The 7: 40 years ago, it was a good time to go to the movies

There is a lot of debate among film fans about the “best years” of moviemaking. For instance, 1939 often is cited as a great year, as it saw the release of “The Wizard of Oz,” “Gone With the Wind,” “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” “Stagecoach,” “Ninotchka,” “Wuthering Heights” and “Dark Victory.” Others point to 1974 (“The Godfather, Part II,” “Chinatown,” “The Conversation,” “Young Frankenstein”), 1968 (“The Graduate,” “Bullitt,” “Lion in Winter,” “2001, A Space Odyssey,” “Rosemary’s Baby”) and 1994 (“Pulp Fiction,” “The Shawshank Redemption,” “Hoop Dreams,” “Four Weddings and a Funeral,” “The Lion King.”)

I’m not prepared to say that 1977 was the best year in movies, but in looking at the flicks celebrating 40th anniversaries this year, it seems pretty darn good. Here are our picks for the Best 7 of ’77.

1. “Star Wars” You knew this was coming, right? George Lucas’ space epic brought a sense of joy to the movies and sparked a revolution in filmmaking. And after 40 years, the Force is still with us, stronger than ever.

2. “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” The other big space movie of 1977, Steven Spielberg’s film is a science-fiction masterpiece. It has none of the B Western energy of “Star Wars,” and all of the great whiz bang effects. Its story, of alien visitors to earth, is compelling and artfully told. Its memorable moments are indelible, from the theme music and the mashed potatoes, to the lights dancing in the sky.

3. “Saturday Night Fever” Sure, you remember the white suit, and the dimple on John Travolta’s chin. You certainly remember the music. But what a lot of people forget about John Badham’s movie is that it’s not a musical, or a dance flick. It’s a coming of age story about a kid with a hard home life; the film is a bit rougher than a lot of people probably remember. And say what you will about disco, that soundtrack is amazing.

4. “Smokey and the Bandit” This one makes the list on the sheer charms of its cast. Burt Reynolds and Sally Field showed great chemistry as the crafty long-haul trucker Bandit and the runaway bride he picks up, Carrie. Jerry Reed is a hoot as Bandit’s buddy Cledus, and Jackie Gleason chews as much scenery as he can as the determined Sheriff Buford T. Justice.

5. “Slap Shot” This grungy, foul-mouthed comedy is easily the best movie ever made about hockey. It stars Paul Newman as an aging player-coach for a low-rung professional team in a gritty mill town. When Newman’s Reggie Dunlop learns the team will fold at the end of the season, he embraces his inner goon and finds that crowds will pay to see players fight. It’s a storyline “Major League” copied 12 years later, but “Slap Shot” still did it better.

6. “Eraserhead” David Lynch’s feature debut is so freaking weird, I love it. (Well, maybe “love” isn’t the right word. Dig it, perhaps?) A nightmarish tale of a man (Jack Nance) left to care for his profoundly deformed child, “Eraserhead” traffics in surrealist hallucinations. It’s odd, strange, engrossing and utterly original.

7. “Annie Hall” One of Woody Allen’s most acclaimed films, “Annie Hall” remains a sharp and funny romantic comedy about Alvy Singer trying to understand why his relationship with Annie failed. Anchored by an Oscar-winning performance by Diane Keaton as Annie, it cemented Allen’s reputation as a filmmaker worth watching.

Also-rans: “The Spy Who Loved Me,” “Pete’s Dragon,” “A Bridge Too Far,” “The Deep,” “The Duellists,” “High Anxiety” and “The Gauntlet.” See, not a bad year at all.