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On this day, in Cincinnati, Ohio, Steven Spielberg was born. His mother was a pianist and restaurateur, while his father was an electrical engineer. His roots are Russian and Jewish. -
In 1967, there was a film festival at UCLA. George Lucas was invited to present his new film, "THX 1138". Spielberg saw the film and met George Lucas, marking the beginning of this legendary friendship/rivalry. Spielberg stated that the quality of Lucas' film made him jealous. Spielberg would make legendary films like "Jurassic Park", while Lucas would make "Star Wars". Together, they would collaborate on Spielberg's "Indiana Jones" franchise. -
After directing several low budget films (Escape to Nowhere [1962] Firelight [1964] Amblin' [1968]) an executive at Universal Studios offered Spielberg a contract after viewing his short film from 1968. -
Spielberg starting working at Universal Studios, as one of their youngest directors. Instead of working on films, however, he directed television episodes. These included episodes from shows such as "Columbo", "Marcus Welby, M.D.", and "Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law". -
In 1971, Steven Spielberg directed a dark action television film called "Duel". This film, which brought him popularity, also brought him the opportunity to direct films for the cinema. YouTube -
Spielberg's "Duel" was well-regarded, especially for its action sequences. Spielberg was now given the opportunity to craft theatrically released films. First, he created the now forgotten crime film "The Sugarland Express" starring Goldie Hawn. -
In mid-1975, Steven Spielberg directed "Jaws". This would go on to become one of the highest-grossing and most famous films in history. Spielberg's first masterwork earned an Academy Award nomination for best picture and a nomination for best soundtrack, thanks to John Williams.
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In 1977, Steven Spielberg created his second hit of the decade. While not as successful as "Jaws", "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" made Spielberg become only the second director in history to have back-to-back films that grossed over $100 million. Close Encounters is a classic science fiction film, starring Richard Dreyfuss and Francois Truffaut, which was an early sign of Spielberg's signature blockbuster style. -
Spielberg was looking to solidify his place as one of cinema's top dogs in the 1980s. In 1981, Spielberg did that by directing the legendary "Raiders of the Lost Ark", his first Indiana Jones film. With this film, Harrison Ford also boosted his Hollywood status. With its memorable score, colourful cinematography, and brilliant special effects, Spielberg earned a nomination for best director and the film earned a nomination for best picture.
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After directing the largely successful Indiana Jones film, Spielberg miraculously topped himself by directing the even more successful "E.T. - The Extra Terrestrial". This was a heartwarming tale about a boy who befriended a lost alien. The special effects, cinematography, and music were yet again outstanding. This film, released in 1982, remained the highest grossing film of all time until 1993, when Spielberg did the unthinkable.
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For the rest of the 1980s, Spielberg released more classic films, but none of them reached the heights of the aforementioned two. In 1984, he released "Temple of Doom", his second Indiana Jones film. In 1985, Spielberg went from entertainment to soul and made "The Colour Purple". In 1987, he directed "Empire of the Sun". Spielberg concluded the decade with his third Indiana Jones film, "The Last Crusade" and "Always", both from 1989.
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In the mid-1980s, Spielberg began to be criticized. Many believed that his blockbuster style did not permit him to craft complex and deep storylines, only shallow and moneymaking films. His first film of the 90s, you could say, continued that trend. He directed "Hook" in 1991. This was a retelling of Peter Pan and it was quite unsuccessful. Spielberg was struggling to get hold of innovative ideas, as he did in the early 1980s. During 1991, Spielberg also got married to actress Kate Capshaw. -
1993 was a year of both creative and financial redemption for Mr. Spielberg. First, in the summer of 1993, he released "Jurassic Park". This became the highest grossing film of all time. Its combination of special effects and raw suspense made it a joy to watch for people of all ages. On Christmas, 1993, Spielberg released "Schindler's List". This was groundbreaking as it was complex and emotional. Spielberg won his first best director award and the film won best picture. He was back. -
In the 1980s, Spielberg had dabbled in producing, having produced films such as "Back to the Future" and "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" with his company "Amblin Entertainment". In 1994, along with Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen, Spielberg founded the studio "DreamWorks". This company would go on to become famous for producing animated projects such as "Antz", "Shrek", and "Puss in Boots". -
In the late 1990s, Spielberg continued his success as a producer, just like his longtime friend George Lucas. Spielberg produced and executively produced films such as "Men in Black" (1997) and "The Mask of Zorro" (1998).
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In 1997, Spielberg had a fairly successful year directing "Jurassic Park: The Lost World" and "Amistad", a film about a slave revolution. In 1998, he made "Saving Private Ryan", returning to his theme of dramatic war films. This film was renowned for its realism, especially during the astounding opening scene of D-Day. This classic led Spielberg to claim his second best director award and another best picture nomination.
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In the 2000s, Spielberg experienced an interesting period in his career. While he did not make any films that reached the heights of "E.T." or "Jurassic Park", he did produce some touching films. In 2001, he made "A.I.". A story which his good friend and idol Stanley Kubrick wanted to direct twenty years earlier. This film, about a human-like robot who is able to experience emotions, was fairly successful. In 2002, Spielberg directed the futuristic "Minority Report", starring Tom Cruise. -
In 2002, Spielberg also made the classic biopic "Catch me if You Can", starring Leonardo DiCaprio, about a cunning young con-artist. This film was quite successful and would be adapted into a Broadway musical in 2011. In 2004, Spielberg made "The Terminal", starring Tom Hanks, about a man from the fictional country "Krakozhia", who gets stuck in an airport. Although it was heartfelt, this film was not very successful. In 2005, Spielberg adapted H.G. Wells' "War of the Worlds", a sci-fi classic. -
In 2005, Spielberg directed "Munich". This was a controversial and serious motion picture about the 1972 Munich Olympics. The Prime Minister of Israel asks an agent in Israel's Mossad to lead a team of assassins in a mission to hunt down the Palestinian terrorists who killed 11 Israelis during the 1972 Munich Olympics. This film received a best picture nomination and Spielberg received a best director nomination. -
Finally, in 2008, Spielberg, reuniting with George Lucas, added to the mythology of Indiana Jones by directing "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull". This film, which includes a crystal skull with magical powers and some Indiana Jones family drama, was the third highest grossing film of 2008. It introduced modern audiences to a classic franchise and gave 80s kids a chance to relive their childhoods. -
Like all master filmmakers at some point, Spielberg's creative prime had come to an end. In 2011, he directed "The Adventures of Tintin", which was adapted from a French comic strip Spielberg loved. The Belgian artist "Herge" created Tintin, and Spielberg was able to acquire the film rights from Herge's widow, Fanny Rodwell, in the early 1980s. The film was much more successful in Europe than it was in the U.S. In 2011, Spielberg also made "War Horse", based on the Broadway play. -
In 2012, Spielberg directed the well-made Abraham Lincoln biopic "Lincoln", starring Daniel Day-Lewis. This film received a best picture nomination and a best director nomination for Spielberg. In 2015, Spielberg directed another well-made film called "Bridge of Spies", starring Tom Hanks, about the Cold War. This film was well regarded for its smart plot and excellent character portrayals. -
With the modern styles of Tarantino and Nolan around, Spielberg was becoming forgotten. In 2016, Spielberg adapted Roald Dahl's "The BFG" into a film of the same name. In 2017, Spielberg made "The Post", a fairly successful film about the publication of the Pentagon Papers. In 2018, Spielberg made the beautiful, technologically advanced, and underrated "Ready Player One", about virtual reality and how technology can change the world.
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Spielberg has always been inspired by classic cinema and so, in 2021, he re-made one his all-time favourite films "West Side Story". This film received multiple Oscar nominations, including another best director nomination for Spielberg. In 2022, Spielberg directed "The Fabelmans". This was a semi-autobiographical film about a boy named Sammy who dreams of becoming a filmmaker. It received a nomination for best picture and Spielberg earned another best director nomination. This was his ninth. -
At the age of 78, Spielberg is still married to Kate Capshaw and has seven children. His nine best director nominations, two best directors awards, one best picture award and AFI Life Achievement Award are the cherry on top of a legendary career. Spielberg made people all over the world fall in love with cinema during the late 1970s all the way to the late 1990s. His signature blockbuster style made him a household name for decades.
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Today, Spielberg is known as one of the greatest filmmakers of all time and holds the title of highest grossing filmmaker ever ($10.7 billion worldwide). He defined cinema in the 1980s and was an intergenerational student of cinema. He was inspired by the masters like Kurosawa, Ford, and Disney and went on to inspire modern directors like Denis Villeneuve, J.J. Abrams and the Russo Brothers. In addition, in 2015, Spielberg received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. -
In conclusion, Steven Spielberg is one of the greatest directors and artists of all times because he adopted a personal style of cinema which related to and entertained millions of people around the globe for three decades. His appreciation for the greats who came before him and the modern craftsmen who came after him make him admirable. Finally, his awareness of the components that a good picture needs (music, dialogue, characters, effects) make him a complete storyteller.