top video 1975-1989 with my summary

first the big picture 1975-1989 the top were 1977 til 1983

part 2, nearby years 1975 to 1979 for contrasting to top 1975

part 1, shown "between start 1975, 1/1 until end 1989, 12/31 Sorted by US Box Office, Descending" from most popular. the top was:
1. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial 1982, $435M
A young boy helped a shy child e.t. visitor, who tried to contact his off-world family, until they return.
2. Star Wars 1977, $323M

summary with series.

3. Star Wars 1983, $309M

4. Star Wars 1980, $291M

first story sw77, a young pilot joined a Jedi, a smuggler pilot, and a tall furry Wookiee. They with two droids delivered precious data about the evil Empire's world-shatterer weapon. they found and rescued the orphan-adult Princess Leia from prison. they faced dangerous Darth Vader. how did they destroy the world-shatterer-battle station.

NEXT story: on an ice planet, Rebels got defeated by the evil Empire. they fled so l.s.=luke flew to Yoda for more Jedi training. l.s. dueld vader but lost his arm.

NEXT story: l.s. rescued Han Solo. Rebels flew for a mission to destroy the force field and another super weapon. vader ended the emperor and the empire.

5. Jaws 1975, $260M, a shark killed a girl, so a team was hunting it.

6. Batman 1989, $251M, Batman survived criminal gun and scared criminals. he struggled against the dangerous Joker until both fell from a tall tower.

7. Indiana Jones 1981, $248M, summary with series, see 11, 1989.

8. Ghostbusters 1984, $239M, Ghost hunters got hired to trap ghosts.

9. Beverly Hills Cop 1984, $235M, A cop investigated a murder in a culture very different from himself: of rich Beverly Hills.

10. Back to the Future 1985, $211M

a 17-year-old time-traveld 30 years to the past, with his older close friend scientist. he saw his younger parents. how will the duo go "Back to the Future"?

11. Indiana Jones 1989, $197M nearly 200m

first story ij81: Jones searched for a golden box: "the Ark". others were racing him to get it and from him stole it. how will he get it back? note: this story, shown first, happened after the power rocks in ij84.

NEXT story ij84: jones was in a plane that crashed. he overcame danger to find and return power rocks. (less successful film. after rocks, ark story, shown earlier ij81)

NEXT story, ij89: jones raced against nazi to find the powerful Holy Grail. freed pa and went together.

PART 2 nearby years 1975-1979

1+2 see star wars 1977 and jaws 1975.

3. Grease 1978, $189M, drama, during summer two teens have a romance. they meet again in the same high school.

4. The Rocky Horror Picture Show 1975, $140M, 2nd in '75 far more than top '76 boxers and THREE documentary films fill top 5 of '76.

A couple got engaged. their car tire burst. they enter a mansion and had a wild adventure full of songs and surprises and a bit of bloody horror.

5. Superman 1978, $134M

A baby boy flew from his dying planet, sent by his parents, to Earth, where he used his abilities as a hero.

6. Close Encounters of the Third Kind 1977, $132M

a man saw a UFO and went to find the place in his vision, where he found a surprise: the returning of the humans who were abducted.

7. Smokey and the Bandit 1977, $127M

The Bandit drove beer, while chased by a sheriff despite beyond state border.

8. Rocky 1976, $117M, top but due to lame documentary that year.

A boxer prepared and boxed the world champion.

9. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest 1975, $112M, In 1963, a criminal got sent to a mental health clinic where he made things wild.

10. Kramer vs. Kramer 1979,  $106.3M, an over-working guy struggled with parenting skills due to his wife leaving. a custody court case for their son adds pain and emotion.

11. [despite not top ten several years competed so more than ten] 

Every Which Way but Loose 1978, $106M, a trucker and his pet orangutan have funny events.

12. Jaws 1978, $103M, hunters hunted a second shark that killed people.

13. The Goodbye Girl 1977, $102M

A lady and her 10-year-old daughter must live with a struggling actor because she was an unemployed dancer who had lived with her boyfriend who ended the relationship.

PART THREE

the need to measure several years can be noticed when we see the lame competition in the year 1975, also with summary.

top 1975 but weak competition as indicated by comparing this list with nearby years, because only 3 over 100m and the others far less!

1 Jaws 1975, $260M, a shark killed a swimmer by a beach so some were hunting it. 

2 The Rocky Horror Picture Show 1975, $140M

A couple got engaged. their car tire burst so they ask for a phone [not seek shelter, not what they seek as fans wrongly wrote] and get invited into an odd environment with surprises and a bit of horror murder before more surprises.

3 One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest 1975, $112M, Drama

In 1963, a criminal claimed insanity so went to a mental health clinic. he does wild pranks and fun. [top ten very weak: 4 Dog Day Afternoon 1975, $50M, Biography, Three amateurs tried to rob a bank, to take money but things interfered. 5 Shampoo 1975, $49M drama hair carer. 6 The Return of the Pink Panther 1975, $41.8M, an Inspector investigated the theft of the Pink Panther diamond. the only clue was the Phantom's glove. 7 Three Days of the Condor 1975, $41.5M, A researcher in CIA found his co-workers dead. is he next? who can he trust? 8 Funny Lady 1975, $40M, Biography, Story of a singer's relationship with a showman. 9 The Apple Dumpling Gang 1975, $37M, Three unwanted orphan children found gold in "1879" not 1878! in California. people "want them" so they offer a guy the gold. criminals gun battled for the gold. note: THAT  is a dramatic and exciting story! 10 Aloha Bobby and Rose 1975, $35M, Drama, A garage mechanic met a waitress and started romance. with her he did a prank to pretend to rob a store.]

STORY of rocky horror 1975 in previous post.