The 1970s were a wild time for comedy movies, with them pushing boundaries and often stepping way outside the lines of political correctness. The results were mixed, but some of the movies made it big time, going down in history as comedy genius. Here are that era’s most shameless, audacious, and outright offensive comedies.
Blazing Saddles
Blazing Saddles is a prime example of 1970s irreverence. It’s an over-the-top attack on race relations set within a Western spoof, with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer. From the ridiculous character names to the frequent and shocking racially charged jokes, this comedy gleefully stomps all over any line of good taste. But this very controversy has made it both a critical darling and a staple of American humor.
Animal House
National Lampoon’s Animal House is a classic college comedy. John Belushi starred as the ringleader of a misfit group of fraternity brothers who bumble their way from one harebrained scheme to another. There are food fights, toga parties, and gross-out humor that refuses to apologize for offending everyone. It’s a chaotic celebration of rebellion and excess.
Life of Brian
Life of Brian by Monty Python is a brilliant satire that targets religion and the absurdities of organized faith. The story follows Brian Cohen, born on the same day as Jesus, and uses the running joke of him being mistaken for Jesus. Despite significant backlash from religious groups, the movie proved successful and has remained a clever and biting commentary.
The Kentucky Fried Movie
The Kentucky Fried Movie is a sketch comedy movie by John Landis, part parody and part absurdity in one. It contains everything from mock commercials to spoofing a Bruce Lee film. It’s crude, crass, and often politically incorrect, so, unsurprisingly, it has become a cult favorite for those who like their comedy outrageous and unapologetic.
The Jerk
The Jerk is a 1979 comedy musical that tells a rags-to-riches-to-rags story filled with absurdist humor. It stars Steve Martin as Navin Johnson, a well-meaning idiot whose naivety creates endless problems, spurred on by his love for adventure. Even though its humor is frequently childish and sometimes offensive, Steve Martin’s performance makes this movie an absolute classic.
The Bad News Bears
The 1976 sports comedy The Bad News Bears focuses on a misfit little league team coached by an alcoholic ex-ball player, played by Walter Matthau. It’s a no-holds-barred take on kid sports, with inappropriate humor, children spewing profanities, and morally questionable actions. It offers an unfiltered look at childhood and competition.
Young Frankenstein
Young Frankenstein is Mel Brooks’ affectionate parody of the Universal monster movie franchise. Gene Wilder is excellent as Dr. Frankenstein (“Fronkensteen!”), with comic timing that will keep you in stitches. The movie combines all sorts of comedy genres, ranging from slapstick to raunchy jokes, with the final result being a legendary comic movie that still has a devoted cult following to this day.
The Groove Tube
The Groove Tube is a sketch comedy feature that lives on as a minor cult classic. A parody of television shows and commercials, it uses off-color, often offensive humor, to keep viewers laughing. With early performances by Chevy Chase and Richard Belzer, it’s almost a time capsule of ’70s counter-culture, wrapped in a barrage of lewd jokes and sketches.
Bananas
Woody Allen’s Bananas is a political satire that lampoons everything from dictatorships to American foreign policy. Allen plays Fielding Mellish, a bumbling product tester who becomes the leader of a fictional Latin American country after an attempt to impress his activist ex-girlfriend goes wrong. The humor is sharp and often offensive, but always the unique style we’ve come to expect from Allen.
Slap Shot
Paul Newman leads as Reggie Dunlop in Slap Shot, a sports comedy about a failing minor-league hockey team. With fan numbers dropping rapidly, they resort to excessively violent play to attract bloodthirsty viewers on the hunt for drama. The movie’s humor is brutal and almost certainly offensive on many counts, but it gives its audience a hilarious look at the world of sports.
Foul Play
Starring Chevy Chase and Goldie Hawn, Foul Play combines comedy and thriller elements for a light-hearted romp. The film’s humor includes slapstick, sexual innuendo, and plenty of politically incorrect jokes, with protagonist Gloria Mundy (Goldie Hawn) somehow finding herself in the middle of an assassination plot. Despite the frequently risky humor, it’s a genuinely enjoyable watch, even by modern standards, and balances laughs with more suspenseful moments.
Car Wash
Car Wash offers a window into 1970s urban life, a funky, sometimes slapstick comedy with a diverse cast and memorable soundtrack. Its unapologetically in-your-face portrayals of race, class, and sexuality would perhaps raise eyebrows now but capture the spirit of its time.
Smokey and the Bandit
Burt Reynolds stars as the titular Bandit in Smokey and the Bandit, a high-speed chase comedy filled with car stunts, country humor, and a whole lot of beer. It’s safe to say a lot of this unabashedly Southern movie’s humor would be considered offensive now, but its charm lies in its carefree, rebellious spirit.
A New Leaf
In A New Leaf, Walter Matthau plays a spoiled playboy who finds his extravagant lifestyle has quickly burned through his money. He marries wealthy heiress Henrietta Lowell (Elaine May) with plans to kill her for her fortune. The dark comedy is filled with biting wit and occasionally offensive humor, producing a sharp satire on wealth and marriage.
Love and Death
Another Woody Allen entry, Love and Death, is a satire on Russian literature and existential philosophy. It is intellectual yet slapstick humor, with Allen’s distinctive style shining through. It’s an odd mix of highbrow and lowbrow humor, often stepping into offensive territory.
Meatballs
Bill Murray stars as camp counselor Tripper in Meatballs, a comedy that set the stage for many summer camp movies that followed. The humor is diverse, sometimes crossing the line into offensive territory with its jokes about sex, pranks, and rebellious campers. Murray’s charm keeps it light and fun, with a surprisingly sweet plot about him trying to encourage a camper with low self-esteem.
The Last Detail
In The Last Detail, Jack Nicholson and Otis Young play naval officers who have been given the job of hauling a young sailor off to prison. Foul-mouthed, darkly humorous, and just plain bleak, The Last Detail paints a gritty picture of military life. Its raw, unfiltered approach to humor and drama makes it a classic of 70s cinema.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
The 1975 musical comedy horror The Rocky Horror Picture Show is campy, outrageous, and filled with sexual innuendo. Focusing on the people at a castle where a young couple tries to find help, the movie’s willingness to embrace and celebrate its weirdness has ensured its place as a cult classic.
