American Cinema of the 1980s: Themes and VariationsDuring the 1980s, American cinema underwent enormous transformations. Blockbusters like Raiders of the Lost Ark, E. T., and The Empire Strikes Back grabbed huge revenues for the studios. At the same time, the growth of home video led to new and creative opportunities for independent film production, resulting in many of the decade's best films. Both large and small scale filmmakers responded to the social, political, and cultural conditions of the