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Why Hit Movies Are Called Blockbusters
The word "blockbuster" changes meaning
In the pages of TIME, blockbuster was used to describe surprising news. In 1943, TIME used the word to describe a movie. The critics called the film adaptation of Mission to Moscow "as explosive as a blockbuster."
Not long after, the word started to refer specifically to movies that were commercially successful. The word became associated primarily with popular entertainment in general and with the big-budget, high-impact Hollywood hits.
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The Fear Of Water
Aquaphobia is a common fear, which varies in severity from person to person.
The main cause of aquaphobia is a bad experience, like a near-drowning incident in the past, while also being her...
Symptoms of Aquaphobia
..include shaking, freezing, or attempting to run. It can also result in panic attacks or anticipatory anxiety before an encounter with water. Being afraid of water can be life-limiting as we experience water in many forms.
Extreme levels of phobia can also lead to ablutophobia(The fear of bathing).
Treatment For Aquaphobia
CBT(Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) is a popular psychological treatment for aquaphobia. It involves changing your behavioural patterns and stress response gradually. Other treatments include medications and even hypnosis.
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Hollywood
.. is the show business capital of the world, being synonymous with power, money, glitz and glamour. It is the abode of famous TV and movie studios and record companies.
Origins
The place where Hollywood stands today was initially just plains and hills with just a small hut, in the year 1853, eventually becoming an agricultural community called Cahuenga Valley. Harvey Henry, a politician and real estate developer purchased a large piece of the future ‘Hollywood’ for a ranch and ended up using it as a township of upscale homes. In a couple of decades, the place had markets, hotels and other commercial establishments.
The Father Of Hollywood
.. was a banker and real estate mogul H.J. Whitley, who opened the Hollywood Hotel(Now Dolby Theater, the Oscar ceremony venue) and some residential neighbourhoods. According to many, he coined the name ‘Hollywood’ while honeymooning there in 1886, while some say it was named by Harvey’s wife Daeida Wilcox.
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A History Of Popcorn
Popped from a strain of corn which is starchy and a hard surface, popcorn was the first variant of maize that came from Central America thousands of years ago.
The sound of popping corn was...
Popcorn: Banned At The Movie Theatre
Surprisingly, popcorn was not initially available at movie theatres, which were catering to a ‘highbrow clientele’ and didn’t want to spoil their expensive carpets and rugs.
They also thought that the crunchy sound of snacking on popcorn would distract the audience from the movies, which were mostly silent at that time.
Popcorn: The Entry Into Movie Theatres
- When movie theatres started showing movies with sound, the audience increased, as now people didn’t have to read the titles from the movies.
- Popcorn by then was a cheap snack outside of theatres, with a bag costing only about 5 to 10 cents.
- Moviegoers started buying them before entering the theatres, forcing the owners to halt this practice and restrict the entry of the snack in the theatre.
- Eventually, the theatre owners realized they could sell popcorn inside the theatres and earn huge profits.
- Many theatres were saved from going bankrupt solely on the ability to sell the crunchy snacks along with movie tickets.
- By 1945, 50% of all popcorn that was consumed in the United States was eaten at the movie halls. The owners even used jingles and commercials to entice audiences to ‘go to the lobby’ during the movie interval.