Did the Art of Cinema Jump the Shark?

During the summer of 1975, Steven Spielberg redefined the concept of the blockbuster by releasing “Jaws” (Spielberg, 1975). Soon after, George Lucas would release the first film in the “Star Wars” franchise. The directors would soon be accused of destroying cinema. Before the release of “Jaws” and “Star Wars,” films were not as widely distributed. The marketing campaign and plot structure created a market for films aimed at everyone. While allowing films to be more accessible to massive audiences, it made it so film distribution no longer required the film to be good. The introduction of merchandising also introduced a certain level of censorship to the industry by encouraging movies to maintain a PG-13 rating in order to sell more product. It’s difficult not to pinpoint this point of cinematic history as the moment when the art jumped the shark.


Big blockbuster franchises like “Marvel” have slowly started to wear down audiences. It seems we're pushing for a blockbuster break. However, blockbuster films like “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie” not only dominated but saved the box office. The blockbuster films have been dominating this award season. Yet, an upcoming Mattel universe has everyone nervous. While studios have mastered the formula, the plot has potentially become too predictable for audiences.

 

Did the mass production of the blockbuster ruin the art of cinema, or did it perfect film too much? 

 

 

 

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