Top 84 Ranked

Best 1978 Movies Ranked

Classic Cinema Hits and Cult Favorites

Explore the best films of a legendary year in cinema history. From iconic horror to award-winning dramas and blockbuster hits that defined a generation.

Draft Best 1978 Movies with friends and our judges will crown a winner!

About Movies in 1978

If you want to understand the exact moment when the grit of the 1970s collided with the spectacle of the modern blockbuster, look no further than 1978. It was a year that felt like a changing of the guard, a bridge between the cynical, auteur-driven cinema of the early part of the decade and the high-concept, escapist commercialism that would define the eighties. In 1978, the movies were learning how to dream bigger while still nursing the wounds of a post-Vietnam America.

The most literal example of this shift was Superman: The Movie. Richard Donner took a comic book character and treated the source material with a level of prestige and technical sophistication that the genre had never seen. With the tagline promising that you would believe a man could fly, the film proved that audiences were ready for sincere heroism. Christopher Reeve became an instant icon, and the movie essentially provided the blueprint for every superhero franchise that dominates our screens today.

While Superman soared, a silent killer was lurking in the shadows of a fictional town called Haddonfield. John Carpenter released Halloween on a shoestring budget, and in doing so, he reinvented the horror genre. By focusing on tension rather than just gore and introducing the unstoppable Michael Myers, Carpenter launched the slasher boom. The films success proved that a well-crafted independent film could compete with the heavy hitters at the box office, changing the economics of the industry forever.

Yet, 1978 was also a year of deep reflection. The wounds of the Vietnam War were finally being addressed with mainstream gravity. The Deer Hunter, directed by Michael Cimino, arrived as a devastating masterpiece about small-town lives shattered by conflict. It won Best Picture and featured powerhouse performances from Robert De Niro and a young Meryl Streep. Simultaneously, Hal Ashby gave us Coming Home, which tackled the domestic fallout of the war with a more intimate, psychological lens. These films signaled that Hollywood was finally ready to process the national trauma that had been simmering beneath the surface for years.

On the lighter side of the cultural spectrum, the world was caught in the grip of Grease. John Travolta followed up the previous years disco fever with a nostalgic trip to the fifties that broke records and dominated the radio airwaves. It was pure, unadulterated popcorn cinema, a reminder that the movies could still be a communal celebration of youth and music. Meanwhile, Animal House brought a new, rowdy brand of comedy to the screen, ushering in the era of the raunchy ensemble film.

Film fans remember 1978 because it offered something for every facet of the human experience. It gave us the high-flying hope of a superhero, the visceral terror of a masked killer, and the somber reality of a nation at a crossroads. It was a year where the art form matured and diversified, proving that the theater was a place for both profound soul-searching and spectacular escape. Even decades later, the fingerprints of 1978 are visible across the entire landscape of modern entertainment.

The Complete Rankings

Based on the top picks in drafts on SnakeDrafts

See Top Ten
84
1978 in The Betsy (1978)
The Betsy
1978

Ruthless patriarch Loren hires racecar driver Angelo to build a more efficient vehicle against the wishes of his grandson. But things get even messier when Angelo romances two women in Loren's life -- his great-granddaughter and his grandson's mistress.

Drama
Romance
2h 5m
Daniel Petrie
83
1978 in FM (1978)
FM
1978

When a liberal music station's owners decide to introduce army recruitment ads, despite the protests of its manager, the rebellious DJs are determined to fight back, no matter the cost.

Comedy
Drama
1h 44m
John A. Alonzo
Michael Brandon, Eileen Brennan, Alex Karras, Cleavon Little
82
1978 in Renaldo and Clara (1978)
Renaldo and Clara
1978

Filmed in the autumn of 1975 prior to and during Bob Dylan's Rolling Thunder Revue tour – featuring appearances and performances by Ronee Blakley, T-Bone Burnett, Jack Elliott, Allen Ginsberg, Arlo Guthrie, Ronnie Hawkins, Roger McGuinn, Joni Mitchell, Mick Ronson, Arlen Roth, Phil Ochs, Sam Shepard, and Harry Dean Stanton – the film incorporates three distinct film genres: concert footage, documentary interviews, and dramatic fictional vignettes reflective of Dylan's song lyrics and life.

Drama
Music
3h 55m
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan, Sara Dylan, Joan Baez, Ronnie Hawkins

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81
1978 in The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith (1978)
The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith
1978

The true story of a part Aboriginal man who finds the pressure of adapting to white culture intolerable, and as a result snaps in a violent and horrific manner.

Crime
Drama
1h 53m
Fred Schepisi
Tom E. Lewis, Freddy Reynolds, Ray Barrett, Jack Thompson
80
1978 in Caravans (1978)
Caravans
1978

This epic adventure-drama based on James Michener's best-selling novel concerns a young American embassy official who is sent into the Middle-Eastern desert to find the missing daughter of a US Senator. The young woman has left her husband, a Colonel in the Shadom - she was his number two wife - and has opted for the lifestyle of a nomadic tribe. When the diplomat locates the girl he joins the caravan and attempts to persuade the girl to return.

Action
Adventure
2h 7m
James Fargo
Anthony Quinn, Jennifer O'Neill, Michael Sarrazin, Christopher Lee
79
1978 in The Big Sleep (1978)
The Big Sleep
1978

Private eye Philip Marlowe investigates a case of blackmail involving the two wild daughters of a rich general, a pornographer and a gangster.

Crime
Mystery
1h 40m
Michael Winner
Robert Mitchum, Sarah Miles, Richard Boone, Candy Clark
78
1978 in Good Guys Wear Black (1978)
Good Guys Wear Black
1978

The former leader of a commando rescue attempt into Vietnam tries to discover why his squad members are being murdered, one-by-one, after the war is over.

Action
1h 35m
Ted Post
Chuck Norris, Anne Archer, Lloyd Haynes, James Franciscus
77
1978 in Casey's Shadow (1978)
Casey's Shadow
1978

Young Casey comes from a family of racehorse trainers, and his best friend, a foal called Casey's Shadow, may just be a champion.

Drama
Family
1h 57m
Martin Ritt
Walter Matthau, Alexis Smith, Robert Webber, Murray Hamilton
76
1978 in If Ever I See You Again (1978)
If Ever I See You Again
1978

Bob Morrison, a successful composer of TV commercial jingles, is unhappy with his lack of creative freedom in developing the definitive dog-food song. Frustrated, he heads out to Hollywood to score a movie. While in California he establishes contact with an old girlfriend.

Romance
Drama
1h 45m
Joseph Brooks
Joseph Brooks, Shelley Hack, Jimmy Breslin, Jerry Keller
75
1978 in Who'll Stop the Rain (1978)
Who'll Stop the Rain
1978

John, a disillusioned Vietnam War journalist, turns to heroin smuggling. He cons Ray, an equally burnt out veteran into delivering the drugs stateside to his wife. Everything soon falls apart and Ray ends up on the run with John's wife trying to evade crooked narcotics agents.

Crime
Action
2h 6m
Karel Reisz
Nick Nolte, Tuesday Weld, Michael Moriarty, Anthony Zerbe
74
1978 in Born Again (1978)
Born Again
1978

Having been imprisoned for his part in the Watergate scandal, Charles Colson undergoes a religious conversion.

Drama
1h 50m
Irving Rapper
Dean Jones, Anne Francis, Jay Robinson, Dana Andrews
73
1978 in La Cage aux Folles (1978)
La Cage aux Folles
1978

Two gay men living in St. Tropez have their lives turned upside down when the son of one of the men announces he is getting married. They try to conceal their lifestyle and their ownership of the drag club downstairs when the fiancée and her parents come for dinner.

Comedy
1h 32m
Édouard Molinaro
Ugo Tognazzi, Michel Serrault, Claire Maurier, Rémi Laurent
72
1978 in The Brink's Job (1978)
The Brink's Job
1978

In 1950, a group of unlikely criminal masterminds commits the robbery of the century. Led by Tony Pino, a petty thief fresh out of prison, and Joe McGinnis, who specializes in planning lucrative capers, the gang robs Brink's main office in Boston of more than $2 million. However, things begin to go awry when the FBI gets involved, the cops start cracking down on the gang and McGinnis refuses to hand over the loot...

Comedy
Crime
1h 44m
William Friedkin
Peter Falk, Peter Boyle, Allen Garfield, Warren Oates
71
1978 in Laserblast (1978)
Laserblast
1978

Happy go-lucky teen Billy Duncan discovers an otherworldly laser gun in the southern California desert, making him the target of a pair of aliens who had recently executed its previous owner.

Science Fiction
Horror
1h 23m
Michael Rae
Kim Milford, Cheryl Smith, Gianni Russo, Ron Masak
70
1978 in Girlfriends (1978)
Girlfriends
1978

A photographer and her best friend are roommates. She is stuck with small-change shooting jobs and dreams of success. When her roommate decides to get married and leave, she feels hurt and has to learn how to deal with living alone.

Drama
Comedy
1h 26m
Claudia Weill
Melanie Mayron, Eli Wallach, Adam Cohen, Anita Skinner
69
1978 in The Bermuda Depths (1978)
The Bermuda Depths
1978

Scientists pursuing the mysteries of the deep are threatened by a beautiful girl who seems to have returned from the dead and by a prehistoric sea creature that dwells in the deadly Bermuda Triangle.

Science Fiction
TV Movie
1h 37m
Tsugunobu Kotani
Leigh McCloskey, Carl Weathers, Connie Sellecca, Julie Woodson
68
1978 in Power Play (1978)
Power Play
1978

A group of military officers frustrated by government corruption and brutality attempts a coup.

Thriller
Drama
1h 42m
Martyn Burke
Peter O'Toole, David Hemmings, Donald Pleasence, Barry Morse
67
1978 in The Medusa Touch (1978)
The Medusa Touch
1978

A French detective in London reconstructs the life of a man lying in hospital with severe injuries with the help of journals and a psychiatrist. He realises that the man had powerful telekinetic abilities.

Horror
Thriller
1h 49m
Jack Gold
Richard Burton, Lino Ventura, Lee Remick, Harry Andrews
66
1978 in Hot Lead & Cold Feet (1978)
Hot Lead & Cold Feet
1978

Twin brothers -- one rough and tough, the other a city-bred milquetoast -- compete for their father's fortune.

Action
Comedy
1h 30m
Robert Butler
Jim Dale, Karen Valentine, Don Knotts, Jack Elam
65
1978 in The Cat from Outer Space (1978)
The Cat from Outer Space
1978

A UFO is stranded on earth and impounded by the US government. Its pilot, a cat with a collar that gives it special powers, including the ability to communicate with humans, has eluded the authorities and seeks the help of a scientist in order to reclaim and repair his ship and get back home.

Comedy
Family
1h 44m
Norman Tokar
Ken Berry, Sandy Duncan, Harry Morgan, Roddy McDowall
64
1978 in The Greek Tycoon (1978)
The Greek Tycoon
1978

A lusty Greek shipping magnate courts the widow of an assassinated U.S. president.

Drama
1h 47m
J. Lee Thompson
Anthony Quinn, Jacqueline Bisset, Raf Vallone, Edward Albert
63
1978 in The End (1978)
The End
1978

Wendell Lawson has only six months to live. Not wanting to endure his last few months of life waiting for the end, he decides to take matters into his own hands and enlists the help of a delusional mental patient to help him commit suicide.

Comedy
Burt Reynolds, Dom DeLuise, Sally Field, Strother Martin
62
1978 in Remember My Name (1978)
Remember My Name
1978

Just released from prison, a young woman arrives in town to "start a new life," but soon begins stalking a married construction worker for no apparent reason, turning his life inside out and eventually terrorizing him and his wife.

Drama
Thriller
1h 35m
Alan Rudolph
Geraldine Chaplin, Anthony Perkins, Moses Gunn, Berry Berenson
61
1978 in Rabbit Test (1978)
Rabbit Test
1978

Lionel's life turns around after a one-night stand on top of a pinball table... he becomes the world's first pregnant man!

Comedy
1h 24m
Joan Rivers
Billy Crystal, Joan Prather, Alex Rocco, Doris Roberts
60
1978 in Gray Lady Down (1978)
Gray Lady Down
1978

The USS Neptune, a nuclear submarine, is sunk off the coast of Connecticut after a collision with a Norwegian cargo ship. The navy must attempt a potentially dangerous rescue in the hope of saving the lives of the crew.

Thriller
Drama
1h 51m
David Greene
59
1978 in House Calls (1978)
House Calls
1978

Charley is a surgeon who's recently lost his wife; he embarks on a tragicomic romantic quest with one woman after another until he meets up with Ann, a singular woman, closer to his own age, who immediately and unexpectedly captures his heart.

Comedy
Romance
1h 38m
Howard Zieff
Walter Matthau, Glenda Jackson, Art Carney, Richard Benjamin
58
1978 in The Buddy Holly Story (1978)
The Buddy Holly Story
1978

A chronicle of the rise and brief career of rock 'n' roll star Buddy Holly, who aspires to play music the way he wants it to sound. Holly and his band, the Crickets, are first invited to record in Nashville, where they encounter creative differences with the producing staff. Later they play a major booking at the Apollo Theater, scheduled there under the mistaken assumption that they're a black band. Holly's career eventually goes solo -- until the tragic day the music dies.

Drama
Music
1h 54m
Steve Rash
Gary Busey, Don Stroud, Charles Martin Smith, Conrad Janis
57
1978 in Sweeney 2 (1978)
Sweeney 2
1978

The plot is set on a group of bank robbers, who are both violent and successful, strangely getting away each time with an amount around the £60,000 mark, and often leaving behind cash in excess of this sum. The robbers are willing to kill their own team, to get away. As Jack Regan himself puts it after the first raid in the film: "I've never seen so many dead people". Armed with gold-plated Purdey shotguns, they evaded Regan and the Flying Squad for quite some time, before Regan finds encouragement from his Detective Chief Superintendent who was sent down for corruption because Jack wouldn't testify in court for him.

Action
Crime
1h 44m
Tom Clegg
John Thaw, Dennis Waterman, Denholm Elliott, Nigel Hawthorne
56
1978 in Same Time, Next Year (1978)
Same Time, Next Year
1978

A man and woman meet by chance at a romantic inn over dinner and, although both are married to others, they find themselves in the same bed the next morning questioning how this could have happened. They agree to meet on the same weekend each year—in the same hotel room—and the years pass each has some personal crisis that the other helps them through, often without both of them understanding what is going on.

Comedy
Drama
1h 59m
Robert Mulligan
Alan Alda, Ellen Burstyn, Ivan Bonar, Bernie Kuby
55
1978 in The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash (1978)
The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash
1978

The story of the rise and fall of the Pre-Fab Four.

Comedy
Music
1h 13m
Eric Idle
Eric Idle, Neil Innes, Ricky Fataar, John Halsey
54
1978 in The Shout (1978)
The Shout
1978

A traveller by the name of Crossley forces himself upon a musician and his wife in a lonely part of Devon, and uses the aboriginal magic he has learned to displace his host.

Thriller
Mystery
1h 26m
Jerzy Skolimowski
Alan Bates, Susannah York, John Hurt, Robert Stephens
53
1978 in An Unmarried Woman (1978)
An Unmarried Woman
1978

A wealthy woman from Manhattan's Upper East Side struggles to deal with her new identity and her sexuality after her husband of 16 years leaves her for a younger woman.

Drama
Romance
2h 4m
Paul Mazursky
Jill Clayburgh, Alan Bates, Michael Murphy, Cliff Gorman
52
1978 in The One and Only (1978)
The One and Only
1978

Andy Schmidt manages to win fellow student Mary’s heart, but getting a job after college turns out much harder than expected. Desperate and dreaming of stardom, he tries wrestling.

Comedy
Romance
1h 37m
Carl Reiner
Henry Winkler, Kim Darby, Gene Saks, William Daniels
51
1978 in Moment by Moment (1978)
Moment by Moment
1978

Trisha Rawlings, a Beverly Hills socialite suffering from loneliness following the separation from her womanizing husband, develops a May–December romance with a young drifter named Strip.

Drama
Romance
1h 42m
Jane Wagner
Lily Tomlin, John Travolta, Andra Akers, Bert Kramer
50
1978 in Fingers (1978)
Fingers
1978

A wanna-be concert pianist spends his days making a living by collecting debts for his Mafioso father, a lifestyle that could eventually ruin his dreams of a musical career.

Drama
Action
1h 30m
James Toback
Harvey Keitel, Tisa Farrow, Jim Brown, Michael V. Gazzo
49
1978 in The Wiz (1978)
The Wiz
1978

Dorothy Gale, a shy kindergarten teacher, is swept away to the magic land of Oz where she embarks on a quest to return home.

Music
Fantasy
Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell, Ted Ross
48
1978 in A Wedding (1978)
A Wedding
1978

Muffin's wedding to Dino Corelli is to be a big affair. Except the ageing priest isn't too sure of the ceremony, only the families actually turn up as the Corelli Italian connection is suspect, security guards watch the gifts rather over-zealously, and Dino's grandma expires in bed just as the reception starts. Could be quite an occasion.

Comedy
Drama
Desi Arnaz Jr., Carol Burnett, Geraldine Chaplin, Howard Duff
47
1978 in Force 10 from Navarone (1978)
Force 10 from Navarone
1978

World War II, 1943. Mallory and Miller, the heroes who destroyed the guns of Navarone, are sent to Yugoslavia in search of a ghost from the past.

Drama
Adventure
1h 54m
Guy Hamilton
Robert Shaw, Harrison Ford, Barbara Bach, Edward Fox
46
1978 in The Big Fix (1978)
The Big Fix
1978

Private detective Moses Wine is hired by his former college girlfriend to investigate a political smear campaign and he sets out to find out who is responsible, with deadly results.

Comedy
Thriller
1h 48m
Jeremy Kagan
Richard Dreyfuss, Susan Anspach, Bonnie Bedelia, John Lithgow
45
1978 in Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? (1978)
Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe?
1978

Mystery abounds when it is discovered that, one by one, the greatest chefs in Europe are being killed. The intriguing part of the murders is that each chef is killed in the same manner that their own special dish is prepared in. Food critics and the (many) self-proclaimed greatest chefs in Europe demand the mystery be solved.

Comedy
Crime
1h 52m
Ted Kotcheff
George Segal, Jacqueline Bisset, Robert Morley, Jean-Pierre Cassel
44
1978 in Go Tell the Spartans (1978)
Go Tell the Spartans
1978

A unit of American military advisors in Vietnam prior to the major U.S. involvement finds similarities between their helpless struggle against the Viet Cong and the doomed actions of a French unit at the same site a decade before.

War
1h 54m
Ted Post
Burt Lancaster, Craig Wasson, Marc Singer, Joe Unger
43
1978 in Every Which Way but Loose (1978)
Every Which Way but Loose
1978

Philo Beddoe is your regular, easygoing, truck-driving guy. He's also the best bar-room brawler west of the Rockies. And he lives with a 165-pound orangutan named Clyde. Like other guys, Philo finally falls in love - with a flighty singer who leads him on a screwball chase across the American Southwest. Nothing's in the way except a motorcycle gang, some cops, and legendary brawler Tank Murdock.

Action
Comedy
1h 50m
James Fargo
Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke, Geoffrey Lewis, Manis
42
1978 in Foul Play (1978)
Foul Play
1978

A shy San Francisco librarian and a bumbling cop fall in love as they solve a crime involving albinos, dwarves, and the Catholic Church.

Comedy
Mystery
1h 56m
Colin Higgins
Goldie Hawn, Chevy Chase, Burgess Meredith, Eugene Roche
41
1978 in Paradise Alley (1978)
Paradise Alley
1978

Three Italian-American brothers, living in the slums of 1940's New York City, try to help each other with one's wrestling career using one brother's promotional skills and another brother's con-artist tactics to thwart a sleazy manager.

Action
Drama
Sylvester Stallone, Lee Canalito, Armand Assante, Frank McRae
40
1978 in The Fury (1978)
The Fury
1978

When a devious plot separates CIA agent Peter Sandza from his son, Robin, the distraught father manages to see through the ruse. Taken because of his psychic abilities, Robin is being held by Ben Childress, who is studying people with supernatural powers in hopes of developing their talents as weapons. Soon Peter pairs up with Gillian, a teen who has telekinesis, to find and rescue Robin.

Horror
Science Fiction
Kirk Douglas, Amy Irving, John Cassavetes, Carrie Snodgress
39
1978 in Watership Down (1978)
Watership Down
1978

When the warren belonging to a community of rabbits is threatened, a brave group led by Fiver, Bigwig, Blackberry and Hazel leave their homeland in a search of a safe new haven.

Adventure
Animation
1h 32m
Martin Rosen
John Hurt, Richard Briers, Michael Graham Cox, John Bennett
38
1978 in Death on the Nile (1978)
Death on the Nile
1978

As Hercule Poirot enjoys a luxurious cruise down the Nile, a newlywed heiress is found murdered on board and every elegant passenger becomes a prime suspect.

Mystery
2h 20m
John Guillermin
Peter Ustinov, Jane Birkin, Lois Chiles, Bette Davis
37
1978 in Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978)
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
1978

A small town band makes it big, but loses track of their roots, as they get caught up into the big-time machinations of the music biz. Now, they must thwart a plot to destroy their home town. Built around the music of The Beatles, this musical uses some big name groups like Peter Frampton and Aerosmith.

Adventure
Music
1h 51m
Michael Schultz
Peter Frampton, Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb
36
1978 in I Wanna Hold Your Hand (1978)
I Wanna Hold Your Hand
1978

If they missed Beatles' first appearance in the U.S.A. they would hate themselves for the rest of their lives! So four young girls from New Jersey set off even though they don't have tickets for the show! The journey is full of surprises and misfortunes but the young ladies are determined to reach their idols.

Comedy
Music
Nancy Allen, Bobby Di Cicco, Marc McClure, Susan Kendall Newman
35
1978 in Oliver's Story (1978)
Oliver's Story
1978

Oliver Barrett IV is emotionally devastated by the death of his wife Jenny, and, while he tries to lose himself in his work as a lawyer, the long hours don't ease his pain, especially when he finds that his leftist views conflict with those of the senior partners at the firm. Eventually, Oliver's inconsolable grief begins to alienate those around him, until he finds new love with Marcie Bonwit, the wealthy and beautiful heiress to the Bonwit Teller fortune. Despite his affection for her, Oliver finds it difficult to leave the memory of Jenny behind, which causes major problems in their relationship.

Drama
Romance
1h 31m
John Korty
Ryan O'Neal, Candice Bergen, Nicola Pagett, Edward Binns
34
1978 in The Silent Partner (1978)
The Silent Partner
1978

Toronto, Canada. A few days before Christmas, Miles Cullen, a bored teller working at a bank branch located in a shopping mall, accidentally learns that the place is about to be robbed when he finds a disconcerting note on one of the counters.

Drama
Thriller
1h 42m
Daryl Duke
Elliott Gould, Christopher Plummer, Susannah York, Céline Lomez
33
1978 in Jubilee (1978)
Jubilee
1978

Queen Elizabeth I visits late 1970s England to find a depressing landscape where life has changed since her time.

Comedy
Drama
1h 46m
Derek Jarman
Jenny Runacre, Nell Campbell, Toyah Willcox, Pamela Rooke
32
1978 in Hooper (1978)
Hooper
1978

Legendary stunt man Sonny Hooper remains one of the top men in his field, but due to too many stressful impacts to the spine and the need to pop painkillers several times a day, he knows he should get out of the industry before he ends up permanently disabled.

Action
Comedy
1h 39m
Hal Needham
Burt Reynolds, Jan-Michael Vincent, Sally Field, Brian Keith
31
1978 in Martin (1978)
Martin
1978

A young man, convinced he's a vampire, goes to live with his elderly and hostile cousin in a small Pennsylvanian town, where he tries to suppress his bloodlust.

Horror
Drama
John Amplas, Lincoln Maazel, Christine Forrest, Elyane Nadeau
30
1978 in Ice Castles (1978)
Ice Castles
1978

Alexis is on top of the world until a tragic accident dashes her hopes and dreams of becoming a world-class figure skater. Only with the help of those who love her can she prove to the world — and herself — that she still has the potential to realize her dreams.

Drama
Romance
1h 48m
Donald Wrye
Robby Benson, Lynn-Holly Johnson, Colleen Dewhurst, Tom Skerritt
29
1978 in Eyes of Laura Mars (1978)
Eyes of Laura Mars
1978

A famous fashion photographer develops a disturbing ability to see through the eyes of a serial killer.

Mystery
Thriller
1h 44m
Irvin Kershner
Faye Dunaway, Tommy Lee Jones, Brad Dourif, René Auberjonois
28
1978 in Straight Time (1978)
Straight Time
1978

After being released on parole, a burglar attempts to go straight, get a regular job, and just go by the rules. He soon finds himself back in jail at the hands of a power-hungry parole officer.

Crime
Drama
1h 54m
Ulu Grosbard
27
1978 in Magic (1978)
Magic
1978

A ventriloquist is at the mercy of his vicious dummy while he tries to renew a romance with his high school sweetheart.

Drama
Horror
1h 47m
Richard Attenborough
Anthony Hopkins, Ann-Margret, Burgess Meredith, Ed Lauter
26
1978 in Piranha (1978)
Piranha
1978

When flesh-eating piranhas are accidentally released into a summer resort's rivers, the guests become their next meal.

Horror
Science Fiction
1h 34m
Bradford Dillman, Heather Menzies, Kevin McCarthy, Keenan Wynn
25
1978 in Convoy (1978)
Convoy
1978

Trucker Rubber Duck and his buddies Pig Pen, Widow Woman and Spider Mike use their CB radios to warn one another of the presence of cops. But conniving Sheriff Wallace is hip to the truckers' tactics, and begins tricking the drivers through his own CB broadcasts. Facing constant harassment from the law, Rubber Duck and his pals use their radios to coordinate a vast convoy and rule the road.

Action
Comedy
Kris Kristofferson, Ali MacGraw, Burt Young, Madge Sinclair
24
1978 in California Suite (1978)
California Suite
1978

The misadventures of four groups of guests at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

Comedy
Drama
1h 43m
Herbert Ross
23
1978 in Revenge of the Pink Panther (1978)
Revenge of the Pink Panther
1978

Chief Inspector Jacques Clouseau is dead. At least that is what the world—and Charles Dreyfus—believe when a dead body is discovered in Clouseau's car after being shot off the road. Naturally, Clouseau knows differently and, taking advantage of not being alive, sets out to discover why an attempt was made on his life.

Comedy
Crime
Peter Sellers, Herbert Lom, Dyan Cannon, Robert Webber
22
1978 in Heaven Can Wait (1978)
Heaven Can Wait
1978

Joe Pendleton is a quarterback preparing to lead his team to the superbowl when he is almost killed in an accident. An overanxious angel plucks him to heaven only to discover that he wasn't ready to die, and that his body has been cremated. A new body must be found, and that of a recently-murdered millionaire is chosen. His wife and accountant—the murderers—are confused by this development, as he buys the L.A. Rams in order to once again quarterback them into the Superbowl.

Fantasy
Comedy
1h 41m
Buck Henry
Warren Beatty, Julie Christie, James Mason, Jack Warden
21
1978 in Comes a Horseman (1978)
Comes a Horseman
1978

Ella Connors is a single woman who gets pressured to sell her failing cattle farm to her corrupt ex-suitor, Jacob Ewing. She asks for help from her neighbor, Frank Athearn. As Ella and Frank fight back through stampedes, jealousy, betrayal, and sabotage... they eventually find love.

Western
Drama
1h 58m
Alan J. Pakula
James Caan, Jane Fonda, Jason Robards, George Grizzard
20
1978 in Pretty Baby (1978)
Pretty Baby
1978

In 1917 New Orleans, a 12-year-old girl is raised in a brothel by her prostitute mother.

Drama
1h 50m
Louis Malle
Brooke Shields, Keith Carradine, Susan Sarandon, Frances Faye
19
1978 in Up in Smoke (1978)
Up in Smoke
1978

An unemployed pot-smoking slacker and amateur drummer, Anthony Stoner ditches his strict parents and hits the road, eventually meeting kindred spirit Pedro de Pacas. While the drug-ingesting duo is soon arrested for possession of marijuana, Anthony and Pedro get released on a technicality, allowing them to continue their many misadventures and ultimately compete in a rock band contest, where they perform the raucous tune "Earache My Eye."

Adventure
Comedy
1h 26m
Lou Adler
Cheech Marin, Tommy Chong, Strother Martin, Edie Adams
18
1978 in The Tree of Wooden Clogs (1978)
The Tree of Wooden Clogs
1978

On a turn-of-the-20th-century northern Italian farm, a group of sharecroppers eke out a threadbare existence. A priest advises Batisti and his wife Batistina that their young son Minec should be formally educated, so they sacrifice his help in the fields and send him to school. When Minec's wooden shoe breaks one day, Batisti--in an act of desperation--puts the family's future at risk to replace the clog.

Drama
3h 7m
Ermanno Olmi
Luigi Ornaghi, Francesca Moriggi, Omar Brignoli, Antonio Ferrari
17
1978 in Blue Collar (1978)
Blue Collar
1978

Fed up with mistreatment at the hands of both management and union brass, and coupled with financial hardships on each man's end, three auto assembly line workers hatch a plan to rob a safe at union headquarters.

Drama
Crime
1h 54m
Paul Schrader
Richard Pryor, Harvey Keitel, Yaphet Kotto, Ed Begley Jr.
16
1978 in Interiors (1978)
Interiors
1978

When Eve, an interior designer, is deserted by her husband of many years, Arthur, the emotionally glacial relationships of the three grown-up daughters are laid bare. Twisted by jealousy, insecurity and resentment, Renata, a successful writer; Joey, a woman crippled by indecision; and Flyn, a budding actress; struggle to communicate for the sake of their shattered mother. But when their father unexpectedly falls for another woman, his decision to remarry sets in motion a terrible twist of fate…

Drama
Geraldine Page, Kristin Griffith, Mary Beth Hurt, Richard Jordan
15
1978 in Autumn Sonata (1978)
Autumn Sonata
1978

After a seven-year absence, Charlotte Andergast travels to Sweden to reunite with her daughter Eva. The pair have a troubled relationship: Charlotte sacrificed the responsibilities of motherhood for a career as a classical pianist. Over an emotional night, the pair reopen the wounds of the past. Charlotte gets another shock when she finds out that her mentally impaired daughter, Helena, is out of the asylum and living with Eva.

Drama
Ingrid Bergman, Liv Ullmann, Lena Nyman, Halvar Björk
14
1978 in The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978)
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin
1978

During the Qing Dynasty, a fishmonger is killed by the reigning Manchu government for supporting the anti-government movement; his son manages to escape to Shaolin Temple, where he plans to learn its secretive brand of martial arts to seek revenge.

Action
Adventure
1h 56m
Lau Kar-Leung
Gordon Liu Chia-Hui, Lo Lieh, John Cheung Ng-Long, Wilson Tong Wai-Shing
13
1978 in The Last Waltz (1978)
The Last Waltz
1978

Martin Scorsese's documentary intertwines footage from The Band's incredible farewell tour with probing backstage interviews and featured performances by Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, and other rock legends.

Documentary
Music
Robbie Robertson, Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Richard Manuel
12
1978 in Coming Home (1978)
Coming Home
1978

In 1968 California, a Marine officer's wife falls in love with a former high school classmate who suffered a paralyzing combat injury in the war.

Drama
Romance
2h 7m
Hal Ashby
Jane Fonda, Jon Voight, Bruce Dern, Penelope Milford
11
1978 in Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
1978

The residents of San Francisco are becoming drone-like shadows of their former selves, and as the phenomenon spreads, two Department of Health workers uncover the horrifying truth.

Science Fiction
Horror
1h 56m
Philip Kaufman
Donald Sutherland, Brooke Adams, Leonard Nimoy, Jeff Goldblum
10
1978 in The Boys from Brazil (1978)
The Boys from Brazil
1978

Nazi hunter Ezra Lieberman discovers a sinister and bizarre plot, masterminded by Dr. Josef Mengele, to rekindle the Third Reich.

Drama
Mystery
2h 5m
Franklin J. Schaffner
Gregory Peck, Laurence Olivier, James Mason, Lilli Palmer
Why it ranks

A high-concept biological thriller that pits old-world prestige against a chillingly plausible vision of scientific terror. Its success lies in the friction between its pulpy, conspiratorial premise and the gravitas brought by its legendary sparring leads.

9
1978 in Midnight Express (1978)
Midnight Express
1978

Billy Hayes is caught attempting to smuggle drugs out of Turkey. The Turkish courts decide to make an example of him, sentencing him to more than 30 years in prison. Hayes has two opportunities for release: the appeals made by his lawyer, his family, and the American government, or the "Midnight Express".

Drama
Crime
Brad Davis, Irene Miracle, Bo Hopkins, Paolo Bonacelli
Why it ranks

This harrowing descent into carnal and psychological captivity pulses with a sweaty, percussive intensity. Alan Parker’s aggressive direction and Giorgio Moroder’s synth score create a sensory assault that redefined the visceral limits of the prison drama.

8
1978 in The Driver (1978)
The Driver
1978

The Driver specializes in driving getaway cars for robberies. His exceptional talent has prevented him from being caught yet. After another successful flight from the police a self-assured detective makes it his primary goal to catch the Driver. He promises pardons to a gang if they help to convict him in a set-up robbery. The Driver seeks help from The Player to mislead the detective.

Crime
Thriller
1h 31m
Walter Hill
Ryan O'Neal, Bruce Dern, Isabelle Adjani, Ronee Blakley
Why it ranks

Walter Hill strips the heist thriller down to its chassis, delivering a sleek, existentialist exercise in nocturnal style. With its minimalist dialogue and screeching tires, it prioritizes the cold, rhythmic poetry of the chase over conventional sentiment.

7
1978 in Days of Heaven (1978)
Days of Heaven
1978

In 1916, a Chicago steel worker accidentally kills his supervisor and flees to the Texas panhandle with his girlfriend and little sister to work harvesting wheat in the fields of a stoic farmer.

Drama
Romance
1h 34m
Terrence Malick
Richard Gere, Brooke Adams, Sam Shepard, Linda Manz
Why it ranks

Terrence Malick utilizes the fleeting magic hour to create a visual poem that feels whispered rather than told. The film’s painterly aesthetic and hushed narration elevate a simple tale of envy into a foundational piece of American pastoral mythmaking.

6
1978 in Dawn of the Dead (1978)
Dawn of the Dead
1978

During an ever-growing epidemic of zombies that have risen from the dead, two Philadelphia SWAT team members, a traffic reporter, and his television-executive girlfriend seek refuge in a secluded shopping mall.

Horror
Science Fiction
David Emge, Ken Foree, Scott H. Reiniger, Gaylen Ross
Why it ranks

George A. Romero evolves the zombie mythos into a scathing indictment of American consumerist stasis within a sprawling shopping mall cathedral. It is a gory, claustrophobic masterpiece that finds profound sociological horror in the shadows of the mezzanine.

5
1978 in Superman (1978)
Superman
1978

Mild-mannered Clark Kent works as a reporter at the Daily Planet alongside his crush, Lois Lane. Clark must summon his superhero alter-ego when the nefarious Lex Luthor launches a plan to take over the world.

Science Fiction
Action
Why it ranks

Richard Donner achieves a miraculous tonal balance, treating comic book mythology with a sophisticated sincerity that grounds the spectacular. The production’s sheer scale and soaring optimism provided a much-needed antidote to the decade’s prevailing cynicism.

4
1978 in Grease (1978)
Grease
1978

Australian good girl Sandy and greaser Danny fell in love over the summer. But when they unexpectedly discover they're now in the same high school, will they be able to rekindle their romance despite their eccentric friends?

Romance
Comedy
1h 50m
Randal Kleiser
Olivia Newton-John, John Travolta, Stockard Channing, Jeff Conaway
Why it ranks

This electric fusion of fifties nostalgia and disco-era vitality pulses with an infectious, self-aware energy. It survives as a cultural juggernaut because of its sheer kinetic magnetism and the undeniable, supernova chemistry of its leads.

3
1978 in Halloween (1978)
Halloween
1978

Fifteen years after murdering his sister on Halloween Night 1963, Michael Myers escapes from a mental hospital and returns to the small town of Haddonfield, Illinois to kill again.

Horror
Thriller
Donald Pleasence, Jamie Lee Curtis, Nancy Kyes, P. J. Soles
Why it ranks

John Carpenter weaponizes negative space and minimalist synths to redefine the mechanics of cinematic dread. This exercise in pure suspense transforms a suburban neighborhood into a voyeuristic nightmare, establishing a lethal blueprint for the modern slasher.

2
1978 in Animal House (1978)
Animal House
1978

At a 1962 College, Dean Vernon Wormer is determined to expel the entire Delta Tau Chi Fraternity, but those troublemakers have other plans for him.

Comedy
John Belushi, Karen Allen, Tom Hulce, Stephen Furst
Why it ranks

By exhaling a cloud of anarchic, scorched-earth vulgarity, this film dismantled the polite conventions of the studio comedy. It remains the gold standard for collegiate satire due to its relentless commitment to chaotic, institution-smashing irreverence.

1
1978 in The Deer Hunter (1978)
The Deer Hunter
1978

Three steelworkers enlist in the army and are sent to Vietnam, one leaving behind a rushed marriage, the others a shared love. What they encounter during the war changes their lives forever.

Drama
War
3h 3m
Michael Cimino
Why it ranks

Michael Cimino’s grueling masterwork captures the soul-shattering trauma of the Vietnam era through a lens of profound intimacy. It transcends the war genre by dissecting the collapse of the American industrial heartland with operatic intensity and heartbreaking precision.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about this list and SnakeDrafts

Halloween, directed by John Carpenter, is hailed as a pioneering horror film for pioneering the slasher genre with its tense atmosphere, iconic masked villain Michael Myers, and minimalistic yet effective score. It significantly influenced the direction of horror films in the late 70s and beyond.

'The Deer Hunter' provides an intense look at the psychological and emotional effects of the Vietnam War on American soldiers. The film is known for its harrowing portrayal of the war’s impact on personal lives and features memorable scenes such as the Russian roulette sequence.

'Superman' was groundbreaking for its time, combining impressive special effects with a heartfelt story that established the blueprint for future superhero movies. Its portrayal of the titular hero by Christopher Reeve and John Williams’ iconic score contributed to its lasting legacy.

Yes, 'The Last Waltz' directed by Martin Scorsese is a renowned 1978 documentary that captures the final concert of The Band. It’s celebrated for its intimate portrayal of the musicians and its historic significance in rock music culture.

Films from 1978, like 'Coming Home' and 'The Deer Hunter,' reflected the lingering trauma and societal shifts post-Vietnam War. Additionally, movies like 'Animal House' showcased a more irreverent, comedic escape that resonated with a younger generation seeking release from political cynicism.

'Dawn of the Dead' by George A. Romero masterfully blends horror and science fiction to create a chilling zombie apocalypse narrative that critiques consumer culture. Its innovative special effects and social commentary have made it a cult classic.

Romantic themes are notably explored in 'Grease,' which pairs nostalgia and musical fun with youthful romance, and 'Days of Heaven,' which offers a poetic and visually stunning take on love and tragedy. These films highlight the decade's range from lighthearted to profound storytelling.

'The Driver,' directed by Walter Hill, is famed for its cool, stylized direction and sparse dialogue, creating a tense and atmospheric crime thriller. Its influence is seen in later neo-noir and action films that emphasize mood and style.
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