Book summary

When Steven Spielberg's film JAWS grossed over $100 million dollars in the summer of 1975, it single-handedly reinvigorated a dying box office and invented what we now refer to as the "blockbuster." Though most Americans are known to love the big-budget, action-packed summer hit, many would argue that the dawn of the blockbuster killed the artistry of moviemaking, as the entire industry was restructured to put more effort and funds into marketing and sales, and less into the creative minds behind the film itself. Tom Shone's book BLOCKBUSTER, is an informative investigation into the state of the film industry in the post-JAWS decades. The British film critic, who interviewed some of the most important directors and actors of the Blockbuster Era (including Ridley Scott and George Lucas), offers an in-depth history and analysis of the mega-film, providing a comprehensive picture while infusing a deeply critical perspective.

Media reviews

"[A]pproachable and enlightening....Shone evinces an intuitive knowledge of what makes audiences respond."