12 movies that defined the baby boomer generation
- Movies that were released in the '60s and '70s defined the boomer generation.
- Some of the best films in history, like "The Graduate," "The Godfather," and "2001: A Space Odyssey," left lasting impressions on the generation.
- Films like "Easy Rider," "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," and "Saturday Night Fever" were also influential.
Baby boomers were coming of age at the same time Hollywood was having a renaissance of sorts. In the '60s and '70s, some of the best films in history were released, impacting baby boomers for years to come.
From "The Graduate" to "The Godfather," these are some of the movies that defined the boomer generation.
When "The Graduate," starring Dustin Hoffman, premiered in 1967, it was a huge hit among members of the generation, some of whom were just coming of age.
Synopsis: "A disillusioned college graduate finds himself torn between his older lover and her daughter."
Why it's so important: When "The Graduate" was released, it broke all kinds of records. It earned more than $35 million in the first few months, making it one of the highest-grossing films at the time. Today, the movie is known as a "groundbreaking American classic," according to Hulu. It seems the tale of a disillusioned and romantically confused Ben Braddock struck a chord with the boomer generation and has left a lasting impact on viewers in later generations, too.
"2001: A Space Odyssey" was released in 1968 and became one of the most groundbreaking films in history.
Synopsis: "The sci-fi masterpiece from acclaimed director Stanley Kubrick about a space voyage to Jupiter that turns chaotic when a computer enhanced with artificial intelligence takes over."
Why it's so important: At the time, the Hollywood Reporter wrote that the space movie was "a majestic visual experience, quite unlike any film we have ever seen." The unique film made boomers think about humanity as a whole and question where we all come from. Not to mention, the film set up the stage for the onslaught of space movies that would come in the next decades.
In 1969, "Easy Rider" was the perfect metaphor for the hippie generation.
Synopsis: "Two bikers head from L.A. to New Orleans through the open country and desert lands, and along the way, they meet a man who bridges a counter-culture gap they are unaware of."
Why it's so important: "Easy Rider" embodied all the same themes the hippie generation valued: anti-establishment, counterculture, and free living. In other words, the film highlighted an alternative way of life and focused on different parts of the American landscape. The same sentiments are also heard in the film's famous song "Born to be Wild." Additionally, "Easy Rider" launched Jack Nicholson's career.
"Dirty Harry" in 1971 started the police and investigation genre.
Synopsis: "When a madman calling himself 'the Scorpio Killer' menaces the city, tough as nails San Francisco Police Inspector 'Dirty' Harry Callahan is assigned to track down and ferret out the crazed psychopath."
Why it's so important: "Dirty Harry" marked a change in Hollywood that mirrored a shift in America. Throughout the '60s, baby boomers were interested in freedom and anti-establishment ideals, but that began to change in the '70s. People were less interested in lawless societies and instead "wanted to see more law and order." This movie provided the generation just that and became a model for future police detective movies to come. "Dirty Harry" also launched the career of Clint Eastwood.
In 1971, Stanley Kubrick's "A Clockwork Orange" showcased violence and horror for a greater purpose.
Synopsis: "In the future, a sadistic gang leader is imprisoned and volunteers for a conduct-aversion experiment, but it doesn't go as planned."
Why it's so important: "A Clockwork Orange" is often remembered for its most violent scenes that often seem unsettling and jarring. But it all had a purpose. "While copycat movies would show violence and vulgarity all purely for shock's sake, here it's neither glorified nor romanticized," NME, an entertainment news site, writes. "It creates a totally Kubrickian diagnosis of society's ever more prevalent shared disorder. Only goodness through free will can prevail, and it must. It's just up to everyone to figure it out for themselves."
"The Godfather" in 1972 became a cultural phenomenon and is largely considered the best movie in history.
Synopsis: "The aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty transfers control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant son."
Why it's so important: The Hollywood Reporter placed "The Godfather" in the top spot in its "Top 100 Movies of All Time" list.
"'Godfather' is 42 years old, meaning anyone who saw it when it came out in 1972 is pushing 60 or older," Todd McCarthy at The Hollywood Reporter wrote. "This suggests its narrative power, extraordinary performances, and mythic values register as strongly for younger viewers as they did at the time. The film also happens to stand at the precise midpoint between the arrival of sound films and the present. It is both classical and modern, traditional in its storytelling and contemporary in its critical perspective. It's a film that does it all."
In 1975, "Jaws" created the term "summer blockbuster" and scared audiences around the country.
Synopsis: "When a killer shark unleashes chaos on a beach community, it's up to a local sheriff, a marine biologist, and an old seafarer to hunt the beast down."
Why it's so important: Before "Jaws," movie theater sales were generally down in the summer. That all changed in 1975 when "Jaws" was released and people lined up to catch a viewing. It created the "summer blockbuster," leaving an entire generation wary of heading into the ocean. Today, the film is still considered one of the best horror films.
"One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" in 1975 became a microcosm for the world baby boomers were living in.
Synopsis: "A criminal pleads insanity and is admitted to a mental institution, where he rebels against the oppressive nurse and rallies up the scared patients."
Why it's so important: Peter Bradshaw at The Guardian said it best when he wrote, "The hospital symbolizes the repressive madhouse of square society." In fact, Jack Nicholson's character fantasizes about escaping to Canada, much like some baby boomers were during the Vietnam draft at the time. In many ways, viewers saw themselves in this film, and it shaped who they would become.
"Close Encounters of the Third Kind" in 1977 sparked a renewed interest in alien life.
Synopsis: "Roy Neary, an electric lineman, watches how his quiet and ordinary daily life turns upside down after a close encounter with a UFO."
Why it's so important: When "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" hit theaters it became an instant hit and a blockbuster. "'Close Encounters' was fantastical and mystical and sometimes borderline hysterical," Xan Brooks at The Guardian wrote about loving the film at just 12 years old. Today, the film is still beloved and has even inspired space exploration.
When "Star Wars" premiered in 1977, it was the start of one of the most beloved franchises in history.
Synopsis: "Young farm boy Luke Skywalker is thrust into a galaxy of adventure when he intercepts a distress call from the captive Princess Leia. The event launches him on a daring mission to rescue her from the clutches of Darth Vader and the evil Empire."
Why it's so important: For many baby boomers, this is more than just a film. The "Star Wars" franchise has seeped into the American fabric, launching "Star Wars"-themed products and even theme parks. When it was released, young people couldn't get enough, so it became a trilogy, which then became an entire franchise that is still releasing TV shows and movies.
"George Lucas' space epic has colonized our imaginations, and it is hard to stand back and see it simply as a motion picture because it has so completely become part of our memories," Roger Ebert wrote.
"Annie Hall" in 1977 focused on sex, love, and the comedy that comes with it all.
Synopsis: "Neurotic New York comedian Alvy Singer falls in love with the ditzy Annie Hall."
Why it's so important: Although Woody Allen has fallen out of grace due to sexual assault allegations in recent years, "Annie Hall" has had a lasting effect on the baby boomer generation. The film took on a more realistic portrayal of sex and love than previous rom-coms had in the past, bringing to light real problems boomers were facing in romantic situations for the first time. The film also broke the fourth wall, used unprecedented camera work, and redefined the genre.
In 1977, "Saturday Night Fever" turned the baby boomers of the '70s into disco lovers.
Synopsis: "Anxious about his future after high school, a 19-year-old Italian-American from Brooklyn tries to escape the harsh reality of his bleak family life by dominating the dance floor at the local disco."
Why it's so important: Jon Savage at The Guardian wrote, "'Saturday Night Fever' was the film that broke disco in both senses: it popularized and developed the form at the same time as it froze a vibrant and creative subculture. 'Saturday Night Fever' made disco ubiquitous in 1978. It became a fad."
Although disco had been around before the film, "Saturday Night Fever" caused a large cultural shift in boomers, prompting them to head to discos and dance the night away to new music.
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