The Zone

by **EliCash** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 7:17 am

Figure someone has a Kubrick poll, and i figured since a lot of that turned into a thing about A.I. i may as well put this up.

and this is just a selection of what i think should be considered, although o havent seen some that are considered classics, so didnt put them forward

by **doglips** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 7:28 am

OMG, you forgot The Terminal........ :wink:

by **Alex DeLarge** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 7:28 am

Close Encounters of the Third Kind all the way

by **HoodedAvenger** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 7:31 am

I enjoyed raiders most .. not saying its the most artistic film he's done but I enjoyed it more than his others

by **doglips** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 7:32 am

Jaws - Robert Shaw is way too good in that movie to even consider voting for anything else....

by **colonel_lugz** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 7:34 am

its too hard to choose man, Speilberg has so may films that i consider great and i'd feel bad just to pick one.

by **Nachokoolaid** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 7:35 am

Jaws. Hands down. Although if you're going to do a proper poll, you should list his entire filmography. Oh, and where's the Kong option?

by **doglips** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 7:37 am

Could a Mod please adjust the poll to include the full back catalogue? We can all have a proper argument over A.I. then.

by **doglips** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 7:38 am

Jaws would eat Kong - FACT!

by **Keepcoolbutcare** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 7:50 am

thedoglippedone wrote:Could a Mod please adjust the poll to include the full back catalogue? We can all have a proper argument over A.I. then.

as colonel_lugz already stated, this ain't easy.

Jaws vs. Raiders, hmm...

by **ThisIsTheGirl** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 7:56 am

Possible additions:

AI
Saving Private Ryan
Amistad
Jurassic Park
The Color Purple
Temple of Doom/Last Crusade?

ETA: Ooops! Someone's already added most of them. can't believe I'm the only person to vote ET so far - you are all cold hearted people.....

by **colonel_lugz** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 8:04 am

Updating the poll hasnt made it any easier......this is such a minefield

by **Colin** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 8:07 am

Schindler's List.

That or Saving Private Ryan.

by **Cpt Kirks 2pay** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 8:08 am

Brilliant Pole man.

Though I reckon it would be a good idea to put Munich up there, as many will be able to see it in a week or 2's time, then they can submit their opinions on it there.

Anyone read anything else on it, apart from the Rotten Tomatoe ratings and a 5 page Munich Review Google Search?

Meanwhile Schindler's List or Jaws. They both succeed in their high ambitions more or less equally. Whcih film effects you the most, or has the most value? I'd actually put ET up there too.

Fuck Jurassic Park.

by **colonel_lugz** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 8:12 am

fuck jarrassic park??!!........fuck you buddy

by **Cpt Kirks 2pay** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 8:46 am

I have no problems with 'jarrassic park'. Personally I think it is the most incredible, profoundly thoughtful and damning comment on the inbalances of an Utopian Society, not to mention that Joan Rivers made my nutsack explode when she got out of her Oldsmobile in that gorgeous red skimpy bikini.

'Jurassic Park' on the other hand... Nyeeah, miraculous FX and 2 or 3 terrifying, dramatic scenes, but as a movie? Not really a movie at all, in terms of keeping you awake.

Why does Sam Neill look like he's taking a shit on the grass when everyone first sees the Brontosauraus or whatever it was at the beginning? Watch it again and look. When Sam's in the background crouching on the grass as Richard Attenborough is talking, it's as if he's about to do a massive Triceratops Crap!

by **colonel_lugz** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 8:50 am

thats pretty funny

by **goremonger** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 8:56 am

my favorite is Last Crusade, which isn't an option for some reason.

by **burlivesleftnut** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 8:59 am

What ruins Jurassic Park for me is the jack-in-the-box Tyrannusaurus Rex at the end. Everyone is fast on their wait to becoming Raptor food and the the T-Rex just walks in to save the day? Spielberg's inability to end his shit appropriately began with this right here.

by **Cpt Kirks 2pay** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 9:00 am

colonel_lugz wrote:thats pretty funny

It's true. Check it out. It's such a 'WTF?' questionable bit of acting. What were Sam Neill and Steven Spielberg thinking when they shot that?

"Yeah, er, look like you're going to the can. OK, got it. in the can, let's move on people."

How could Steven not see how stupid this looked?

I actually prefer The Lost World over JP. Better atmosphere, more consistency, full of directorial touches, and a great, expansive climax.

Julianne Moore looked great when she took her pants down to go to the crap too. You guys didn't see that bit? Then you don't have a '3D, manipulate the onscreen images, so you can look around the room that the actors are in' state of the art TV screen.

by **colonel_lugz** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 9:13 am

Lost World over JP? you sound like a crazy person.....Lost World has its moments and that dog kennal hanging out of the t-rex's mouth was genius, but it didnt leave me with that sense of awe that the first film did, a=nd though it may be starting to look a little dated it still makes me feel like a kid. it has that majical feel which was missin in the Lost World

by **EliCash** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 9:18 am

yeah, i wanted to put munich in there, but im in australia, and it doesnt come out here for freakin ages, which blows, because im really excited about it. i also figured if i put all of his movies people would just not bother reading the whole list...

i voted for close encounters, although on any given day i might give you an answer anything from jaws to 1941, but i just think close encounters is such a magical story, yet so firmly rooted in human realism, based around the story of richard dreyfuss and his family, not to mention the excitement of the global story (the UN dudes) and also the unspoken connection between everyone that arrives at devil's tower.

if jurassic park is spielberg ending a movie badly, close encounters is spielberg ending a movie perfectly.

by **EliCash** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 9:19 am

i also think empire of the sun is criminally underrated. such a great williams score as well

by **ZombieZoneSolutions** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 9:23 am

A.I. is the most underrated, underappreciated and wildly misunderstood sci-fi film ever made. yes, of course it would have been better if Kubrick did it, but i was quite frankly shocked by how dark, cold, and emotionally bleak A.I. was. i thought it was brilliant. i didn't know Spielberg had it in him...

other than that, wasn't Spielberg the ghost-director on Revenge of the Sith?

by **thomasgaffney** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 9:24 am

Tough one...

My favorite Spielberg film, hands down without a second thought, would be Raiders of the Lost Ark. Easily.

But his best? A difficult choice between Jaws and Close Encounters. I might have to go back and watch both again, I can't pick one over the other yet.....

by **ZombieZoneSolutions** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 9:29 am

yeah, Raiders is his best, but I voted A.I. because nobody else will.

by **EliCash** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 9:31 am

yeah, he directed a lot of the storyboarding on the mustafar sequence. the bit where the thing hanging over the lava falls in with anakin and obi wan? all spielberg.

by **Gentleman** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 9:32 am

Close Encounters.

It's a tough call, though.

As a side note, I always joke about how unusual that film is from a certain point of view: Not only does R. Drayfuss have a subtle "affair" with another woman, he ends up leaving his family behind. How's that for a Spielberg film?

by **EliCash** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 9:33 am

god, isnt anyone going to vote for 1941? a house falls off a cliff, john belushi crashes his plane on hollywood boulevard, general stilwell cries during dumbo, the japanese fire on an industrial structure (a ferris wheel) and john candy plays the most hilarious racist ever. box office failure = failure to recognise genius

by **Cpt Kirks 2pay** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 9:34 am

ZombieZoneSolutions wrote:A.I. is the most underrated, underappreciated and wildly misunderstood sci-fi film ever made. yes, of course it would have been better if Kubrick did it, but i was quite frankly shocked by how dark, cold, and emotionally bleak A.I. was. i thought it was brilliant. i didn't know Spielberg had it in him...

other than that, wasn't Spielberg the ghost-director on Revenge of the Sith?

It's stated that he was involved in stroyboarding a sequence or two at least, but he did direct some of the Obi Wan/Anakin duel.

I take it there's more involvement where that came from.

Too right about AI, though I think it was best that Steven directed it. Kubrick's version might not be as emotionally involving, and without the emotion, the intellectual side just would not have worked.

Can't talk about AI or we'd be here all day. It was emotionally and magically astounding to say the least. Enough there to make you think about it all your life.

In Steven's top 5 or 6. can't believe the lack of Schindler love.

by **EliCash** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 9:35 am

schindler's list is pretty good, but its not as good as the pianist or life is beautiful, which is the best holocaust film.

by **EliCash** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 9:36 am

actually, its excellent, but still not as good

by **ZombieZoneSolutions** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 9:39 am

i gotta go with THE PIANIST as the best holocaust film. if you want it done right, have a guy who was actually there to direct it (Polanski was apparently in a concentration camp as a child...)

SCHINDLERS LIST was great, but i could identify more with Polanski's story...

by **Cpt Kirks 2pay** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 9:40 am

EliCash wrote:yeah, he directed a lot of the storyboarding on the mustafar sequence. the bit where the thing hanging over the lava falls in with anakin and obi wan? all spielberg.

Cool man. Does that mean he just storyboarded these sequences or did he physically direct them?

As for 1941 dude, it would be a great idea to also submit it under the UNDERRATED MOVIES thread. It would get a lot of discussion possibly.

The more I watch and think about it, 1941 is a top film indeed. Full of stupod shit, that shows what a fairground entertainer and nutter of a Director he can be.

I like the stupid bit where there's that big ballroom fight or whatever, and a guy's been pinned down on the table. He looks up to see a toy train coming right for his face, and he screams his head off as it comes right at the camera for him.

A TOY TRAIN!!!!!!!!!!!

Meanwhile I'm voting for Schindler's List and Jaws, as to the day I die, I'll never fully decide on one over the other.

by **ZombieZoneSolutions** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 9:42 am

Cpt Kirks 2pay wrote:Too right about AI, though I think it was best that Steven directed it. Kubrick's version might not be as emotionally involving, and without the emotion, the intellectual side just would not have worked.

yeah, thats what Kubrick thought too, apparently... he basically hand picked Spileberg to direct it. still, Kubrick is my fave director, so, naturally i'd want him to direct...

Cpt Kirks 2pay wrote:Can't talk about AI or we'd be here all day. It was emotionally and magically astounding to say the least. Enough there to make you think about it all your life.

i agree wholeheartedly. i still watch it from time to time when i'm feeling all mopey and emo and want to capitalize on my existential longing...

by **EliCash** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 9:43 am

hahaha, fuck yeah. its priceless, the whole thing.

"this isnt the state of california, this is a state of insanity!"

"jap murderers have been parachuting into the pamona alfalfa fields."

insane, and brilliant.

but yeah, if you wanna know more about spielberg and rots, get the rots dvd, and watch the "within a minute" doco. the bit about pre-vis and storyboarding shows lucas discussing a lot of spielberg's input, referring to him as "our guest director"

by **Gentleman** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 9:46 am

I'm betting the close ups seen in ROTS had something to do with Spielbergo. Haven't seen the DVD yet, so i wouldn't know

by **John-Locke** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 9:48 am

JAWS all the way baby, a perfect film.

PERFECT.

by **wharto** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 9:48 am

Jaws better than Schindlers List???
You people don't deserve eyes.

by **Cpt Kirks 2pay** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 9:53 am

Gentleman wrote:I'm betting the close ups seen in ROTS had something to do with Spielbergo. Haven't seen the DVD yet, so i wouldn't know

Wonder if those C/Us included the brilliant framing on Mustaphaaaaarr (Sidious voice) of Anakin and Obi Wan talking. Where Anakin has his face right up to camera, and his back to Obi Wan, obviously Obi Wan's in the background talking back.

Just wish Spielberg would have broken Lucas' 'Delete' key when it came to editing out all the 'unnecesary' bits of the opening Space Battle.

Just 5 minutes for 1000 ships?!?!?!?

I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!!!!!!!!!

I can't take it anymore, I'm starting a new thread on this.

by **wharto** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 9:55 am

I have to say I really enjoyed ROTS, although I enjoyed TPM and AOTC as well, maybe Spielberg is trying to sabotage Lucas, you see what he did to Battle Droid on TPM documentary??

by **EliCash** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 9:56 am

haha, that was great.

"it'll be great"

"it'll be great"

"yeah, it'll be great"

"oh yeah, its going to be great"

apparently if you keep saying something it comes true...

by **ZombieZoneSolutions** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 9:56 am

EliCash wrote:but yeah, if you wanna know more about spielberg and rots, get the rots dvd, and watch the "within a minute" doco. the bit about pre-vis and storyboarding shows lucas discussing a lot of spielberg's input, referring to him as "our guest director"

yeah, he's very non-specific, though. given how poor TPM and AOTC were, and how unbelieveably supercool and awesom ROTS was, something tells me Lucas got ALOT of outside help on this one. a little Spielberg, a little Coppolla?

the DVD hints at this with Spielberg, but thats it. neither of them are in the credits...

by **John-Locke** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 10:00 am

wharto wrote:Jaws better than Schindlers List???
You people don't deserve eyes.

Schlinders Lists is a damn good film, it's a very important film in the grand scheme of things but really it's not very enjoyable, if I was born in 1990 instead of 80 I doubt very much I would have become as obsessed about it as I was with Jaws, which I watched dozens of times a year in my youth.

Jaws is PERFECT, there isn't a dull moment & it's still one of the greatest horror films ever made, the cinematography is exqusite, it has a great pace, the acting is top notch, the gore is fantastic, I LOVE THIS MOVIE.

Personally I prefer The Pianist to Schlinders List but from what I hear "The Gray Zone" is the best Holocaust movie out there, although with films like that it's more about the message not the entertainment value.

by **colonel_lugz** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 10:03 am

have you guys seen the South Park episode 'Free Hat'? i think that sums up the spielberg-lucas relation ship very well indeed

"what are you doing george?"

"Lucas!!, come!"

by **wharto** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 10:03 am

I preferred Schindlers List to The Pianist, after reading the book I feel that the movie to that is very very poor, also I went to watch Schindlers List as part of my GSCE history class, it managed to keep fifty fifteen year olds quiet for the best part of three hours and moved more than a few to tears.
I never got the whole Jaws thing, maybe I need to watch it again this time as an adult.

by **minstrel** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 7:01 pm

I vote for Jaws. It's probably the most focused and successful (in the artistic sense) of Spielberg's films (at least, the major ones). I like Raiders, and Jurassic Park until the end (which totally sucks), Schindler's List but I haven't seen it in a while, but not much else of Spielberg. Jaws, however, is a masterpiece. Spielberg's first masterpiece, and perhaps his only masterpiece.

And AI doesn't suck. It's a huge, horrible mistake, but it doesn't suck. It's just WRONG from the premise on up.

by **wonkabar** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 7:29 pm

EMPIRE OF THE SUN

How's it going "Gentleman"? *snickers*

by **You Know My Name** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 7:32 pm

1941 hands down.

by **wonkabar** on Tue Dec 13, 2005 7:35 pm

HARYWOOOD!

The Zone

Least Worst Spielberg Film

The best Spielberg film of all?

Least Worst Spielberg Film

Who is online