History Main / SummerBlockbuster

Compare and contrast BMovie, DumpMonths, LeFilmArtistique, OscarBait and EpicMovie (which is usually a high-minded, sprawling drama rather than an action or fantasy flick). Not to be confused with TheMockbuster, no matter how hard studios like Creator/TheAsylum try. This type of film came of age mainly during (of course) UsefulNotes/TheBlockbusterAgeOfHollywood.

->'''Franchise/{{Batman}}:''' I've come to rescue you from this turgid drama. No one wants to see old people kissing at this time of year.

The modern summer blockbuster began primarily with three movies: ''Film/{{Jaws}},'' ''[[Film/ANewHope Star Wars]],'' and ''Film/RaidersOfTheLostArk'' (the TropeMaker, [[TropeNamer Namer]], and [[TropeCodifier Codifier]], respectively) and continued on from there, opening up space for films that previously would have been considered too risky or expensive to make: the first ''[[Film/TheTerminator Terminator]]'' movie, ''Film/BackToTheFuture,'' ''Film/ETTheExtraTerrestrial,'' and so on. Because the good and/or popular ones do, in fact, yield [[MoneyDearBoy Big Bucks]], people continue to make them today.

->'''Creator/MerylStreep''': Batman, what are you doing in Des Moines?
->'''Franchise/{{Batman}}''': I've come to rescue you from this turgid drama. No one wants to see old people kissing at this time of year.
->'''Creator/MerylStreep''': What do they want to see?
->'''Franchise/{{Batman}}''': YOUNG PEOPLE GETTING BLOWN UP!

->'''Franchise/{{Batman}}''': YOUNG PEOPLE GETTING BLOWN UP!!

* SpecialEffects (can range from VisualEffectsOfAwesome to SpecialEffectFailure)

The modern summer blockbuster began primarily with three movies: ''Film/{{Jaws}},'' ''[[Film/ANewHope Star Wars]],'' and ''Film/RaidersOfTheLostArk'' (the TropeMaker, [[TropeNamer Namer]], and [[TropeCodifier Codifier]], respectively) and continued on from there, opening up space for films that previously would have been considered too risky or expensive to make: the first ''[[Film/TheTerminator Terminator]]'' movie, ''Film/BackToTheFuture,'' ''Film/ETTheExtraTerrestrial,'' and so on. Because the good ones do, in fact, yield [[MoneyDearBoy Big Bucks]], people continue to make them today.

-->-- ''[[ForbiddenBroadway Forbidden Hollywood]]''

->'''Creator/MerylStreep''': Batman, what are you doing in [[TheBridgesOfMadisonCounty Des Moines]]?
->'''Franchise/{{Batman}}''': I've come to rescue you from this turgid drama. No one wants to see old people kissing at [[OscarBait this time of year]].

Compare and contrast BMovie, DumpMonths, LeFilmArtistique, OscarBait and EpicMovie (which is usually a high-minded, sprawling drama rather than an action or fantasy flick). Not to be confused with TheMockbuster, no matter how hard studios like The Asylum try. This type of film came of age mainly during (of course) the BlockbusterAgeOfHollywood.

* StuffBlowingUp

The modern summer blockbuster began primarily with three movies: ''Film/{{Jaws}},'' ''[[Film/ANewHope Star Wars]],'' and ''Film/RaidersOfTheLostArk'' (the TropeMaker, [[TropeNamer Namer]], and [[TropeCodifier Codifier]], respectively) and continued on from there, opening up space for films that previously would have been considered too risky or expensive to make: the first ''{{Terminator}}'' movie, ''Film/BackToTheFuture,'' ''Film/ETTheExtraTerrestrial,'' and so on. Because the good ones do, in fact, yield [[MoneyDearBoy Big Bucks]], people continue to make them today.

The summer blockbuster is generally categorized by: being heavily advertised well over a year before its premiere, an immense budget by whatever major film studio is producing it, often-times a well-known cast of actors or production crew (with some degree of variance), the prevalence of sequels (''Franchise/StarWars'' in particular started the oft-bemoaned tradition of standing in line dressed like someone who hasn't been laid in 10 years, also known as a Wookiee), and an overall emphasis on [[BiggerIsBetter BIG]]. Big Budget, Big Stars, Big Effects, and (so the studio prays) Big Profits.

->'''MerylStreep''': Batman, what are you doing in [[TheBridgesOfMadisonCounty Des Moines]]?

->'''MerylStreep''': What do they want to see?

Summer blockbusters are often at odds with critics because as a general rule they emphasize flash over substance. In fact, many critics have an extreme bias against movies of the type for [[BiasSteamroller generally no reason other than their existence.]] You'll typically see critics preferring a [[{{Amour}} slow-paced]], [[TheTreeOfLife inaccessible]] [[TheArtist art-house film]] over a [[PacificRim epic]], [[ManOfSteel action-packed]] [[{{Prometheus}} science fiction]]/[[PiratesOfTheCaribbean fantasy film]]. However, there have been numerous blockbusters the critics have loved like ''TheDarkKnight'' in 2008, and ''Film/TheAvengers'' in 2012, big budget SuperHero fantasies that drew enthusiastic praise from critics.

See also EpicMovie, which is different that this because epics are often sprawling dramas as opposed to action and fantasy films. Compare and contrast BMovie, DumpMonths, LeFilmArtistique, OscarBait. Not to be confused with TheMockbuster, no matter how hard studios like The Asylum try. This type of film came of age mainly during (of course) the BlockbusterAgeOfHollywood.

Summer blockbusters are often at odds with critics because as a general rule they emphasize flash over substance. In fact, many critics have an extreme bias against movies of the type for [[BiasSteamroller generally no reason other than their existence.]] You'll typically see critics preferring a [[{{Amour}} slow-paced]], [[TheTreeOfLife inaccessible]] [[TheArtist art-house film]] over a [[PacificRim epic]], [[ManOfSteel action-packed]] [[{{Prometheus}} science fiction]]/[[PiratesOfTheCaribbean fantasy film]]

Summer blockbusters are often at odds with critics because as a general rule they emphasize flash over substance. In fact, many critics have an extreme bias against movies of the type for [[BiasSteamroller generally no reason other than their existence.]] Consider ''Film/{{Transformers}}'' (not the animated one, oddly) which actually received more positive reviews than negative reviews -- a fact often ignored by those who insisted that poor critical reception against the sequel was due to an anti-''{{Transformers}}'' bias on the part of critics.

The summer blockbuster is generally categorized by: being heavily advertised well over a year before its premiere, an immense budget by whatever major film studio is producing it, often-times a well-known cast of actors or production crew (with some degree of variance), the prevalence of sequels (''StarWars'' in particular started the oft-bemoaned tradition of standing in line dressed like someone who hasn't been laid in 10 years, also known as a Wookiee), and an overall emphasis on [[BiggerIsBetter BIG]]. Big Budget, Big Stars, Big Effects, and (so the studio prays) Big Profits.

->'''{{Batman}}''': I've come to rescue you from this turgid drama. No one wants to see old people kissing at [[OscarBait this time of year]].

->'''{{Batman}}''': YOUNG PEOPLE GETTING BLOWN UP!!