8 Best Movies of 1978

By Vlad Zakh · June 27, 2026

A look back at 1978, one of cinema’s most memorable years, ranking the films that have best stood the test of time. In The Deer Hunter (1978): Three friends from a Pennsylvania steel town are forever changed by their experiences in the Vietnam War. Also notable is Halloween (1978): A masked killer returns to his quiet hometown to stalk a babysitter on Halloween night.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

TMDB ★ 7.2

San Francisco residents discover that alien spores are replacing people with emotionless duplicates.

Directed by Philip Kaufman · 1h 56m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, AMC Plus Apple TV channel, AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC · Rent or buy: Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Superman (1978)

TMDB ★ 7.2

An alien infant raised on Earth grows up to become humanity's greatest protector.

Directed by Richard Donner · 2h 24m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, YouTube TV, HBO Max · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Dawn of the Dead (1978)

IMDb ★ 7.8 RT 92% Metacritic 71

Survivors of a zombie apocalypse barricade themselves inside a sprawling suburban shopping mall.

Directed by George A. Romero · 2h 07m · Rated NR

3 wins & 2 nominations

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Midnight Express (1978)

TMDB ★ 7.4

An American student is brutally imprisoned in a Turkish jail after being caught smuggling drugs.

Directed by Alan Parker · 2h 01m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Days of Heaven (1978)

TMDB ★ 7.5

Migrant farm workers in the early 1900s scheme to secure a dying wealthy farmer's fortune.

Directed by Terrence Malick · 1h 34m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus · Rent: JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Grease (1978)

IMDb ★ 7.2 RT 65% Metacritic 70

A greaser and a good girl rekindle their summer romance after unexpectedly enrolling at the same high school.

Directed by Randal Kleiser · 1h 50m · Rated PG

Nominated for 1 Oscar8 wins & 10 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: YouTube TV, Freeform · Rent: JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Halloween (1978)

IMDb ★ 7.7 RT 97% Metacritic 91

A masked killer returns to his quiet hometown to stalk a babysitter on Halloween night.

Directed by John Carpenter · 1h 31m · Rated R

9 wins & 3 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, Philo, AMC Plus Apple TV channel, AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC+ Roku Premium Channel, AMC+ · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Deer Hunter (1978)

IMDb ★ 8.1 RT 86% Metacritic 90

Three friends from a Pennsylvania steel town are forever changed by their experiences in the Vietnam War.

Directed by Michael Cimino · 3h 03m · Rated R

Won 5 Oscars24 wins & 27 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix, built to fix a specific annoyance: most recommendation sites are just algorithm-driven noise. Our lists are researched and organized by who's in a film, where it's from, and the mood you're actually in tonight.

8 Best Movies of 1978

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

Superman (1978)

Dawn of the Dead (1978)

Midnight Express (1978)

Days of Heaven (1978)

Grease (1978)

Halloween (1978)

The Deer Hunter (1978)

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