Movies can achieve success in a variety of ways. There are cult films, such as Donnie Darko, which are shunned by mainstream audiences and later gain a loyal following. There are sleeper hits, which take longer than usual to become successful, perhaps due to a lack of promotion. (Think The Shawshank Redemption, which received a lukewarm initial reception, bombed at the box office, and won no Oscars, yet now is one of the most popular movies ever made.)
And then there are blockbusters: big-budget Hollywood movies from the major studios, designed for box-office success and, ideally, a vast range of associated merchandising.
Steven Spielberg’s Jaws, released in 1975, is widely credited with defining the summer blockbuster as we know it today. Prior to its release, movie theaters had traditionally seen low turnouts in the summer months, when people preferred to be outside.
But Spielberg aimed to capture the public’s attention by frightening beachgoers, and his plan worked. Jaws became the highest-grossing film at the time (until the release of Star Wars) and the prototype for heavily promoted, action-based summer blockbusters.
Due to their popularity, summer blockbusters are often highly quotable. In the same way that Jaws gave us, “You’re gonna need a bigger boat,” many subsequent blockbusters have provided equally memorable lines.
It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage.Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) in “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” 1981
“Raiders” introduced us to the roguish archaeologist Dr. Henry Walton Jones Jr., better known as Indiana (or Indy, for short). Not your typical beefcake action hero, Indy frequently takes a beating, is terrified of snakes, and isn’t afraid of ending a potentially epic sword fight with a single shot from his revolver.
E.T. phone home.E.T. (Pat Welsh) in “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,” 1982
The quintessential Steven Spielberg movie, “E.T.” is fun, funny, family-oriented, and pulls at the heartstrings as much as any great summer blockbuster should. A massive hit, it ousted “Star Wars” as the highest-grossing film of all time, a record it held until the 1993 release of another Spielberg classic, “Jurassic Park.”
I feel the need … the need for speed!Maverick (Tom Cruise) in “Top Gun,” 1986
High-octane action, oiled-up beach volleyball, and a killer soundtrack — not to mention Tom Cruise in aviator sunglasses — made “Top Gun” an instant summer hit. Roger Ebert wasn’t totally convinced, writing that “the good parts are so good and the bad parts are so relentless,” but no one could argue that the exploits of Maverick, Goose, and Iceman made for a perfect popcorn movie.
Tell me something, my friend. You ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?The Joker (Jack Nicholson) in “Batman,” 1989
The success of Tim Burton’s “Batman,” starring Michael Keaton in the titular role, helped establish the modern-day superhero movie genre. And while Keaton received critical and popular acclaim for his portrayal of the caped crusader, it was Nicholson’s Joker who stole many a scene with classic lines such as “Where does he get those wonderful toys?” and “Wait till they get a load of me!”
Hasta la vista, baby.The Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger) in “Terminator 2: Judgment Day,” 1991
Arnie coined his immortal catchphrase “I'll be back” in “The Terminator” (1984) and went on to reuse the line in many other movies, including “The Running Man” and “Total Recall.” He also says it in “Terminator 2” (and all his subsequent “Terminator” movies), but the 1991 movie featured this equally iconic line from the time-traveling T-800 cyborg.
We will not vanish without a fight! We're going to live on! We're going to survive! Today we celebrate our Independence Day!President Thomas J. Whitmore (Bill Pullman) in “Independence Day,” 1996
When Roland Emmerich — Hollywood’s so-called “Master of Disaster” —announced he’d be directing an alien invasion movie, everyone knew it was going to be big. But “Independence Day” exceeded all box-office expectations, becoming the second-highest-grossing film ever at the time (behind “Jurassic Park”). It also marked a new age for blockbusters, with CGI special effects advanced enough to create destruction on a truly massive scale, paving the way for movies such as “Deep Impact” and “Armageddon.”
Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering. I sense much fear in you.Yoda (Frank Oz) in “Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace,” 1999
“Star Wars” fans had to wait almost 16 years for another installment after “Return of the Jedi,” and the hype and anticipation all but guaranteed a summer smash. The movie was indeed a financial success, even if many fans walked away disappointed. No movie could ever live up to such overwhelming expectations, but everyone could agree on one thing: Jar Jar Binks was a horrendous mistake.
It's not who I am underneath, but what I do that defines me.Bruce Wayne/Batman (Christian Bale) in “Batman Begins,” 2005
After the critical and commercial failure of “Batman & Robin” (1997), Warner Bros. wasn’t keen on rebooting the franchise. Then came director and auteur Christopher Nolan with a darker, more psychological thriller-esque Batman. “Batman Begins” was the first installment in Nolan’s hugely successful “Dark Knight” trilogy, which helped establish Nolan as one of the finest directors of his generation and permanently established Christian Bale as a bankable leading man.
Puny god.The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) in “The Avengers,” 2012
“The Avengers” was the sixth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but the first to unite the group of leading superheroes including Thor, Iron Man, Black Widow, and Captain America. It was a risky move, but it paid off — to put it mildly. The movie was a massive hit that supercharged the franchise, turning the MCU into a cinematic juggernaut that has dominated the summer box office for more than a decade.
Featured image credit: Mark Sennet/ Archive Photos via Getty Images
