Movie Blockbuster Anniversaries
I'm still scared of dark water, thanks Jaws
This week saw big anniversaries for three movie blockbusters that transcend generations, and yet I wonder if they would have been made in today's studio system. I hope film executives take risks on emerging ideas and talent, because we need original storytelling now more than ever (just look at Ryan Coogler’s recent success with “Sinners” as an example”
This past week, “Jaws” turned 50, “Goonies” turned 40, and technically so did “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” as 1985 was the date he skipped school (though the movie release in 1986). Hell, even “The Breakfast Club” turns 40 this year, as were all of these too. All smash hits across generations, perhaps perfectly meant to be made at that time in cinema, now looked at as classics for the simplicity and pacing in which they were made.
Visit my Pop Passport podcast for more on Ferris and Jaws
We are in an era where viewers heavily influence content on streaming services, and have inadvertently created a demand more international content (thank goodness), as people have embraced everything from Korean soap operas to Indian action movies. Yet as the streaming content keeps growing, the studios themselves are taking less chances with the movies they make, and independent films have to get more crafty for funding more than ever. Studios often prioritize sequels, prequels, remakes, and films based on existing intellectual property, as these offer a perceived lower risk and higher potential for profit. This trend is fueled by the desire for predictable returns in a competitive market, especially with the rise of streaming services. (*Watch the hilarious new Seth Rogen series “The Studio” on Apple for an inside glimpse of just how crazy the system is and how nearly impossible it is to get anything new made).
Movie making has always been complicated and seen numerous phases, evolving from rudimentary beginnings to the complex industry it is today. Key periods include the silent era, the introduction of sound, the rise of color, the studio system, the New Hollywood era, and the digital age, each bringing distinct changes in technology, storytelling, and business model, bringing us to where we are today. So many people in Los Angeles in particular has struggled to find consistent work due to these changes plus the expense shooting in California, in addition to the pandemic, strike, and fire.
In is in that context, that I suggest reading/watching this NY Times piece on why “Jaws” may not be made today (Can you imagine!? That film changed the trajectory of summer blockbusters forever). I have to wonder if “Goonies” would either, or “Ferris” considering there was a simplicity in it that works forever, but may not have found a studio champion to let it be just that, today. Anyways, enjoy some of the anniversary footage, I sure did…