No disrespect! Please! I am a fan of 70's cinema as you guys are. The movies you posters are listing are great milestones in a forgotten, and sometimes under-rated 70's cinema scene, but they dont have "throwback" political sense or "omerta" of what KTS was resurrecting (from Eddie Coyle, Straight Time, Prime Cut or the other 2 of the 5 movies mentioned by the thread's author) in it's story.

Where (i'll pick Prime Cut to begin with) the mob, represented by Lee Marvin, went to the mid-west to clear up a clerical error with Gene Hackman, this was where the "discipline" of what has to done within an organization came in. And an undisciplined "member" of the organization needed to be re-disciplined. Just as Pitt's character does to Liotta's character in KTS.

The state of the U.S., the underdevelopment shown, barren and broken down real estate and the pipe dream schemes explained, to make a sense for the break down in the "system", the trust issues in the mob, the hate and distrust for the government, its filthy corruption, hollow ….how it effected "business as usual" within the "businesses".

In each of the 5 classic movies , every main character(s) had a way to beat the system or keep their system running their way. The filth, the dirt, the attitude of these 2nd story characters and scumbag wanna-be drug dealers (whose plans faded and crumbled) was always present and overbearing. That looming gov't shadow of despair was always following these characters.

Im sorry, but, although Bad News Bears was a great movie, it has nothing to do with what the author is pointing to. Across 110 St, Serpico (more of a core-value representation…to me…of police corruption and blue brotherhood) and Dirty Harry follow that value as law enforcement. They'd be a great representations to call back on for a movie released today.
Such as, if the new movie dealt with the lone-wolf, no rules cop who got things done (like Dirty Harry).

The Outfit?…maybe…
Hickey and Boggs?…definitely had a tie-in with 2 guys caught quite by accident in a machine they became small cogs in, but, they were private dicks. Absolutely a great picture!!
Mean Streets was a character that was dealing with himself as well as tryin to keep his friend alive in a business he just wanted to leave. Not really a piece to point at this time, but, a great movie all the same. Charley Varrick was more focused on a thief and his mistake, no mob affiliation at all, who wanted to get out alive. Great movie, great period, but didnt focus on what KTS and the 5 predecessors focused on.

But, then, i could be COMPLETELY wrong about what the author of this thread was sayin.
'Ats just me.
Peace n Love!

Dirty Harry – 1971
Across a 110th Street – 1972
Mean Streets – 1973
Serpico – 1973
Taxi Driver – 1976

The 70's were something else, especially in New York.