1978 Top Movies

From Martin Scorsese, starring Robbie Robertson, Muddy Waters, Neil Young, Van Morrison
Rated PG

The Last Waltz is a 1978 documentary directed by Martin Scorsese that follows the final concert tour of The Band, a rock-folk group from Canada. The tour includes multiple stops throughout the United States and culminates in a huge farewell bash at San Francisco's Winterland Ballroom. The documentary features interviews with band members, family, and friends, as well as performances from other popular acts such as Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Neil Young, Van Morrison, and Joni Mitchell. Throughout the film, Scorsese captures the joy and camaraderie of the musicians, as well as the farewell of an era of popular music. The film is known as one of the best rockumentaries ever made.

From Michael Cimino, starring Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, John Cazale, John Savage
Rated R

The Deer Hunter is a 1978 American epic war drama directed by Michael Cimino. The film follows a group of steelworkers from Pennsylvania who enlist in the Vietnam War. Led by Michael (Robert De Niro), the group consists of Steven (John Savage), Nick (Christopher Walken), and Stan (John Cazale). The men experience the brutality of the war, with Steven being taken prisoner by the Viet Cong. When he is released, he has been changed by his experiences and is a shell of his former self. Nick and Michael take him back home to Pennsylvania, where they enjoy the deer hunting they used to do before the war. However, Steven is still haunted by the war. The film explores the effects of the war on the lives of the men, their families and their relationships with each other.

From George A. Romero, starring David Emge, Ken Foree, Scott H. Reiniger, Gaylen Ross
Rated Unrated

Dawn of the Dead is a 1978 horror film directed by George A. Romero. The film follows four survivors of a zombie apocalypse, Francine, Stephen, Peter, and Roger, as they seek refuge from the undead in an abandoned shopping mall. While the group attempts to create a safe haven for themselves, they must also contend with a group of biker gang members who are looting the mall. As the zombie hordes continue to grow, the group realizes that the mall won’t be able to provide them with the safety and security they need for long. Ultimately, the four survivors must confront the zombies, the bikers, and the harsh realities of the zombie apocalypse in order to survive.

From Alan Parker, starring Brad Davis, Irene Miracle, Bo Hopkins, Paolo Bonacelli
Rated R

"Midnight Express" (1978) is a prison drama directed by Alan Parker. It is based on the true story of Billy Hayes (played by Brad Davis), an American college student who is arrested at an airport in Istanbul for trying to smuggle hashish out of the country. Sentenced to 30 years in a Turkish prison, Billy must endure the brutality and hardships of prison life while struggling to survive and find a way to escape. With help from his prison-mates and a sympathetic lawyer, Billy makes daring attempts at freedom, even as the odds become increasingly slim. Through a series of heartbreaking disappointments and harrowing experiences, Billy's story ultimately ends in triumph, with his release and safe return to the US.

From John Landis, starring John Belushi, Karen Allen, Tom Hulce, Stephen Furst
Rated R

From Philip Kaufman, starring Donald Sutherland, Brooke Adams, Jeff Goldblum, Veronica Cartwright
Rated PG

From Richard Donner, starring Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, Gene Hackman, Marlon Brando
Rated PG

From Hal Ashby, starring Jane Fonda, Jon Voight, Bruce Dern, Penelope Milford
Rated R

From Randal Kleiser, starring John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, Stockard Channing, Jeff Conaway
Rated PG

From Steve Rash, starring Gary Busey, Don Stroud, Charles Martin Smith, Conrad Janis
Rated PG

From Robert Mulligan, starring Alan Alda, Ellen Burstyn, Ivan Bonar, Bernie Kuby
Rated PG

From John Guillermin, starring Peter Ustinov, Mia Farrow, Simon MacCorkindale, Jane Birkin
Rated PG

From Paul Mazursky, starring Jill Clayburgh, Alan Bates, Michael Murphy, Cliff Gorman
Rated R

From Franklin J. Schaffner, starring Gregory Peck, Laurence Olivier, James Mason, Lilli Palmer
Rated R

From Robert Altman, starring Carol Burnett, Desi Arnaz Jr., Paul Dooley, Amy Stryker
Rated PG

From Directors: Warren Beatty, Buck Henry, starring Warren Beatty, James Mason, Julie Christie, Jack Warden
Rated PG

From Michael Crichton, starring Michael Douglas, Rip Torn, Geneviève Bujold, Elizabeth Ashley
Rated PG

From Sidney J. Furie, starring Stan Shaw, Andrew Stevens, James Canning, Michael Lembeck
Rated R

From Robert Zemeckis, starring Nancy Allen, Bobby Di Cicco, Marc McClure, Susan Kendall Newman
Rated PG

From Richard Attenborough, starring Anthony Hopkins, Ann-Margret, Burgess Meredith, Ed Lauter
Rated R

From Colin Higgins, starring Goldie Hawn, Chevy Chase, Burgess Meredith, Rachel Roberts
Rated PG

From Don Sharp, starring Robert Powell, David Warner, Eric Porter, Karen Dotrice
Rated PG

From William Friedkin, starring Peter Falk, Peter Boyle, Allen Garfield, Warren Oates
Rated PG

From Stanley Donen, starring George C. Scott, Trish Van Devere, Red Buttons, Eli Wallach
Rated PG

From Donald Wrye, starring Lynn-Holly Johnson, Robby Benson, Colleen Dewhurst, Tom Skerritt
Rated PG