Where have the blockbusters gone?

[EmilyMiller]

I can remember a time when there were no blockbusters or franchises yet (I know, useless nostalgia). I saw Jaws recently at a revival in a New Jersey theater, for the first time since 1975.

I just watched Jaws (for a second time) last week. Been doing a Spielberg thing, started with War of the Worlds. Not very true to the book (set in London and Surrey from memory) but maybe Cruise’s least Cruise-like role.

Em

 

[EmilyMiller]

Where have the blockbusters gone?​

See, people started viewing movies and TV shows via this thing called the interweb. And all those stores and the staff in them cost money. So…

Oh, wait. You meant…

Never mind.

Em

 

[gunhilltrain]

Yeah, Oppenheimer is the only one of interest to me.

Barbie is such a stupid idea, I sort of hope it falls on its fake plastic ass, and maybe studios would wake up to themselves. But I doubt it.

electricblue, you seem a bit grumpy in recently weeks. How could one not savor scenes such as this?

https://www.themarysue.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/barbie-mugshot.webp?fit=1200,675

You may have missed my take on both Barbie and Oppenheimer. In it, I speculated on which Los Angeles jail Barbie might wind up in. As purely a guess, I suggested the Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynnwood. Don't expect that in the movie, however.

https://classic.literotica.com/s/what-s-up-with-barbie-s-feet

Orange is the new pink. P.S.: Of course, weeks later I found a typo. It should be The Movie Critic, not The Move Critic.

 

[SimonDoom]

*coughs politely*

*glances in the direction of Peter Cushing*

*stares meaningfully*

Well, sure, but he wasn't one of the leads. People didn't go to Star Wars because of Peter Cushing. They went for the story and the spectacle.

 

[gunhilltrain]

Not necessarily. Star Wars, ET, Raiders, and Back to the Future were not based on preexisting books. The problem, I think, is that studios are reluctant to invest $100-200 million in a complete original screenplay. It's too bad, because I think when moviemakers play it safe they fail to appreciate the tremendous hunger among moviegoers for original fun movies.

I didn't know that they would pay that much for a screenplay. But then, only a handful of writers can hope to be that successful. There are huge numbers of others who think it looks easy, and their unsolicited manuscripts wind up in slush piles at studios, talent agencies, and so forth.

The movie industry is in one of its periodic crises. I have trouble with the present-day theater experience. Now the screen is never dark, with endless bombastic trailers plus ads for Bounty Towels and such. There are various reasons, but the number of theaters in The Bronx has gone down from 124 to two. And that happened before the pandemic.

https://cinematreasures.org/theaters/united-states/new-york/bronx?status=all

 

[gordo12]

I didn't know that they would pay that much for a screenplay. But then, only a handful of writers can hope to be that successful. There are huge numbers of others who think it looks easy, and their unsolicited manuscripts wind up in slush piles at studios, talent agencies, and so forth.

The movie industry is in one of its periodic crises. I have trouble with the present-day theater experience. Now the screen is never dark, with endless bombastic trailers plus ads for Bounty Towels and such. There are various reasons, but the number of theaters in The Bronx has gone down from 124 to two. And that happened before the pandemic.

https://cinematreasures.org/theaters/united-states/new-york/bronx?status=all

A lot of that was because of the studios demanding the theatres invest in new equipment to better handle the coming movie formats. A lot of smaller theatres couldn't afford it.

 

[gunhilltrain]

We agree on something.

They made a bunch of 22 minute shows, that my daughters used to watch on VHS when they were kids. Those sucked too.

Greta Gerwig has somehow worked in references to The Matrix (that one is in a trailer) and Stanley Kubrick (I don't what that one is yet). I suggested going to a hard "R" film, but that would be ridiculous too.

"A few days ago Robbie confirmed that Barbie can't have sexual desires because she indeed does not have genitals or reproductive organs. 'Yes, she can wear a short skirt, but because it's fun and pink. Not because she wanted you to see her butt.' " At least that is clear now.

 

[gunhilltrain]

A lot of that was because of the studios demanding the theatres invest in new equipment to better handle the coming movie formats. A lot of smaller theatres couldn't afford it.

That was part of it, but it's hard to make money with one screen and 4,000 seats. Breaking it into a duplex, then a triplex, and finally a quad didn't solve it. The buildings, even though many of them were impressive, got old and the maintenance costs went up. The smaller theaters went first, then the larger ones. The new ones are all multiplexes, with eight, ten, or twelve screens.

Also, in the cities, people lost the habit of walking or taking the bus for their several times per month movie going. The studios never fully overcame the invention of television.

 

[alohadave]

The pandemic killed off a lot of theaters that were barely hanging on through sheer inertia.

Take people away from you business for a year or so and it'll strain even the healthiest businesses. The lackluster performers couldn't handle it.

And with opening day streaming becoming a thing, there's less reason for people to deal with theaters in the first place.

I like watching a spectacle movie on a big screen with good sound, but for many movies, none of that is required and my computer screen works just fine. I can pause, control the volume, have subtitles and not pay $20 for popcorn and a bottle of water.

 

[AchtungNight]

I’m hoping to get to watch “No Hard Feelings” in theaters soon, but I’m waiting for my schedule to align with that of a friend with whom I hope to enjoy the movie. The same is true of other hopeful future blockbusters. Including “Oppenheimer”, “Poor Things”, and the new TMNT movie. That’s as far as films go. On books, I hope to enjoy the latest volume in Preston & Child’s Nora Kelly & Corrie Swanson series soon. Meanwhile, I’m off to check out a story called Emma here on Lit.

 

[CyranoJ]

The "summer blockbuster" isn't really a thing now. However, we're in a year that has seen the release of John Wick 4, Avatar: The Way of Water, Spiderman: Across the Spiderverse, Guardians of the Galaxy 3, and Fast X. Collectively, those movies have grossed 4.72 billion so far this year (Way of Water alone counting for almost half that), and Dune 2 is slated for later this year. I can promise you the blockbuster has not gone anywhere.

One thing I notice is that the theaters that have survived the pandemic have really stepped up their game. They are actually trying to offer new things to attract people back: plush leather reclining seats, say, and the ability to drink a proper glass of beer while you watch the movie. I can tell you that it worked on me. Watched both GotG 3 and Spiderman in the theater this year, both mind-blowing.

 

[Bramblethorn]

I didn't know that they would pay that much for a screenplay. But then, only a handful of writers can hope to be that successful. There are huge numbers of others who think it looks easy, and their unsolicited manuscripts wind up in slush piles at studios, talent agencies, and so forth.

I think Simon was talking about the total investment including filming the movie, not just what's paid specifically for the screenplay.

Not that movies have to cost that much. Total budget for EEAAO was reportedly around $15-25m and that was enough to cover action sequences, special effects, and two famous actresses. CGI tech and drone cams have really expanded the options for budget film-making.

 

[Cali_Love]

What are y’all talking about? There’s a new blockbuster out out every Saturday night on Hallmark Channel. Awesome sauce!!!

 

[MajorRewrite]

The "summer blockbuster" isn't really a thing now. However, we're in a year that has seen the release of John Wick 4, Avatar: The Way of Water, Spiderman: Across the Spiderverse, Guardians of the Galaxy 3, and Fast X.

I can’t imagine getting excited to see any of those sequels but obviously a lot of people did. I must’ve missed the buzz.

 

[MajorRewrite]

What are y’all talking about? There’s a new blockbuster out out every Saturday night on Hallmark Channel. Awesome sauce!!!

The amount of new “movies” that Hallmark churns out is pretty amazing. Eventually they’ll have made everything else possible and will buy the rights to the lesbian incest Hallmark story I posted last Christmas. It’s only a matter of time …

 

[SimonDoom]

The amount of new “movies” that Hallmark churns out is pretty amazing. Eventually they’ll have made everything else possible and will buy the rights to the lesbian incest Hallmark story I posted last Christmas. It’s only a matter of time …

It's basically one movie, with rotating character names and actors. My mom watches them.

 

[gunhilltrain]

I think Simon was talking about the total investment including filming the movie, not just what's paid specifically for the screenplay.

Not that movies have to cost that much. Total budget for EEAAO was reportedly around $15-25m and that was enough to cover action sequences, special effects, and two famous actresses. CGI tech and drone cams have really expanded the options for budget film-making.

I get that now. But people have been complaining about movie quality since nickelodeons were invented.

"There is no reason that movies have to cost that much" - but they do anyway! And that's been going on for a while. If you have a couple of hours to kill, watch this two part "making of" Cleopatria (1963). Yeah, running a studio is harder than it looks from the outside. Click on YouTube link for viewing. ("Age Restricted!") Don't make me look it up or read the entire thread - EEAAO is what again?

 

[gunhilltrain]

If I start talking about fucking "Hollywood" and all the that it is and involves, I'll go on forever.

I dated an actress in my past(no not telling), so I saw firsthand what it truly is.

See my post above. "Hollywood" has been like that since before it moved to California. It started when Edison cranked out his first movies in West Orange. The last time I looked, his first "studio," a big metal box that opened at the top, was sitting outside his lab building.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Black_Maria.jpg

 

[SimonDoom]

I get that now. But people have been complaining about movie quality since nickelodeons were invented.

Bramblethorn was right; I was referring to total movie costs, not screenplay costs.

I'm not sure about your premise. There is a significant qualitative difference between the kinds of movies being made today as summer "blockbusters" today versus the 1970s. The Godfather actually was the highest grossing film of 1972, as well as being the most critically acclaimed movie of that year, and one of the most acclaimed of all time. Some of the early summer blockbusters like Star Wars and Jaws were nominated for Academy Awards. That's virtually unthinkable now. The big summer movies now are usually just the latest installments of established franchises, like the Marvel universe or Fast & Furious. The movies tend to be big on spectacle but rather juvenile with writing and characterization. I'll never get tired of watching Jaws, but I can't remember the plot of an Avengers movie an hour after watching it.

 

[HordHolm]

EEAAO is what again?

Everything Everywhere All At Once

 

[gunhilltrain]

Bramblethorn was right; I was referring to total movie costs, not screenplay costs.

I'm not sure about your premise. There is a significant qualitative difference between the kinds of movies being made today as summer "blockbusters" today versus the 1970s. The Godfather actually was the highest grossing film of 1972, as well as being the most critically acclaimed movie of that year, and one of the most acclaimed of all time. Some of the early summer blockbusters like Star Wars and Jaws were nominated for Academy Awards. That's virtually unthinkable now. The big summer movies now are usually just the latest installments of established franchises, like the Marvel universe or Fast & Furious. The movies tend to be big on spectacle but rather juvenile with writing and characterization. I'll never get tired of watching Jaws, but I can't remember the plot of an Avengers movie an hour after watching it.

Personally, I would agree that movies have declined in quality during that period. But I was trying to avoid the trap of falling into nostalgia. I think the premise I was mentioning has come up over and over again. Sort of like Norma Desmond bemoaning the end of silent pictures in 1950. Of course, she had a personal stake in the whole thing that we as the audience do not.

 

[gunhilltrain]

Everything Everywhere All At Once

Thank you. I have heard of it, but I'm so out of it that I had to look it up again.

"A middle-aged Chinese immigrant is swept up into an insane adventure in which she alone can save existence by exploring other universes and connecting with the lives she could have led."

Well, did you like it?

 

[CJLahrainn]

There isn't a single tv-show, movie - blockbuster or not, that I am hoping to see this summer or any other summer. The reason is simple - The times of good movies are gone. Now, all we get to see from Hollywood are brainless flicks with plenty of CGI and cheap humor, all meant to cater to minor audiences. There is still some small hope from European film productions, but those can hardly be called blockbusters.
When it comes to books, yeah there are a couple I am waiting for, but they aren't coming out this summer.

Sanctuary is currently playing. Not a brainless cgi flick.

In the last several years:

The Florida Project
Uncut Gems
Pig
Palm Springs
Lady Bird
Eighth Grade
mother! (Okay, this one divides audiences)
Promising Young Woman
Crimes of the Future

There are plenty of good movies being made.

One thing everyone is overlooking is the Asian market, which is huge for Hollywood, but witty banter gets lost in translation, as do some culturally specific scenarios. Big superhero action movies can be understood by everyone really easily.

Look to Neon and A24, you'll find good movies.

 

[HordHolm]

Bramblethorn was right; I was referring to total movie costs, not screenplay costs.

I'm not sure about your premise. There is a significant qualitative difference between the kinds of movies being made today as summer "blockbusters" today versus the 1970s. The Godfather actually was the highest grossing film of 1972, as well as being the most critically acclaimed movie of that year, and one of the most acclaimed of all time. Some of the early summer blockbusters like Star Wars and Jaws were nominated for Academy Awards. That's virtually unthinkable now. The big summer movies now are usually just the latest installments of established franchises, like the Marvel universe or Fast & Furious. The movies tend to be big on spectacle but rather juvenile with writing and characterization. I'll never get tired of watching Jaws, but I can't remember the plot of an Avengers movie an hour after watching it.

I think there's a real danger of 'it was better in the past-ism' though. Titanic wasn't a summer movie, but still a blockbuster and it won 11 Oscars on 14 nominations. And look how well LOTR did both commercially and critically. And then we could turn to the Batman franchise, which has scored well in both categories in recent years. Or Pirates of the Caribbean. We may be at a low point right now, but I'm fairly certain that either a) we're jaded and younger folk don't see it the way we do and/or, b) if we come back in a year or two there will be a new direction that is enthusing folk.

 

[HordHolm]

Thank you. I have heard of it, but I'm so out of it that I had to look it up again.

"A middle-aged Chinese immigrant is swept up into an insane adventure in which she alone can save existence by exploring other universes and connecting with the lives she could have led."

Well, did you like it?

Haven't seen it either - I'm condemned to children's releases with my daughter. The Little Mermaid was a touch too long, but better than the online hate it's been subjected to. And Halle Bailey is delightful.