The summer of 1996 saw the release of three huge blockbusters that would in one way or another influence the next 20 odd years of Hollywood filmmaking. Twister revived the moribund eco-disaster picture, while Mission: Impossible gave global superstar Tom Cruise his very own (ongoing) action franchise. The third title was Independence Day, an alien invasion sci-fi adventure flick that, like Twister, evoked the structure of the 70s disaster film, amplified with cutting edge special effects. Of the three, Independence Day was the biggest hit, making almost $900…
