Hollywood and common sense imaginaries: for a sociology of blockbusters

Abstract

This paper aims to claim attention to the relevance, under the sociological point of view, of North American big-budget films, by spreading and reproducing stereotypes and symbolic references widely recognized and shared in common sense. Considering the action of looking as socially constructed, we argue that, from a depth critical study of this type of production, we can face relevant parts of the constitution of perception as much of the world considered real as of the imaginary. Mobilizing a large inventory of symbolic references, which are not intrinsic to reality but culturally established, these productions give familiarity and likelihood even to what is considered unrealistic and often produced in a different cultural context from that of many viewers. We propose then to question why and under what social conditions these films become perceived as something normal and to what extent they can be - and are - embedded in common sense world views.