1976.
Taxi Driver.

The 70s is probably cinema's greatest decade.
(dozers, do fuck off ur a nob m8, Thu 24 Feb 2011, 9:18, 1 reply, 15 years ago)

Agreed
It was tough choosing a 70's year to cite example from
(Darth Foxtrot A one-man army dedicated to making fetch happen, Thu 24 Feb 2011, 9:21, Reply)

76.
Taxi Driver.
(dozers, do fuck off ur a nob m8, Thu 24 Feb 2011, 9:24, Reply)

But, but,
'79 - Apocalypse Now, Alien, Life of Brian. '75 - One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, Jaws. Godfathers '72 and '74. And I'm sure there was some vaguely popular sci-fi/westerny jape released in '77
(Darth Foxtrot A one-man army dedicated to making fetch happen, Thu 24 Feb 2011, 9:28, Reply)

my money is on 79
because I love Alien and you have brought to my attention two other quality releases that year
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Thu 24 Feb 2011, 9:33, Reply)

Alien is a terrifying movie.
I can't watch it.
(Poppet some assembly required., Thu 24 Feb 2011, 9:40, Reply)

flying in the face of popular opinion
I think it's better than Aliens.

It's certainly better than the last two, and the AVP nonsense.
( b3th Not shit. Not mod., Thu 24 Feb 2011, 9:42, Reply)

I have trouble deciding between the two
I think Alien is a better-crafted movie. Aliens has the distinct advantage of having a platoon of heavily-armed marines, shot by the greatest action movie director ever at the peak of his powers. But Alien is one of the five scariest films ever made
(Darth Foxtrot A one-man army dedicated to making fetch happen, Thu 24 Feb 2011, 9:46, Reply)

no need to decide
they are different and both excellent examples of what they are.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Thu 24 Feb 2011, 9:56, Reply)

Alien is a better movie.
I think that Cameron agreed that he could make a better scare film so went action.
(Bonzodog29 is an unemployed sponge of the worst kind, Thu 24 Feb 2011, 9:54, Reply)