The 15 Most Embarrassing Hit Movies of the 1970s

The 1970s ushered in the New Hollywood Era of cinema when visionary directors such as Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Francis Ford Coppola, and Martin Scorsese took a grittier and more experimental approach to filmmaking than the studio system of previous decades. Despite being a transformative decade for cinema, not all 1970s movies aged like a fine bottle of Coppola’s wine.

For every Star Wars or The Godfather or Jaws, there were 10 embarrassing movies like King Kong, Roller Boogie, Caligula, and The Wiz.

While most people prefer to remember the iconic blockbusters that defined the 1970s, the following movies made some bucks and/or got a lot of attention despite being of questionable quality.

Beyond the Valley of the Dolls

Movie critic Roger Ebert wrote the screenplay for 1970’s Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, so keep that in mind when you read a review of his in which he expresses moral outrage about a film’s content.

Intended as a sequel to Valley of the Dolls, this satirical musical drama evolved (devolved?) into a trashy exploitation flick that prompted Valley of the Dolls author Jacqueline Susann to sue Fox. Beyond the Valley of the Dolls nevertheless became a box office success and has since developed a cult following.

Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

This 1978 jukebox musical comedy directed by Michael Schultz stars Peter Frampton, the Bee Gees, and George Burns. The movie seems to exist solely to have various artists cover Beatles songs and cobble their performances together.

Although Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band became a minor box office success and several of its cover songs became even bigger hits, the movie hit an overwhelming sour note with critics.

The Wiz

Although director Sidney Lumet’s film adaptation of the Broadway musical The Wiz failed at the box office, it has since developed a cult following.

The Wiz stars Diana Ross as Dorothy and Michael Jackson as Scarecrow in this reimagining of The Wizard of Oz with an African-American cast. Critics ridiculed the casting of Ross, whom they deemed far too old to “ease on down the road” as Dorothy. Somehow, the maligned musical still got nominated for four Oscars.

King Kong

The 1976 remake of King Kong stars Jeff Bridges and introduces Jessica Lange in her first role. Like the original, the updated King Kong starts on a remote island before moving the giant ape and the action to New York City.

This time, Kong climbs the World Trade Center buildings instead of the Empire State Building. Although it became a modest box office success, the story comes across as more silly than scary, and the unconvincing special effects just read like a man in an ape suit.

Roller Boogie

Linda Blair stars in this 1979 musical made to capitalize on the concurrent disco and roller-skating fads of that era. Set in the beachside Venice neighborhood of Los Angeles, Roller Boogie featured skating numbers choreographed by David Winters.

Although critics dismissed the movie as an empty-headed exploitation flick, the movie became a box office success and camp connoisseurs have embraced it as a cult classic.

The Swarm

1978’s The Swarm is considered one of the worst movies made in any decade. The natural horror film about a swarm of killer bees invading Texas stars an embarrassing number of otherwise talented actors, including Michael Caine, Olivia de Havilland, Patty Duke, Henry Fonda, and Fred MacMurray in his final movie role.

Despite not generating a buzz at the box office or with critics, The Swarm‘s Paul Zastupnevich somehow got nominated for the Academy Award for Best Costume Design.

Caligula

This explicit historical drama about the controversial Roman emperor Caligula stars Malcolm McDowell in the titular role and features talented actors such as Helen Mirren and Peter O’Toole.

Funded by Penthouse magazine founder Bob Guccione, the trashy Caligula featuring hard-core intimate scenes got negative reviews and even banned in several countries. It is now considered a cult classic for all the wrong reasons.

Zardoz

Sean Connery plays a barbarian named Zed in this sci-fi fantasy directed by John Boorman.

It’s difficult to look at pictures of Connery dressed in thigh-high leather boots and what can only be described as a red diaper and not feel embarrassed for the actor who portrayed James Bond in so many movies. Although Zardoz barely broke even at the box office and received harsh reviews, it has since achieved cult status.

Skatetown, U.S.A.

Patrick Swayze made his film debut in Skatetown, U.S.A., the second movie on this list to explore the short-lived roller-disco fad.

The cast mainly features TV actors such as Happy Days‘ Scott Baio and The Brady Bunch‘s Maureen McCormick. By the time Skatetown, U.S.A. got released in late 1979, the public’s interest in roller disco had faded. Today, some people defend it as a time capsule.

I Spit on Your Grave

Roger Ebert, whom you may recall wrote Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, called 1978’s I Spit on Your Grave a “vile bag of garbage.” If you’ve seen Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, you know why his harsh judgment will raise eyebrows.

In I Spit on Your Grave, a woman is assaulted by a gang of men for an uncomfortably long chunk of screen time and left for dead. She then exacts brutal revenge on her attackers. Although not a box office success, horror fans discovered it on VHS and made it a hit.

Rollerball

The titular sport in 1975’s Rollerball is a combination of roller derby, motorcycle racing, and gladiator-style fighting.

Most critics agree that Rollerball would have worked better as a satire, but it instead comes across as “vapid,” “glib,” and “pretentious.” The movie, starring The Godfather‘s James Caan, still became a box office hit.

Orca

1977’s Orca isn’t the first or last film to rip off Jaws, but the fishy thriller starring Richard Harris, Charlotte Rampling, and Bo Derek is certainly one of the most embarrassing.

The movie about a male killer whale hunting the captain of a fishing boat who killed his mate and unborn calf became a modest box office success, but every critic slammed it for trying too hard to mimic Jaws.

Earthquake

The 1970s was the golden age of disaster flicks, each featuring an all-star cast in peril. In 1974’s Earthquake, Charlton Heston and Ava Gardner are among the top-billed stars who struggle to survive after a powerful earthquake levels Los Angeles.

Although Earthquake became one of the highest-grossing films of its day and critics praised the use of the Sensurround sound effect, Leonard Maltin gave it a “bomb” rating, calling it a “hackneyed disaster epic.”

Airport 1975

This sequel to the 1970 air disaster movie Airport stars disaster film magnet Charlton Heston, Karen Black, George Kennedy, and Sunset Boulevard‘s Gloria Swanson in her final film role.

In Airport 1975, a small plane collides with the cockpit of a Boeing 747 midflight, blinding the pilot and leaving no one alive who can land the plane. Although a box office hit, critics dismissed it as “cut-rate swill,” “corny escapism,” and “silly.”

Two-Minute Warning

This 1976 action-thriller is about a sniper threatening thousands of attendees at a Super Bowl-like championship football game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

If you were wondering if Charlton Heston also stars in this middling movie, he sure does! The majority of critics wrote off Two-Minute Warning as an unapologetic exploitation of America’s obsession with the NFL and guns.