The Success of Star Wars/ increasing popularity of blockbuster

The era of independent films was known as the new hollywood; filmmakers who went to film school - art


Social

• New Hollywood films, for example the God Father that were about current affairs and realism, then Star Wars cam out introducing fun and entertainment 
• Event movie and marketing/ fan base/ sequels - the film becomes a business rather than an art form 

Technological

• Jaws demonstrates some of the characteristics of being a new Hollywood and a blockbuster. It is a blockbuster due to the hype with merchandising and advertising and the fact that it was out in the cinema for 6 weeks
• Development of VFX makes Star Wars new and exciting, also making people go to the cinema. Jaws however did not use VFX because the shark sank, POV shots had to be used, however this led to psychological effects as people could not see the threat
• VHS meant that people were staying at home and watching films, this became and trend and fashion to watch films at home. E.T was the biggest selling VHS in 1981. Criminals sold pirate copies as this was prohibited. 

Economical

In the 1960s films were more realistic and reflecting on their times/era dealt with the issues of the Vietnam war
1970s was the era of independence
Sci-fi operated narrative
Star Wars was inspired by the 1930s Flash Gordon
Stock character types - Propp's fairytale characters - not independent or socially realistic
Wanted to get away from reality/ escapism - futuristic and new
Every type of person went to see it over and over again, this created a massive fan base, making an event movie. Seeing this film became the fashion, and a huge group of merchandise was everywhere, included on everything.
20 billion since 1997


Effect on - what is the effect of these things on the rise of the blockbuster:

The effect of Star Wars becoming an event movie resulted in it becoming a business rather than an art form, selling merchandise and other sequels and prequels

The VFX resulted in more people going to multiplexes and cinemas as the exhibition of the film = experience.

The fact that it was an event movie meant that people went to the cinema to become a collective audience and share the experience