Steven Spielberg: 09/28/03 - 10/04/03

[Morticia]

Just as a change of pace, and at your request, we are discussing bodies of works by a particular actor or director. Let's see how you like this!

So -- let's compare and contrast early works by the same director, discuss film techniques and choice of cinematographer or composer, what have you.

Why is this director good/not so good? Which are the better of his works/worst of the lot? Which is your most favorite film? Why is he/she popular or not so popular?

Run wild, shall we? Discuss!

[Marq]

To me Steven Spielberg is such a contradiction. His highs are very high while his lows are extremely low. From this, I would never consider him one of my favourite directors.

The films of his that I great admire and hold as personal favourites are:
Duel (1971)
Jaws (1975)
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)
Minority Report (2002)

Ones I find mediocre but have a couple redeeming qualities:
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
Jurassic Park (1993)
Schindler's List (1993)
Catch Me If You Can (2002)

Ones I genuinely did not like:
1941 (1979)
Always (1989)
Hook (1991)
The Lost World (1997)
Amistad (1997)
Saving Private Ryan (1998)

From that list, you can see there are 6 I really like, 6 I don't like at all, and 6 that are in a middle ground. And obviously, I haven't yet seen some of his work like The Color Purple, and Empire of the Sun. I certainly recognize that Spielberg is a director who is always using advanced filmmaking techniques to great effect. The 6 I like all have a style I truly admire and get enraptured with, while telling compelling stories.

However, I find his biggest downfall is the stories he tells. Of course, he’s only going to make films out of stories and plots that he likes rather than my preferences, but I always treasure originality (both of the plot and of the way the film is directed) and too often I’ve found Spielberg to take a very easy road. Now he obviously has a preference for making large-scale/ adventure movies (as well as has a big interest in history) and I feel he mastered it with Jaws and the first couple Indiana Jones movies. However, I haven’t completely enjoyed his further attempts at adventure and wonderment (Hook, Jurassic Park, The Lost World, ET) nor his presentation of history (Saving Private Ryan, Amistad). I’ll often find myself being impressed with the look of some of his films only to then find myself rolling my eyes at the characters and story (Saving Private Ryan).

Considering that I’m usually such a sucker for style over substance, the story’s gotta be pretty damn unimpressive for me to not enjoy the film entirely. And it is indeed these formulaic plots that have me leaning more towards moderately liking him rather than loving him despite some failures.
There’s no denying his influence on modern movies (through his own films and the many he produced), particularly bringing the blockbuster movie to dominate box offices, but to me influencing the economics of the movies isn’t as important as entertaining me with continually great stories or pushing the boundaries of the medium. Spielberg also helped bring the director to more of a focus for the public, but I wouldn’t confuse him with being any type of auteur.

While for the most part I’ve been saying how unimpressed I can be with him, I do find his best films to be reeeaaallly good. A.I. and Jaws will forever stand out to me on his resume as major accomplishments since (like Duel) they told a story (familiar or not) with great originality and passion. And while Schindler’s List didn’t overwhelm we like it did many others, I do recognize its importance as well.

Spielberg has a handful of great work behind him, and I’ll always be interested in whatever his upcoming projects are, but as a whole I wouldn’t say his body of work is of great importance or even of great entertainment. That there are only 6 movies I consider great compared to the 12 I either don’t like at all or find very “middle of the road”, I can’t say he is one of the greats by any means.

Now of course, not everyone will be looking for an especially challenging movie from him (especially since A.I. and Schindler’s List are likely his only “challenging” work). Yet, even though he is primarily a director of simple stories and not really admitting or showing much of a cinematic voice, I don’t excuse such things as he has shown he knows how to direct near-perfect “big” movies (Jaws) but too often doesn’t go beyond the obvious narratives, suspense techniques, style, or characterizations for me to remain impressed or a “fan”. I love AI and Jaws and really like Minority Report, the first 2 Indiana Jones films and Duel, but that’s not enough for me to consider him a strong voice in film. Again, his influence is indeed strong, but what he influences I don’t consider especially important.

Of course, I've left much out of this discussion - his obsession with the mediocre John Williams, his use of quality cinematoprahers, and his reliance on pat endings, but this is plenty for now I suppose...

[Oscar Antonio M]

Steven Spielberg is one of my favorite directors, not because of his style, but because of how entertaining his films are. Jaws, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Minority Report, Catch Me If You Can, Jurassic Park, Saving Private Ryan and the rest of the work ive seen that has been directed by him has never failed to entertain me. I find Hook to be his least enjoyable film, but i found it entertaining.

And i wish too he would take a less safer road and use techniques beyond those put by conventional Hollywood.

I still dont find why so many film elitists and other people find John Williams a mediocre composer, i think that his film scores are wonderful and beautiful and have created themes that have become part of pop culture.

The cinematography on his films is wonderful, A.I., Minority Report and E.T. are excellent examples of it, the cinematography in those films is beautiful and just sucks you into the story.

Steven Spielberg may not be an influential, completely original filmaker or heck, one of the best directors in film history. But the films he's made sure are entertaining.

[reapersaurus]

Just a note about Spielberg:

This man can direct an action sequence like few ever could.

Watch the T-Rex attacking the Jeeps scene in Jurassic Park, and tell me that's not one of the most riveting sequences in movie history.

[Dilmo]

Steven Spielberg is the best director living today. The only movie I disliked was "Hook". He has an eye for cinematic entertainment like no other. The man is pure genius.