Sarah Cochrane, 16, a pupil at Skipton Girls' High School, questions why some blockbuster movies have received the success they have. Sarah, who is studying A-levels in biology, English language,

history and general studies, has been on work experience at the Keighley News this week. She is

particularly

interested in films and how they are promoted and marketed.

Blockbuster movies are big business.

It is impossible to ignore the phenomenon that is Titanic, and The Full Monty is going from strength to strength. With Leonardo DiCaprio, pictured below, fever sweeping the country, and the merchandise lining every shop window, you can't avoid being drawn into it. But as a nation of movie lovers, are we guilty of over-hyping?

We all know that Titanic took the Oscars by storm, scooping 11 of the prestigious awards. It is also now the most successful film ever and it is hard to find anyone who hasn't seen it. The question is, why has it had so much success? At over three hours long, and with a predictable ending, is it any more than just an enchanting love story?

The Full Monty appears to be having the same treatment, but it's not the only British film to taste such success.

Any movie which makes it big in America can only expect to receive a great deal of attention. Four Weddings and a Funeral was the last British film to make such a lasting impression and after discovering that I was the only person left who hadn't seen it, I decided to find out what all the fuss was about. There is no disputing that it was a good film. But I was left feeling disappointed as, after all of the hype, I was expecting something with an extra edge, not just as it stated, four weddings and a funeral.

This is the risk run by all films that are promoted to such a great extent. Once the film has been over-hyped, the result when you watch it can only be a let-down. The Full Monty is one of the success stories of the British film industry, along with the likes of Trainspotting and Four Weddings and a Funeral. It is a good, light-hearted, northern comedy and this is how it should be promoted.

So, if we ignore the T-shirts, mugs, CDs and other merchandise that are constantly thrown at us, what are we left with? In most cases there is a good story that will keep us amused for a couple of hours. It is very rare that we find a film with that hidden extra.

Do Wired readers agree? Are successful films good, or are they just a load of hype? Write to us at the above address with your views and we'll publish them.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.