Bosque Film Society announces its first annual Summer Blockbuster Movies Showcase at the Cliftex presenting free films all summer long
By SIMONE WICHERS-VOSS
Bosque Film Society Founder Board Member
For many Americans, going to the movies in the summer has been a way of life for as long as most of us can remember. Matinees were relatively cheap, and sitting in a dark theater for a few hours was a cool way to beat the heat.
Likewise, we have come to expect the onslaught of potential summer blockbuster films – a litany of highly anticipated, big-budget productions released in May, June, July, or August usually featuring a lot of action and special effects, released when many people are on vacation or have more free time, and are more likely to spend money
With that in mind, the Bosque Film Society proudly announces the launch of its first annual Summer Blockbuster Movies Showcase, offering free-to-the-public screenings every Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. all summer long, running 10 weeks from June 3-August 5.
The showcase will kick off by celebrating the 50th anniversary of Steven Spielberg’s thrilling 1975 classic “Jaws” at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 3 in the historic Cliftex Theatre, the longest continuously operating movie house in Texas, showing motion pictures on the silver screen since 1916.
“We are excited to continue in our commitment to put people back in the seats at our small town, single screen movie house,” Bosque Film Society founder and board president Brett Voss said. “We have put together a remarkably diverse selection of films for this summer’s first blockbuster showcase, offering something for almost everyone.
“While many of these films will bring back fond memories for some of us, it will probably be the first time many have ever seen some of these movies on the big screen of a theatre.”
In a series of votes, members of the Bosque Film Society nominated 20 films from 170 summer blockbuster movies released before 2020. With the final vote taking place last week, BFS members selected the Top 10 choices for this summer’s schedule.
This summer’s showcase will include: To Kill A Mockingbird (1962) on June 10, The Hunt for Red October (1990) on June 17, The Godfather (1972) on June 24, Paper Moon (1973) on July 1, Bladerunner (1982) on July 8, Grease (1978) on July 15, Apollo 13 (1995) celebrating its 30th anniversary July 22, Finding Nemo (2003) July 29 and Back To The Future (1985) celebrating its 40th anniversary on Aug. 5
Blockbusters may seem like a summer tradition for modern audiences, but that hasn’t always been the case. Throughout the evolution of cinema, major Hollywood studios dreaded summer because it was historically their least profitable season. It was a challenging period for the fledging film industry, which struggled to maintain a consistent cash flow and keep moviegoers in theaters.
At a critical crossroads, Hollywood needed a significant shift to sustain its growth. This pivotal change came about thanks to a cool invention – the air-conditioner – and using it as a marketing tool to get people to the movie houses during the summer in the 1920s-1960s.
In 1975, a cultural phenomenon took place that changed the movie industry forever. According to Guinness World Records, Steven Spielberg’s Jaws is considered the first true summer blockbuster. Not only did people physically queue up around the block to see the movie, but it also became the first film to earn $100 million at the box office.
And thanks to a wildly successful marketing campaign where Universal spent an unprecedented $700,000 on television advertising, moviegoers, particularly teens with expendable income, were willing to line up to see Bruce in action two or three times throughout the summer of 1975.
“JAWS” delivered fast-paced, exciting entertainment, inspiring interest and conversation beyond the theatre – which would later be called “buzz”). “JAWS” remains regarded as the first film of the “blockbuster era,” and founded the blockbuster film genre, laying the foundation of what a true summer blockbuster entails – big-budget thrills with merchandising and franchising potential.
Two years later, George Lucas tested Universal’s strategy with his own production, the first summer blockbuster based on an original screenplay. “Star Wars” expanded on the success of “Jaws,” setting box office records and enjoying a theatrical run that lasted more than a year. These two films were the prototypes for the “summer blockbuster” trend, in which major film studios and distributors planned their annual marketing strategy around a big release by July 4.
After the success of Jaws and Star Wars, many Hollywood producers attempted to create similar “event” films with wide commercial appeal, and film companies began green-lighting increasingly large-budget films, and relying extensively on massive advertising blitzes leading up to their theatrical release.
But make no mistake about it. Summer blockbuster movies have been around long before the release of “Jaws” in 1975. Interestingly though, many of the pre-1975 films we think of as summer blockbusters were actually released in the spring and their popularity carried over into the summer. Alongside other films from the New Hollywood era, George Lucas’s 1973 hit “American Graffiti” is often cited for helping give birth to the summer blockbuster.