Home video has come a long way. Before, movie lovers were forced to watch a grainy VHS on a tiny tube in full screen. Nowadays, the best home set-ups will rival movie theaters. It’s often said upon the advent of every new piece of home-viewing technology, but home video will likely never get better than this. With the advent of 4K HDR, home tech has pretty much peaked.

’70s movies, in particular, have never looked better. The source film allows for “true” 4K, and HDR enhances color and contrast to something unseen before on home video. These are the best looking ’70s movies out there.

10 Jaws (1975)

Steven Spielberg’s Jaws is a masterpiece and arguably one of the greatest movies ever made. It also received a stellar 4K transfer for its 45th anniversary in 2020. Complete with 2160p resolution and Dolby Vision, Jaws has simply never looked better. The grain is pronounced and beautiful, giving the film an authentic cinematic look.

The resolution and textures are sharp and pristine. Colors and contrast are greatly enhanced, making the movie appear brighter and more colorful than it ever has before. It’s a marvelous 4K transfer and one that belongs in any self-respecting home collection.

9 Alien (1979)

2019 saw the release of a 4K Alien release, meant to celebrate the movie’s 40th anniversary. And what a release it was. The 4K transfer blows away the old 1080p Blu Ray, complete with a far sharper and more detailed picture.

The Nostromo has never looked more detailed, and viewers can gaze in wonder at every single one of its metallic hallways and buttons. The movie also benefits from increased contrast, beautifully mixing bright colors with the otherwise dark and morose interiors of the ship.

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8 Apocalypse Now (1979)

Another movie receiving a 40th anniversary 4K release was Francis Coppola’s Apocalypse Now. The movie was given a brand 4K digital intermediate from the source 35mm film, and the results were extraordinary.

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The Dolby Vision enhances the movie’s already stunning color palette, and the 4K provides a wonderful boost to resolution, texture detail, and clarity. The movie is also very dark, but shadow detail remains impeccable throughout. Finally, the film grain remains pronounced throughout, which is sure to please the diehard fans of the cinematic experience.

7 Don’t Look Now (1973)

Don’t Look Now isn’t nearly as popular as the other three, but it stands proud as one of the finest horror movies ever made. 2019 also saw the release of an absolutely stellar 4K release. The movie looks so much better than past home video releases that it seems like a different movie entirely.

Detail has been greatly enhanced, which is certainly a plus considering the movie’s historic filming locations. The source film is also clean and crisp, and colors have received a noticeable boost from past releases – especially the movie’s centerpiece red jacket.

6 Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977)

It was only a matter of time before the Star Wars movies were converted to 4K, and expectations were sky-high for their release. They were finally released in March 2020, and they did not disappoint. The movie received a new 4K digital intermediate from the source 35mm film complete with a Dolby Vision upgrade.

There are some noticeable problems with the source film, but there’s no denying that A New Hope has received a substantial visual upgrade from the past blu rays. Detail, in particular, has received a substantial upgrade, and colors pop a little more than usual.

5 Superman (1978)

Warner Bros. released a 4K transfer of Superman in 2018. And while the movie obviously looks dated today, the film quality itself is something to be admired. The 4K transfer was scanned from the original 35mm film, giving the picture a beautiful clarity that has never been seen on home video.

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Details are far more pronounced than they were on blu ray, and natural grain gives the movie a beautiful cinematic quality. The contrast has also received a significant boost thanks to HDR, giving rise to brighter whites and inkier blacks. It’s not perfect, but it’s never looked better.

4 Halloween (1978)

Halloween is one of the all-time greatest horror movies, and it received a wonderful 4K release in 2018. Like many others on this list, the 4K remaster was done through a digital intermediate from the source 35mm film. The results aren’t spectacular, as Halloween is an old and cheap movie.

But there’s no denying that it looks the best it ever has on home video. Shadow detail is more pronounced, overall clarity and detail have obviously improved, and the prominent grain throughout gives the movie a very warm and rustic look.

3 Close Encounters Of The Third Kind (1977)

Sony Pictures released a 4K transfer of Close Encounters of the Third Kind for its 40th anniversary in 2017. And despite being one of the earliest 4K discs, Close Encounters looks extraordinary. The movie is released in 2160p through a 4K digital intermediate, resulting in near-perfect clarity and detailed definition.

The movie is also rife with film grain, a cornerstone of any ’70s Spielberg production. Facial expressions are also perfect, as the movie highlights every pore and individual strand of hair. Colors also receive a solid, if not remarkable, boost. Spielberg knows how to shoot a movie.

2 Grease (1978)

In 2018, Paramount released a 4K transfer of Grease for the movie’s 40th anniversary. The results were undeniably stunning. The biggest improvements come in clarity and color. The new 2160p transfer allows for crystal clear clarity and detail in costume, props, facial expressions, and environmental surroundings.

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The Dolby Vision also gives the movie a far more colorful pop. The black hair and leather jackets are darker and inkier, and the ladies’ pink jackets are far more pronounced and showy.

1 The Deer Hunter (1978)

Often touted as one of the greatest movies ever made, The Deer Hunter arrived in a 4K collector’s edition in May 2020. The upgraded 2160p transfer allows for great clarity, giving the movie a far crisper, cleaner, and more detailed appearance than any prior home video releases (even the prior 4K release from 2018).

But the Dolby Vision is the real star here, giving the movie pronounced contrast and colors. Colors simply pop off the screen, especially during the deer hunting scenes in the Cascade Mountains. It’s not only the best the movie has ever looked, but it serves as a showpiece for 4K technology. It’s that good.

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About The Author


Nathan Sharp
(852 Articles Published)

Nathan Sharp is a writer from outside Toronto, Ontario. He has a love of movies and television, having enjoyed them for more than twenty years. His preferences include drama, action, and horror, with the former being a particular point of interest and fascination.

He also has a love of video games, particularly those of Rockstar.

Whether it be about film, television, or video games, Nathan loves a good discussion and has written hundreds of articles for Screen Rant.

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