How Blockbusters Changed Hollywood

1478 Words3 Pages

Blockbusters are something of a large size, greater power and have commercial success. In terms of films blockbusters can be traced back to the 1970’s with contributing factors over history allowing films to get to the point of being a blockbuster. Blockbusters changed the way audiences viewed films and consumed them as well as changed the audience's demographics. The Great Depression opened a gateway for cinema to be the greatest form of entertainment for those who lived in the 1920’s. The audience were looking for escapism and self-gratification. US President Franklin Roosevelt once quoted “When the spirit of the people is lower than at any time, during this depression, it is a splendid thing that for just fifteen cents an American can go to a movie”. The movie industry was growing with the big 5 being the main distributors of film. Even in the beginning, cinema was a way an audience can take some time out, open their minds and forget about reality. “The Hollywood studios with their escapist "dream factories" and their "Front Office" studio head, production chief, producers, and other assistants, were totally in control and at full strength. They exerted their influence over choice of films, budgets, the selection of personnel and scripts, actors, writers, and …show more content…

It made Italians seem like more fully realized people and not stereotypes. It was a film in Hollywood made by Italians about Italians. Previously, it had not been Italians making the mobster films featuring Italian gangsters. I feel it helped Italianize American culture. All of a sudden, everyone was talking about Don Corleone and making jokes about, “I am going to make you an offer you can’t refuse.” I think it helped people see that in this depiction of Italian-Americans was a reflection of their own immigrant experience, whether they were Irish or Jews from Eastern Europe. They found that common

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