Besides giving us billowy sleeves and suede jackets [1], the '70s ushered in a cultural explosion of ideas as voices in minority communities resisted oppressive traditions. Many of these ideas seeped into the entertainment at the time, especially film, where viewers started to see less censorship around sexuality and language. If you're curious about what cinema was like in this groovy era, you won't have to look very far.

Netflix's collection [2] of '70s movies encapsulates the provocative and independent spirit of the colourful decade, featuring everything from the critically acclaimed crime thriller The Godfather to the quirky pet cemetery documentary Gates of Heaven.

The Godfather (1972)

Recognized as one of the greatest movies in modern cinema, Francis Ford Coppola's 1972 film The Godfather revolves around the family of Don Vito Corleone, a crime lord whose son Michael unwillingly joins the dark and violent world of the Mafia.

Watch it now. [3]

The Godfather Part II (1974)

The Godfather Part II follows its groundbreaking predecessor with a narrative that weaves together Michael's ongoing story in the present with his own father's ascension into crime.

Watch it now. [4]

Benji (1974)

Joe Camp's classic is about a loving family that adopts an abandoned dog who, despite often getting into doggone trouble, heroically saves two missing kids from bad guys.

Watch it now. [5]

The Great Gatsby (1974)

Before Baz Luhrmann brought glitz, glam, and Leonardo DiCaprio [6] to F. Scott Fitzgerald's American classic, director Jack Clayton teamed up with screenwriter Francis Ford Coppola to create the original film adaptation of The Great Gatsby.

Watch it now. [7]

Hitler: A Career (1977)

Joachim Fest's documentary is a collection of period clips that crafts a narrative around the rise of Adolf Hitler, a relatively unknown artist who would become one of the world's most feared leaders.

Watch it now. [8]

Pumping Iron (1977)

Before he added the Terminator and governor of California to his resumé, Arnold Schwarzenegger [9] was a bodybuilder in the '70s. Pumping Iron narrates his rise to fame.

Watch it now. [10]

Gates of Heaven (1978)

This 1978 documentary about the pet cemetery business put Errol Morris on the map as a reputable director. In 1991, film critic Roger Ebert included the documentary on his list of the ten best films ever made.

Watch it now. [11]

Richard Pryor: Live in Concert (1979)

In this stand-up comedy film, the late comedian Richard Pryor throws zingers about topics like race and sex. It also includes music by Patti LaBelle!

Watch it now. [12]