Spielberg talks about the future of cinema

[gamemeister27]

They want a movie that will please everybody, which is of course impossible

*James Cameron*

Ok, I lied about that being impossible.

[frantheman180]

@gamemeister27 i hope your not implying that avatar was good...

[gamemeister27]

@frantheman180 Avatar wasn't bad, it was highly enjoyable and not easily forgotten. That isn't to say it was particularly original or innovative (in terms of story obviously), but Jame Cameron proved twice in a row that you can make a movie that pleases the majority of film goers so much that a high percentage will see the movie multiple times. There is a reason he has the top two spots in highest box office.

[frantheman180]

@gamemeister27 im sorry but avatar was was enjoyable the same way fireworks is enjoyable. i watched it for the special effects and i still got board of the movies dull plot and 1 dimensional characters. the titanic sucked two, it had the same problems as avatar with a forced love story.

i hate to break it to you but the "majority of film goers" will think transformers is genius. the people who can think for themself don't just eat up the same crap hollywood keeps feeding them.

[gamemeister27]

@frantheman180 I'm not saying that they are smart, I'm saying that it is hard to pander to all of them nearly as well as James Cameron does. Also, I would prefer to watch his movies over Michael Bay's because Mr. Bay doesn't know how to frame a scene to save his life. At least Cameron's CGI fests are actually nice to look at.

[MikeAM78]

This looks like a really intriguing documentary. Is it available on DVD?

[EnglishGavz]

Yeah, they made Little Miss Sunshine on a budget of 8 million nower days.

[SavageVandar]

There's plenty of blame to go around and Spielberg is right in what he says. However, he's speaking from a point that is pre-CGI and so leaves that part of the equation out. It just happens to be that SFX these days is tremendously expensive(if you want it to be done well) and audiences demand that so it inflates the budget like never before. Something like 1/2 the budget these days for summer blockbusters is just the SFX CGI cost. Now you'd expect that as tech gets more common price would drop

[MBLAAMABA]

One of the most important aspects of film is based on the budget. Spielberg knows whats up.

[mastertheben]

A bit of economic intelligence goes a long way if you're an artist. I'd muh rather listen to Spielberg on budgets than on all the pretentious people moaning like Woody Allen clones.

[keerkhor]

Its eerie listening to him speak....knowing years later he would churn out the same stuff he's sticking his nose down at studioheads at the time.

[sumwunhuis]

I blame audiences. Studio heads are merely an extension of those audiences. If a movie looks like it was shot on a low budget it is automatically suspect by the average movie goer. Audiences want the spectacular. They want that immediate rush. It's kind of like drugs. Audiences are junkies and studios are dealers.

[WinstonSmith6079]

Heh, Spielberg knows what he's talking about there, especially about the studio-heads wanting EVERY film to be like the #1 money-maker at the box office.

But I wonder if then he realized just how prophetic that statement would turn out to be, as the problem is much, much, MUCH worse today than then.

Furthermore, it seems that the average ADD-afflicted movie-goer could share a lot more in the blame today, where back in 1982, that was hardly the case.

[littlepro22]

the fact that the movies could end is one of the scariest thoughts I can imagine

[33rdPatriot]

ah but you can blame someone - blame the correct culprits -- blame the federal reserve system which causes the devaluation of the dollar by their fiat machinations.

[WinstonSmith6079]

@33rdPatriot Nah, it's not that simple. I think that Spielberg was correct to imply that there was (and is) no one single culprit, but that there could be a little bit of blame for many culprits altogether creating and perpetuating that problem, and therefore said like 'I'm not going to bother to assign blame to any one.'

Furthermore, it might be that such problems also just kinda "come with the territory" of utilizing Capitalism. There is no such thing as a PERFECT economic system.

[DavidOFilms]

What's amazing is that soon after this statement, he MADE the movie everybody loved (ET)

[MajCinematic]

@DavidOFilms E.T. was already made by this point and he throught he thought it might be a small childrens film only.

[TheGaz76]

steve said shit.

[GWSFilms]

The man speaks the truth.

[ravishingravi]

Actually, this great coming from Spielberg since Jaws was the film that changed the game forever.

[kdpflanders1]

Fucking money is short. 

[MajCinematic]

Spielberg is one of the more intelligent fillmakers.

[RonAlmeida]

That is exactly the reason Hollywood has never made films like the European directors only mass apeal 'Movies'.

[RonAlmeida]

Film makers and movie mahers are two very different animals.

[RonAlmeida]

Film makers are two very different animals.

[fattiger2000]

paranormal activity cost $10,000.

[qqqTOXICqqq]

LOL @ the giant fro on the ancient TV at 17 sec!

[EarlyFilmmaker]

Steven makes such great points here. Plus he also says "masturbated." That's awesome.

[internet1965]

who in the world shot this?

[rickyc1967]

Similar problems to day, except we know how to blame this time around.

[IantheLiberal]

@rickyc1967 Who?

[LTopomcFly]

You people who write him off as boring and phony are numb. Film is an art, a skill and a BUSINESS. If you would stop dreaming about making arthouse films, you would understand how what he's saying is very valuable to filmMAKERS.

[RonAlmeida]

@LTopomcFly Do you mean that film is the art of making money by catering to the lowest common denominator. Because if they all saw the movie only once it would make it a blockbuster. Even if they came out as dumb as when they went in.

[creolefreak22]

Fascinating.

[southerndandy89]

this is such a trip lol Spiderman 3 cost what, $250 million dollars.

[krazie835]

The movie "Knocked Up" had a budget of about $30 Million lol. A movie that had no special effects at all with virtually no name actors.

[entionden]

Spielberg is by far the most boring one in Room 666.

[troglodyto]

this is pretty cool. spielberg just free styling about film

[InkyEnston]

Spielberg was kind of a self admitted rebel hippy back then and it was before internet and well, instant global advertising per-say as it is today etc etc. After 1941 he was very upset with his mistake. But was it really his mistake? Maybe the audience was not ready for it? Indy and E.T (producing Poltergeist etc) made him no that he had some control even after 1941. The interview was not de scripted enough compared to his modern interviews. He is still God in the eyes of film

[MiraculousJeff]

he sounds pissed. i guess he could be stressed out.

[IantheLiberal]

@tomes55moon What was going through your mind? Write it journal style.

[boogiebuddy01]

he seems kind of douchy in this i guess

[Jacklgf]

I love the fact that he is not interested in seeing a character masturbate for the first time. I so agree with him. I am tired of sex humor comedies. They are a cheap laugh without art.

[Frye666]

you didn't understand a word about what he said that is clear. he said the hollywood studios back then werent interested in personal films and personal life experiences and that is what bothers him. the masturbation and all that stuff was just an analogy. he wasnt talking about teen sex comedies or something like that. god... people like you are so hopelessly stupid.

[IndieMovieChannel]

wow! he said shit and talked about masturbation in the same interview!

[JonathanDPal]

That's because the studios talk about money, when you get to that point in your career it becomes all about money because the studio execs make it about money. Spielberg has so many great films on his plate and that lasted for awhile, and now he's not doing so well. But as a Producer he's making so much money!!

[jabroniman]

wow, now summer blockbusters cost 150 - 200 million dolllars

[sauronthegr8]

Ironically Spielberg now is the man with the money and nothing has changed.

Still a great director, tho.

[TheRealUnderherfeet]

This is soooo cool. Spielberg said, "Sh!t."

[jvolker49]

I like what he says, but I don't think he addresses the issue fully. Its not really the people who control the money, it is basically their reaction to us, the viewers, the consumers of film. Basically the dummer, or at least, the less aesthetically in touch we are with art forms such as film, the more interested we will be in things like explosions, heavy special effects, sex and etc. Hence Michael Bay's success

[borowczyk76]

The man is all about money! He barely speaks of the films themselves! Budget budget bud... and this coming form a long-time fan!

[albertstock85]

@borowczyk76 Keep in mind that Spielberg is also a producer. I'm a young filmmaker myself, and trust me, one of my biggest headaches is always budget.

[viplovem]

@borowczyk76 You obviously havent read or know a lot of Steven Spielberg..even though u call urself a fan...

[DanielTheWalrus]

The guy in the end of the video is Antonioni, right?

[TourRoyale]

After 3:10 what he says is all brilliant.

I respect Spielberg for wanting to make popular films that a lot of people will be drawn to. I just see it as him growing up on movies that really made him love film and wanting the next generation to have the same thing.

[louisvortex]

What Spielberg says is brilliant, but the reason he can't blame anybody is because he has become exactly what he's railing against. Maybe not so much at that time, but since then he's been the leader of Hollywood's excessive irrelevance. But "prisoners of your generation" was a great line.

[IantheLiberal]

@louisvortex I see where you're going with that, but I'm not convinced Spielberg is responsible for the system he works in. I think at least to a large degree he's still at heart an energetic young filmmaker

[Mcrlover2death]

Damn at 3:40 he said shit! Spielbergs my hero and this is the first time i've heard my hero/idol/role-model Swear! my life shall never b the same....

[movielover86]

I've seen him say fuck in the Jaws special features

[viplovem]

@movielover86 Hahahahaha...

[houseofkan]

This was shot in '86.

I guess he was 36 or so? It's not easy being amongst these iconic European Art Filmmakers... Antonioni, Godard, Fassbinder... their reputation alone can intimidate. Maybe Spielberg had to appear relaxed and project some edginess in order to fit in. He was on European soil... "When in Rome..." ;) Hence, I guess... the "shit". If I'm not wrong, there was also a general cynicism and uncertainty amongst the European filmmakers at the time? It could have rubbed off a little?

[houseofkan]

Besides, he did ET at 36!! That's quite an achievement!! The man can say whatever he wants~! :))

[IantheLiberal]

@Mcrlover2death Been my man since I was a kid and obsessed about Jurassic Park

[PantsMcPants]

He has good things to say, but by his track record he hasn't really done anything to try to open windows for hollywood filmmaking, no, on the other hand he is one of the ones responsible for box office obsessive filmmaking. But, on the other hand thats who he is, its a pity that Hollywood had to sorta follow him.

[maxulic]

@PantsMcPants Were movies like The Color Purple, Empire Of The Sun or Schindler's List made to reach high gross? He just happened to make the most successful movie ever in 1975 with Jaws, that was the first film to hit $100M and it has set a precedent that changed the movie business.

He is definitely part of what happened since then but you can't blame the man for it.

[214scifi]

1982! Wow! That was a stellar year for sci-fi and fantasy! E.T. yeah...but also BLADE RUNNER, TRON, DARK CRYSTAL, and STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN...to name a few...

[pookie67]

i recently watched this entire doc on DVD (with Wim Wenders commentary as well) Quite fascinating. Interesting that the overall attitude from the european filmmaking community was that this was a bad time for cinema, a decline. Where as i think of it as the last renaissance in many ways, though i understand the flipside argument. I think the real decline came by the end of the 80's

[214scifi]

The end of 87' and the year of 1988 as I remember was the weakest period. Because we had a lot of baby movies and a lot of body switch movies.

[larrypearce2]

And don't forget John Carpenter's "The Thing"!

"Wrath" actually came out in the spring of '82.

[214scifi]

You are right! And I didn't forget "Wrath of Khan " I was talking about the whole year of 1982. Wasn't TIME BANDITS 82'as well?

[larrypearce2]

Time Bandits was '81 but was still showing for much of '82. If we're talkin' about all of '82 then we can't leave out "Conan The Barbarian".

[CineRecon]

13?

I was 11 Stevie. You must have started late..

[JohnLenardWalson]

From:

Henry Kline Henr .Kline jpl nasa gov

Sent:

Mon 8:32 AM

To:

john lenard santamonicajohnhotmail

Mr. Lenard,

Someone sent me similar images about 6 months ago, they're military classified human spaceflight.

Johnson Space Center require large elaborate spacecraft to get them where they need to go.

--Henry

[mnbvcxz73]

"Why are jews so damn smart and Christians so damn stupid?"

You bigot. What a stupid comment.

[IantheLiberal]

@Uhoh2012Productions It's just the corporate Christians that are stupid

[mussman717word]

@IantheLiberal

It's just the corporate Jews, Christians, Athiests, and whatnot, that are braindead. Fuck them all, it transcends religion.

[IantheLiberal]

@mussman717word Agreed. I'm a politically Left Christian myself, but I think the world is what people worship today. It's not even their "fault", in many cases, since they are brainwashed from birth. But if you *can* get out of worldliness and conformity, worshiping material, you will see how dumb this life is and look inside yourself for something more.

[mussman717word]

@IantheLiberal

I'm sorry, you're totally correct. I misinterpreted your comment severely, man. Peace be with you, lol.

[IantheLiberal]

@mussman717word No problem. Also, for those worldly/corporate types who call themselves Christians, I say try opening the good book! "For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?" Luke 9:25

[mussman717word]

@IantheLiberal

Right on, brother. Not to mention James' lament against the rich.

[WinstonSmith6079]

@IantheLiberal The trouble with that philoshphy is that in not conforming to one "standard", are you (as in your case) simply conforming to an different "standard"?

Either way, you've far from escaped "conformity". Is that a good thing? Or is that a bad thing? ???

[stevespielberg]

"Pull a piece of shit out of the closet..."

[proman84]

Very intelligent comments from Steven. His words are still very true of course.

[alteredeffect]

Odd. This rings true again today. And FYI, none of this is funny.

[davidalanwalk]

this video is so random and yet so hilarious

[buckleygeneration]

What a schmuck.

[davedubya]

i think spielberg is high...what the fuck is he talking about? shitty silk purses?

[pookie67]

i guess now he's just going to have to make due with 100 million (opposed to the average 200mill) and the average indie filmmaker will have to make due with $200

My last film "SpaceDisco One" cost about $300, which is astonomical, went over budget by $100!! A 2 day shooting schedule (of about 3 hours a day before everyone got tired and had to go home) stretched to 4! This is just unthinkable....!

[saunderscowie]

Steven Spielberg actually said "Shit" on the second disk on Collectors Edition Jaws.

[JoeMarklin]

this is hilarious

[SteVin89]

Never heard Spielberg say 'shit' or 'masturbate' before kind of takes your innocence away. :p

[homerbert]

To be fair Spielberg was coming off a huge flop with 1941 and had to make Raiders for a surrisingly small budget. ET had a relatively small budget too. It's hardly surprising he's worried about film cost, since the cost of his films had nearly neded his career at that point.

[MajCinematic]

@homerbert He also did not think E.T. would be a big hit he was just making a small childrens film he thought.

[sigmund5]

I am sure you are an optamistic...doh

[sigmund5]

It isn't like Kieslowski made incredible movies in Poland in the 70's and 80's.

[sigmund5]

I will blame YOU STEVEN.  If you can't make a movie with limited sets for 20 million dollars, there is something wrong with you.

[plazashadow]

belony

[sigmund5]

huh? ATWT?

[anim367]

note to self: do not direct last 30 minutes of A.I.

[DrSamuels305]

And the last of Minority Report.

[delirium11]

among those interviews in room 666 most touching is one with godard, charming in his wise simplicity. while spielberg seems to be in deep love with himself =}

[robbiejohnson2001]

They nominated Fellini instead of me! How dare they!

[nachoboss]

Godard's version of Jaws sucked, though.

[robbiejohnson2001]

Money money money money money money money money money money money money

[ottoskidoo]

dat's the truth. poor guys have to make do with 15 million.

[kensuke0]

Welcome to life.

[robbiejohnson2001]

Welcome to hell.