Hollywood has always depended on blockbusters. But beginning in 1974, filmmakers Steven Spielberg and George Lucas changed the way movies were made. Working together (the Indiana Jones series) and separately (E.T. and The Empire Strikes Back), they introduced the age of the modern blockbuster, which features elaborate special effects and thrilling spectacle, in contrast to previous blockbusters defined by prestigious adaptations and star power. Media historian Brian Rose looks at Lucas’ and Spielberg’s four decades of filmmaking.