Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter who is regarded as one of the most influential filmmakers in the history of the cinema. His films have shaped popular culture for more than five decades, and he is one of the most commercially successful directors of all time.
Early Life
Spielberg was born in 1946 in Cincinnati, Ohio, and grew up in Arizona, New Jersey, and California. He was interested in film from an early age and made amateur films with his father's camera.
He studied at California State University, Long Beach, and worked as an unpaid intern at Universal Studios. He made a short film, Amblin, which impressed the studio executives.
He was signed to a television contract and directed episodes of several series. His television film Duel was a critical and commercial success.
The Early Features
His first feature film, The Sugarland Express, was released in 1974. It was followed by Jaws in 1975, which became the first blockbuster.
Jaws changed the economics of the film industry and established the summer release pattern. Close Encounters of the Third Kind and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial followed.
The films of this period established his reputation for spectacle and for sentiment. He was one of the most successful directors of the era.
The Adventure Films
Raiders of the Lost Ark, released in 1981, was the first of the Indiana Jones films. The series was produced by George Lucas.
Jurassic Park, released in 1993, used computer-generated imagery to create the dinosaurs. The film was a landmark in the use of digital effects.
The adventure films combined action with humour and with spectacle. They were among the most successful films of their time.
The Serious Films
Schindler's List, released in 1993, is a Holocaust drama that won the Academy Award for Best Picture. The film is regarded as one of the most important of his career.
Saving Private Ryan, released in 1998, depicts the Normandy landings and won the Academy Award for Best Director. Munich treats the aftermath of the massacre of the Israeli athletes.
Lincoln, released in 2012, is a historical drama about the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment. The film was nominated for many awards.
The Producer and the Studio
Spielberg co-founded Amblin Entertainment and DreamWorks Studios. He has produced many films and television series.
He has produced films by other directors, including the Back to the Future series and Men in Black. He has also produced animated films and television programmes.
The DreamWorks studio was sold and later reorganised. Spielberg has continued to work as a director and as a producer.
Legacy
Spielberg is one of the most commercially successful directors in the history of the cinema. His films have won numerous Academy Awards.
He has influenced the development of the blockbuster and of the use of digital effects. He is also admired for his serious films on historical subjects.
He founded the Shoah Foundation, which records the testimony of Holocaust survivors. He is remembered as one of the most important filmmakers of his time.
The Early Television Work
Spielberg directed episodes of television series, including Columbo and Marcus Welby, M.D. The work gave him experience and a reputation.
The television film Duel, released in 1971, was a suspense story about a truck driver. The film was praised and led to further offers.
He directed the television film Something Evil before his first feature. The early work established his skill with suspense and with action.
The Production Companies
Spielberg founded Amblin Entertainment in 1981 with Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall. The company produced many of his films and those of other directors.
He co-founded DreamWorks SKG in 1994 with Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen. The studio produced films, television, and music.
The company was sold to Paramount and later reorganised. Spielberg has continued to work with the major studios.
The Historical Films
Amistad treats the revolt of enslaved Africans on a ship. Empire of the Sun describes a boy's experience of the Second World War in Shanghai.
The Color Purple is based on the novel by Alice Walker. Lincoln and Bridge of Spies treat historical subjects.
The films reflect his interest in history and in the human condition. They are characterised by their craftsmanship and by their moral seriousness.
The Foundation
Spielberg founded the Shoah Foundation in 1994 after the release of Schindler's List. The foundation records the testimony of Holocaust survivors.
The archive contains more than fifty thousand video testimonies. It is now held at the University of Southern California.
The project is a contribution to the memory of the Holocaust. It is used by scholars and by educators throughout the world.
The foundation has expanded its work to include other genocides. The testimonies are a resource for the study of history and of human rights.
See also
- Blockbuster
- Schindler's List
References
- ↑ McBride, Joseph. Steven Spielberg: A Biography. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1997.
- ↑ Spielberg, Steven. Steven Spielberg: Interviews. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 2000.
- ↑ Biskind, Peter. Easy Riders, Raging Bulls. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1998.
- ↑ Freer, Ian. Steven Spielberg: The Making of a Film Director. London: Carlton Books, 2016.