[James Brancheau]

Star Wars doesn't exist in a bubble. I saw it when I was 8, Mark~ our ages aren't that distant! Makes me feel better. The movie redesigned movies that would follow. I remember my cousin hating, absolutely hating Star Wars. He hated disco too, to fascist levels. (Saturday Night Fever is vastly underrated, especially if you know New York. I still, and will always find that movie profoundly sad.) Raiders of course does the same thing, etc etc. They start with action, attention. Amadeus, even. But Amadeus is in my top 5.

[James Brancheau]

And I'm not at all fond of Spielberg. Jaws is, by far, his best movie. It's character driven, and unforgettable for that reason.

[Mark McDonnell]

And I'm not at all fond of Spielberg. Jaws is, by far, his best movie.

Yes, Jaws is still his best film, I agree. The three characters make it very special. I think Spielberg's early films had charm and humanity, up to and including Raiders. They had great moments, beyond the thrills, like Richard Dreyfuss crushing his plastic cup in mockery of Robert Shaw's beer can crushing machismo, or Brody sheepishly looking at his appendix scar as the other two are comparing battle scars. Raiders is full of those little moments too, great bits of visual wit like the Nazi turning the terrifying looking torture weapon into a clothes hanger, or real humanity like Jones saying "it ain't the years honey, it's the mileage" and falling asleep exhausted in what should have been the love scene.
I really like Close Encounters too, and Duel is a great B-movie. But at some point in the 80s he seemed to decide that his films had to be either "serious drama" for adults or empty, whizz-bang saccharine for arrested adolescents, forgetting that his real talent had been to find the sweet spot between the two.

[James Brancheau]

I was bit by a cat~ I was used to dogs. So, we went to to Red Lobster and then to Star Wars. From an asshole cat.

[James Brancheau]

Everything is character. When Brody says perspective my ass, that's my dad. I can't stop laughing at that

[James Brancheau]

Close Encounters is ok. it's as well done as Spielberg can muster. In the end, Steven is willing to sell out over making something he'll be truly remembered for. And, honestly, he won't be remembered for much. Jaws.Yes.

[John Isbell]

James - agreed, Saturday Night Fever is a splendid movie. It is full of humanity and insight, compassion even for its characters. But people wanted to hate on disco. It's been said before, but disco was both profoundly democratic and brought black music into white bedrooms and sitting rooms. It paved the way for MTV to air Michael Jackson, for instance.

Jaws is another splendid movie, as you both say, but so is Schindler's List. My guess is the new remake of West Side Story has no business taking up space, and my wife who's seen it agrees.

Cheers,
John

[James Brancheau]

I agree, Mark. There is a sweet spot-- though we both grew up in the 80s (and therefore have impeccable music taste as well, haha), so I'm sure we're biased. Spielberg just bothers me about too many things. Even just the fun movies, he does things that are unforgivable. The gorge that's suddenly there in Jurassic Park, for example. In a million years I'd never cheat like that. But the first Indiana Jones movie certainly has charm. It's very much like a comic book. (Though, again, the snakes upon snakes, spiders upon spiders-- there's only so much I can take. Without Harrison Ford, that movie is doomed, imo.)

Humanity, John, is precisely the word. It's a simple scene, but when she holds up the condoms and John Travolta's character rejects her, I just crumble. And the bridge as a kind of metaphor is wonderful. And I do agree with you, on the whole, about Schindler's List, though for me it may be more about the performances. Liam Neeson was made for that role, and Ralph Fiennes, oh my god. That's one of the best, scariest performances I've ever seen. I think the very end of the movie is a bit much. I think if Schindler had just wept after receiving the ring it would have had more impact.

[Mark McDonnell]

Yes, Jurassic Park is rubbish. It's totally lumpen compared to the sprightly verve of Raiders.

I'll have to watch Saturday Night Fever again! I probably last saw when I was about 14 and remember it being much grittier than I was expecting. I think I was expecting it to be like Grease haha.

[John Isbell]

Hi James,

Yes, I think SNF is full of vivid, true moments like that. The guy who's got his girlfriend pregnant trying to talk to Travolta's priest brother in the disco, and the brother is distracted - the scene in the diner where the classy lady tries to impress Travolta with her erudition and he's never heard of those she's name-dropping. And yes, the bridge.

I agree, for me the end of Schindler's List was not my favorite moment. And about your other points - Neeson and Fiennes. And Ben Kingsley: "This list is an absolute good. Around it is darkness."

Cheers,
John