Directors like Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, and Stanley Kubrick began creating films that reflected the uncertainty of the era—shaped by events like the Vietnam War and Watergate. Movies such as Taxi Driver and The Godfather introduced morally complicated characters and stories that challenged audiences rather than offering simple answers.

At the same time, the decade gave rise to the modern blockbuster with films like Jaws and Star Wars, which transformed moviegoing into a major cultural event and helped establish the summer blockbuster season. From psychological horror like The Exorcist to experimental science fiction like Close Encounters of the Third Kind, the 1970s pushed Hollywood to experiment with new styles and genres.

Even today, filmmakers regularly look back to this era for inspiration, making the 1970s one of the most important turning points in the history of American cinema.

About the Host:

Gabe Corpuz is a student at the Community College of Baltimore County with a strong interest in film, storytelling, and media culture. Gabe enjoys exploring how movies reflect social change and how directors shape the way audiences experience stories on screen. This episode reflects a growing passion for film history and creative media production.

Sources Featured in This Episode:

• American Cinema in the 1970s. Film History II, Utah Valley University.
• https://uen.pressbooks.pub/thea2312moody/chapter/american-cinema-in-the-1970s/
• Hellerman, Jason. “Why Is 70s Cinema Considered the Hollywood Heyday?” No Film School, 2023.
• https://nofilmschool.com/70s-cinema
• New Hollywood: American 70s. Film Streams.
• https://filmstreams.org/series/new-hollywood-american-70s
• American Cinema of the 70s. Directed by Mark Cousins.
• https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2098489
• Dartmouth College Library. “1970s Film History.”
• https://researchguides.dartmouth.edu/filmstudies/1970shistory

Music Credit:

Intro and outro music: “Soul Groove” by Josh Woodward. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. www.joshwoodward.com

Drawing on film scholarship, the episode examines how risk-averse studio strategies can sideline originality, limit opportunities for new voices, and shape the kinds of stories audiences see. Boyd ultimately asks whether today’s moviegoers are choosing what they want to watch — or what studios assume will sell.

About the Host: Ka’Ryn Boyd is a Communications major at the Community College of Baltimore County exploring career paths within the field, with growing interests in fashion and media creativity. This episode reflects her love of franchise films alongside her curiosity about how Hollywood’s business decisions influence storytelling and audience experience.

Sources Featured in This Episode:

Cornea, Christine. Science Fiction Cinema: Between Fantasy and Reality. Cambridge University Press. https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/science-fiction-cinema

🎵 Music Credit:

Intro and outro music: “Soul Groove” by Josh Woodward.

Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0.

https://www.joshwoodward.com