Oh and LOST WORLD. Awful.
I re-watched HOOK a few days ago with my daughter, who is five. I hadn’t seen it since it was in theaters, but my memory was confirmed: That movie blows. I usually like Spielberg—sure, he’s manipulative and surface-deep, but it’s usually done with some vigor and visual cleverness—but HOOK is an awful movie.
Who would think a sequel to PETER PAN was a good idea? That would be as outlandish as making a sequel to ALICE IN WONDERLAND. Oh, wait…
@Truman
“AMACORD” You mean Amistad. I know you don’t like Fellini, but this is ridiculous (said in that Groucho Marx style).
I thought the concept of Hook was actually quite promising, but in the end, that film was really bad.
LOL! Your right. Got Fellini on the brain tonight.
“And it will take time to properly judge Spielberg’s place in the history of the art form. I just think people speculated on his stock too early, and the time to sell might have already passed.”
Great statement Bobby Wise. I think that he has done some great films, so everyone expects so much out of him. He has had a great career, and if all he has to show for it is Jaws, Close Encounters, Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan, and the Indiana Jones Trilogy, then that is one nice career. A lot better than most directors.
My favorite Spielberg film is Empire Of The Sun. I also really love Saving Private Ryan and Schindler’s List.
Has anyone seen his first big effort, THE SUGARLAND EXPRESS (1973)?
It’s sort of seat-of-the-pants, young-director moviemaking… before he got so bloated…
Saving Private Ryan was stunning back in 1998,
still is great but back then, scenes were jaw dropping.
Good point. Saving Private Ryan does not get enough credit on this front. Just about every war movie since has taken on that choppy grainy look that Spielberg pioneered.
Truman Sparks
I think it’s easier to chose what films of his are bad. HOOK, absolutely. TERMINAL I don’t like, but not terrible. AMACORD, not great. Like or love everything else.