Strange as it might be to consider now, there was a time in human history where our every action was not captured by some form of media. Indeed, in an era dominated by both the effects of and think pieces on the fact the nearly everything we do is documented, with our without our consent, to think that such a thing as privacy once existed — as a norm! — can seem quite strange.

Perhaps, then, we are even better suited to understand the plight of Harry Caul (Gene Hackman), a surveillance expert based out of 1970s San Francisco, than the audiences that existed when The Conversation was first released. Caul is a master of his craft, attending trade shows as a quasi-celebrity. His own life, however, is one of secrecy, even paranoia, to the point where personal relationships are nearly impossible for him. Not even within his mind can he find solace — after some of his work leads to the murder of three people, he finds himself wracked by guilt. It is in this state that he is hired to watch a young couple (Cindy Williams and Frederic Forrest) — a couple who are afraid that they themselves are being watched.

As the job goes on, Caul’s relationship with case grows weirder and weirder, egging his paranoia to new heights. Masterfully directed by Francis Ford Coppola, The Conversation is a thrilling look at the art of watching.