The Undying Joy of Steven Spielberg

He's the man behind some of the best loved movies of all time, I look into what makes Steven Spielberg one of a kind.

When I was growing up and first getting into movies (yes, I consider rewatching Space Jam and Home Alone 3 ‘getting into movies’) (yes Home Alone 3 is worth a watch) there was only one director I knew of by name. I was probably only 10 or 11 when I’d record movies off the TV onto blank VHS tapes and watch them on repeat in my room. I’d do this weekly, trying to improve my film collection at the speed that ITV or BBC would show them on TV. In no real order, I remember having tapes of Star Wars: A New Hope, Jurassic Park, The Mask, and Mars Attacks! There’s probably more but those were just a few of my growing library. I didn’t really know what it meant to be a film director (I assumed it was just ‘the boss’ but what did that mean?!) and I didn’t know the names of anybody that was one. Anybody other than Steven Spielberg.

Even at the age of 10, his was the name I knew. Growing up at a time when movies were on at the cinema, rented or shown on the TV, there was a mysticism to the adventure of movie watching. Yeah, I’d try to ensure I always had a steady conveyor of tapes, but most films that you saw for the first time were shown on TV at Christmas or, at times, Easter. And Spielberg movies, with his multiple family-friendly blockbusters like Jaws, ET and Indiana Jones became prime Christmas TV fodder. And boy, did I eat them up. The excitement of other worlds. All physical effects, boundless energy and giddy scores. Everything so real, everything so accessible.

The joy of Spielberg indeed started with the movies above. But as the 80s moved into the 90s, Jurassic Park continued his ascent into genuine Mount Rushmore status as the man. As the man who essentially invented the summer blockbuster, there was nobody better. His was the name your mum knew, your Nan knew and your uncle knew too. Like a movie star without any lines, everybody took note when Steven Spielberg released a new film. But what is it that people love about his movies? What is it that makes him still today the biggest name in Hollywood?

Growing up with something makes it more special. That is undeniable. But the proper movie magic with which many of us grew up, from films like ET, Jurassic Park or even Back to the Future – a movie Spielberg produced – are all unique. Worn but loved, older but barely aging. Not really. In an era with fewer original classics, maybe his back catalogue feels a bit like a castle in the sky. Grand, untouchable, majestic. But not out of reach. There’s nothing pretentious or snobbish about any of his movies. Catch Me If You Can, or The Terminal, two movies that are for more grown-up audiences, are still incredibly watchable. The magic of the cat and mouse story still has huge heart. Frank Abagnale Jr, the man at the centre of Catch Me If You Can, is youthful and innocent even when he’s committing some pretty serious crimes. That’s partly the performances of Leonardo De Caprio, but it’s the way that Spielberg chooses to portray the crimes. This isn’t a thriller or a crime drama, it’s a movie about escape and making what you can of life. And that’s something everyone can associate with. Likewise, Tom Hanks’ character in The Terminal, Viktor Navorski, is stuck in an airport. But with his ingenuity, he makes the best of the situation he’s in. And while Hanks plays him with a little bit of dim-wittedness, he’s a loveable character creating a little bit of magic in a way only he can.

The other main thing to point out here is that his movies are always so brilliantly well crafted. They’re made with love and magic but there’s a certain part of me that thinks that those elements do Spielberg a disservice. He creates brilliance but that’s through knowing what he’s doing and understanding the assignment. Movies like War Horse and Munich show him testing himself and his craft in different areas. Even The Fablemans, his latest movie, touches upon subject matter he’s always shied away from addressing for directly – his family. But these movies – even though a little more grounded and mature - are no less technically magic. They see him taking on newer and altogether different angles but in his own delightful way.

You can’t discuss the undying brilliance of Spielberg without thinking of the inclusivity of his films. They touch on stories we can all relate to and that’s why many of his movies are so universally loved. And they are films for everyone. They’re like a giant hug, including everyone and excluding nobody. While the subject matter of every movie may not be quite right for Friday film night with the kids – Empire of the Sun and Lincoln might not quite grab younger audiences – there’s plenty to choose from in his work, and that’s kept going even up to present day. Movies like Tin Tin, The BFG and even Ready Player One can be approached by all ages. And all movies, too, have his signature dedication to new and emerging techniques. Whatever is best for the movie, whatever the audience.

From a personal point of view, there will never be anyone like him again. As I’ve grown up, my love for his classics has only grown. Not because of nostalgia, but because of the layers in the movies. ET is a story about a boy befriending an alien. But it isn’t just that. You learn to connect with the children, the parents and even, a little, to the scientists yearning to learn more about ET and the universe beyond. Jurassic Park, as a child, is a utopia of entertainment. Dinosaurs! Action! Shouting! It has it all. But the story behind the park, the battle between can and should, all become more effecting as you grow older. But again, as I’ve grown older I’ve appreciated the other movies he’s done, the ones that have been made for different audiences. The Post is an underrated gem. The Fablemans is a personal project that screams of a story that has been bursting to be told. Saving Private Ryan and Bridge of Spies. Seemingly endless stories for different moments. Just like his career. Steven Spielberg will always be loved for the old classics, but he’ll continue to be relevant for the newer movies he produced. And the legacy of those that comes after him. The ‘Amblin style’ that’s replicated every few years, but never quite comes close to the heart and charm that Spielberg lands on every single time. And that’s the undying joy of Steven Spielberg. Classic and modern, heart and charm, but always there, always creating greatness. Now, where’s my copy of Close Encounters… I’ve got a movie night to start.