Spielberg

source: Spielberg

Spielberg in my mind is one of the most inspirational filmmakers out there. At age 12 I wrote a letter to Spielberg asking to be in one of his movies. To my surprise I received a letter back from Amblin Entertainment. This was back in 1994, so pre-internet! I was living in a sleepy town in Dorset,UK so this was a massive deal to me even though the letter diplomatically said no. It did however offer me advice on getting into the industry. Now in my 30's and an indie filmmaker this documentary has reminded me why I love filmmaking so much. Spielberg offers an honest account of his passion, family life and his struggles with his mindset between and during projects. You also hear from his family and their experience growing up with Spielberg. It's nice to know that Spielberg rocks up on set and doesn't always have a plan. You also get the thoughts and feelings of fellow filmmakers who shared his journey. This really is a great documentary for any Spielberg fan or aspiring filmmaker.

If you dig Spielbergo you'll dig Spielberg (2017). It plays out pretty much like a Spielberg film. It's so Spielbergian! That light, disneyfied air floats over the screen while every now and then something serious will intrude like a knife and stab you but the disneyfiedness of the atmosphere heals all wounds with a rapidity unseen in history's tome of medical breakthroughs. Of course, sub theme of an elusive daddy permeates proceedings, but it's the mother of all daddy issues here, the great big cord that links all of Spielberg's work and which proves the man an auteur of cinema. In short: there are lots of cool insights into the man, the work, the time and the people involved in the Spielbergian journey, so if that's your type of thing, this film is your type of thing. Spielberg!

A documentary on Steven Spielberg, filmmaker. Includes interviews with relatives, film critics and people who have worked with him. Superb documentary. Captures well Steven Spielberg's extraordinary talent for filmmaking and what makes him such a genius at his craft. Shows how he initially discovered and developed and his talent and built on it. Very interesting, especially as it is not told entirely in linear, chronological order. While it is broadly chronological, director Susan Lacy focuses on themes, bundling movies and events together to make a point about something in Spielberg's craft or personality. This makes for far more engaging viewing than it if was told in the conventional, blow-by-blow, this happened then that happened, structure. Interviewees are a who's who of the movie industry. Quite enlightening to hear people like Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola, phenomenally talented directors in their own rights, describe what makes him so good. The interviews with actors (another who's of talent) are also very illuminating as they show how Spielberg works with his cast and gets the most out of them. The interviews do lay on the platitudes a bit thick though, and that would be the only major negative of this documentary.

A very impressive and informative piece of possibly the greatest movie director of all time. Spielbergs movies are so compelling but also so visceral. You feel as if your whole life is based on his trademark work by watching his movies. So many people have seen Spielberg's movies. He is what Bill gates is to Microsoft . Michael Jordan is to basketball. Tiger woods to golf. Undeniably talented and calculated director. And just when you think Steven is done directing he puts out another engaging movie picture for us to watch on the movie screen. Spielberg's work is also praised by fellow movie directors and friends throughout the whole documentary. There are also very relevant and up until now , unknown facts about his family life and history. Also many of his smash hit films are documented with behind the scenes shots of the film set. I found the Jaws behind the scenes information very fascinating . Perhaps his most watched film in history . However Saving Private Ryan another masterpiece with a trivia revealing fact about the film and why he directed it. As opposed to internet research, this film gives you all the true facts about Steven Spielberg and the people he has worked with over the years in Hollywood. A must see!

Did you know that Speiberg is the greatest, most natural and intuitive genius of all filmmaking? This movie can't stop telling you that! Even when he parrots backs things Hitchcock said and claims them as his own, it acts like he's the only one who thought/did these techniques. While it's a nice overview of his career, it's also completely lacking any critical faculties and is filled with endless bending over for him. And I like him for the most part! But this was a bit much.

An HBO Documentary Film About one of The Greatest Film Makers of All Time, The Man is a Legend and a Pioneer, I've Seen 22 Films Directed by him Followed by Scorsese 21 Films, and that's not easy the man Makes many Great Films. Schindler's List ----------------------------- 10/10 Catch Me If You Can ----------------------- 9/10 The Terminal ---------------------------------- 9/10 Saving Private Ryan ------------------------- 9/10 Empire of the Sun ---------------------------- 9/10 Bridge of Spies -------------------------------- 9/10 Jurassic Park ------------------------------------ 9/10 War Horse ----------------------------------------9/10 Jaws ----------------------------------------------- 8/10 Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade ---------- 8/10 Raiders of the Lost Ark ----------------------- 8/10 Ready Player One ----------------------------- 8/10 A.I. Artificial Intelligence ------------------- 8/10 Munich ------------------------------------------- 8/10 Minority Report ------------------------------- 8/10 Amistad ----------------------------------------- 8/10 The Post ----------------------------------------- 8/10 Lincoln ------------------------------------------ 8/10 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial -------------------- 8/10 The Color Purple ----------------------------- 8/10 Close Encounters of the Third Kind ---- 7/10 Duel ---------------------------------------------- 7/10

Steven Spielberg has always been open about himself in interviews, about his work and life. So there is very little that is new in this documentary apart from Spielberg doing some second unit directing work in Scarface (1983.) This is a long documentary looking at Spielberg's rise as a director. Sneaking into Universal Studios, starting in television and then moving into movies. He quickly establishing himself as a wunderkind with Jaws and Close Encounters of the Third Kind and then made the (then) biggest film of all time with ET. However it does come across as too much of a celebratory backslapping promotional piece with friends, families, collaborators, actors and fellow directors. There is the bit in the documentary where everyone wondered how they could produce realistic dinosaurs for Jurassic Park. They went down to see Dennis Muren who showed what he had in his computer and they jumped with joy with what they saw. That is Dennis Muren who previously worked with Spielberg, is an ace special effects supremo who works for George Lucas's company ILM. I have a fair idea they knew what to expect. There is very little by way of criticism here apart from the failure of his comedy 1941. Nothing about the reasons for the failure of his first marriage to Amy Irving, the relative failure of Dreamworks or even the difficulties he has these days of getting his film projects funded.

If you Love Steven's work you will love this documentary. I am a fan and really appreciate the opportunity of getting to know the man and his motivation for doing the brilliant films he has made so far. I didn't love all his movies, actually through this documentary I realize I haven't seen some of his earlier films. But if I have to mention by heart movies that have deeply touched me, either for a really fun time, horror or drama, Spielberg will be at the top of my list. Here you get to see the man behind the legend. and I personally got to like him as a person even more.

In the year 2017, it must be kind of difficult to produce a compelling documentary about a figure such as Steven Spielberg. I mean, in all honesty, what more can be said about the man that hasn't been already?! Where "Spielberg" really manages to shine, then, is in its coverage of Steven's personal life and background. As per the usual, "Spielberg" covers all the "usual subjects" (Jaws, Indy, Schindler, Saving Private Ryan, etc.) and all the old stories get told yet again. Fortunately, the production values of this doc are good enough (that's what happens with the backing of HBO) that it never really feels old or stale. Like I said, though, the real highlights are the personal interviews with Spielberg himself (or family members and those who know him closely). I learned many new things about his personal life, and I loved the home videos with wife Kate Capshaw and his seven children. We all know him as a fantastic filmmaker (which he surely is), but this doc does a really good job of portraying him as a person as well. So, while perhaps not the most ground-breaking documentary of all-time, "Spielberg" is still entertaining (due to the production value) and information (personal information) and never failed to hold my interest during the almost 2.5 hour runtime.