Have you ever wondered what movies were filling seats at the movie theater around the time
of your birth?
Well, if you were born in 1970 or later, we've got the answers to which film brought in the
biggest crowds as you were making your big entrance.
Here are the biggest hits at the American box office released each and every year from
1970 to 2016.
1970 - Love Story
The aptly-titled Love Story is based on a popular novel by Erich Segal, and stars Ryan
O'Neal and Ali MacGraw s the movie's central couple.
This tale of love and loss was the biggest hit of 1970, with a box-office haul of $106.3
million.
1971 - The French Connection
William Friedkin's cop thriller The French Connection has often been imitated, but never
replicated.
Gene Hackman won an Oscar for his role, the movie was named Best Picture, and audiences
couldn't get enough.
It made more than any other 1971 movie, earning $51.7 million..
1972 - The Godfather
Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather is regarded as one of the most superb films of all time.
Film legend Marlon Brando is captivating, and it made stars out of cast members like
Al Pacino and Diane Keaton.
Fans lined up around the block to see the three-hour film again and again, which made
it the most popular film of 1972.
"That's a terrific story."
1973 - The Exorcist
Based on William Peter Blatty's creepy book, The Exorcist is about a girl who gets possessed
by a demon named Pazuzu.
Audiences wanted to be terrified in 1973, and this film did it so well that it topped
the annual box office chart.
1974 - Blazing Saddles
Mel Brooks' parody of old Westerns and cowboy movies is a brutally funny satire focusing
on themes of prejudice and racism, and it breaks the fourth wall when the big confrontation
spills out into a present-day studio lot.
Blazing Saddles offered something for everyone, which is why it was the biggest theatrical
draw of 1974.
1975 - Jaws
It's rare for a horror movie to grab a Best Picture nomination at the Oscars — but Jaws
did just that, thanks to memorable performances from Richard Dreyfuss, Robert Shaw, and Roy
Scheider, all under the watchful eye of young director Steven Spielberg.
Jaws became not only the most popular movie of 1975, but the highest-grossing movie ever
— a title it held for just a couple of years.
1976 - Rocky
At a time when Sylvester Stallone was nearly broke and unable to make it as an actor, he
chose to write the classic underdog film Rocky for himself.
The gamble paid off — Rocky won Best Picture at the Academy Awards, made Stallone into
a bonafide movie star, and was the top-grossing movie of 1976, earning $117.2 million.
1977 - Star Wars
The space opera set a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away has thrilled and enchanted audiences
for 40 years now.
Underscored by the music of John Williams and featuring performances by Mark Hamill,
Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, and James Earl Jones, Star Wars was a nearly perfect film.
The franchise starter raked in $460.9 million at the box office, and after its initial run
it topped Jaws to become the highest-earning movie ever.
1978 - Grease
The charismatic John Travolta and charming Australian singer Olivia Newton-John were
at the front and center of Grease, based on the smash hit Broadway musical.
Right in the middle of a '50s revival, the musical demolished its competition with a
take of $188.7 million.
"Boy, good news really travels fast."
1979 - Kramer vs. Kramer
Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep both won Oscars for their roles in the powerful domestic drama
Kramer vs. Kramer.
The film was so provocative that it enjoyed "must-see" status — making it the top theatrical
draw of 1979.
1980 - The Empire Strikes Back
The sequel to the most game-changing, beloved, and cash-generating movie ever was virtually
assured success at the box office.
After throwing in an epic battle between Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker in which — spoiler
alert — Luke finds out Darth Vader is his dad, The Empire Strikes Back easily won the
1980 box office with a haul of $290.4 million.
1981 - Raiders of the Lost Ark
Raiders of the Lost Ark was intended to be a tribute to the Saturday afternoon matinee
serials that George Lucas and Steven Spielberg grew up watching — but it leaves those films
in the dust.
Riding on the confident shoulders of Harrison Ford, this wildly imaginative thrill ride
was the highest grossing film released in 1981, earning an impressive $248.1 million.
1982 - E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial
It's impossible not to burst into tears of joy during E.T.'s climax, when the Reese's
Pieces-loving alien uses his powers to launch the bikes of Elliott and his pals into the
air.
E.T. appealed to just about everyone, and it brought in a staggering $435.1 million.
"Oh, God!"
1983 - Return of the Jedi
The Star Wars trilogy — a series so popular that it's commonly referred to as just "the
trilogy" — wrapped up spectacularly with Return of the Jedi.
And just like its predecessors, Jedi was the biggest blockbuster of the year of its release.
Its total box office take: $309.3 million.
1984 - Ghostbusters
Some of the biggest comedy icons of the decade came together in a very big way in 1984: to
fight ghosts and other supernatural beings menacing New York City.
This mix of broad comedy, ghosts, and Bill Murray-being-Bill Murray made Ghostbusters
a hit, raking in $242.2 million.
"They hate this.
I like to torture 'em."
1985 - Back to the Future
A seemingly impossible blend of comedy, sci-fi, nostalgia, and awkwardness, the Michael J.
Fox/Christopher Lloyd classic Back to the Future was a smash, topping all other 1985
movies with a $210.6 million haul.
1986 - Top Gun
In 1986, Americans were keenly interested in taking a highway to the danger zone — so
interested that they shelled out $179.8 million at the box office.
In what's probably his most famous role, Tom Cruise played the justifiably cocky lead character
of Top Gun, your dad's favorite movie to this day.
1987 - Three Men and a Baby
Tom Selleck, Ted Danson, and Steve Guttenberg play a trio of bachelors whose party-down
lifestyle is rocked by the arrival of a baby on their doorstep in the low-key comedy Three
Men and a Baby.
The surprising 1987 champion cruised to a box office haul of $167.7 million.
1988 - Rain Man
It's not often that the highest-grossing movie of the year also wins the Academy Award for
Best Picture.
Rain Man, starring Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman, is one of the few to pull it off, bridging
commercial appeal with artistic aims — and scoring a whopping $172.8 million.
1989 - Batman
Moviegoers had never seen a comic book film quite as big or as bold as Batman, which won
1989 by earning $251.1 million.
Directed by Tim Burton, Batman starred the unlikely choice of Michael Keaton in the title
role — although Jack Nicholson's Clown Prince of Crime stole the entire movie.
"You can call me Joker."
1990 - Home Alone
You wouldn't think the year's biggest hit would be a Christmas movie starring child
actor Macaulay Culkin as an abandoned child violently fending off burglars.
But the funny, fast-moving John Hughes script made it a classic that's worth revisiting
every holiday season.
Still the highest-grossing Christmas movie of all time, Home Alone gathered $285.7 million,
enough to make it the number one movie of 1990.
"Keep the change ya filthy animal."
1991 - Beauty and the Beast
As the lyrics of the title song note, Beauty and the Beast is a tale as old as time, but
it hadn't ever been presented as beautifully as Disney's 1991 animated film.
The delightful and emotional musical became the first animated movie ever nominated for
Best Picture, and while it didn't win, it did wind up the highest-grossing movie to
be released in 1991.
1992 - Aladdin
The late '80s/early '90s Disney animation renaissance just might have peaked with Aladdin,
the beautifully animated adaptation filled with memorable songs, fantastic characters,
and a showstopping performance from Robin Williams as the Genie.
Aladdin was the biggest hit of 1992, bringing in $217.3 million.
1993 - Jurassic Park
Steven Spielberg thought it would be a good idea to make a movie about a dinosaur theme
park based on a bestseller by Michael Crichton using realistically rendered dinosaurs.
He was right, of course.
And let's be honest — it would've been a shock if Jurassic Park didn't become the highest
grossing movie of the year.
The 1993 dino-flick took in $402.4 million.
"Clever girl."
1994 - The Lion King
A magnificently animated retelling of Hamlet, The Lion King is a beautiful and emotional
film, underscored by original music by Elton John.
The hit musical was the third Disney animated feature in a row to top the annual box office,
earning $422 million.
1995 - Toy Story
As the first all-CGI cartoon feature, Pixar's Toy Story attracted viewers who wanted to
check out the next generation of animation.
But what really brought in the $191.7 million?
Its premise — that toys come alive when humans aren't around — and its resonant
themes of friendship and acceptance.
1996 - Independence Day
Who wouldn't want to see a bunch of Americans from different walks of life team up to defeat
evil hordes of alien invaders?
Also, the aliens blew up the White House and other landmarks, which was pretty awesome
and realistic-looking in 1996.
Independence Day, led by Will Smith, took in a whopping $306.1 million.
1997 - Titanic
At the time, James Cameron's historical romantic drama set aboard the doomed ocean-liner was
the most expensive movie ever made.
It won 11 Academy Awards, turned Leonardo DiCaprio into a household name, and became
the first movie to earn $600 million at the domestic box office.
That made Titanic not only the highest-grossing movie released in 1997, but the highest-grossing
movie ever, to that point.
1998 - Saving Private Ryan
Steven Spielberg's gut-wrenching World War II epic Saving Private Ryan, starring Tom
Hanks, was more emotionally and physically real than any other war film people had seen,
and it brought in $216.5 million.
1999 - Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace
The first of three Star Wars prequels, The Phantom Menace was probably the most anticipated
movie of all time.
When it finally played to packed houses in May 1999, many were vocally disappointed.
A lot of people may not have liked it, but just about everybody saw it — and it pulled
in a whopping $474.5 million.
And the rest…
Movies have gotten bigger and flashier ever since the new millennium hit, so one can only
imagine what the future of cinema holds.
From the How The Grinch Stole Christmas to Avatar to Rogue One, here are all the rest
of the biggest box-office hits, from 2000 to 2016.
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