Set in the Seventies

There’s something alluring about California in the early 1970s. The centre of the universe, a melting pot of different worlds, cultures, and races brought together by a perfect storm of cultural revolution – the mellowing conflict between the straight-laced establishment (The Man) and the counter-culture movement of the late 60s, a recovery from the hysteria of the Manson Family murders, an improvement of race and gender equality issues, funk, soul, the New Hollywood wave of cinema, LSD, weed, cheap living, cheap booze, disposable income, and constant sunshine. The enchantment of the 70s comes from its blend of the past and the future; a cocktail mixing the gloss of the post-war economic boom of the 60s with the sexy, sleazy underbelly that festered in the shadows – the place to be. If the 70s were embodied by California, the 80s were New York, a seismic shift to a different America – Wall Street, free-market capitalism, yuppie excess, status symbols, a thirst for profit, waving goodbye to analogue and welcoming the beginning of the digital age.

We focus on four films set – not made – in 70s California (…almost, one exploits a bit of a loophole). They capture some of the most alluring elements of the decade – via captivating stories, auteur filmmaking, perfect soundtracks, and tongue-in-cheek references – and take us back to the era and shine a light on what life was like. They serve as a reminder for those old enough to have lived through it, and a chance for those of us too young to get a glimpse in to a unique place at a unique time.

The first Sound:as Sounds playlist accompanies this feature – a playlist of songs that capture the heat and hazy sunsets of 70s California, some of which appear on the soundtracks of the four films selected. A journey from the ashes of the 60s to the end of decade, from funk and soul to the birth of disco, the playlist contains a selection of songs of the era overheard on car radios or in the background of a sun-kissed pool party.