Hlao-roo 388 Posted November 7, 2003 Share Posted November 7, 2003 http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/09/movies/0...9SPIELBERG.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker 5 Posted November 7, 2003 Share Posted November 7, 2003 Thanks Alan, but you should point out that one needs to be registered with The New York Times in order to actually be able to read the article.Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rogue_Leader 2 Posted November 8, 2003 Share Posted November 8, 2003 Hmmmmm ..... greatest living American director??? That would've been Francis Ford Coppola back in the day but after his God Awful 90's work I might have to agree on Spielberg. Martin Scorcese is another possible candidate. Yeah I guess overall Spielberg would be the best.OH yeah and JW is the great American composer ..... PERIOD! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CYPHER 1 Posted November 9, 2003 Share Posted November 9, 2003 one needs to be registered with The New York Times in order to actually be able to read the article. Bugger that. What's the article say in general? Other than "Steven Spielberg is perhaps the greatest living American director" smart arses? I mean what are some of the criteria / arguments used to advance such a proposition?On the face of it I'm inclined to think that Spielberg is probably the most worthy of this title, although Rogue, you're right about Martin Scorcese and I think, to a lesser extent, Francis Ford Coppola (yep - it's the '90s) being close seconds. This said one could arguably advance a weaker, outside claim in regards to the merits of Terence Malick of Badlands, Days of Heaven and The Thin Red Line fame. Three decades, three movies but all relatively acclaimed for various reasons by various critics.CYPHER Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AC1 3,565 Posted November 9, 2003 Share Posted November 9, 2003 This said one could arguably advance a weaker, outside claim in regards to the merits of Terence Malick of Badlands, Days of Heaven and The Thin Red Line fame. Three decades, three movies but all relatively acclaimed for various reasons by various critics. The Thin Red Line. Boy, here the critics went undeservedly overboard. That movie brought nothing new, in fact, it was one long deja vu.Isn't Malick dead, btw? Or did I dream that?----------------Alex Cremers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hlao-roo 388 Posted November 9, 2003 Author Share Posted November 9, 2003 one needs to be registered with The New York Times in order to actually be able to read the article. Bugger that. What's the article say in general? Other than "Steven Spielberg is perhaps the greatest living American director" smart arses? I mean what are some of the criteria / arguments used to advance such a proposition?On the face of it I'm inclined to think that Spielberg is probably the most worthy of this title, although Rogue, you're right about Martin Scorcese and I think, to a lesser extent, Francis Ford Coppola (yep - it's the '90s) being close seconds. This said one could arguably advance a weaker, outside claim in regards to the merits of Terence Malick of Badlands, Days of Heaven and The Thin Red Line fame. Three decades, three movies but all relatively acclaimed for various reasons by various critics.CYPHERI have to run, but I thought I'd clarify that the body of the article doesn't actually contain the assertion (it's found in the subheadline -- "Why Steven Spielberg really is the greatest living American director"). Rather, the article makes the argument that Spielberg is roundly overrated because his work, increasingly, does not confine itself to easy categorization. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossMan 1 Posted November 9, 2003 Share Posted November 9, 2003 Whatever that means. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hlao-roo 388 Posted November 9, 2003 Author Share Posted November 9, 2003 Whatever that means.Well, if you care to find out "whatever that means," you can read the article yourself. Registration is required, but it's free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marian Schedenig 5,520 Posted November 10, 2003 Share Posted November 10, 2003 Registration is free, but it's required.Marian - not made of glass yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CYPHER 1 Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 Marian, what's wrong with your avatar? It's been busted ever since we lost those two weeks of posts. What's going on? Have you 'X'-ed your visage from this messageboard in protest at a fortnight of never-to-be-recalled-posts or what? Anyway I feel that you need a picture again (for my peace of mind, if not yours) .Rather, the article makes the argument that Spielberg is roundly overrated because his work, increasingly, does not confine itself to easy categorization.Yes, that does sound rather perplexing. Is the article implying that critics are mistaking the increased variety of Spielberg's work (and hence the inability to easily categorise it) with quality? i.e. just because its different and he's trying new things, doesn't mean his output is necessarily good... Maybe I should just bloody register...Boy, here the critics went undeservedly overboard. That movie brought nothing new, in fact, it was one long deja vu. Â Isn't Malick dead, btw? Or did I dream that? Thankfully, I disagree. I found this film to be an amazing cinematic (and even spiritual) experience. And as far as I'm aware Malick's still around, probably counting the decades before he'll get back behind the camera again... I'll be waiting!CYPHER Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rogue_Leader 2 Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 OK so if Spielberg is the great LIVING American film director who would be the best American director overall?Stanley Kubrick? Cecil B. DeMille? Other? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morlock 9 Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 I think DeMille is overrated. I find The Ten Commandments extremely tedious, except for The Brenner scenes and the Dead Sea- for Elmer's magnificent score, which has been copied often (particulaly that cue). The greatest show on earth has great costume and set design, but not much more. and the two other of his that I've seen were very forgettable. For my money- Wilder and Capra- The only people who could hillarious comedies and warm family movies that stand up perfectly to this day. 'Stalag 17', 'Some Like It Hot', 'The Apartment', 'Sunset Blvd.', It's a wonderfull life' and 'It happenned One Night' are still among my favorite movies, I feel that if you transferred them to color, added some cursing, and show it to someone who doesn't know about them- they could easily believe they were made last year. John Huston- for a huge array of genres over 47 years of movie making. 'The Maltese Falcon', 'The Treasure of The Sierre Madre', 'The Man Who would be king', wonderful movies which are still great after having seen them 25-30 times. I am particulaly fond of 'The Man Who would be King', which is such a great story, put on screen with such richness, shot beautifuully, and of course features fantastic performances by Caine and Connery. Stanely Kubrick- For never making a movie vaguely similar to another (in his own canon), and succeding at elast partialy every time. There is not one Kubrick film which I did not like. I might find 'Barry Lyndon', 'Eyes Wide Shut' and 'Lolita' less than great- but they all have something great about them. Wile we're on the topic- I just finished reading Cameron Crowe's great 'Conversations with Wilder' (I am dying for the Truffot/ Hitchcock one), where Wilder says he liked every movie of kubrick except for "that costume picutre" (Barry Lyndon). and About 'Full Metal Jacket'- (paraphrasing) "The first half of taht was the best movie I've ever seen. A guy shoots himself while sitting on the toilet? fantastic". Now, I don't know about 'best', but my favorite filmmaker, tha man who's made more movies I've loved than any other, is Steven Spielberg. My two cents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AC1 3,565 Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 For my money- Wilder and Capra- The only people who could hillarious comedies and warm family movies that stand up perfectly to this day. 'Stalag 17', 'Some Like It Hot', 'The Apartment', 'Sunset Blvd.', It's a wonderfull life' and 'It happenned One Night' are still among my favorite movies, I feel that if you transferred them to color, added some cursing, and show it to someone who doesn't know about them- they could easily believe they were made last year. That's strange, I always thought they didn't make them like that anymore.----------------Alex Cremers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elmo Lewis 6 Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 Wilder a good director? He made good (great) movies, but not because of his direction, but mainly because of his scriptwriting talents. His direction was quite average, nothing outstanding unless the script so required. Simply put, how many great lines can you remember from a Wilder movie? Thousands. How many great visuals can you remember from a Wilder movie? Er... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CYPHER 1 Posted November 12, 2003 Share Posted November 12, 2003 who would be the best American director overall? Hmm... Too complicated mate. Too many dead ones. My favourite dead Yankee director? Stanley Kubrick. Period.CYPHER - in a rare taciturn mood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rogue_Leader 2 Posted November 12, 2003 Share Posted November 12, 2003 I still feel Spielberg has made ALOT of bad movies overall. So that hurts his career IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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