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1978 Movies

Take a nostalgic look back at the top movies of 1978, celebrating the films, directors and actors that defined the year and left a lasting legacy in the world of entertainment.

1978 Academy Awards

The Deer Hunter
Written by: Michael Cimino, Deric Washburn, Louis Garfinkle, Quinn K. Redeker
Directed by: Michael Cimino
Starring: Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, John Savage
Country: United States of America
Outline: A group of working-class friends from Pennsylvania are drafted to fight in the Vietnam War, and their lives are changed forever after enduring the horrors of combat and the psychological scars that follow.
source: imdb.com
Halloween
Written by: John Carpenter, Debra Hill
Directed by: John Carpenter
Starring: Donald Pleasence, Jamie Lee Curtis, P.J. Soles
Country: United States of America
Outline: On Halloween night, a young boy named Michael Myers is institutionalized after murdering his sister. Fifteen years later, he escapes and returns to his hometown to continue his killing spree, targeting a group of teenagers.
source: imdb.com
Superman
Written by: Mario Puzo, David Newman, Leslie Newman
Directed by: Richard Donner
Starring: Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, Gene Hackman
Country: United States of America
Outline: Superman, the last son of the planet Krypton, uses his extraordinary powers to fight evil and protect humanity. As Clark Kent, he works as a reporter for the Daily Planet while secretly battling villains as Superman.
source: imdb.com
Grease
Written by: Jim Jacobs, Warren Casey
Directed by: Randal Kleiser
Starring: John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, Stockard Channing
Country: United States of America
Outline: A musical about a high school romance between greaser Danny and Sandy, a new girl from Australia. Their love faces challenges as they navigate teenage life and peer pressure.
source: imdb.com
Revenge of the Pink Panther
Written by: Blake Edwards, Frank Waldman
Directed by: Blake Edwards
Starring: Peter Sellers, Herbert Lom, Lesley-Anne Down, Burt Kwouk, Colin Blakely
Country: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Outline: Inspector Clouseau is framed for the murder of Sir Charles Lytton and seeks revenge against those who set him up.
source: en.wikipedia.org
Hooper
Written by: Thomas Rickman, Bill Kerby, Walt Green, Walter S. Herndon
Directed by: Hal Needham
Starring: Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Jan-Michael Vincent, Brian Keith, Robert Klein, James Best, Adam West
Country: United States of America
Outline: Sonny Hooper, a seasoned Hollywood stuntman, faces the challenges of aging while mentoring a young, ambitious stuntman named Ski. Together, they collaborate on increasingly daring stunts, culminating in a record-breaking rocket car jump.
source: imdb.com
Every Which Way but Loose
Written by: Jeremy Joe Kronsberg
Directed by: James Fargo
Starring: Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke, Geoffrey Lewis, Beverly D'Angelo, Ruth Gordon
Country: United States of America
Outline: Philo Beddoe, a trucker and bare-knuckle brawler, embarks on a journey across the American West in search of his lost love, accompanied by his brother/manager Orville and his pet orangutan Clyde. Along the way, they encounter a series of colorful characters and challenges.
source: imdb.com
Jaws 2
Written by: Carl Gottlieb, Howard Sackler
Directed by: Jeannot Szwarc
Starring: Roy Scheider, Lorraine Gary, Murray Hamilton, Joseph Mascolo, Jeffrey Kramer
Country: United States of America
Outline: A new great white shark terrorizes the residents of Amity Island, leading police chief Martin Brody to confront the menace once again.
source: imdb.com
The Deer Hunter
Written by: Deric Washburn
Directed by: Michael Cimino
Starring: Robert De Niro, John Savage, John Cazale, Meryl Streep
Country: United States of America
Outline: In a small Pennsylvania town, three friends are drafted to fight in the Vietnam War. Their experiences during and after the war profoundly affect their lives and relationships.
source: imdb.com
Autumn Sonata
Written by: Ingmar Bergman
Directed by: Ingmar Bergman
Starring: Ingrid Bergman, Liv Ullmann, Lena Nyman, Halvar Björk, Georg Løkkeberg
Country: Sweden
Outline: A renowned concert pianist visits her daughter, leading to a confrontation that reveals deep-seated emotional wounds and unresolved conflicts.
source: imdb.com
Dawn of the Dead
Written by: George A. Romero
Directed by: George A. Romero
Starring: David Emge, Ken Foree, Scott H. Reiniger, Gaylen Ross, David Crawford
Country: United States of America
Outline: A group of survivors takes refuge in a shopping mall during a zombie apocalypse, facing both the undead and human threats.
source: imdb.com
Days of Heaven
Written by: Terrence Malick
Directed by: Terrence Malick
Starring: Richard Gere, Brooke Adams, Sam Shepard, Linda Manz
Country: United States of America
Outline: In 1916, a Chicago steelworker flees to the Texas Panhandle with his girlfriend and sister to work on a wealthy farmer's land. A love triangle ensues, leading to tragic consequences.
source: criterion.com
Don
Written by: Salim Khan, Javed Akhtar
Directed by: Chandra Barot
Starring: Amitabh Bachchan, Zeenat Aman, Pran, Iftikhar, Om Shivpuri, Iftekhar
Country: India
Outline: A gangster's death leads to a lookalike taking his place to infiltrate the underworld, leading to a thrilling cat-and-mouse game.
source: en.wikipedia.org
Trishul
Written by: Salim Khan, Javed Akhtar
Directed by: Yash Chopra
Starring: Shashi Kapoor, Sanjeev Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini, Raakhee, Poonam Dhillon, Waheeda Rehman
Country: India
Outline: A man seeks revenge against his estranged father, leading to a complex family drama involving love, betrayal, and justice.
source: en.wikipedia.org
Watership Down
Written by: Martin Rosen
Directed by: Martin Rosen
Starring: John Hurt, Richard Briers, Ralph Richardson, Michael Beattie, Zero Mostel
Country: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Outline: A group of rabbits, led by the brave Hazel, escape their warren to seek a new home, facing numerous dangers and challenges along the way.
source: imdb.com
Midnight Express
Written by: Oliver Stone
Directed by: Alan Parker
Starring: Brad Davis, Irene Miracle, Bo Hopkins
Country: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Outline: The film follows Billy Hayes, an American student arrested in Turkey for attempting to smuggle hashish, who endures brutal imprisonment and seeks escape. It is based on Billy Hayes's 1977 memoir.
source: en.wikipedia.org
Animal House
Written by: Harold Ramis, Douglas Kenney, Chris Miller
Directed by: John Landis
Starring: John Belushi, Tim Matheson, John Vernon, Verna Bloom, Thomas Hulce, Donald Sutherland
Country: United States of America
Outline: A comedy about a misfit fraternity at Faber College that challenges the authority of the dean, leading to a series of comedic events. The film is known for its raunchy humor and energetic performances.
source: en.wikipedia.org
Blue Collar
Written by: Paul Schrader
Directed by: Paul Schrader
Starring: Richard Pryor, Harvey Keitel, Yaphet Kotto
Country: United States of America
Outline: The film follows three auto workers in Detroit who, frustrated with their working conditions, plan a heist, leading to unforeseen consequences. It explores themes of labor unrest and economic hardship.
source: en.wikipedia.org
Khatta Meetha
Written by: Basu Chatterjee
Directed by: Basu Chatterjee
Starring: Ashok Kumar, Pearl Padamsee, Asrani, Leela Mishra
Country: India
Outline: A Hindi-language film that intertwines two stories: one about a widowed man and his daughter, and another about a widowed woman and her son, exploring themes of love and family dynamics.
source: en.wikipedia.org
Interiors
Written by: Woody Allen
Directed by: Woody Allen
Starring: Kristin Griffith, Mary Beth Hurt, Richard Jordan, Diane Keaton, E. G. Marshall, Geraldine Page, Maureen Stapleton, Sam Waterston
Country: United States of America
Outline: Three sisters struggle with their lives after their parents' unexpected divorce. The film delves into their personal challenges and relationships.
source: imdb.com
My Way Home
Written by: Bill Douglas
Directed by: Bill Douglas
Starring: John Fraser, Jean Taylor Smith, John Young, John McGlynn, John McGlynn
Country: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Outline: A young boy in Scotland during World War II experiences the hardships and challenges of growing up in a small village.
source: imdb.com
Snake in the Eagle's Shadow
Written by: Woo-Ping Yuen
Directed by: Woo-Ping Yuen
Starring: Jackie Chan, Hwang Jang-lee, Yuen Biao
Country: Hong Kong
Outline: A young man trained in the art of kung fu by a beggar becomes a martial arts master, leading to a series of comedic and action-packed adventures.
source: en.wikipedia.org
The Silent Partner
Written by: Curtis Hanson
Directed by: Daryl Duke
Starring: Elliott Gould, Christopher Plummer, Susannah York, John Candy, Michael Kirby
Country: Canada
Outline: A bank teller discovers that his bank is being robbed and decides to steal the money himself, leading to a dangerous game of cat and mouse with the robber.
source: imdb.com