Steven Spielberg cover art

Steven Spielberg

A Life in Films

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About this listen

"Everything about me is in my films," Steven Spielberg has said. Taking this as a key to understanding the hugely successful moviemaker, Molly Haskell explores the full range of Spielberg's works for the light they shine upon the man himself. Through such powerhouse hits as Close Encounters of the Third Kind, E.T., Jurassic Park, and Indiana Jones, to less-appreciated movies like Empire of the Sun, to the haunting Schindler's List, Haskell shows how Spielberg's uniquely evocative filmmaking and story-telling reveal the many ways in which his life, work, and times are entwined.

Organizing chapters around specific films, the distinguished critic discusses how Spielberg's childhood in non-Jewish suburbs, his parents' traumatic divorce, his return to Judaism upon his son's birth, and other events echo in his work. She offers a brilliant portrait of the extraordinary director-a small, unhappy boy living through his imagination who grew into a man whose openness, generosity of spirit, and creativity have enchanted audiences for more than 40 years.

©2017 Molly Haskell (P)2017 Tantor Entertainment & Celebrities Entertainment & Performing Arts Film & TV History & Criticism Celebrity Entertainment Judaism

Critic reviews

"This is a wonderful book, at once personal and critical, eloquent and vivacious." (Morris Dickstein, author of Dancing in the Dark)
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An enjoyable listen. I was left with the feeling their was more to hear. Unfortunately, the film The Post is not featured which has hecome a favourite of mine and subject to maney reruns..I found it an enjoyable and interesting listen

The unmasking of a .movie maker

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.....married to a movie lover, I am a bit fussy about what I watch and not good with fiction such as the Indiana Jones type movies but am interested in the making of movies. I learned more about the themes/plots of the movies and enjoyed the back stories regarding the logistics. I agree, the ending was a bit....sudden and open-ended.

Enlightening and informative

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I've been lecturing film for over a decade and I've written two dissertations about Spielberg. This book is so far removed from reality it's insulting. It reads like Haskell is bitter that Spielberg ended the new Hollywood era and has never got over it. She makes unsubstantiated pseudo-intellectual claims and reads psycho analysis that is so wide of the mark that I actually found myself judging her credentials as a feminist.
I'm just glad this book was free on audible because if I'd paid money for it I'd be furious.

Uninformed and almost Hateful at times

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Many will enjoy this, but it feels very disconnected from the subject with few real insights and much speculation. Probably suffered by me listening to it after 50 years of Hollywood, so much better because it was all direct quotes and you felt that was 25hrs of genuine insights. Sorry to the author. Wait for a proper autobiography or at least something with direct subject insights.

Opinion and few insights

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I’m 20 minutes in and Perrin’s voice is eroding my brain. Is she a robot?

Painful audio!

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