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From: shiue@h-sc1.UUCP (steve shiue)
Newsgroups: net.movies
Subject: Re: Re: Recent Previews (The Cult of the Spielberg)
Message-ID: <642@h-sc1.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 26-Oct-85 15:35:26 EST
Article-I.D.: h-sc1.642
Posted: Sat Oct 26 15:35:26 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 27-Oct-85 07:34:17 EST
References: <7233@ucla-cs.ARPA>
Organization: Harvard Univ. Science Center
Lines: 63
Keywords: Spleen

> 
> YOUNG SHERLOCK HOLMES
> 
> Executive Director Steven Spielberg.  Ah, finally a good one, typical fare
> from the Spielberg mill...  
> ...I can't honestly say
> thus is Spielberg's best effort overall (hard to know how much he really had
> to do with it) but it will certainly add to his growing legend. 

	I suppose that Spielberg is quite busy, being a
mogul and general Hollywood deity these days, and finds it
hard to find time to direct anymore, but I find it a bit
annoying that he is named producer or Executive Director on
so many films - this is a rather gutless ploy.  The way it
works is that if the picture is Bomb City like The Goonies,
then Spielberg doesn't take the rap.  If, however, the
picture is a smash that all the critics like, like Back to
the Future, then "Spielberg - he's a genius!" It all reminds
me of the cult of Leopold Stokowski the conductor that used
to exist (see the Bugs Bunny cartoon "Long-haired Hare",
where Bugs dresses up like Stokowski and all the musicians
in the orchestra pit whisper with hushed reverence,
"Leopold... Leopold!").
	I also find it annoying that ever since "E.T.",
Spielberg has been exclusively identified with
children-fluff-sentimental movies - the god of
nouveau-Disney.  People seem to have forgotten entirely that
this is the man who created "Jaws", in which kids got
MUNCHED, not carried into the stars by benevolent
child/aliens.  Being of a somewhat perverse mind-set, I prefer "Jaws"
to the later films (though I like most of them - it's just
the Cult of the Spielberg that irks me).  When people think
of Spielberg now, the first thing that comes to mind is
the preview image of
flashing, brilliant light through a window (aliens?
poltergeists? who knows - refer to previews for Close
Encounters, E.T., Poltergeist, etc.), the wind, blowing the curtains,
and the actor shouting and looking intense.  That was what bugged me so
much about the "Amazing Stories" teaser that was aired all
over NBC shortly before the show's debut - the kid jumping
up and down and shouting,
"It's COMING! IT'S COMING!" while the brilliant light
flashes outside the window.  Where have I seen that image
before, Steven?  The whole thing has become such a painful
cliche.
	But enough spleen and Spielberg-bashing.  If I were
the director of "E.T." and "Close Encounters" and hooked up
to biggest gravy train in the history of the universe, it is
likely that I too would get into the "executive
producer/director" racket damn quick.  Just the same as if I
were the author of #1 bestsellers that number in the double
digits, I would start publishing books every six months
regardless whether they were new or old manuscripts or under
a pseudonym or whatever, and allow the quality of my writing
to go all to hell (and don't get me wrong - I LOVE Stephen
King.  It's just that he must laugh so damn HARD every time
he looks at his bank statement).  So, being poor, moral
superiority and the rest come easy.

			-Steve Shiue

"Great stunt, Daffy! They loved you!"
"I know, I know.  But I can only do it once."