History UnintentionalPeriodPiece / The70s

* ''Film/{{Network}}'' specifically dates itself to the 1975-76 television season by the reference to the assassination attempts against UsefulNotes/GeraldFord, as well as, more broadly, by its depiction of the pre-cable television landscape (the fictional UBS network is portrayed as a second-string also-ran behind the "Big Three" of Creator/{{CBS}}, Creator/{{NBC}}, and Creator/{{ABC}}) and an old-style TV newsroom in the scenes before Howard Beale finally snaps. It also comes into play with the various outlandish TV shows that UBS creates afterwards, in a rare case of this trope causing ValuesResonance rather than ValuesDissonance. At the time, screenwriter Creator/PaddyChayefsky (a veteran TV writer) intended the film as a satire of his experiences working in television, with Beale's fiery op-ed program and ''The Mao Tse-Tung Hour'' (following the escapades of a group of [[DirtyCommunists far-left]] WesternTerrorists based on the Symbionese Liberation Army, complete with [[NoCelebritiesWereHarmed obvious parodies]] of Donald [=DeFreeze=] and Patty Hearst]]) portrayed as the logical conclusion of the quest for UsefulNotes/{{ratings}} that he had witnessed. Modern viewers have often described the film as prophetic in its anticipation of both RealityTV and assorted PompousPoliticalPundit talk shows, and the effect that they had on the TV landscape.

* What do you call a pig with Music/{{wings}}? [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linda_McCartney Linda McCartney]].

** In a third example, the neighbour who in 1966 saw young Carrie harshly rebuked by her mother for talking to the neighbour (who was sunbathing topless at the time), followed by hearing the noise of a heavy table falling over once Mrs. White dragged Carrie indoors, would be more likely nowadays to call either the police or Child Services, rather than stay out of the Whites' child-rearing decisions. The school staff also would be mandated to call Child Services after Carrie abnormally freaks out over getting her first period and indicates that she wasn't taught anything about sex and reproductive health by her mother, prior to sex-education classes being taught in school.

* The original ''Series/HawaiiFiveO'' suffers this in the early seasons, beginning with the 1968/69 season, when episodes regularly revolved around issues arising from the Vietnam War such as drug smuggling by military personnel, incidents involving soldiers on leave in Hawai'i, and vets with psychological issues. In later, post-Vietnam, seasons the military aspect (including [=McGarrett=]'s status as a [[HomeGuard Naval Reserve]] officer) was essentially eliminated.

* ''Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus'' (begun in 1969) to an extent. While the majority of the Pythons' humour is pretty damn ageless, some of the jokes will fly over your head if you aren't familiar with British television presenters, celebrities and politicians who were around at the time. You might get a joke about a "Mrs. Thatcher", "Mr. (Harold) Wilson", and "Mr. (Edward) Heath", but unless you're well-versed in British culture, you probably won't know who Robin Day was (except that he owned a hedgehog called Frank). Some sketches parody aspects of British bureaucracy that are no longer around - for example the 'Fish License' sketch is based around dog licenses which were abolished in 1987. "Appearing on the M2" are many Vauxhall Vivas - a brand of car long disappeared from the United Kingdom. On top of that, the costuming and hairstyles on the series are pretty definitively '60s-'70s, albeit in a fairly low-key way... except when actual women are involved.
** Probably the most notable thing pegging Python to its time is its use of traditional currency - shillings, sixpence, etc. - in the first two series; Britain did not decimalise its currency until 1971, so pre-decimal money shows up from time to time, like in the "Embezzler Accountant" sketch as well as the "New Television Licenses" end credit background. One third-series sketch included an onscreen note, "Old Sketch written before decimalisation" and helpfully provided conversions, which probably counts as LampshadeHanging.

* ''Series/FawltyTowers'': Timeless for the most part, except for occasional references to Prime Minister Harold Wilson and Generalissimo UsefulNotes/FranciscoFranco. Basil's obsession with social class also has a distinctively 1970s vibe, as the rise of neoliberalism and dismantling of many traditional working-class industries during the 1980s majorly changed the way the British class system worked.
* ''Series/InSearchOf'', from [[Creator/LeonardNimoy Leonard Nimoy's]] clothing to the grainy production values to the spacy {{BGM}} (and Moog-powered theme music), to [[DatedHistory the arrival of new information on the historic subject matter]] (the wreckage of the Titanic had not yet been discovered), the show ''screams'' late-70s/early-80s, when the show was produced.

* Culturally, anyway, various songs, television shows, commercials, cartoons, movies and books released around 1974-1976 were often made directly or indirectly evoking the hype surrounding [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Bicentennial America's bicentennial year]] in 1976 (or gained an extra level of popularity by being reminiscent of the event), from Music/EltonJohn's "stars and stripes" outfits and single "Philadelphia Freedom" (see the "Music" section for more on that song), to ''WesternAnimation/SchoolhouseRock's'' use of patriotic, colorful imagery to the ''Raggedy Ann And Andy'' example below, to Music/GeorgeHarrison's red, white and blue sunglasses on the back cover of his 1976 solo album ''33 1/3''. Even [[Ride/DisneyThemeParks Disneyland]] got in on the act with America Sings, an attraction chronicling the history of music in America.

** Marley's 'Zimbabwe', and its single cover (featuring a picture of UsefulNotes/RobertMugabe) dates from a time when the country was still ruled by white colonists as Rhodesia, when apartheid was commonplace, and the belief by Africans that Mugabe would make it a great nation. Unfortunately, he turned out to be a dictator, and Zimbabwe's economy tanked. The cover of Zimbabwe's parent album "Survival" also features the flag of Zaire, a country which was renamed to the "Democratic Republic Of The Congo" and gained a different flag in the 90s.

* Music/PinkFloyd was pretty bad about this across the board during the Waters era, (mostly due to Waters' frequent references to his father's death in WWII), though ''Music/TheFinalCut'' and ''Music/TheWall'' especially. ''The Final Cut'' being largely about The Falklands War and the teacher from ''The Wall'' (who also served in [=WW2=] and is still young enough to teach at the time the album takes place). ''The Wall'' features a protagonist who 1) Had a father who died in WWII who he never met 2) Was a rock star (which together automatically puts him at around his 30s/40s at the time of the album) 3) Uses a pay phone and has a lengthy conversation with a telephone operator, in addition to a number of much smaller details throughout like television programs which play in the background of "One of My Turns". To be fair, Music/RogerWaters intentionally made Pink (protagonist) to be his age (when he wrote the album) and the album is partially autobiographical.
* "She's so modern" by the Boomtown Rats. Its opening lines? "She's so - 20th Century! She's so - 1970s!"

* ''Film/NationalLampoonsVacation'' is an all-time comedy classic; unfortunately, most of Creator/NationalLampoon's other projects are dated to their period of peak popularity, 1974-84. This covers their print magazine and their LP albums (deriving humor from topics such as politics, gender relations, and current trends), as well as their lesser films like 1983's ''Movie Madness'', (which pastiches '70s genres such as "Liberated Woman" (i.e. Film/AnUnmarriedWoman) and CowboyCop), Film/NationalLampoonsEuropeanVacation (see Unintentional Period Piece/ UnintentionalPeriodPiece/TheEighties) and ''Vegas Vacation'' (see Unintentional Period Piece/ UnintentionalPeriodPiece/TheNineties).

** Marley's 'Zimbabwe', and its single cover (featuring a picture of RobertMugabe) dates from a time when the country was still ruled by white colonists as Rhodesia, when apartheid was commonplace, and the belief by Africans that Mugabe would make it a great nation. Unfortunately, he turned out to be a dictator, and Zimbabwe's economy tanked. The cover of Zimbabwe's parent album "Survival" also features the flag of Zaire, a country which was renamed to the "Democratic Republic Of The Congo" and gained a different flag in the 90s.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Animalympics}}'' was made in 1980, and features a lot of references to famous celebrities/athletes/journalists of the late 70s, like Barbara Walters, Mark Spitz, and Brian Wilson. It also shows Olympic scoring methods for diving, gymnastics and ice skating that have long since been replaced.

* ''WesternAnimation/SchoolhouseRock'' - Especially Money Rock, where Becky Sue appears to borrow money at an interest rate of ''only'' 10%, and where the narrator of another song mentions two dollars being a lot of money for an enchilada - and being able to get it for only $0.50 across the street.

* Culturally, anyway, various songs, television shows, commercials, cartoons, movies and books released around 1974-1976 were often made directly or indirectly evoking the hype surrounding [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Bicentennial America's bicentennial year]] in 1976 (or gained an extra level of popularity by being reminiscent of the event), from Music/EltonJohn's "stars and stripes" outfits and single "Philadelphia Freedom", to ''WesternAnimation/SchoolhouseRock's'' use of patriotic, colorful imagery to the ''Raggedy Ann And Andy'' example below, to Music/GeorgeHarrison's red, white and blue sunglasses on the back cover of his 1976 solo album ''33 1/3''. Even [[Ride/DisneyThemeParks Disneyland]] got in on the act with America Sings, an attraction chronicling the history of music in America.

** The film begins with the main character working as a shoeshine boy, who is charging a dime per shine. Not only is this plot-relevant (Tommy is working as an accomplice to a mob hitman, and holds on to the target when he tries to escape), but it's also prominently referenced in Creator/JamesBrown's "Down and Out in New York City" from the soundtrack, making that an example as well.

* ''Film/Joe1970'' features a middle-class man joining forces with a [[PoliticallyIncorrectHero working class boor]] to "rescue" his daughter from a commune of hippies (and ends up [[KillEmAll slaughtering them all]]). The movie was a huge hit in its day, influencing the vigilante film genre and kick-starting the careers of Creator/PeterBoyle and Creator/SusanSarandon, but has long since faded into obscurity. Besides the dated fashions and stereotyped characters, it plays so heavily on the early '70s "Generation Gap" that it's difficult for modern viewers to connect.

* ''Film/TheManWithTheGoldenGun'' is obviously a product of the [=1970s=], from its extensive talks about the energy crisis to the martial arts school showcasing the kung fu craze of the time to {{product placement}} by American Motors Company (most prominently the Matador and Hornet) then at its height of power and brand recognition to [=MI6=] using the burned and capsized wreck of the RMS ''Queen Elizabeth'' as a covert Hong Kong headquarters, which was dismantled for scrap shortly after filming and blasted to clear the shipping channel, then buried by an artificial island some two decades later.

* ''Film/{{Joe}}'' features a middle class man joining forces with a [[PoliticallyIncorrectHero working class boor]] to "rescue" his daughter from a commune of hippies (and ends up [[KillEmAll slaughtering them all]]). The movie was a huge hit in its day, influencing the vigilante film genre and kick-starting the careers of Creator/PeterBoyle and Creator/SusanSarandon, but has long since faded into obscurity. Besides the dated fashions and stereotyped characters, it plays so heavily on the early '70s "Generation Gap" that it's difficult for modern viewers to connect.

* Many {{blaxploitation}} films characterized the defining characteristics of the '70s. ''Black Caesar'' and ''Hell Up In Harlem'', for instance, featured a pre-overhaul Times Square (back when it was known for its sleazy theatres as opposed to the LCD mecca of the late 1990s and 21st century), mink coats, kids shining shoes on the streets, afros, accounting ledgers written in multiple books, JiveTurkey dialogue, and much more.

* ''Film/{{Network}}'' specifically dates itself to the 1975-76 television season by the reference to the assassination attempts against UsefulNotes/GeraldFord, as well as, more broadly, by its depiction of the pre-cable television landscape (the fictional UBS network is portrayed as a second-string also-ran behind the "Big Three" of Creator/{{CBS}}, Creator/{{NBC}}, and Creator/{{ABC}}) and an old-style TV newsroom in the scenes before Howard Beale finally snaps. It also comes into play with the various outlandish TV shows that UBS creates afterwards, in a rare case of this trope causing ValuesResonance rather than ValuesDissonance. At the time, screenwriter Creator/PaddyChayefsky (a veteran TV writer) intended the film as a satire of his experiences working in television, with Beale's fiery op-ed program and ''The Mao Tse-Tung Hour'' (following the escapades of a group of [[DirtyCommunists far-left]] WesternTerrorists based on the Symbionese Liberation Army, complete with [[NoCelebritiesWereHarmed a parody of Patty Hearst]]) portrayed as the logical conclusion of the quest for {{UsefulNotes/Ratings}} that he had witnessed. Modern viewers have often described the film as prophetic in its anticipation of both RealityTV and assorted PompousPoliticalPundit talk shows, and the effect that they had on the TV landscape.
* ''Film/TheHotRock'': There's a helicopter flight that spends several minutes giving us views of the World Trade Center -- under construction. (Probably between 1969 and 1971.)

* ''Film/TheStarWarsHolidaySpecial'' is a very 1970s VarietyShow with ''very'' vague SpaceOpera trappings. This is very sad, especially since the theatrical films do a pretty fair job of averting the trope.

* ''Series/FawltyTowers'': Timeless for the most part, except for occasional references to Prime Minister Harold Wilson and General UsefulNotes/FranciscoFranco. Basil's obsession with social class also has a distinctively 1970s vibe, as the neoliberalism and dismantling of traditional working-class industries of the 1980s majorly changed the way the British class system worked.

* ''Series/GoodTimes'' comes off as a period piece for the same reasons as ''Sanford And Son'', and it's also dated by its use of slang terms and references to then-current pop culture (for instance, in one episode two of the younger characters play with each other by dressing as up [[Music/SonnyBono Sonny]] and Music/{{Cher}}, who were both married and a musical duo at the time).

** ''WesternAnimation/TheNewScoobyDooMovies'' feature Mystery Inc. teaming up with 70s celebrities like Creator/SandyDuncan, [[Music/TheMamasAndThePapas Mama Cass]] and [[Music/SonnyBono Sonny]] and Music/{{Cher}}, and are very much rooted in that decade as a result.

** The outfits worn by Fujiko and the secondary characters are all contemporary fashion. Most of that fashion we’re caught and shot before they’ve ever escaped the 1970s. Averted by Lupin, Jigen, and Zenigata, who wear classic late 1960s vintage suits, and by Goemon, who wears ''15''60s vintage.

** The album "Tommy" refers to the Eirst World War and 1921. The movie updates it to the Second World War and 1951.

* Plenty of rock/pop musicals of the time ''scream'' the 1970s. It's a part of their NarmCharm: ''Film/{{Godspell}}'', ''Theatre/JesusChristSuperstar'', ''Music/{{Tommy}}'', ''Film/SgtPeppersLonelyHeartsClubBand'', ''Film/RockAndRollHighSchool'' and ''Film/TheWiz'' all qualify. The final run of such musicals in 1980 (''Film/{{Xanadu}}'', ''Film/CantStopTheMusic'', and ''Film/TheApple'') come off as the final gasp of disco.

** Likewise, the portrayal of Carrie's [[AbusiveParents abusive]], [[TheFundamentalist religious fanatic]] mother Margaret is a very pre-Moral Majority version of fundamentalist Protestant Christianity. She is scornful of politics, viewing Washington as a hive of sin and a modern-day Sodom and Gomorrah that no good Christian should ever get involved in. This dates the book (published in 1974) to before the rise of the organized Christian Right as a major force in American politics, viewing political involvement in support of religious causes as a moral imperative rather than something that Christians shouldn't dirty their hands with; before then, even politically active Christian leaders like Billy Graham sought to give the appearance of being above partisanship. Likewise, she views all sex, even ''within'' marriage, as a mortal sin, and before her husband Ralph drunkenly [[ChildByRape raped her and conceived Carrie]] (which causes her [[NotIfTheyEnjoyedItRationalization no shortage of grief and guilt]]), the two of them lived a firmly chaste lifestyle. Modern evangelicals, by contrast, are often encouraged to "be fruitful and multiply" and produce large families of faithful Christians, as seen with the "Quiverfull" movement that emerged in the '80s. The 2013 adaptation had to highlight just how out of step Margaret's views were with anything resembling modern Christianity, even on the fundamentalist/evangelical end of the faith.

** [[Recap/LupinIIIS2E7 "Cursed Case Scenario"]] involved Lupin and the gang going to Egypt to steal King Tut's burial mask... but Zenigata is stuck next door in Israel, and manages to get himself arrested when he loudly demands a flight to Cairo, the Israeli official angrily retorting, "[[UsefulNotes/ArabIsraeliConflict There are no flights from Israel to]] '''''[[UsefulNotes/ArabIsraeliConflict any]]''''' [[UsefulNotes/ArabIsraeliConflict Arab country!]]" This episode aired in 1977, two years before the Camp David Accords and the signing of the Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty. Other Arab countries would follow in the next several decades. As of 2021, there are regular scheduled flights from Israel to Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain.

* ''Blue Collar'', made in 1978, gives away its time period with its fashion as well as its plot based around Midwest union manufacturing jobs. The tax scam being run by Richard Pryor's character also became impossible after 1987. [[note]]He was claiming a bunch of fictitious dependents on his return; the IRS started requiring Social Security numbers also be listed to claim an exemption because this was actually a real thing people were doing at the time.[[/note]]

* ''Anime/LupinIIIRedJacket'' absolutely ''oozes'' TheSeventies. When it was dubbed into English (26 years later), they ''tried'' to cover it up, but some aspects just stood out too strongly:

* ''WesternAnimation/RaggedyAnnAndAndyAMusicalAdventure'', made in 1976, includes plenty of random "patriotic" stars-and-stripes patterns as part of its SceneryPorn - probably a nod to the U.S. Bicentennial that year. Otherwise, the movie avoids this trope.

[[folder:Film -- Animation]]

* ''WesternAnimation/HeavyTraffic'' and ''WesternAnimation/{{Coonskin}}'' all look and breathe the early 1970s, both in fashions, expressions and stuff that was more topical back in the day, like the ''Black Power'' movements. ''Coonskin'' in particular suffers from this because it was a satire of Hollywood stereotypes of Afro-Americans that were already seeping away in the 1970s, but still remembered by most people older than 20 then. Today, this makes the film ironically appear more racist to younger generations unaware of the reference material being spoofed [[GoodFlawsBadFlaws (while, of course, Bakshi's pornographic material is seen as no big deal)]].

[[folder:Film -- Live Action]]

* Despite its classic-rock status, Music/LynyrdSkynyrd's SignatureSong "Sweet Home Alabama" is firmly rooted in 1974. First, the Music/NeilYoung references are due to the song being an AnswerSong to Neil's song "[[Music/{{Harvest}} Southern Man]]", which has not remained as well-known as SHA. Secondly, while [[{{Scandalgate}} Watergate]] is still a notorious event, it lost its relevancy and ability to "not bother" Ronnie Von Zant after UsefulNotes/RichardNixon's resignation brought the scandal to its conclusion.

* Despite its classic-rock status, Music/LynyrdSkynyrd's SignatureSong "Sweet Home Alabama" is firmly rooted in 1974. First, the Music/NeilYoung references are due to the song being an AnswerSong to Neil's song "[[Music/{{Harvest}} Southern Man]]", which has not remained as well-known as SHA. Secondly, while [[{{Scandalgate}} Watergate]] is still a notorious event, it lost its relevancy and ability to "not bother" Ronnie von Zant after UsefulNotes/RichardNixon's resignation brought the scandal to its conclusion.

* Despite its classic-rock status, Music/LynyrdSkynyrd's SignatureSong "Sweet Home Alabama" is firmly rooted in 1974. First, the Music/NeilYoung references are due to the song being an AnswerSong to Neil's song "Music/{{Harvest}} Southern Man", which has not remained as well-known as SHA. Secondly, while UsefulNotes/Watergate is still a notorious event, it lost its relevancy and ability to "not bother" Ronnie von Zant after UsefulNotes/RichardNixon's resignation brought an end to the scandal.

** Much like Rupert Holmes' "Escape (The Piña Colada Song)", and its prominent featuring of newspaper personal ads, since swept aside by online dating and dating apps. The song also mentions "(not liking) health food" and yoga (both of which are now popular in the West) and Creator/HumphreyBogart when UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfHollywood is nowadays overshadowed by [[Filmsofthe1980s The '80s]] in terms of nostalgic appeal.