Steven Spielberg is the most commercially successful director of all time. Since his films are beloved by a wide array of audiences, they should be a staple in your public library collection. As a child growing up in Arizona, he frequented the movie theatre every weekend where he sought inspiration from Akira Kurosawa, Pinocchio, Lawrence of Arabia, and countless other movies to create his own with his 8mm camera. What began as a childhood obsession turned into an incredible talent.
What are Steven Spielberg's directorial trademarks?
Spielberg’s films are open-hearted and exciting, often exploring the themes of childhood wonder, the dissolution of the nuclear family, ordinary people thrust into extraordinary circumstances, and good triumphing over evil. These stories are often told through the eyes of a child and there is usually a flawed father figure. Many of his films are influenced by the pain of his parents’ devastating divorce.
One of his most recognizable visual techniques is the “Spielberg face,” a close-up of a character experiencing an extreme emotion—fear, joy, awe, or sadness. One example is the infamous dolly shot from Jaws that zooms into Chief Brody’s shocked face when he witnesses a shark attack. It pulls the audience into the terrifying moment and allows them to identify with Chief Brody’s worst fear coming true. Spielberg’s camera is fluid and often shifts between different shot compositions within a single setup.
What are Steven Spielberg's most famous films?
There are countless Spielberg films that have made an indelible mark on popular culture. The majority of his work is either in the science fiction, adventure, or historical drama genres. The shark invasion thriller Jaws put Spielberg as a blockbuster filmmaker followed by the beloved alien tearjerker E.T., the rollicking homage to 1930s serials Indiana Jones, and the dinosaurs-gone-wild thriller Jurassic Park. All of these films are expertly paced to eke the most emotional excitement out of audiences.
On the opposite end of the spectrum are Spielberg’s gritty, hard-hitting explorations of World War II and the Holocaust driven by his upbringing in the Orthodox Jewish community. Saving Private Ryan and Schindler’s List are known for their brutal realism and unflinching depiction of past atrocities. These are only a few of Spielberg’s critically-acclaimed masterpieces.
His upcoming film The Fablemans will examine his own childhood and the journey that led him to secure his incredible legacy as one of the greatest American filmmakers.