Re: Was Batman(89) the start of the modern day blockbuster?
 

Yes, a throw-back to serials of the 30s and 40s was a modern blockbuster. :rolleyes:

It absolutely was. Nearly all blockbuster movies post Lucas and Spielberg are resurrections of old B-movies, and ROTLA was one which set the template of the movie based around a set of action sequences. Tons of films try to replicate Raiders nowadays. I'd argue that what set the template for the modern blockbuster was probably the bond films-movies with identical story beats differentiated only by their locales and action sequences, reliant on rigid formula to ensure as many asses in seats as possible with the promise of "something you've never seen before!" The Indiana Jones series adheres rigidly to the Bond, in the words of Spielberg, minus the hardware. From there, you can draw a line to Planet of the Apes as one of the first big franchises to take advantage of tie-in merchandise, and from there draw a line to Jaws, Star Wars, and Indiana Jones in their use of big high-concept stuff with simple plots to support their action sequences and as much tie-in merchandise as possible, the idea of the film as a flashpoint for the whole franchise. Eventually follow that through to the toy-sales cartoons of the 80s. Nowadays, Spielberg, Lucas, and Leone, were influenced by those pop culture trinkets of the past, and they eventually inspired future waves-Zemeckis, Cameron, Ridley Scott, etc-eventually leading to people like Michael Bay, JJ Abrams, and Zach Snyder who were themselves influenced by them, third-generation postmodernists who make films about films about films about films about films. The movie is now part of a giant merchandising franchise where the screenplay is rewritten as the film goes along to fit with new toys to sell.

Re: Was Batman(89) the start of the modern day blockbuster?
 

But they're not modern. Does no one know what the word modern means?

Re: Was Batman(89) the start of the modern day blockbuster?
 

This was the first movie that came to mind when the Summer Blockbuster really went into the tank. I think Batman '89 sort of started the trend, but ID4 perfected it: Cool Premise, but dumb story, one dimensional characters, and loads of CGI and action. And one major scene they can throw in the trailer to get people to see it.

Re: Was Batman(89) the start of the modern day blockbuster?
 

Either Jaws or Goldfinger is the correct answer.

Re: Was Batman(89) the start of the modern day blockbuster?
 

If you mean that they aren't set in the contemporary time, then no, they weren't modern. If you mean that they were period pieces, then no, they weren't modern. But they used special effects technology which was cutting edge at the time and editing techniques which were being developed at the time, eventually leading to trends still being used today. The original Star Trek has tons of hallmarks of the 1960s, despite not being set then. Nothing in 2001: A Space Odyssey would suggest when it was made, it feels perpetually modern. In a sense, the Raiders movies were actually postmodern. But it also depends on how we're defining the word. "Modernism" and "modern" as you're thinking of it mean distinctly different things, IMO. Very, very, very few big blockbusters action movies age well because they're so reliant on trends and what are then cutting-edge but will soon be outdated special FX. But in terms of creating the economics of the blockbuster where the film is the central point in a giant marketing franchise, I think that Spielberg and Lucas were absolutely where it started.

Re: Was Batman(89) the start of the modern day blockbuster?
 

So would you classify the Transformers movies as "modern"? Aren't they throwbacks to an 80s cartoon and toyline?

Re: Was Batman(89) the start of the modern day blockbuster?
 

Also, Marvel's Avengers isn't a modern blockbuster considering it's a throwback to the 60s.

Batman and Superman movies are a throwback to the 40s. Therefore, Batman '89 wasn't "modern" even in '89... :lol:

This thread needs an enema!

Re: Was Batman(89) the start of the modern day blockbuster?
 

Someone is on the wrong side of modern history.

Re: Was Batman(89) the start of the modern day blockbuster?
 

"Blockbuster" is nonexistant, its a bullshit term thought up the moneymen that sounds rad like "flux capacitor" and "truffle shuffle".

Re: Was Batman(89) the start of the modern day blockbuster?
 

Because the correct term is tentpole.

Re: Was Batman(89) the start of the modern day blockbuster?
 

No, they are not modern. The live action movies are, however.

Re: Was Batman(89) the start of the modern day blockbuster?
 

The Avengers is not a throw back to the 60s at all.

Re: Was Batman(89) the start of the modern day blockbuster?
 

Not arguing where it started, but they're not modern to today's standards.

Re: Was Batman(89) the start of the modern day blockbuster?
 

I would think "modern" in terms of when it was produced, budget and the impact on the box office. The correctly incorrect answer would have to be Titanic.

It may have garnered more attention when it was supposed to originally come out, but instead its cost, production and post production overruns pushed it into a different time of year. But it really opened the door for studios to take a chance and open up their checkbook for feature budgets over $200M.

Re: Was Batman(89) the start of the modern day blockbuster?
 

When Who Framed Roger Rabbit? I was about 6 or 7, I remember on Disney Channel there being stuff about it all the time, then there was this game I wanted they had commercials for you would flip roger rabbits into a cup, animated special, I had a Roger Rabbit t-shirt and bed sheets. That movie probably had about as much hype as Batman.

Re: Was Batman(89) the start of the modern day blockbuster?
 

Weird someone actually reviewed that game.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/6V3hrIkctls" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Re: Was Batman(89) the start of the modern day blockbuster?
 

Exactly. When I mean "modern" I mean the movie that started a trend that all other movies still follow to this day. I'm not discounting Jaws, Star Wars, Raiders, Towering Inferno, Earthquake or Superman. Those were all blockbuster movies. But, they also were rarities, and that's what helped them stick out.

But Batman seems like it kicked off the modern day blockbuster. Among other things it:

1. Started the trend of movies having the "huge opening weekends"

2. Big summer movies merchandising anything they possibly can to gain awareness.

3. Making certain release days for popular movies to be big events.

4. Showing that their is a demand for movies to be purchased and watched post release for cheap prices.

5. Caused people to do advance pre-orders for tickets, and some to even camp out to get tickets.

6. Showed Toy companies the value or making toys for popular summer movies.

After Batman came out the following year, Disney did the exact same thing that Batman did with Dick Tracy. In 1991, Terminator 2 followed suit. In 1992 Disney did the same thing with Alladin. In 93 Universal did the same thing with Jurassic Park and it's continued all the way to today.

I'm still confused about how we're defining "modern?" Does it indicate the timespan on which the films were made? Because nearly all of the blockbuster criteria were already set in those films.

Re: Was Batman(89) the start of the modern day blockbuster?
 

Some people take terms like "modern" a little too literally.

Re: Was Batman(89) the start of the modern day blockbuster?
 

Nyet

Re: Was Batman(89) the start of the modern day blockbuster?
 

I think Batman 1989 was the first post Star Wars movie that was designed from the ground up to merchandised like this. Other movies post Return of the Jedi were blockbusters (Back to the Future films, Aliens, etc) but they weren't put together around merchandising and promotion in such a way that it was a guaranteed success.

Of course, Batman was a well known character, Tim Burton was a hotshot young director, and the dark knight aspect of the character was still fresh. Even without endless marketing tie-ins, it would have been a success.

Re: Was Batman(89) the start of the modern day blockbuster?
 

And for what it's worth, I think the "modern blockbuster" era started with Jurassic Park.

Re: Was Batman(89) the start of the modern day blockbuster?
 

So the list is now either:

Jaws
Star Wars
Indiana Jones
Batman (89)
Terminator 2
Jurassic Park
Independence Day

poll thread in 3...2...

Re: Was Batman(89) the start of the modern day blockbuster?
 

Too loosely if you ask me. How is a movie that's nearly 40 years old "modern" (Jaws)?

The multiplex wasn't very prevalent when Jaws and Star Wars were released.

The multiplex was the standard by the end of the 80s, and still is. It's how the big opening weekends were made possible, and how Batman had the biggest opening weekend at the time. The type of marketing and merchandizing, while originating from Star Wars, was done on such a level that now it's become the standard, not just a once in a while thing, for better or for worse.