Films of 1972

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Last Updated: 4/14/25
Total Films: 44
Note: The year of each film is according to IMDb. It sometimes changes without my knowledge. When I become aware, I will make adjustments. Like the Oscars, I select the best for each category: picture, actor, actress, supporting actor, supporting actress, director, cinematography, editing, original screenplay, adapted screenplay, and documentary. This is based on the movies I've actually seen, and miniseries and telefilms are fair game. Each winner is named along with the next four ordered runner-ups (which may be less) and honorable mentions (if any). Any of these categories may be left blank if I feel there's no deserving winner. A ranked list of films is presented afterwards.



Best Picture
The Godfather

2. The Candidate
3. The Culpepper Cattle Co.
4. Cabaret
5. Deliverance
Honorable Mentions: Sleuth, Junior Bonner, and Pink Flamingos


Best Actor
Marlon Brando (The Godfather)

2. Burt Reynolds (Deliverance)
3. Al Pacino (The Godfather)
4. Laurence Olivier (Sleuth)
5. Stacy Keach (Fat City)
Honorable Mentions: Jon Finch (Frenzy), Gary Grimes (The Culpepper Cattle Co.), Burt Lancaster (Ulzana's Raid), Ron O'Neal (Super Fly), Robert Redford (The Candidate), and Paul Winfield (Sounder)


Best Actress
Liza Minnelli (Cabaret)

2. Diana Ross (Lady Sings the Blues)
3.
4.
5.
Honorable Mentions: None


Best Supporting Actor
Joel Grey (Cabaret)

2. Michael Caine (Sleuth)
3. James Caan (The Godfather)
4. Peter Boyle (The Candidate)
5. Barry Foster (Frenzy)
Honorable Mentions: Richard Castellano (The Godfather), Nicholas Colasanto (Fat City), Peter Cushing (Tales from the Crypt), Al Lettieri (The Godfather), John Marley (The Godfather), Bill McKinney (Deliverance), Don Porter (The Candidate), and Billy Dee Williams (Lady Sings the Blues)


Best Supporting Actress
Barbara Leigh-Hunt (Frenzy)

2. Susan Tyrrell (Fat City)
3.
4.
5.
Honorable Mentions: None


Best Director
Francis Ford Coppola (The Godfather)

2. Joseph L. Mankiewicz (Sleuth)
3. Bob Fosse (Cabaret)
4. Dick Richards (The Culpepper Cattle Co.)
5. Michael Ritchie (The Candidate)
Honorable Mentions: Sam Peckinpah (Junior Bonner) and Martin Ritt (Sounder)


Best Cinematography
Gordon Willis (The Godfather)

2. Geoffrey Unsworth (Cabaret)
3. Lawrence Edward Williams and Ralph Woolsey (The Culpepper Cattle Co.)
4. Vittorio Storaro (Last Tango in Paris)
5. Gilbert Taylor (Frenzy)
Honorable Mentions: John A. Alonzo (Lady Sings the Blues), Harold E. Stine (The Poseidon Adventure), and Vadim Yusov (Solyaris)


Best Editing
David Bretherton (Cabaret)

2. Frank Santillo and Robert L. Wolfe (Junior Bonner)
3. William Reynolds and Peter Zinner (The Godfather)
4. Tom Priestley (Deliverance)
5. John Jympson (Frenzy)
Honorable Mentions: None


Best Original Screenplay
Jeremy Larner (The Candidate)

2. Alan Sharp (Ulzana's Raid)
3. Eric Bercovici and Gregory Prentiss (The Culpepper Cattle Co.)
4.
5.
Honorable Mentions: None


Best Adapted Screenplay
Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola (The Godfather)

2. Anthony Shaffer (Sleuth)
3. Anthony Shaffer (Frenzy)
4. Leonard Gardner (Fat City)
5.
Honorable Mentions: None


Best Documentary
Marjoe

2.
3.
4.
5.
Honorable Mentions: None


Films Rated '10'
  1. The Godfather

  2. The Candidate

  3. The Culpepper Cattle Co.

Films Rated '9'
  1. Cabaret

  2. Deliverance

  3. Sleuth

  4. Pink Flamingos

  5. Junior Bonner

  6. Lady Sings the Blues

Films Rated '8'
  1. Ulzana's Raid

  2. Super Fly

  3. Sounder

  4. Fat City

  5. The Magnificent Seven Ride!

Films Rated '7'
  1. Frenzy

  2. The Carey Treatment

  3. Prime Cut

Films Rated '6'
  1. The Hot Rock

  2. Solyaris

  3. The Night Stalker

  4. Tales from the Crypt

  5. Z.P.G.

  6. The King of Marvin Gardens

Films Rated '5'
  1. The Poseidon Adventure

  2. Sisters

  3. Boxcar Bertha

  4. Dracula A.D. 1972

Films Rated '4'
  1. Jeremiah Johnson

  2. Last Tango in Paris

  3. Pulp

  4. Pursuit

  5. The Mechanic

  6. Return of the Dragon

Films Rated '3'
  1. Child's Play

  2. The Last House on the Left

  3. Raw Meat

  4. The Getaway

  5. Shaft's Big Score!

  6. Slaughterhouse Five

Films Rated '2'
  1. Silent Running

  2. The Other

  3. Images

  4. Le Charme discret de la bourgeoisie

  5. The Possession of Joel Delaney