End of the 70s, end of the 70s class

70s Film and culture has finally come to an end and as well with my school career. I learned a lot more than I thought I would from this class, especially about film before and during the 70s. It is a “trip” to think of how “rebellious” film had become from the previous decades with their unwritten but followed censoring. Being at the age I am and within the era I live in, it’s hard to have what is displayed to me as being “shocking” or the “first of its kind”. From issues to having an African American as a hero and not guaranteed to be killed, or a female protagonist with real life issues put out in the open was nothing new.
I also found it eye opening on how much of what was happening within the 70s and previously was being displayed within these films. Beyond the obvious issues within the storyline, there was a message within them all. Whether it was to protest the war, our government, or even the way people are treated in prisons. Beyond having a shark problem along the east coast, there was a problem with the government not being upfront to its own people and men were coming together to help one another out, even with their different backgrounds, beliefs, and personalities. I have always noticed people claiming such absurdities of hidden messages within films, such as with James Cameron’s Avatar people claimed it to be anti-American or even anti-human. Granted those are fairly present themes within the film, I just don’t feel the same way about it. Nor do I feel that was the aim of the film or intentional beyond just being part of a story. I don’t know if I can say that movies in the 70s hold more meat to their bones than today’s films, but they surely molded a generation and raised more questions to the viewers, the people.