American cinema has always been a mirror, reflecting the nation’s ambitions, anxieties, and appetite for spectacle. In today's episode, we trace the evolution of movie‑going from the travelling roadshows of Gone with the Wind to the streaming‑dominated landscape of today, where Netflix is king. We unpack how Hollywood scaled up, how the blockbuster was born, why the multiplex became a cultural institution, and what ultimately destabilised the movie star system. So in this episode, I’m asking… who killed the movie star? . Special Guest: Van Connor, a film critic, writer, and broadcaster. He is the host of acclaimed movie podcast OffScreen and a regular on TV and radio, but if long film analysis isn’t quite your thing, check out Fifteen Second Cinema on his social channels. . Highlights: 02:25 - Gone with the Wind and the Roadshow Era 11:18 - The Netflix of the 1950s 18:53 - Counterculture 22:36 - Lucas, Spielberg and the Hollywood Blockbuster 32:34 - Cocaine 43:31 - Generation PG-13 53:44 - SFX vs Movie Stars 58:55 - The Netflix Era . For an extended reading list and to learn more, join our Patreon community now: ⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/americathestoryoftheusa⁠ . Contact us: [email protected] Get the newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠https://america-the-story-of-the-usa.beehiiv.com/⁠⁠⁠ Brand & advertising enquiries: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices