10. Slap Shot (1977)
One of the best sports comedy movies of all time,Slap Shotis a pioneering work that influenced a whole genre of comedies. For that reason, it has to be on our list of best 1970s comedies.
Starring Paul Newman at his cool, smooth-talking best,Slap Shotcenters on a man who attempts to bring his hockey team up to scratch by employing two thugs as part of his team. His hope? That they’ll win over fans with the fights they start.
Slap Shotwas so funny that it went on to inspire all kinds of iconic films in this subgenre, includingHappy Gilmore(1996),Semi-Pro(2007), andGoon(2011), making it worth a watch for this reason alone.
Related:The Best Sports Comedy Movies of All Time, Ranked
9. Love and Death (1975)
Back in 1975, Woody Allen delivered one of his first—but certainly not his last—intellectual comedies inLove and Death.
Set during the Napoleonic era,Love and Deathis about a man and his wife who become embroiled in a serious (but deeply satirical) talk about philosophical subjects, often with hilarious conclusions.
Starring Woody Allen and Diane Keaton in one of their many on-screen partnerships,Love and Deathis riotously funny—if you like Allen’s very particular sense of humor, that is.
Related:The Most Popular Movies of the 1970s, Ranked
8. Paper Moon (1973)
Perhaps the most heartfelt film on this list,Paper Moonfinds director Peter Bogdanovich in prime form.
Set during the Depression era,Paper Moonfollows a man who’s trying to return a young girl to her aunt’s home in Missouri after her mother dies. What follows is a road trip that’ll make you tear up!
Starring real-life father-and-daughter duo Ryan O’Neal and Tatum O’Neal,Paper Moonfeatures some unexpectedly breathtaking performances, particularly from the young Tatum.
In fact, Tatum’s performance so impressed audiences that she went on to win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress at only 10 years old, making her the youngest personeverto win the award.
Related:The Best Road Movies of All Time, Ranked
7. Blazing Saddles (1974)
Written and directed by Mel Brooks,Blazing Saddlesis a demonstration of his undeniable talent and impeccable eye in a genre that would never be the same again after his touch: the Western.
A film like no other,Blazing Saddlesis an unashamed mockery, ridicule, and satire of the Western genre and all that it stood for. The result is one of the funniest movies ever made in Hollywood history.
For this reason alone,Blazing Saddleswill always deserve a spot on any list of the best 70s comedy movies. Considering how it went on to influence other spoofs, this film is also historically important.
6. American Graffiti (1973)
Several years before George Lucas wrote and directedStar Wars: A New Hope(1977), he directed the far-lesser-known filmAmerican Graffiti, a small-town story about kids finishing school.
They all have big plans, of course, and while driving around on one fateful night out on the town, they come to a better understanding of themselves and what their futures have in store for them.
Starring an immense cast of Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, and Harrison Ford in his first role,American Graffitiis a sensational film and easily the best coming-of-age comedy of the 1970s.
Related:The Best Young Adulthood Movies About Teens Coming of Age
5. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
Monty Python, the most influential British comedy troupe in modern history, busted everyone’s guts when they came out with their directorial debut inMonty Python and the Holy Grail.
In one of the most irreverent recounts of history,Monty Python and the Holy Grailis a satirized take on King Arthur’s quest to find the Holy Grail. Along this side-splitting journey, he and his band of knights encounter all manner of horrors.
These horrors include a maimed but undeterred knight in black armor, a castle filled with alluring but untrustworthy young maidens, and strange knights who say “Ni!”
Shocking for its time,Monty Python and the Holy Grailwas so original and so funny that it launched the Monty Python crew to global acclaim. In doing so, this film introduced American audiences to a whole new kind of surreal, postmodernist humor from Britain.
Related:The Best Treasure Hunt Adventure Movies
4. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
IsThe Rocky Horror Picture Showthe best musical ever put to film? Some might disagree, but it’s certainly in the running. Is it among the funniest comedies of the 1970s? Without a doubt!
From its movie poster to its movie trailer to its very first scene,The Rocky Horror Picture Showfeels like you’re walking through someone else’s fever dream—in all the best ways.
This romp centers on a young couple who are stranded in the middle of nowhere after their car breaks down. They walk to a nearby castle and discover all manner of strange characters inside.
Starring Tim Curry in arguably his best role,The Rocky Horror Picture Showis a real psychedelic trip filled with sex, haughty personalities, and a whole bunch of great musical numbers.
Related:The Best Movies About Glam Rock and Punk Music
3. Young Frankenstein (1974)
Director Mel Brooks appears once again on this list with another classic comedy film from the 1970s:Young Frankenstein(which was released in the same year asBlazing Saddles, no less).
Much likeBlazing Saddles, the plot ofYoung Frankensteinis relatively simple. The genius of this film rests in Brooks’s creative direction and approach to filming, which elevates it into a masterpiece.
After years of living in shame due to his grandfather’s reputation as a mad scientist, Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (Gene Wilder) inherits his father’s castle after he dies.
Upon paying a visit to the mansion, however, he discovers a book that’s filled with the unfinished experiments of a madman…
Starring Gene Wilder in prime form along with Madeline Kahn in a standout performance,Young Frankensteinis proof that Mel Brooks’s hilarious comedy movies from the 70s weren’t flukes.
Related:The Best Feelgood Movies for When You Need a Pick-Me-Up
2. Annie Hall (1977)
Woody Allen has so many fantastic films in his résumé, and we’ve already seenLove and Deathmentioned above. But he gave us an even better film in the 70s:Annie Hall.
A philosophical comedy if there ever was one,Annie Hallreinvented the rom-com long beforeWhen Harry Met Sally…came along in 1989. And unlike Rob Reiner’s classic,Annie Hallbroke filmmaking tropes in a way that audiences never could’ve anticipated at the time.
InAnnie Hall, Woody Allen surprised everyone with techniques like breaking the fourth wall, speaking directly to viewers, employing a nonlinear plot, and making the protagonist a spineless and neurotic character like Alvy Singer.
On top of all that,Annie Halltackled philosophical topics of life and offered intellectual ramblings on those very topics, all while infusing them with humor and levity.
Annie Hallis, without question, the best film in Woody Allen’s filmography. More than that, it’s among the best romantic comedies ever made and the funniest comedy films of the 1970s.
Related:The Best Slice-of-Life Movies Where Nothing Really Happens
1. Life of Brian (1979)
Life of Brian(also known asMonty Python’s Life of Brian) is packed with so many quotable lines, making it one of the most quotable films in history and a memorable comedy for the ages.
Intelligent, witty, and silly,Life of Brianis a masterpiece of comedy cinema from Britain’s funniest sketch comedy troupe.
The film is set around the birth and life of Jesus Christ, but he’s not the one we’re interested in. Instead, we focus on Brian, a boy who was born on the exact same day and just so happens to live an exciting life…
…as a member of a revolutionary group, hailed as a prophet against his will, eventually abducted by aliens? We could go on.
The amount of absurdity inLife of Brian’s 94-minute runtime is incredible, and it all serves to lampoon modern-day politics, religion, and interpretations of history.
WithLife of Brian, Monty Python created a film that’s greater than the sum of its parts. It’s undoubtedly the best comedy movie of the 1970s and it holds up today as one of cinema’s funniest films.
