Steven SPIELBERG- The Blockbuster King

'The most powerful and influential figure in the motion picture industry.' Forbes.com

Good intro? There is more.........

Known to some as the 'blockbuster king'
'Jaws' was the first ever blockbuster.
Seven Academy Award nominations thanks to 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind.'

Ok, Spielberg is not the best director of all time. He certainly is not one of my favourites, but you NEED to know about him because he has virtually dominated the Hollywood film industry for over 30 years!
Spielberg, unlike most hugely successful directors has changed his style of filming and has dealt with a variety of 'issues' from the beginning of his career until the present day. During the early years he mainly distributed Sci-Fi, Adventure films. They were often seen as an 'archetype' of modern Hollywood blockbuster film-making.

In recent years, he is known for tackling much more emotionally powerful issues. 'Schlinder's List' is commented as 'the best film about the Holoaust.' War was a theme in 'Saving Private Ryan.' Recently, Spielberg presented the effects of terrorism in 'Munich.'

Spielberg, partly due the longevity of his career has managed to cater for the masses. 'Jaws' for the adventure and thriller lovers, 'War of the Worlds' for Sci-Fi followers and 'ET' for kids, (that is if you're not terrified of little ugly alien thingys).

His films often deal with several re-occuring themes. Most deal with ordinary people searching for or coming into contact with extraordinary beings.
You need to look at 'ET' for this. Character Elliott is shown as a 'normal boy.' until one day he meets a lost alien. After naming him the 'Extra Terrestrial' Elliott vows to help 'ET' find his way home.

The most persistent theme throughout his work and by far the most noticeable is the tension between parent-child relationships. in particular the relationship between father and son. In 'Minority Report' character John Anderton played by Tom cruise is a broken man after his son disappears.

Spielberg has not always got it right. OK, so he has mostly got it right but not every production has been a huge global success and box office smash. '1941' a World War 2 film was described by critics as having 'moderate box office success' but not the hit studios were hoping for. It was considered a 'flop' by comparison to 'Jaws' and 'Close Encounters.'
'Hook' released in 1991 received hit and miss reviews. It made $119 million worldwide but cost
$70 to make. Very low for Spielberg standards.

You need to know about Steven Spielberg not because of the hype that surrounds him. Not because he is the 'Western world's most famous living film-maker.' But because you cannot find a better example of MAINSTREAM CINEMA that tackles such strong social themes. often shocking, touching or just plain entertainment shot to such a high standard. Spielberg has earned the right to be known as the number one Hollywood director.