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#10
POLTERGEIST (1982) / GOONIES (1985)
The Goonies poster

CAST
CRAIG T. NELSON, JOBETH WILLIAMS, HEATHER O’ROURKE, BEATRICE STRAIGHT, ZELDA RUBINSTEIN

SEAN ASTIN, JOSH BROLIN, COREY FELDMAN, KERRI GREEN, JOE PANTOLIANO

SCREENPLAY BY
MICHAEL GRAIS, STEVEN SPIELBERG MAK VICTOR

CHRIS COLOMBUS, STEVEN SPIELBERG

DIRECTED BY
TOBE HOOPER

ROGER DONALDSON

Poltergeist and The Goonies are films which have gone down in the annals of movie history as Steven Spielberg directed….but not credited releases. Indeed while Tobe Hooper and Roger Donaldson are the names which flash across the screen, many a witness have testified to Spielberg’s involvement in the director’s chair (he is credited as writer and producer on both) which makes sense considering there heavy Spielberg feel.    

 


#9
MINORITY REPORT (2002)
Minority Report poster

CAST
TOM CRUISE, COLIN FARRELL, SAMANTHA MORTON, KATHRYN ORRIS, MAX VON SYDOW

SCREENPLAY BY
JON, COHEN, SCOTT FRANK

DIRECTED BY
STEVEN SPIELBERG

Steven Spielberg’s first collaboration with Tom Cruise saw both titans on top of their games in the sci-fi actioner Minority Report. Based on the short story by Philip K. Dick the film focused on a future cop (Cruise) who goes on the run for a murder he has yet to commit. Spielberg’s flair for visual effects heavy environments as at its best while action beats and intelligent discussion on ethics in the justice system meld well.

 

 

#8
MUNICH (2005)
Munich poster

CAST
ERIC BANA, DANIEL CRAIG, CIARIN HINDS, MATHIEU KASSOVITZ, GEOFFREY RUSH

SCREENPLAY BY
TONY KUSHNER, ERIC ROTH

DIRECTED BY
STEVEN SPIELBERG

Controversial in nature and fearless in execution, Munich was Spielberg’s take on the Israel-Palestine conflict told through an espionage thriller. Based on the highly disputed memoirs of a former Mossad agent, the film focuses on a group of Israeili agents who are given orders to dispense justice on those behind the 1972 Munich Olympics terror attack. Eric Bana gives one of his best performances as the leader of the group and Spielberg proves he can do morally conflicted drama.

 

 

#7
INDIANA JONES & THE LAST CRUSADE (1989)
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade poster

CAST
HARRISON FORD, SEAN CONNERY, DENHOLM ELLIOTT, ALISON DOODY, JOHN RYS-DAVIES

SCREENPLAY BY
JEFFREY BOAM, GEORGE LUCAS, MENNO MEYJES

DIRECTED BY
STEVEN SPIELBERG

Compelled to answer the criticism thrown at Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Spielberg tapped into the adventurous spirit of Raiders of the Lost Ark and made a film which some deem the best in the Indiana Jones series. The addition of James Bond himself Sean Connery as Indy’s father was a big reason behind its success, with Ford and Connery sharing an easy chemistry on screen. Spielberg would go on to make another Indiana Jones movie some 18 years later to the chagrin of many fans who felt that …The Last Crusade was the ultimate send off.

 

 

 

#6
E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL (1982)
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial poster

CAST
HENRY THOMAS, DEE WALLACE, PETER COYOTE, ROBERT MACNAUGHTON, DREW BARTYMORE

SCREENPLAY BY
MELISSA MATHISON

DIRECTED BY
STEVEN SPIELBERG

A perfect blend of Spielberg’s knack for special effects, family drama and unabashed sentiment, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial was a box office titan that made many a movie goer weep with its tale of an insecure young boy (Henry Thomas) bonding with a homesick alien. As iconic movie imagery goes, the shot of boy and alien flying across a full moon is one for the ages. A digital remaster released 20 years later was met with controversy with its slight alterations, proving that the original is always the best.

 

 

 

#5
RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981)
Raiders of the Lost Ark poster

CAST
HARRISON FORD, KAREN ALLEN, PAUL FREEMAN, JOHN RHYS-DAVIES, DENHOLM ELLIOTT

SCREENPLAY BY
GEORGE LUCAS, LAWRENCE KASDAN, PHILIP KAUFMAN

DIRECTED BY
STEVEN SPIELBERG

When it comes to fun adventure movies Raiders of the Lost Ark is at the top of the list. Introducing everyone’s favourite archaeologist Dr. Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford), the film saw Spielberg hit another level in his penchant for action adventure filmmaking. Beginning with an iconic opening sequence and filled with memorable moments, Raiders of the Lost Ark also features what many believe to be the ultimate Harrison Ford performance.

 

 

 

#4
SAVING PRIVATE RYAN (1998)
Saving Private Ryan poster

CAST
TOM HANKS, ED BURNS, TOM SIZEMORE, VIN DIESEL, MATT DAMON

SCREENPLAY BY
ROBERT RODAT

DIRECTED BY
STEVEN SPIELBERG

World War II is a subject near and dear to Speilberg’s heart and Saving Private Ryan was his tribute to the Greatest Generation. With America’s favourite movie star Tom Hanks leading a terrific ensemble featuring Matt Damon, Ed Burns and Tom Sizemore, and Spielberg at his best with incredible action filmmaking sitting comfortably alongside moving dramatic moments, Saving Private Ryan provided a glimpse into the horror and heroism found in war and was worth all of the accolades bestowed upon it.

 

 


#3
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND (1977)
Close Encounters of the Third Kind poster

CAST
RICHARD DREYFUSS, MELINDA DILLON, TERRI GARR, BOB BALABAN, FRANCOIS TRUFFAUT

SCREENPLAY BY
STEVEN SPIELBERG

DIRECTED BY
STEVEN SPIELBERG

A film that is as awe inspiring in its imagery as it is touching in its themes, Close Encounters of the Third Kind saw Spielberg find that perfect balance between the visual and the emotional. Richard Dreyfuss stars as a regular family man whose life is changed after an encounter with a UFO. What follows is an amazing journey into self-discovery as Spielberg channels personal familial demons into a sci-fi drama featuring great performances from Dreyfuss and the Oscar nominated Melinda Dillon. The film also features one of John Williams’ most memorable compositions in the “five tone motif” shared between the alien visitors and the humans.

 

 

 

#2
SCHINDLER’S LIST (1993)
Schindler's List poster

CAST
LIAM NEESON, RALPH FIENNES, BEN KINGSLEY, EMBRTH DAVIDTZ, CAROLINE GOODALL

SCREENPLAY BY
STEVE ZAILLIAN

DIRECTED BY
STEVEN SPIELBERG

The horrors of the Holocaust can never be adequetly portrayed, yet Schindler’s List came close to re-creating the tragic events of WWII in its portrayal of a true story that presents the worst and best of mankind.

Based on the book by Thomas Keneally which was superbly adapted by Steve Zaillian, Schindler’s List starred Liam Neeson as Oskar Schindler, a German business man and member of the Nazi party who exploited Polish-Jewish refugees by employing them in his factories only to be moved by their plight and buy their freedom.

Shot in black and white and featuring incredible performances from Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes and Ben Kingsley, Schindler’s List also saw Spielberg reach artistic highs that silenced many a critic who found his filmmaking to “Hollywood.” The film also proved to be a personal turning point for Spielberg, who would go on to create the Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation, a non-profit organisation that provides visual testimony by survivors of the Holocasut.  

 

 

 

#1
JAWS (1975)
Jaws poster

CAST
ROY SCHEIDER, RICHARD DREYFUSS, ROBERT SHAW, LORRAINE GARY, MURRAY HAMILTON

SCREENPLAY BY
PETER BENCHLEY, CARL GOTTLIEB

DIRECTED BY
STEVEN SPIELBERG

From the opening bars of John Williams’ chilling, thudding score, Jaws situated itself as a one of a kind movie experience: part chilling horror, part thrilling adventure, part exploration into the male psyche and all around exceptional feat of movie making. It was also Spielberg’s big breakout movie which cemented his reputation as a filmmaker able to mix visual spectacle with primal human emotion.

Based on the novel by Peter Benchley, Jaws starred Roy Scheider as Martin Brody, the new police chief on a popular beach town who enlists the help of a marine biologist (Richard Dreyfuss) and a shark hunter (Robert Shaw) to kill a monstrous great white shark that has been munching on tourists.

While the animatronic shark itself has not aged gracefully, Jaws remains a timeless classic thanks to Speilberg’s superb and innovative filmmaking, creating a film of two halves: the first a paranoid thriller and the second a horrific monster adventure. The overall effect is a staggering display of Spielberg’s prowess behind the camera, as expertly engages the audience to feel fear, wonder, horror, excitement, adventure and sympathy.

In the vestiges of blockbuster filmmaking Jaws is the ultimate symphony and Spielberg the greatest conductor of all.     

 

 

 

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