Homework - 30 minute timed mock

What social, economical and technological context gave rise to the Blockbuster film from 1975 to 1983?
30 mins

Blockbusters were brought into English culture during the same era that multiplexes arrived in England, as the American film industry wanted to show their films in England so that they could earn more money. However, cinemas were dirty and run down, so the American film industry built multiplexes to encourage people to see their films. Audiences would expect to see spectacles when they went to multiplexes, and so the American film industry would create spectacles, such as Star Wars, which people enjoyed because it showed them something new, with space ships and laser guns, was shown multiple times in multiplexes across the UK. The multiplexes gave people the chance to experience something new, with bigger screens and sound quality than their TVs, more seats and more of a choice of what to watch. People paid to see spectacles in multiplexes, and so Hollywood made more of them.

To advertise the film and earn more money, blockbusters became 'event movies' and merchandise was made, for example, Jaws, which is seen as the first blockbuster, became such a hype that everyone went to see it. Lunch boxes and clothing was made to make even more money. Because 'event movies' made a lot of money, the American film industry decided to create sequels and prequels, for example, multiple Star Wars films were made, and it became a hype and was shown multiple times every day. The recession during the 70s and 80s drew adults away from the cinema and attracted teenagers, who did not work or have to pay bills, and so pocket money would be a disposable income. This means that films were aimed towards teenagers, who would also buy into the hype a lot easier than adults.

Special effects had a large impact on blockbuster, because people were paying to see the spectacles that they created, and so people went back to multiplexes to see more films with special effects, which brought them out of their homes.

The influence of blockbusters created trends in filmmaking and caused producers to create spinoffs and trends, for example, people would want to go to discos because of Saturday Night Fever, which created the disco era. Fame had such a good response in multiplexes that it was made into a TV show.