Gator (1976) – Burt Reynolds

Gator marked Burt Reynolds’ first-ever sequel. And it was also his first time settling into the director’s chair. Hal Needham joins him behind the camera, serving as a unit director, and Burt and his mustache star opposite Jerry Reed, who signs the title theme. Sounds alright? I’ll openly admit to being charmed by stunt man…

Burnt Offerings (1976) – Dan Curtis

The 1976 creepy house tale of Burnt Offerings didn’t engage me as much as the novel did. It has a fairly solid cast, but honestly, it didn’t quite have the eeriness that seemed to permeate the book. The film features Oliver Reed, Karen Black, Bette Davis, Burgess Meredith and the always-menacing Anthony James. The Rolf…

Rocky (1976) – John G. Avildsen

From the horn fanfare created by Bill Conti to the fantastic steadicam work (a revolutionary reveal at the time), to an open, honest performance from Sylvester Stallone, 1976’s Rocky remains an iconic film, and the first ‘sports’ film to win the Best Picture Oscar. Stallone wrote the film and was heavily involved in its making,…

Damien: Omen II (1978) – Don Taylor, and Mike Hodges

After the success of Dick Donner’s The Omen in 1976, the company was eager to deliver a sequel, and we see a story that gives us a teenaged Damien (Johnathan Scott-Taylor), living with his uncle, Richard Thorn (William Holden) and aunt, Ann Thorn (Lee Grant), while attending a military academy. As strange deaths begin to…

M*A*S*H (1976) – The Colonel’s Horse, Exorcism, and Hawk’s Nightmare

James Fritzell and Everett Greenbaum pen The Colonel’s Horse which was first broadcast on 7 December, 1976. When Colonel Potter (Harry Morgan) gets a week’s leave in Tokyo, where he will be joined by his wife, who caught a flight from State-side, Frank (Larry Linville) is left in charge, much to everyone’s dismay. Radar’s (Gary…

Confess, Fletch (1976)- Gregory McDonald

The second Fletch book (written, not chonronlogically within its universe) sees the former investigative reporter flying into Boston from Italy. He’s there to track fown some stolen paintings for the De Grassi family, whose daughter he claims to be engaged to. He’s also planning on working on a book about a famed American artist. On…