Director: Spielberg

[innerSpaceman]

Oh, GD, I completely agree. If I met Spielberg, I'd hug him then push a knife through his left testicle.


I'm just saying he's probably one of the few who've been successful enough to second-guess and change his earlier works so publically, and we can never know who else might succomb to that weakness.


This is a tangent, but, ya know, I never wanted the pressure of fame or political power. Some people handle it fine, and some are made egotistical, arrogant, jerkwad fvcktards. I don't claim to be among the most strong-willed humans, and so never wanted myself exposed to the tests which have made so many humans crumble.

[LSPoorEeyorick]

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

I'm just saying he's probably one of the few who've been successful enough to second-guess and change his earlier works so publically, and we can never know who else might succomb to that weakness.

I don't think it's a weakness. I mean, yeah, the things he wanted to change are lame. But I don't think the desire to improve what you discover later is imperfect isn't a weakness, it's human nature. But since any such action would be met with harsh criticism from those who love the work you now see as imperfect, you're damned either way. I believe the best thing to do is to take your improved wisdom and skills and technology, and create something new with them, not diddle with the old.

Otherwise we'll never let up on the same old piece and our creative career will look like a snake feasting on its rump. And nobody wants that reptile-circle-jerk on their resume!

[Alex]

Here's an old interview with him in 1979 where he talks about how who he is and his relation with the movies changes. It looks like he's always recognized his perception of the movies would change. But maybe while he didn't want to have the future too planned out he overreacted and spends too much time thinking about what he's already done.

Poster: So you'd really kind of like to play the field?
Spielberg: Yes...whatever strikes my fancy that year. The one thing I don't want to do is have a 10-year game plan, where I have my next five projects already lined up - one through five. I think that'd be an awful way to go through life - knowing what your next films are going to be over the next 10 years. It's not only boring, but you also change. Nobody stays the same for more than a couple years. Some people change every week. What I liked in 1971 I probably wouldn't have made now. I probably wouldn't make Duel now. Looking back I probably wouldn't make Jaws three years from now. So it's important not to plan too far ahead, because each project is a reflection of what you were that year.

[Ghoulish Delight]

I just see a difference between, "Had I known then what I know now" and "What I did then sucked/is detrimental." That's what really bugs me. Sure, your view of earlier work is always going to change, and you're never going to be 100% satisfied, but the fact that he's so easily swayed by the whims of political correctness, rather than actual change in taste and perspective, is what sours me on SS.

[flippyshark]

Jaws (of course)
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Duel (it was released theatrically overseas - so there)
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Schindler's List

Nearly on this list - Saving Private Ryan, Empire of the Sun, IJ and the Last Crusade

Spielberg films I really disliked - Hook, Always, IJ and the Temple of Doom, JP: The Lost World

I still haven't seen AI, but I suspect I will spend a lot of time analyzing it in the way LSPoorEeyorick describes.

My favorite Jurassic Park movie is the third one. Honestly, I think it's enormous fun. It wastes no time getting to the cool dino stuff, and its two-dimensional (at most) characters are well cast and likable. It's a lean, mean ninety minutes of matinee-style fun. The first two JPs are overlong and ponderous by comparison. (Those of you who enjoy Rifftrax - there's a new one for Jurassic Park featuring Mike Nelson and Weird Al Yankovic. It's very funny, and points up some of the ways in which the movie hasn't really held up - not least of which is that the first scary dino doesn't show up until more than an hour into the film!)

[Chernabog]

^^ Wow... there is only one movie I have actually walked out of, and it was Jurassic Park 3 (I wanted to walk out of Meet the Robinsons too, but I wasn't driving so I had to stay). Duel was AWESOME tho, did you ever read the original story by Richard Matheson? It's fantastic.

In any case, my favorites are:

1) Schindler's List -- I can't really watch it again (just like how I don't
understand how people buy annual passes to the Museum of Tolerance) but it was his most moving film.

2) Raiders of the Lost Ark -- my dad and I would watch this all the time. I love this movie and was so scared of the beginning with the skeletons

3) Poltergeist -- yes I know Tobe Hooper was listed in the credits as the director, but according to the cast, Spielberg was the director. So there. Clowns + evil trees + Zelda Rubenstein = Scared little Joey.

4) The Color Purple -- yes yes I know he cut out most of the Sapphic love stuff but this movie made me cry even without the snatch-on-snatch action.

5) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade -- I just love the interaction with Sean and Harrison with this one. And it had a scary ending. And I spent HOURS with the LucasArts game derived from this film, so it has a special place in my heart.

Honorable mentions: A.I. -- I am one of the few who actually liked this film (especially Jude Law, yum) but with one caveat -- the ending. There was a point in the film (you know it if you've seen it) where things go REALLY south, and if the film ended just before that point, it would have been fantastic.

Empire of the Sun -- just awesome, Xian Bale is great.

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom -- I had a story book for this, complete with the bugs and the heart-ripping scene. Love it love it.

DIShonorable mentions:

Jaws and Close Encounters of the Third Kind -- both of these movies bore the living sh*t out of me.

[Alex]

I was ok with AI but the end was the only thing that made it anything better than bland.

War of the Worlds likely would have made my top five if the son hadn't lived. Saving Private Ryan is similarly ruined by the bookends.

[innerSpaceman]

Originally Posted by Chernabog

Jaws and Close Encounters of the Third Kind -- both of these movies bore the living sh*t out of me.

You are dead to me.

[blueerica]

OK, Jude Law = yum. For sure.

I dunno, I had a hard time, because I did like different things about most of the movies on the list. I had fun, though, and this debate is awesome. We should do another director next week. Or some other category. Or something.

[Chernabog]

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

You are dead to me.

LOL well they had good PARTS... (like the beginning of Jaws was great)... just as a whole that and Close Encounters didn't jell for me. There was a lot of floating around in the ocean talk talk talkity talk talk talk talk and/or lots of LOOK! beepboopbeepboopbeeping to make it interesting.