This meaning has militaristic origins. The term was used by Germans to described the damage that a bomb could cause as it could destroy a ‘block of a city’. The blockbuster was produced by the English, which was created for the British Royal Air Force. (airminded, 2016)
The term ‘Blockbuster’ was incorporated into cinema slang, because it describes something that is immense and explosive. It is used to describe how a film was hugely successful at the box office due to its great production budget and the huge gross profit it reached. (blog.dictionary, 2016)
Block busters are incredibly visual and heavily thematically. The aim being for a block buster is to be entertaining and impacting, this means that they are usually from the action genre. Another characteristic is that there is not a lot of dialogue, this makes it more marketable, the premise is to show case action and suspense. Successful block busters would employ one or more well-known actors, SFX, GCI, plot twists and a good storyline – all of these elements will capture the audience attention and emotions.
The first summer Block Buster was created by a 28-year-old relatively unknown director 
called Stephen Spielberg’s. The film was ‘Jaws’ which was based on Peter Benchley’s novel, which is about a shark that killed innocent people. It engaged the viewer by highlighting the beach – normally a fun, safe place for families, as unsafe, infact a dangerous place to be. The characters Sheriff Brody, Hooper and Quint set out on a mission
to hunt down the shark and to restore calm to the tourists and beach dwellers, however, all does not go to plan. (mediaknowall, 2016) (Corrigan, 2016)
Jaws was released on the 20th of June 1975. ‘Jaws’ was number one at the box office for 14 weeks and was one of the first films to gross over more than $100million which made cinema history. Universal a film production company gave Stephen a budget of $12million, and Jaws grossed over $500million. In the same year there was other block busters like the Godfather and The Exorcist, they didn’t make as much impact as Jaws as it had a global appeal.
Blockbuster’s budgets are separated in the form of ‘above the line’ and below the line costs. 20% of the budget will cover the actor, director and producer this is known as above the line costs. 30% -50% will be spent on the prints and advertisement. The rest of the budget is spent on the production and post-production.(gideonsway.wordpress, 2016)
Block Busters are usually being released in the summer time, and will follow a specific rule, known as ‘Four Quadrant’ films. These target male and female, young and old between the age of 15 – 50. The film should cater and attract all ages. This could be done by the attracting a popular actor as the main star, using a well-seasoned director and incorporating a franchise, re-make or based for and attract a well-known novel.
Development in Cinema During the Blockbuster Era
Technologies and equipment that was created in the blockbuster era, provided filmmakers more creative freedom to employ into their films. For example the Steadicam was created in the 1970’s, this allowed the camera operators to capture movement shots smoothly, created by an American Garrett Brown in 1970. This was first used in films such as ‘The Bound of Glory’, ‘Rocky’ and ‘The Shining’. The Steadicam is still a dominate camera equipment in the film industry advancing ever year..(Corrigan, 2016)(tiffen, 2016)
Visual effect was a developing force through-out the 1970’s. Changing the world of cinema, allowing to create huge blood thirsty shark eating boats, creating Jedi’s that could use the ‘The Force’. Visual effects have developed a great deal from 1970 – 2016, IMAX corporation another creation that changed the cinema world in that year was the introduction to IMAX, created by Graeme Ferguson, Ronan Kroitor, Robert Kerr and William C. Shaw.
IMAX was presented horizontally rather than vertically as it could hold more data, than the 70 mm film image that was being used in cinemas, which projected 24 frames per second. Were IMAX projected sixty frames per second which presented a sharper and larger image that is clear, dense and detailed, were panoramas of nature and space appear through the extraordinary size and scope of the screen making the film experience that even more special.(Corrigan, 2016)(ieee.ca, 2016)
The common genre for block busters is ‘Action’ because of its attracting SFX , CGI and fast paced action and little dialogue makes the action genre more marketable world-wide, but there is comedy and animation blockbusters for example ‘Home Alone 2 ’ which grossed $358million and Sherk 2 with $432million. (imdb, 2016).
‘The Dark knight’
“When a menace known as the Joker wreaks havoc and chaos on the people of Gotham, the caped crusader must come to terms with one of the greatest psychological tests of his ability and fight injustices” (imdb, 2016)
From 1975 to 2008 the cinema world had changed with due to evolving technologies, equipment and marketing. The blockbuster I have chosen to discuss is ‘The Dark Knight’ which was the second instalment from ‘Batman Begins’ and after ‘The Dark knight’ the 3rd instalment is ‘The Dark Knight Rises’.
It was directed by Stephen Nolan, having been written by both Stephen and Jonathan Nolan. The cast involved included Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Morgan freeman, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman and Aaron Eckhart, basically the same characters from ‘Batman Begins’ the production companies involved Warner Bros, Legendary pictures and DC Comics. (imdb, 2016)
‘The Dark Knight was released on July 18th 2008 with a Budget of $185,000,000 USD in the first week it made $158,411,483, and grossed world-wide $533,316,061, other instalments ‘Batman Begins’ grossed $205,343,774 and ‘The Dark Knight rises’ grossed $448,130,642.(imdb, 2016)
Reasons for the popularity of US produced films for UK audiences?
DC and Marvel films appeal to UK, as these films target audience ranges from kids to adults. The format, which is mystery and fictional appeals to kids from 8 -15. Adults who will watch DC and Marvel films do so because of the affiliation they have to the characters – having read the comic they read when they were young they eventually get to watch their comics in a visually for versions growing up.
Marvel and DC films appeals to the audiences in the UK and other countries because it allows them to experience a fantasy world and culture that is so opposite to their own, perhaps in the same way an American would feel when watching an Irish based film like Michael Collins, the wind that shakes the Barely or My Left foot. (elliottmedia.wordpress, 2016)
The major reasons that US produced films are popular in the UK is the actors, their status, reputation and recognition of talent and their world-wide success. Another reason is that some actors who are in an American based film are original from Ireland or the UK. For example, from the film I have chosen to study ‘The Dark Knight’ which is an American based film but the main actor Christian Bale was original born in Pembrokeshire, Wales in 1974. (biography, 2016)
Christopher Nolan, the director of the Batman Trilogies, was born in England on the 30th of July 1970, so this also maintains a connection to the UK, as the main actor and director or both original born and raised form the UK. Other directors like Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, Stephen Spielberg have a status and reputation like actors do. So from the status of the director’s career in America and the UK their films would be popular in the UK epically if they are original from the UK, like Guy Richie and Edgar Wright. (jessicastarkins.wordpress, 2016)
The money invested in the American film industry allows them to reach to a larger audience, as they use UK Television slots, cinema trailers, posters, magazines, newspapers, food establishments to promote their films in the UK. The UK based films do not receive the same amount of a budget a American produced would get American production companies would spent more on the P&A, more than what the film grossed.
Sequels are another reason why American produced films are popular in the UK as everyone wants more, the film I have chosen to study in this assignment is Christopher Nolan’s Batman Trilogy. Batman Begins made over 200 million dollars. The Dark Knight grossed 500 million – doubling what the prequel made, then The Dark Knight rises downgraded to 400 million. The Dark Knight was screened in 594 screens in the UK, and in the opening week it grossed £14,362,443 USD,(georgiamedia.wordpress, 2016).
The target audience
The main target audience for the Dark Knight would be comic book readers and fans of previous instalments of Batman and Batman Begins. The Dark Knight would appeal more to teenage males partly due to the action, cars, gadgets and women that are included in the Dark Knight. It can also appeal to females as there are multiple female lead roles throughout the trilogy especially in the 3rd instalment ‘The Dark Knight rises’ which includes Cat Woman who is portrayed by Anna Hathaway and Marlon Cotillard as Miranda Tate both presenting a strong female presence (akshaymaheyasmediastudies.blogspot, 2016).
The Dark Knight Viral Campaign,
Why So Serious? Was created as an alternative reality experience, which was created by the company 42 Entertainment it was created in May 2007, 15 months before the release of the ‘Dark Knight’. It allowed fans an opportunity to be interactive by becoming real life Gotham citizens. (youtube, 2016)
42 Entertainment started an “IBelieveInHarveyDent.com”, with just one picture of Aaron Eckhart, in about 24 hours from the creation of “IBelieveInHarveyDent.com”, another website was created called “IBelieveInHarveyDentToo.com” but the picture of Harvey Dent was vandalized that looked like the Jokers make-up this and there was an option to sign up to this website with your email after you could sign up in return you got a voicemail from the Joker.
Over 10 million people signed up in over 75 countries, people took orders from the joker from all aspects of devices web pages, mobile phone and emails. Which would link them to clues that were scattered across the globe which could be from phone calls, cakes or numbers writing in the sky in Morse code. (42entertainment, 2016)
All the clues lead the treasure hunters to the first preview of the ‘Dark Knight’, before they could view it, it was destroyed with the Jokers writing, which they used the term it was “Jokerized” this stunt increased the anticipation and excitement of the fans.
The Harvey Dent campaigned to elect Harvey Dent as the District Attorney saw some of the members dress up as Batman vigilantes, they held protests and rally’s which attracted media outlet attention which gave this viral campaign a wider audience. (filmschoolrejects, 2016)
On the night of the release of the Dark Knight Hundreds of thousands of people from both sides of the campaign witnessed the Batman signal on a building which was ‘jokerized.
This stunt created an unbelievable vibe for the fans. This viral campaign was a pure act of genius by Warner Bros, there has not been much anticipation or excitement for a film since the release of the Dark Knight.
Another key marketing strategy used by DC Comics and Marvel, is that they leave “Easter Eggs” , example of this in ‘Batman Begins’ at the end scene when commissioner Gordon tells Batman about a robbery that happened and then showed a Joker card, this employed that there was going to be a sequel which had the Joker the ‘Dark Knight’.
DC Comics do this again in ‘The Dark Knight’ when Fox (Morgan Freeman) showed Batman his new costume and stated that it was ‘Cat’ proof meaning the figure ‘Cat Woman’ who was featured in ‘The Rise of the Dark Knight’ who was portrayed by Anne Hathaway,
Another one in ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ when John Blake (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) collects a package , and the woman asks for his illegal name so he gave her his ID, the woman gave him the package, and states that he should use his real name which was ‘Robin’ then he goes into the Bat Cave.
They also mentions a suicide squad reference when John Blake (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) says the Bruce Wayne that there was a warning of a large crocodile in the sewers, talking about Croc Killer who is a member of the Suicide Squad which is DC Comics latest installment which includes Batman(Ben Affleck) Joker,( Jared Leto) Harley Quinn(Morgrat Robbie) and DeadShot (Will Smith) and many more will be included in Suicide Squad.
This is a smart marketing method which is used in DC Comics and Marvel films as it gives the audience a visual hidden message on what superhero film will be created and who will it be, which creates excitement and arguments which lead on to social media with fan theories which create a vibe and excitement for the upcoming films.
raffomedia 