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The good news is that fans of older movies who are looking for iconic pictures from this year still have plenty of excellent options to choose from. Even though some of the most iconic 1973 movies will turn 50 in 2023, they have the power to capture the audience just as well today as they did half a century ago.
1 Sleeper
Even though his most famous movies were yet ahead of him in 1973, Woody Allen had already directed several remarkable movies by then. Sleeper is one of Allen’s rare movies that fit into the science fiction genre, making it an ideal opportunity for sci-fi fans to learn more about Allen’s work.
True to his style, even though Sleeper is a sci-fi set in the 22nd century, the sci-fi setting primarily serves as an opportunity for the director to crack jokes and also point out things that don’t make sense in a society, regardless of what year it is. Allen not only directed the movie and wrote the script, but he also stars in it, alongside his long-time cooperator and friend Diane Keaton. The movie has many funny moments but can also make the audience think about the style of life it represents.
2 The Wicker Man
When two different cultures and lifestyles coincide, it doesn’t always end well. The Wicker Man will be better known to some viewers thanks to the low-rated 2006 remake starring Nicolas Cage that spawned the iconic “not the bees!” meme. However, the original remains superior to the remake, rating-wise. The Wicker Man tells the story of Sergeant Howie who goes to a remote Scottish island to investigate a mysterious disappearance of a young girl. He soon begins to suspect that the locals and their leader lord Summerisle are hiding something sinister.
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The movie manages to surprise the audience, especially when its ending arrives. Christopher Lee gives a demonic performance as lord Summerisle, creating a direct contrast to the more down-to-Earth speech and behavior of Edward Woodward as Sergeant Howie. An interesting detail is that Christopher Lee gave up his salary in order to be able to play in the movie due to how much he liked the script.
3 Enter The Dragon
Bruce Lee got to create several iconic martial arts movies before his untimely death in 1973. Enter the Dragon was Lee’s very last movie. Lee stars as a secret agent who attends a martial arts tournament in order to avenge his sister and find out more about the man behind the tournament, Han, whom he believes to be a criminal.
The movie gives plenty of opportunities for Lee to show his considerable fighting skills, making every action sequence a delight to watch for all fans of the genre. Interestingly enough, the movie also marked one of the initial onscreen appearances of another martial arts icon, Jackie Chan, albeit in a small, uncredited role.
4 The Exorcist
At the time of its release, The Exorcist caused a big controversy thanks to its topic as well as the graphic nature of some of the horror scenes. It withstood the backlash and became one of the scariest and most recognized horror movies of the 20th century. The plot is notoriously known. Two priests are trying to save a young girl, Regan, who’s been possessed by a demonic entity. Little do they realize though that they’re about to face the biggest challenge of their lives.
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The movie creates a strong atmosphere of terror that works today just as well today as it did in 1973. It helps that the cast consists of famous names – Ellen Burstyn, and Max von Sydow – as well as the talented newcomer Linda Blair who portrayed Regan. Just like many of the best horror movies, The Exorcist got several sequels, but they weren’t as positively rated by the audience. The original was nominated for ten Oscars and won two of them.
5 The Sting
Buddy movies about the close friendship of two people who go on an adventure together are a staple of cinematography and have been around for decades. Not all of these duos have to stand on the right side of the law, though, as the iconic crime comedy The Sting proves. Paul Newman and Robert Redford star as two men who plan revenge on a person who wronged them both. This will require a cunning plan from their side, and even then, it’s unclear whether they’ll succeed. The Sting offers more than one surprising plot twist and keeps the audience guessing what will happen next.
As such, it has a fast pace even though the movie runs over two hours. Newman and Redford give memorable performances in the leading roles, however, the movie has a strong cast overall. Some fans compared the movie to Ocean’s Eleven and pointed out that it has a similar feeling to it. The Sting was nominated for ten Oscars and won seven of them, including the one for best picture, cementing its position as one of the best movies of all time.
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