Top 5 Most Interesting Post-Apocalyptic Films from the 1970s

This is a guest post written by: Derrick James has been prepping in various forms for well over a decade. He founded SHTFblog in 2007 and then Prepper Press in 2011. 

Earlier this year I began the arduous task of creating a complete list of post-apocalyptic movies. Continuously growing from reader input, the list now has well over one hundred movies. It is loaded with everything from the post-apocalyptic greats, like Road Warrior (1981), to the films no one should ever watch, like Future World (2018).

While the comprehensive list is great for the post-apocalyptic movie fanatic interested in seeing every film in that genre, the list can be overwhelming to the more casual viewer just looking for a decent movie to watch during the coronavirus shutdown. I mean, if you want to stay entertained during a disaster, why wouldn’t you watch a disaster movie?

Post-Apocalyptic Movies from the 1970s

I have written this post to help narrow that list down to a few of the more interesting choices. Of course, narrowing a list of over one hundred movies down to the “interesting” ones is a task onto itself, so I’ve narrowed it further to those films from the 1970s.

I find the post-apocalyptic (PA) films from the 1970s to be particularly interesting. That decade predates the onslaught of cheesy PA films from the 1980s (think Battletruck or Hell Comes to Frogtown) when it seemed every movie of that type was built on the premise of some hellish life after nuclear annihilation. Of course, the threat of nuclear war was present during the 70s, so there are some films of that nature, but it was also a period in the throes of an environmental awakening and fears of environmental collapse. These were the two big SHTF scenarios of the time (What is SHTF?) and they both make good foundations from which to create some interesting post-apocalyptic films.

Five Interesting Films from the 1970s

“Interesting” here is subjective, I know. What follows are movies that are “interesting” to me. That (more or less) means it is not a super well-known great (like Mad Max 1979), but it is also not a something painful to watch (like Damnation Alley 1977).

Gas-s-s-s (1970)

I will be honest, Gas-s-s-s is not great, but it is interesting. The fact that it is a post-apocalyptic dark comedy alone sets it apart as different. The film follows survivors of an accidental military gas leak that kills everyone over the age of twenty-five. Shot in New Mexico and Texas, the film follows a few hippie-type characters who fall in love, fight a villainous police force, meet bikers who play golf, and – after finding home in a peaceful commune – get attacked by football players.

You can get a sense of the humor here. Add in some limited 1970s era special effects, and you have the making of a movie that will make you laugh if not at the storyline, and the film itself.

The full movie is available to watch for free on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bv4WjUBYK4Y

Glen and Randa (1971)

Glen and Randa is not only interesting, it is… unique. Decades after a nuclear war, the world is left devastated and the few survivors get by as scavengers, scouring the land for whatever food and supplies they can find. Tired of rural life and their tribe, Glen and Randa set out to find the great city that Glen has seen pictures of in old comic books.

This is by no means a big budget film, and younger generations may be bored by its lack of glitz, but it should be noted that Time Magazine rated the movie as one of the top ten of 1971, stating, “Glen and Randa is one of the best and most original American films of the year.”

Original, for sure. Strangely, it was given an X rating at the time, presumably because of the brief nudity and sex scene. I would guess it might make PG-13 by today’s standards. Regardless, the movie makes for an interesting storyline that does not follow the typical post-apocalyptic movie them of raiders, gas shortages, and fighting roving gangs. That makes it an interesting post-apocalyptic movie.

The movie is available on Amazon.

The Noah (1975)

This movie takes the crown in originality within 1970s post-apocalyptic films. After all, it stars… one person. That’s right, the entire movie is of a single person – the last person left on the planet. The sole survivor of a nuclear holocaust (that theme again), a soldier comes ashore to an empty world. Being alone – that alone – is too much for Noah. As time passes by and one day blurs with the next, Noah’s mind begins to fade with the memories of the world he once knew. He becomes delusional, hears voices that he thinks are real, and eventually creates a community of people in his mind. His mind and being slip into a new reality, bringing the viewer along with him.

This film really stuck with me. It dragged on for a while, and at times seemed slow, but that seemed to be a deliberate reflection of the world Noah knew – slow. The film’s history is as interesting as the film itself. It was filmed in Puerto Rico in 1968 but wasn’t completed until 1974. The premier in 1975 happened through midnight weekend showings, but it was promptly shut down by an attorney who alleged production debt. The movie remained unseen until 1997 when it was featured on a film classis broadcast in New York City. It was brought to DVD in 2006.

The full movie is available to watch for free on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzOQWUwO9sU

A Boy and His Dog (1975)

Set in 2024 (coming up soon), this is another black comedy post-apocalyptic film. Based on the 1969 novella of the same name, A Boy and His Dog is regarded by many as one of the classic post-apocalyptic films. It fallows the typical post-nuclear war theme but differs dramatically in that the boy (an 18-year-old) travels the wasteland with his telepathic dog. The boy lacks any formal education, has no understanding of morality, and is consumed with his quest for food and sex. The dog, Blood, is well-educated. The two travel together, stealing food, and trying to avoid marauders.

Their adventure includes a search for an above ground utopia and exploring underground warehouses. The movie is made most interesting by the dog/man relationship, and role reversal of dog as leading man. Quirky, weird, strange – interesting.

The full movie is available to watch for free on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UWIzcJ1Neg

Quintet (1979)

You would be forgiven for not having heard of the movies listed thus far, but what about Quintet? It stars Paul Newman, after all. No? Building off the environmental collapse theme of the era, the movie is set in a future ice age and tells the story of a dying human race that spends its final days playing a board game called Quintet. For one group, however, they play the game with real, living pieces – each other. Only the winner will survive.

The film did not receive great reviews at the time, and time has not changed those reviews, but I found it interesting, nonetheless. The storyline was original even if the execution of it was lacking in the eyes of most critics. The acting was widely considered to be strong, however.

The full movie is available to watch for free on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIc-EFfpZaY

Post-Apocalyptic Films Summary

The post-apocalyptic film genre is as diverse as any. It includes dark comedy, drama, many science fiction films, and yes – even porn. Like any genre of films, however, there are a few big hits, and many that flopped. Just because a movie flopped, however, does not necessarily mean it is a fail. Do some research, peruse some previews, and if you can tolerate some retro films, seek out one of these five from the 1970s for your next Netflix and chill night.