AS FILM STUDIES REVISION

1. Factors that lead to the
emergence of Blockbusters

2. • Thomas Schatz called the ‘New Hollywood’
• key to the survival and long term success of
the Hollywood studios is the blockbuster
movie
Historical / Sociological

3. US film industry had been in a long
period of decline prior to the mid-
1970s
• 1946 with record revenue of over $1.5 billion
• weekly admission of 90-100 million the post-
war era
Historical / Sociological

4. Supreme Court’s Paramount decree in
1948
• forced studios to sell off their cinema chains,
reducing their control of the market
Historical / Sociological

5. Rapid Rise of TV 1950s / 60s
Historical / Sociological

6. 1969
• Hollywood was in recession
• Film historian Tino Balio to describe it as the
period when ‘Hollywood nearly collapsed’
Historical / Sociological

7. The Godfather (Ford Coppolla: 1972)
• “Pre-sold”
• film benefited from the huge
sales of the novel
– (Mario Puzo, originally published in 1969)
• Paramount Studios
– Highest Grossing Film 1972: $81.5
million
– Success of film demonstrated to
studios they can make lots of
money at once
– Gave Coppola credibility

8. Jaws (Spielberg: Summer 1975)
• Universal Studios – low
expectations of its success
(summer release)
• Wide release, opening on 465
nationwide
• Market saturation
• $2.5 million were spent on
marketing
• Inlcding $700,000 on television
time on national network
reaching over 200 million people

9. Jaws (Spielberg: Summer 1975)
• Huge Success
• earning a record-breaking $100
million in 1975
• promotional tie-ins and
merchandising
• soundtrack featuring the theme
tune was available to buy, as were
stuffed sharks, beach towels, t-
shirts, and action figures
• Schatz describes Jaws as a ‘social,
industrial, and economic
phenomenon’

10. Star Wars (Lucas: 1977)

11. Star Wars (Lucas: 1977)

12. Star Wars (Lucas: 1977)
• Lucas Films & 20th Century Fox
• Similar release strategy as Jaws
• promotional tie-ins and
merchandising
• Ground breaking Technology
(Dolby Surround and THX sound
design)
• earned over $100 million in box
office revenue, and made as
much from ancillary revenue in
merchandise sales

13. SEQUELS – success of the franchises
lead to sequels

14. Emergence of home entertainment systems /
VCRs meant that Hollywood was booming from
this revenue in the mid 1980s
The Rise of the Multiplex in 1980
What does a multiplex offer audience?
o More choice
o Better technology – Dolby Surround Sound
o Access to Hollywood films
o Longer running time for Blockbusters

15. Further Research
• The Exorcist (Friedkin: 1973)
• Warner Bros.
• Superman (1978)