The 10 Best Summer Movie Seasons In Hollywood History

Hint: This year didn't make the cut.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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Since the late 1970s, the summer has been synonymous with blockbusters, popcorn films designed to pack multiplexes and break box office records. Some years we're saddled with mediocre seasons like the one currently concluding. These lame attempts to cash in on the formula lack the winning execution that built the instituion in the first place.

The best summer movie seasons are relentless, with a slate of releases so stacked die-hard moviegoers rarely have time to hit the beach. The season proper starts in June, but true cinephiles know as far as Hollywood is concerned, summer starts the first weekend of May and runs to Labor Day. There are several years when the blockbuster machine has not only delivered on the level of constant spectacle that we've come to expect—they've exceeded it. Reflect back on those the summers when your wallet was swimming in ticket stubs. These are The 10 Best Summer Seasons In Hollywood History.

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10. 1993

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9. 1967

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8. 2012

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7. 1975

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6. 1997

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5. 2002

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4. 2004

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3. 1979

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2. 1980

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1. 1989

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