“The sex scene in Indiana Jones is a man having sex with his mother.” Wow, that is looking a bit too much into some of his films. Admittedly there are those that are “serious” and closer to home for him, but then there are the fun family flicks scripted by others. And Jaws is not a metaphor for post-Vietnam American angst about a communist takeover either. It’s about a big shark that eats people.
And here I thought it was Melville reworked and watered down for modern illiterate audiences. Whales aren’t scary anymore. Great white sharks are.
Chris Twine
1 year ago
“The sex scene in Indiana Jones is a man having sex with his mother.” Wow, that is looking a bit too much into some of his films. Admittedly there are those that are “serious” and closer to home for him, but then there are the fun family flicks scripted by others. And Jaws is not a metaphor for post-Vietnam American angst about a communist takeover either. It’s about a big shark that eats people.
Matt Hindman
1 year ago
“He is fearful — what else could he be? Spielberg’s films are about anxiety. The truck (Duel) or the shark (Jaws) will kill you. Or the suburbs will: your own home. Suburban children are terrorized in Spielberg’s work. Their alien friend (though Spielberg is both Elliott and E.T.) is threatened; corpses rise from the ground (Poltergeist).”
What is the point? Movie plots tend to have things like action, danger, suspense, or mystery to keep the audience engaged.
Matt Hindman
1 year ago
“He is fearful — what else could he be? Spielberg’s films are about anxiety. The truck (Duel) or the shark (Jaws) will kill you. Or the suburbs will: your own home. Suburban children are terrorized in Spielberg’s work. Their alien friend (though Spielberg is both Elliott and E.T.) is threatened; corpses rise from the ground (Poltergeist).”
What is the point? Movie plots tend to have things like action, danger, suspense, or mystery to keep the audience engaged.
Steve Murray
1 year ago
The infantilisation of cinema, away from rounded character, plot and dialogue towards the current bore-fest of animation, special effects (yawn) and one-dimensional characterisation is the most deplorable diminution of any art form i can think of, and in such a short space of time.
I don’t think it can be said that Spielberg was responsible for this, but he was certainly at the forefront in basing his film-making around aspects of childhood trauma.
There are still good films being made, but one glance through a Netflix list confirms that the majority are simply trash – a way of spending time for people who haven’t the resources to do anything more useful.
To go and sit in the dark, silently, for two hours or more and watch a great movie is not only a truly immersive experience, it is how to understand what message a great film maker is sending. [For me the theatre ought to be that also, but for some reason isn’t, though classical concerts can be.] That message might be humorous or political or social or about the human condition, but to sit before the screen is the best way to understand it. Most modern films, obsessed with technology, do not even attempt that, and Spielberg has a mixed record, I agree.
Spielberg though has by that definition made some truly great movies. “Jaws” is a simple thriller on one level, but it is also about how politicians will do bad things by convincing themselves they are doing good and about crowd terror. Schlinder’s List is a truly great movie and whilst a bleak ending would have underwritten the evil, the ending provided says that there is still hope. The movie was almost overwhelmingly emotional, but the little girl was a tiny flickering flame of humanity.
Which, Steve Murray, is a very long winded way of entirely agreeing with you
To go and sit in the dark, silently, for two hours or more and watch a great movie is not only a truly immersive experience, it is how to understand what message a great film maker is sending. [For me the theatre ought to be that also, but for some reason isn’t, though classical concerts can be.] That message might be humorous or political or social or about the human condition, but to sit before the screen is the best way to understand it. Most modern films, obsessed with technology, do not even attempt that, and Spielberg has a mixed record, I agree.
Spielberg though has by that definition made some truly great movies. “Jaws” is a simple thriller on one level, but it is also about how politicians will do bad things by convincing themselves they are doing good and about crowd terror. Schlinder’s List is a truly great movie and whilst a bleak ending would have underwritten the evil, the ending provided says that there is still hope. The movie was almost overwhelmingly emotional, but the little girl was a tiny flickering flame of humanity.
Which, Steve Murray, is a very long winded way of entirely agreeing with you
Steve Murray
1 year ago
The infantilisation of cinema, away from rounded character, plot and dialogue towards the current bore-fest of animation, special effects (yawn) and one-dimensional characterisation is the most deplorable diminution of any art form i can think of, and in such a short space of time.
I don’t think it can be said that Spielberg was responsible for this, but he was certainly at the forefront in basing his film-making around aspects of childhood trauma.
There are still good films being made, but one glance through a Netflix list confirms that the majority are simply trash – a way of spending time for people who haven’t the resources to do anything more useful.
“The sex scene in Indiana Jones is a man having sex with his mother.” Wow, that is looking a bit too much into some of his films. Admittedly there are those that are “serious” and closer to home for him, but then there are the fun family flicks scripted by others. And Jaws is not a metaphor for post-Vietnam American angst about a communist takeover either. It’s about a big shark that eats people.
And here I thought it was Melville reworked and watered down for modern illiterate audiences. Whales aren’t scary anymore. Great white sharks are.
And here I thought it was Melville reworked and watered down for modern illiterate audiences. Whales aren’t scary anymore. Great white sharks are.
“The sex scene in Indiana Jones is a man having sex with his mother.” Wow, that is looking a bit too much into some of his films. Admittedly there are those that are “serious” and closer to home for him, but then there are the fun family flicks scripted by others. And Jaws is not a metaphor for post-Vietnam American angst about a communist takeover either. It’s about a big shark that eats people.
“He is fearful — what else could he be? Spielberg’s films are about anxiety. The truck (Duel) or the shark (Jaws) will kill you. Or the suburbs will: your own home. Suburban children are terrorized in Spielberg’s work. Their alien friend (though Spielberg is both Elliott and E.T.) is threatened; corpses rise from the ground (Poltergeist).”
What is the point? Movie plots tend to have things like action, danger, suspense, or mystery to keep the audience engaged.
“He is fearful — what else could he be? Spielberg’s films are about anxiety. The truck (Duel) or the shark (Jaws) will kill you. Or the suburbs will: your own home. Suburban children are terrorized in Spielberg’s work. Their alien friend (though Spielberg is both Elliott and E.T.) is threatened; corpses rise from the ground (Poltergeist).”
What is the point? Movie plots tend to have things like action, danger, suspense, or mystery to keep the audience engaged.
The infantilisation of cinema, away from rounded character, plot and dialogue towards the current bore-fest of animation, special effects (yawn) and one-dimensional characterisation is the most deplorable diminution of any art form i can think of, and in such a short space of time.
I don’t think it can be said that Spielberg was responsible for this, but he was certainly at the forefront in basing his film-making around aspects of childhood trauma.
There are still good films being made, but one glance through a Netflix list confirms that the majority are simply trash – a way of spending time for people who haven’t the resources to do anything more useful.
To go and sit in the dark, silently, for two hours or more and watch a great movie is not only a truly immersive experience, it is how to understand what message a great film maker is sending. [For me the theatre ought to be that also, but for some reason isn’t, though classical concerts can be.] That message might be humorous or political or social or about the human condition, but to sit before the screen is the best way to understand it. Most modern films, obsessed with technology, do not even attempt that, and Spielberg has a mixed record, I agree.
Spielberg though has by that definition made some truly great movies. “Jaws” is a simple thriller on one level, but it is also about how politicians will do bad things by convincing themselves they are doing good and about crowd terror. Schlinder’s List is a truly great movie and whilst a bleak ending would have underwritten the evil, the ending provided says that there is still hope. The movie was almost overwhelmingly emotional, but the little girl was a tiny flickering flame of humanity.
Which, Steve Murray, is a very long winded way of entirely agreeing with you
To go and sit in the dark, silently, for two hours or more and watch a great movie is not only a truly immersive experience, it is how to understand what message a great film maker is sending. [For me the theatre ought to be that also, but for some reason isn’t, though classical concerts can be.] That message might be humorous or political or social or about the human condition, but to sit before the screen is the best way to understand it. Most modern films, obsessed with technology, do not even attempt that, and Spielberg has a mixed record, I agree.
Spielberg though has by that definition made some truly great movies. “Jaws” is a simple thriller on one level, but it is also about how politicians will do bad things by convincing themselves they are doing good and about crowd terror. Schlinder’s List is a truly great movie and whilst a bleak ending would have underwritten the evil, the ending provided says that there is still hope. The movie was almost overwhelmingly emotional, but the little girl was a tiny flickering flame of humanity.
Which, Steve Murray, is a very long winded way of entirely agreeing with you
The infantilisation of cinema, away from rounded character, plot and dialogue towards the current bore-fest of animation, special effects (yawn) and one-dimensional characterisation is the most deplorable diminution of any art form i can think of, and in such a short space of time.
I don’t think it can be said that Spielberg was responsible for this, but he was certainly at the forefront in basing his film-making around aspects of childhood trauma.
There are still good films being made, but one glance through a Netflix list confirms that the majority are simply trash – a way of spending time for people who haven’t the resources to do anything more useful.
….