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High concept, in movies, is a term used to refer to the style and mode of production developed by Hollywood studios in the late 1970s. Steven Spielberg's Jaws (1975) and George Lucas' Star Wars (1977) are commonly referred to as the first high concept movies.
The plot of a high concept movie can be easily assimilated by audiences, and can usually be described in a sentence or two, and features relatively simple characters and heavy reliance on conventions of genre. Stylistically, high concept movies tend to be high-tech, crisp, and polished, and usually feature symphonic scoring by composers such as John Williams or James Horner. High concept movies also rely on pre-sold properties such as movie stars to build audience anticipation, and use heavy advertising, market research, and test screenings to ensure maximum popularity.
High concept movies also have a presence outside of theaters, and usually have soundtrack and music video tie-ins to cross-promote the movie. Promotional tie-ins can extend into dozens of venues; a common occurrence is themed products sold at fast-food restaurants such as McDonald's.
"High concept" is used as a derogatory term by some movie critics, to refer to movies that pander to the lowest common denominator and are only concerned with financial profit.
References
Wyatt, Justin. High Concept. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1994. ISBN 0292790910
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