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Modern cinema

The drive to produce a spectacle on the movie screen has largely shaped American cinema ever since. Spectacular epics which took advantage of new widescreen processes had been increasingly popular from the 1950s onwards. Since then, American films have become increasingly divided into two categories: Blockbusters and independent films.

Studios have focused on relying on a handful of extremely expensive releases every year in order to remain profitable. Such blockbusters emphasize spectacle, star power, and high production value, all of which entail an enormous budget. Blockbusters typically rely upon star power and massive advertising to attract a huge audience. A successful blockbuster will attract an audience large enough to offset production costs and reap considerable profits.

Such productions carry a substantial risk of failure, and most studios release blockbusters that both over and underperform in a year. Classic blockbusters from this period include Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Blade Runner, Scarface, Ghostbusters, The Terminator, The Goonies, Back to the Future, Beverly Hills Cop, Top Gun, Aliens, Lethal Weapon, Fatal Attraction, Wall Street, Rain Man, Die Hard, Driving Miss Daisy, Dances with Wolves, Goodfellas, Thelma & Louise, The Silence of the Lambs, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Unforgiven, The Bodyguard, The Fugitive, Jurassic Park, Schindler's List, Forrest Gump, Pulp Fiction, Seven, Braveheart, Austin Powers, Titanic, Saving Private Ryan, Fight Club, The Matrix, The Green Mile, The Sixth Sense, American Beauty, Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, Gladiator, Harry Potter, Gangs of New York, The Lord of the Rings, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Notebook, Million Dollar Baby, Little Miss Sunshine, The Departed, The Bourne Identity, The Dark Knight and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

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Modern cinema

List of important and notable figures of the movement

Actors