IBDP Film

2010-2011

The blockbuster ERA 1970-1980

By: Joshua Schawelson

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

 1970’s - 1980’s
• Hollywood experiencing financial and
artistic depression.
• Benchmark decade for development
• New era for film makers, creative high
point in film industry.
• The films of the 1970’s were attempts to
explore the mindsets of a society
undergoing tremendous change through
honest portrayals of real people
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
 What was brought from
the 1960’s?
• Restriction of language, adult content, sexuality
and violence had loosened up - widespread
• Hippie movement, Civil Rights movement,
growth of rock & roll and use of drugs
• Hollywood New Wave or New Hollywood
(Young generation took prominence , film
school educated,reach the youth) emphasis on
realism

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

 • Viewers and directors would
not compromise with the
production of mediocre
films.
• Audiences from late 1960’s
saw a glimpse of new
possibilities, new story telling
techniques and meaningful
‘artistic’ options.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

 What is the
Blockbuster Era?
• Block-bust-er (noun)
• A thing of great power or size
• an era of great commercial success
• Considered the greatest era of filmmaking
(art form)
• Jaws regarded as first film of “blockbuster
era”

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

 1970’s...

• 50’s & 60’s were recognized for wide-

screen epics on silver screens....70’s was an
age of creativity.
• Reflected questioning spirit and truth of
the time.
• It brought vigor in adventures, complex
realistic narratives with rich
cinematography.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

 Social Change
• The aftermath of late 1960
social events called out for
tremendous change.
• Audiences no longer wanted to
partake in the false,
homogenized and happy
images.
• Realism and stories to relate
to.
• Independent and innovative
way of creating film.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
 Culture in Film 1970’s
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C74Pae3PpMo - All that
Jazz (Four Oscars) deemed culturally significant
• Counter-culture to be more free
• Pop culture - Saturday Night Fever & Grease
• Hippie culture / movement
• Rise of music (Jazz, composers,
• 1972 Munich Olympics
• Lava lamps
• Literature relating to Nixon and the watergate scandal
were top sellers
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
 Influence of Historical Events
• Success films were based upon
the harsh truths of wars or
events.
• Events: Vietnam War, the Kent State
Massacre, the Watergate scandal,
President Nixon's fall, the Munich
Olympics shoot-out................

• The Parallax View (1974),

Patton (1970’s), M*A*S*H
(1970).

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

 The Parallax View

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=324b8PIaMfA
• Richard Nixon conspiracy theory of
assassination

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

 MASH

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=4UeYGS0UU6E
• subtext Vietnam War / set in Korean War

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

 Steven Speilberg

• Film producer, screenwriter

& director.
• Jaws (1975)
• Founder of DreamWorks
• Worth 3 Billion

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

 Jaws
• 1975 Relase - 159 days to shoot

• Based on Peter Benchleys novel

• Changed the movie industry - first summer blockbuster

• Led to summer screening for larger profits

• Regarded as one of the best movies of all time

• Three Mechanical sharks made for production (Bruce)

• Music by John Williams

• Shifted Hollywood away from jaded, sophisticated cinema towards more high-
adventure thrills

• Shark was more terrifying when unseen - shown an hour into the movie

• Great White represented taxes and unemployment - Ronald Regan.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010
 Jaws

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=ucMLFO6TsFM

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

 George Lucas

• Producer, screenwriter & director

• Founder of Lucasfilm Ltd. -1971
• USC school of cinematic arts
• Star Wars + Indiana Jones Franchise
• Worth 3 Billion

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

 Star Wars (1977)
• Ground breaking in the use
of special effects editing together aerial
dogfights from old war films,

• Unconventional Editing
which enhanced the pacing
of the scenes.

• Sci/fi storytelling
• Motion control photography
• ‘Used Universe’ It can be used to facilitate special
effects photography. The process

• Industrial Light and Magic -

can involve filming several elements
using the same camera motion, and
then compositing the elements into

visual effects (revolutionary) a single image.

• John Williams
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
 Star Wars

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=ypNYVnjQPZI - behind the scenes
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=9gvqpFbRKtQ -trailer

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

 Developments
• Cable television - the first pay/premium television channel, Home Box
Office (HBO), was founded in 1972; in 1975, became the first in the
television industry to use satellites for regular transmission of
programming

• The industry decided to move major film openings from mid-week to

Fridays, in 1973

• Multi-plex theaters - the proliferation of multi-screen chain theaters in

suburban areas, replacing big movie palaces, meant that more movies
could be shown to smaller audiences

• Hollywood realized that it could increase its profits by advertising its

new releases on television

• publicity/celebrity magazines -People Magazine - first published as a

weekly magazine in March of 1974 , took over the role of celebrity
watching and film promotion for the industry

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

 Notable Directors
from 1970’s

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

 THE END

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

 Homework
(not optional)

• Watch Episode IV Star Wars

Tuesday, September 14, 2010