Spielberg essay with sub heading

1. What makes a Spielbergfilm?
Introduction
StevenSpielbergonce said“Youcan't intellectuallypurge yourself of whoyouare.Whateverthatis,
it isgoingto come out inthe wash,the filmwash.Whatyouare is goingto be relevant,if notto
yourself, tothe moviesyoumake.” ThisstatementiswhyInotonlyconsiderSpielbergtobe a
substantial director,havingavast amountof impact inthe filmindustry,butalsowhyIregard himas
an auteuras well. Spielberg’sfilmsall have auniquenessaboutthem, itisthatdistinctive and
personal touchthat givesthemmemorability,aswell ashavingaheavyinfluence overhisfilms.
Examiningthe quote “Whatyouare is goingto be relevant,if nottoyourself,tothe moviesyou
make.” Exhibitshowpersonal hisfilmsare tohim, managingto reflecthisowncharacteristicsand
life strugglesintohiswork,whichisarepeatedtheme throughoutandanotherbasisasto whyhe is
an accomplishedauteur.
What doesmake a Spielbergfilm? There are somanyaspects.One of thembeingthe
cinematography, andhow Spielberguseszoomsandfluidcameramovementstoshiftshot
compositionthroughoutjustasingle camerasetup.Thenthere is the soundtrack,the majorityof
whichiscomposedbythe well renownedsymphonist JohnWilliams,who’sOscarwinningscores
have createdthe most quintessential soundtracks throughoutSpielberg’sfilms. Iplanto address
these subjectsaswell aslookingmore extensivelyintoSpielberg’sworkincludingJaws,E.T.The
extra-terrestrial, JurassicPark,IndianaJones,andSchindler’slist.Focusingonthese specificpictures
will assistme indepictingthe contrastingcharacteristicsinhisfilms,inspectingthe complexityof the
narrative andhow grippingandcompellingitis. Havingsaidthat,to reallycomprehendwhatdoes
make a SpielbergfilmIwill alsohave tolookat Spielberg’sbackground.The Directorhimself
divulgedthatwhoyouare influencesthe moviesyou make andestablishingwhoStevenSpielbergis
will offerme afinercomprehensionastohow hisoverall upbringinghas affected hisfilms. Covering
all that I have discussedwillultimatelybringme tothe conclusion tomy question,whatmakesa
Spielbergfilm?
Spielberg’slife througha narrative
On the 18th
December1946 in the cityof Cincinnati,locatedinthe state of Ohiothe mosttriumphed
and accomplished Filmmakerinthe ambitious worldof Hollywood wasborn,StevenSpielberg. Just
a youngJewishboyat the time,Spielbergestablishedagreatfascinationinfilmmakingdespitehis
father’sdemurral onthe art. Spielberg’srelationshipwithhisfatherwasnothing more thanstrained
and frigid afterhisparents’divorce andhisfather’sdisapproval of the filmmakersoccupation,yetit
was thisaspectof the directors life thatnarrativelyinfluencedSpielberg’sgreatestfilms. A common
theme Ihave establishedthroughout the director’swork whichisnarrativelydrivenIlike toterm
‘Fractured family.’The auteurhimself stated “‘E.T.’beganwithme tryingtowrite a story aboutmy
parents’divorce” Inthe actual film the maincharacter,a boy namedElliot,hastwosiblingsa
youngerSisternamedGertie andanolderbrothernamedMichael.Theirparents’divorce isstill
relativelyfreshinthe film, andyoucansee Elliottryingtodeal withmanyaspectsof loneliness
whichcomeswiththe baggage of the divorce,aswell asthe familiesturmoil withthe rupture. Elliot
can understandwhatisoccurring withhisFatherbutnot why.While Michael understandsbothand
Gertie understandsneither,youcanvisuallyseethatElliotisfeelingisolatedandneglectedwhich
thuseffectshissensitivitiestowardsbasicallyeverything. The charactersperformancesandthe way
the filmisnarrativelyperceivedexhibitsarealisticfracturedfamilydynamic.Spielbergproficiently

2. conveyedthe children’sfeelingsonthe matter,evidentlyusinghisownpersonal experience of his
own‘Fractured family’andhas appliedittothese characters.
Therefore,Iholdthisfilminsuchhighregard,Spielbergusinghisownexperiencesandsentiments
and applyingthemtohisownpersonareallybringsthemtolife.Itnotonlyfeelspersonal to
Spielbergbutalsoto the audience who canrelate andsympathize withthisfamily. Ihave also
recognizedthatwheneverthere happenstobe somethingdysfunctionalinthe familySpielberg
fabricates,he alwaysseemstogive more agencytowardsthe childrenwhoare sufferingfromthe
trauma ratherthan the adults. Goingback to E.T. Elliotismuchmore resourceful andproactive
aboutthe absence of hisFatherthanhis motheris.Inthe movie Hook,Peteriscompletelyimpotent
until the Lost boysevoke the real Panoutof him.Evenwhenchildrenaren’tamassive factorto the
narrative,Spielbergalwaysdetectsaway to make themsurface longenoughtogive the struggling
adultsjustenoughhope,influence,andwill toperpetratethroughtheirdarkestmomentsinthe film.
In Jaws,Brodyis feelingcompletelysubduedsittingatthe kitchentable until hissonbeginsto copy
the faceshe ismaking,and hisframe of mindcompletelyshifts. InSchindler’slist,itisonlyafter
Schindlerdetectsthe girl inthe redcoat thathe can emphasize withthose whowerebeing
murderedinthe CracowGhetto.That one girl’s innocence touchedSchindlersomuchthat she
became the symbol forthe millionsof Jewsthatwere losingtheirlivestoNazi regime.
ObservingSpielberg’sbackgroundaswell ashavingamore in depthexamine of hisfilmsmore
specificallythe narrative, youcandistinctlysee how the twoconnect.Havinggrownupina
dysfunctional family andbeingable torealisticallyportraythatontoscreenusinghisown
experiencesisnoeasyfeat.Ipersonallybelieve Spielbergexcelsinthis,writinganddirecting a
compellingandgrippingstorynotonlyonce butmultiple times.The one movie,however,Ibelieve
he executesflawlesslyisSchindler’slist. Ihave neverseenafilmso emotionallydriven,yetitisnot
onlythe narrative I findsosensitivelycompelling.Itisthe acting,the cinematography,the waythe
filmispresentedinblackandwhite Ifindtobe great symbolism.Spielbergrevealedthat “The
Holocaustwaslife withoutlight.Forme,the symbol of life iscolour.That’swhya filmaboutthe
holocausthasto be inBlack andwhite” Doingthishascreatedcaptivatingimagery aswell asmaking
the filmhave a muchmore substantial impacttothe viewer,especiallyatthe endwhenSchindler
seesthe girl inthe red coat, the redcoat isthe onlycolouryou see inthe entire film. ToSchindler
thispersonifiesthe innocence of the Jewsaswell asitbeingasymbol of life.Neverhave Iseensuch
impactful imagerybe usedinafilmbefore, andknowingSpielberghimselfcame froma familyof
Jews,some of whichhadlosttheirlivestothe holocaust, makesthismovie muchmore effectual to
him.Yet the wayhe hasconstructedthisfilmjustcompletelyoutshineshispreviousworks. Tome
thispicture isa masterpiece.