty intense, I guess 🙏

For me, The Deer Hunter takes the top spot without question. As for second place, though? I’m genuinely stuck. It’s a toss-up between The Godfather and Flight, and honestly, picking one over the other feels almost impossible. I truly can't decide which one deserves that runner-up position.

It just doesn't hold a candle to 🙂Rocky
.

The Deer Hunter

In my estimation, this stands as the greatest cinematic achievement ever put to film... I cast my vote here before even glancing at the other contenders 😁

Rocky and The French Connection. Both of them, all the way...

1. The Deer Hunter (hands down the 😁)
2. The Godfather
3. The Godfather Part II
4. One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest

Steven Baker12 said:It’s not even in the same league as Rocky. 🙂

Give me a break, Rocky has absolutely nothing to do with this.

hollowsailor19 said:Oh, please. Let’s be reasonable here—Rocky has absolutely nothing to do with this.

There is something uniquely special about *Rocky*, in its own distinct way. It carries a specific message that resonates deeply, and honestly, I can completely see why some people would argue it’s their absolute favorite. You might be convinced that another film takes the top spot, and that's fine—everyone has their own taste—but let's just give the others a bit of breathing room for a moment, shall we?😁

velvetcrane57 said:Rocky is special in its own way. It carries a specific message that resonates, and I totally get why people argue it's the greatest of all time. You might feel like it belongs on a different level entirely, and that’s fine, but maybe give the rest of the fans a break for a second.😁

Rocky is special because it feels lived-in and delivers a genuinely great message, even if the story itself is a bit of a stretch.

It’s like watching Philip gear up for a showdown with some nobody that absolutely nobody has ever heard of before.
What's even in the dictionary? And honestly, if he keeps this up, I’m going to lose it. It's just not happening.

I honestly find myself quite perplexed by this whole debate, because I just can't wrap my head around why so many people insist that The Godfather: Part II is actually superior to the original, even though the first one is, in my humble opinion, absolutely flawless! It’s such a fascinating point of contention, isn't it? I mean, I suppose there are valid arguments to be made for both, but I just can't quite grasp the logic behind choosing one over the other when the first film is such an absolute masterpiece. Perhaps it's just a matter of personal taste, I guess, but I find myself constantly questioning that consensus!

I suppose if we are looking back at that magnificent Best Picture list, I might have to suggest that The Godfather: Part II holds a very special place in my heart, though perhaps it’s just me being sentimental!
I suppose I should probably mention that, if we're really going to dive into this, my personal pick would have to be The Godfather. It’s just one of those films, isn't it? I mean, I guess you could argue about it all day, but there's just something so incredibly grand about it!
I suppose I should probably mention that I’ve been thinking quite a bit lately about the sheer, overwhelming weight of *The Deer Hunter*, and honestly, it just stays with you, doesn't it? It’s one of those films that feels less like a movie and more like an experience you have to process over several days, maybe even weeks, if you're being truthful. I find myself drifting back to its imagery constantly, though I'm not entirely sure why my mind keeps circling back to it so relentlessly!

That’s right... The Godfather : Part II

People might lose faith in the Godfathers (I personally went with the second one), but honestly, they aren't even worth the hype anyway.

If I had to choose from this selection, it would undoubtedly be The Godfather, though I find it a profound cosmic injustice that Taxi Driver wasn't included in the conversation...🙂

The Godfather, hands down, has no competition.
Half of these movies are absolute masterpieces, but I guess The Godfather is just on a completely different level.