9. "for studio films, other than horror, look to (teen) sex comedies" In response to In response to 8
they are aimed at the lowest common denominator, and some have stood the test of time because despite casting young nobodies, they might have had some funny lines and scenarios. i think a lot of them saw long runs on cable.
i'll have to think on whether there is a smash studio film that matches the critical acclaim of rocky with an even lesser-known cast. i think it's hard because we're all so much more film literate than we were either when those were out or if we were the alive and our same age then, so our perspective of who was established is academic, and history is skewed, including by second and third lives on cable, home video, and now probably web write-ups, social media, and podcasts.