Movies That Defined Their Decade

So I've been thinking about this lately and wanted to throw this out there for other suggestions. Generally I'm fascinated in determining what movies defined the decade they were released in. Particularly in the past five or six decades, what is it that we associate with that decade (culture, entertainment, news events, public figures, and things that shaped society at that time) that is perfectly encapsulated in a particular film. Since technology is always changing, the depiction of the technology at the time could be a defining element of a movie. Yet the passage of time has us look back and view it as time stamp in American (or world) culture. Or even just has the general feel of what we think about said decade.

So I wanted to reach out and get suggestions. You can pick more than one for a specific decade. There is no wrong answer but I have a few guidelines:
- Has to have been released in the decade it represents (movies released in the latter half of the decade most likely would have a grasp on its time
- Has to be grounded in reality in regards to story and characters (no supernatural or fantasy elements integral to the story)
- Doesn't have to be critically acclaimed movie or universally loved
- Can have special and practical effects but nothing that defies the laws of nature
- Can have universal themes that still exists today

For example, despite not being alive during the 1970s, something about The Bad News Bears and Smokey and the Bandit just screams the 70s to me. The look and feel of both films is almost a romanticism of a time that I never experienced.

But I'd love to hear what you think and hopefully someone can suggest a movie I haven't seen.

 

my brain generally does it by director

for instance
Francis Ford Coppola in the 70s
John Hughes in the 80s
Quentin Tarantino in the 90s

 

Yeah I'd say Pulp Fiction for the 90s

 

I'd say the Breakfast Club and Ferris Bueller for the 80's

 

Pulp Fiction
Clueless

 

Oddly enough, I think the Back to the Future franchise does despite going against your rules and taking place through different periods.

 

I see what you mean, since I was a kid BTTF shaped my perception of what the 50s was like

 

Unfortunately it seems that generic superhero movies have defined this current decade.

 

Probably the Dark Knight trilogy, specifically, but yeah, definitely superhero movies.

 

Star Wars for the 70s

PS: I just found this site. Very interesting!
All-Time Top Box-Office Films By Decade and Year

 

I think the Marvel cinematic universe is more applicable here than that trilogy.

 

Touche.

 

Mean Girls

 

movies of the last decade are not difficult to predict through the years of film production, the movies I watched on the catmouse tv application were the same.

 

This is hard because not all decades divide evenly. The early 60s were the era of the epic, the lavish musical, the extended Cinemascope roadshow. And then 67-69 were all about adopting the French New Wave and experimenting.

 

MacGruber