Grimmest, grittiest genre/era of film?

Has to be 1970s crime movies. 70s crime films make American cities look like a glimpse of hell. Pre-70s crime films were too sanitized and post-70s are too slick and stylized. Everything about the 70s crime film is cynical, bleak and hard-core tough. The cities look so filthy and dismal, the people are despicable, the crimes are brutal and senseless.

Look at this list:

The French Connection
The Dirty Harry series
Taxi Driver
Serpico
The Seven-Ups
The Laughing Policeman
Death Wish
The Taking of Pelham 1, 2, 3
Across 110th Street
Etc.

The list goes on and on. Even a cop comedy like "Freebie & the Bean" or "Cotton Comes to Harlem" has that grim, grimy cynical overlay. If you are not a misanthrope before you start watching 70s crime movies, you soon will be. Personally, the 1970s crime film is one of my top favorite genres.