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The 1970s was an amazing time for sci-fi films. The subject of an apocalypse was heavy on the minds of filmmakers; The Vietnam War was going strong through half the decade and the Bay of Pigs was not quite a distant memory yet.
Those kids who spent their childhoods doing Duck-and-Cover drills in the ’50s grew up to let their wildest end-times fantasies play out on film, and we’ve all benefitted from it.
This list contains the very best post-apocalyptic and dystopian movies made between 1970 and 1979. I’m hoping that this list can remind you of some of the greats while possibly introducing you to a few films you’ve not yet seen.
My criteria for the list was fairly simple, yet specific: the movie must represent an apocalyptic future on Earth and most of the movie must take place in an apocalyptic setting, including a dystopia.
This means that Battlestar Galactica, which is technically post-apocalyptic, isn’t on the list because it’s mainly a space movie. Mad Max is often argued to not even be post-apocalyptic at all. And some of the ’70s Planet of the Apes movies are post-apocalyptic except for Escape from Planet of the Apes because it takes place on a modern Earth (in 1971). Yeah, that whole franchise is crazy.
So let’s take a look at my list of the top 30 post-apocalyptic and dystopian films of the ’70s in reverse order.
#30 Ravagers
Ravagers | May 1979 (United States) Summary: Countries: United StatesLanguages: English
#29 Black Moon
Black Moon | September 24, 1975 (France) Summary: Countries: France, West GermanyLanguages: English, French
#28 The People Who Own the Dark
#27 Genesis II
Genesis II | March 23, 1973 (United States) Summary: Countries: United StatesLanguages: English
#26 It Became Necessary to Destroy the World in Order to Save It (AKA Gas-s-s-s)
#25 Strange New World
Strange New World | July 13, 1975 (United States) Summary: Countries: United StatesLanguages: English
#24 The Ultimate Warrior
The Ultimate Warrior | November 25, 1975 (United States) Summary: Countries: United StatesLanguages: English
#23 Glen and Randa
Glen and Randa | June 9, 1976 (France) Summary: Countries: United StatesLanguages: English
#22 Quintet
Quintet | April 11, 1979 (France) Summary: Countries: United StatesLanguages: English, Latin
#21 Where Have All the People Gone?
#20 Idaho Transfer
Idaho Transfer | June 15, 1973 (United States) Summary: Countries: United StatesLanguages: English
#19 Rabid
Rabid | April 8, 1977 (United States) Summary: Countries: CanadaLanguages: English
#18 The Noah
The Noah | April 10, 1975 (United States) Summary: Countries: United StatesLanguages: English
#17 Deathsport
Deathsport | April 1978 (United States) Summary: Countries: United StatesLanguages: English
#16 Battle for the Planet of the Apes
#15 Rollerball
Rollerball | June 25, 1975 (United States) Summary: Countries: United Kingdom, Canada, United StatesLanguages: English
#14 Wizards
Wizards Animation, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi | February 9, 1977 (United States) Summary: On a post-apocalyptic Earth, a wizard and his faire folk comrades fight an evil wizard who's using technology in his bid for conquest.Countries: United StatesLanguages: English, German
#13 THX 1138
THX 1138 | March 11, 1971 (United States) Summary: Countries: United StatesLanguages: English
#12 Damnation Alley
Damnation Alley | October 21, 1977 (United States) Summary: Countries: United StatesLanguages: English
#11 Death Race 2000
Death Race 2000 | November 28, 1975 (West Germany) Summary: Countries: United StatesLanguages: English, Brazilian Sign Language, Spanish
#10 No Blade of Grass
No Blade of Grass | October 23, 1970 (United States) Summary: Countries: United Kingdom, United StatesLanguages: English
#9 Zardoz
Zardoz | February 6, 1974 (United States) Summary: Countries: Ireland, United States, United KingdomLanguages: English, Italian, Swedish, Latin, German, French, Irish Gaelic
#8 A Boy and His Dog
A Boy and His Dog | November 14, 1975 (United States) Summary: Countries: United StatesLanguages: English
#7 Beneath the Planet of the Apes
#6 Dawn of the Dead
Dawn of the Dead | 1979 (United States) Summary: Following an ever-growing epidemic of zombies that have risen from the dead, two Philadelphia S.W.A.T. team members, a traffic reporter, and his television executive girlfriend seek refuge i... Read allCountries: United States, ItalyLanguages: English, Spanish
#5 The Omega Man
The Omega Man | August 1, 1971 (United States) Summary: Countries: United StatesLanguages: English
#4 Logan’s Run
Logan's Run | June 23, 1976 (United States) Summary: Countries: United StatesLanguages: English
#3 Soylent Green
Soylent Green | May 9, 1973 (United States) Summary: Countries: United StatesLanguages: English, Spanish
#2 A Clockwork Orange
A Clockwork Orange | February 2, 1972 (United States) Summary: Countries: United Kingdom, United StatesLanguages: English
#1 Mad Max
Mad Max | March 21, 1980 (United States) Summary: Countries: AustraliaLanguages: English
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Shawn has been infatuated with the post-apocalyptic genre since he wore out his horribly American-dubbed VHS of the original Mad Max as a child. Shawn is the former Editor-in-Chief at Massively.com, creator of the Aftermath post-apocalyptic immersion event, and author of "AI For All," a guide to navigating this strange new world of artificial intelligence.
He currently resides on top of a mountain in the middle of nowhere with his wife and four children.
Don't even think about sharing this article.