Like any other decade in the twentieth century, the 70s had its fair share of blockbuster certainties and surprise hits. But while some directors enjoyed the period as their crowning glory, for others it was the first taste of careers that are still setting box office standards today.

The first smash of the decade was the candied and heart-string-tugging, romantic drama "Love Story" (1970) directed by Arthur Hiller. Despite the heavily sentimental tone of the film, Hiller also went on to make the comedy confection "Silver Streak" (1976) which introduced the pairing of Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor. Wilder had of course starred in Mel Brooks' 1974 double whammy of the gut-wrenchingly funny "Blazing Saddles" and "Young Frankenstein".

One theme which 70s audiences could never tire of was disaster. Boats, planes, skyscrapers and even whole cities suffered the most terrible calamities and guaranteed big-ticket sales. King of the genre was Irwin Allen who gave us "The Poseidon Adventure" (1972) and "The Towering Inferno" (1974). While the films were directed respectively by Ronald Neame and John Guillermin, it was Allen who directed the incredible action set pieces that people thrilled at.

Probably the biggest surprise hit of the decade was "Rocky" (1976). Director John G Avildsen wasn't to taste such big success again until the 80s, but writer and star Sylvester Stallone went on to direct the 1979 smash "Rocky II".

Hollywood was also amazed by the success of the equally micro-budgeted "American Graffiti" (1973) directed by newcomer George Lucas. The film returned its $750,000 investment 50 times over. Another inexperienced director, Steven Spielberg, created even more impact with "Jaws" (1975). And both went on to dominate 1977, with Lucas directing "Star Wars" and Spielberg in at number two with "Close Encounters of the Third Kind". For them the 70s was just the beginning of incredibly successful careers that have written some of the rules of today's blockbusters.