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Steven Spielberg: A Biography
Until the first edition of Steven A Biography was published in 1997, much about Spielberg's personality and the forces that shaped it had remained enigmatic, in large part because of his tendency to obscure and mythologize his own past. But in this first full-scale, in-depth biography of Spielberg, Joseph McBride reveals hidden dimensions of the filmmaker's personality and shows how deeply personal even his most commercial work has been.
This new edition adds four chapters to Spielberg's life story, chronicling his extraordinarily active and creative period from 1997 to the present, a period in which he has balanced his executive duties as one of the partners in the film studio DreamWorks SKG with a remarkable string of films as a director. Spielberg's ambitious recent work--including Amistad , Saving Private Ryan , A. I. Artifucial Intelligence , Minority Report , The Terminal and Munich --has continually expanded his range both stylistically and in terms of adventurous, often controversial, subject matter.
Steven A Biography brought about a reevaluation of the great filmmaker's life and work by those who viewed him as merely a facile entertainer. This new edition guides readers through the mature artistry of Spielberg's later period in which he manages, against considerable odds, to run a successful studio while maintaining and enlarging his high artistic standards as one of America's most thoughtful, sophisticated, and popular filmmakers.
This new edition adds four chapters to Spielberg's life story, chronicling his extraordinarily active and creative period from 1997 to the present, a period in which he has balanced his executive duties as one of the partners in the film studio DreamWorks SKG with a remarkable string of films as a director. Spielberg's ambitious recent work--including Amistad , Saving Private Ryan , A. I. Artifucial Intelligence , Minority Report , The Terminal and Munich --has continually expanded his range both stylistically and in terms of adventurous, often controversial, subject matter.
Steven A Biography brought about a reevaluation of the great filmmaker's life and work by those who viewed him as merely a facile entertainer. This new edition guides readers through the mature artistry of Spielberg's later period in which he manages, against considerable odds, to run a successful studio while maintaining and enlarging his high artistic standards as one of America's most thoughtful, sophisticated, and popular filmmakers.
640 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
May 21, 2022
"[With a movie camera] I discovered what a tool and a weapon, what an instrument of self-inspection and self-expression it is . . . I had learned that film was power." -- Steven Spielberg, regarding his first movie-making efforts as a teenager, on page 101
If author McBride's Steven Spielberg: A Biography has a drawback it's that the biography's publication date is 1997 - which coincided with Spielberg's 50th birthday - and so it sort of treats the director as being more popularly known for crowd-pleasing popcorn-ish fare like Jaws, E.T., Jurassic Park and the (at that time) Indiana Jones trilogy. The book concludes with the success of the Oscar-winning Schindler's List as the probable cinematic gateway into more respected, 'grown-up' work. So we're missing out on his last twenty-fives worth of critically-acclaimed films - such as Saving Private Ryan, Amistad, Munich, and Lincoln - but otherwise this was still a very good book, especially with detailed look at his childhood / young adult years in New Jersey and Arizona, and how various experiences shaped his eventual work. But I have to subtract a star from the rating for the author's obvious and sometimes odd distaste for the aforementioned Indiana Jones trilogy - although Temple of Doom is certainly not one of my favorite flicks - because I'd argue that both Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade could now be considered classic adventure films that have stood the test of time.
If author McBride's Steven Spielberg: A Biography has a drawback it's that the biography's publication date is 1997 - which coincided with Spielberg's 50th birthday - and so it sort of treats the director as being more popularly known for crowd-pleasing popcorn-ish fare like Jaws, E.T., Jurassic Park and the (at that time) Indiana Jones trilogy. The book concludes with the success of the Oscar-winning Schindler's List as the probable cinematic gateway into more respected, 'grown-up' work. So we're missing out on his last twenty-fives worth of critically-acclaimed films - such as Saving Private Ryan, Amistad, Munich, and Lincoln - but otherwise this was still a very good book, especially with detailed look at his childhood / young adult years in New Jersey and Arizona, and how various experiences shaped his eventual work. But I have to subtract a star from the rating for the author's obvious and sometimes odd distaste for the aforementioned Indiana Jones trilogy - although Temple of Doom is certainly not one of my favorite flicks - because I'd argue that both Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade could now be considered classic adventure films that have stood the test of time.
January 4, 2023
In Steven Spielberg: A Biography, Joseph McBride argues -- quite justifiably -- that Steven Spielberg is much more than a mere blockbuster merchant, but a great popular artist whose body of work reflects his own history and deep-rooted anxieties. Basically, he's as much of an artist as a Truffaut or Kubrick (both of whom feature prominently in chapters of McBride's book). McBride's is a perspective I have a lot of sympathy with, so of course I ate the book up, even if I have problems with the way McBride imposes his own taste on his study of Spielberg's work. Calling "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and "Poltergeist" soulless is one thing, but let's not knock "Jurassic Park" down just because you've chosen to end the book (at least in the original edition) with "Schindler's List" and wish to frame Spielberg's entry into 'grown-up' territory as some sort of apotheosis! And maybe don't quote Claude Lanzmann and Art Spiegelman's dissenting takes on "Schindler's List" if your defence is going to be comparatively limp. Dismissing Spielberg's harshest critics as "the self-styled intellectual elite" is pretty weak too. But I digress... this is supposed to be a positive review, after all. If you want to learn about Spielberg's journey from a prodigious director of shorts to Hollywood super-director, this remains the go-to book, full of fascinating stories about the production of "Duel", "Jaws", "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial", etc. And even though Spielberg refused to cooperate with McBride in his research, you do get a good sense of who Spielberg the person is.
November 5, 2014
So much more than a mere biography, this monstrous book is an encyclopedia Spielberg, a gossip column, an intelligent academic study, and so much more.
Full disclosure: I am a lifelong fan of the director and have four of his films in my all-time top 20; “Empire of the Sun”, “A.I.”, “E.T.” and “Close Encounters”. So this is a book made for someone like me. But truly, there is treasure trove of behind the scenes information here. I read everything I could get my hands on Spielberg related growing up and just about all of it is quoted from or referenced in here somewhere. The amount of research that went into this epic biography is staggering.
The personal lives of the artists and stars do not interest me past a certain point. For me it is about the work, the art. So admittedly I could have done without some of the gossipy stuff. But the author does a good job of tying everything into his analysis. The author is a former critic for Variety, and while I have my disagreements with some of his critiques, (he dismisses “Poltergeist” and despises “The Temple of Doom”, two of my favorites), most of what he writes is highly intelligent, well thought out, astute, insightful analysis. And at last, here is someone who finally gives “A.I.” its proper due and recognizes it as the haunting, achingly sad, beautiful masterpiece it is.
Bottom line: Like so many of the Bearded One’s films, this book is a masterpiece!
Full disclosure: I am a lifelong fan of the director and have four of his films in my all-time top 20; “Empire of the Sun”, “A.I.”, “E.T.” and “Close Encounters”. So this is a book made for someone like me. But truly, there is treasure trove of behind the scenes information here. I read everything I could get my hands on Spielberg related growing up and just about all of it is quoted from or referenced in here somewhere. The amount of research that went into this epic biography is staggering.
The personal lives of the artists and stars do not interest me past a certain point. For me it is about the work, the art. So admittedly I could have done without some of the gossipy stuff. But the author does a good job of tying everything into his analysis. The author is a former critic for Variety, and while I have my disagreements with some of his critiques, (he dismisses “Poltergeist” and despises “The Temple of Doom”, two of my favorites), most of what he writes is highly intelligent, well thought out, astute, insightful analysis. And at last, here is someone who finally gives “A.I.” its proper due and recognizes it as the haunting, achingly sad, beautiful masterpiece it is.
Bottom line: Like so many of the Bearded One’s films, this book is a masterpiece!
April 14, 2022
What I want a from a directors biography. Interviews from friends, co workers and family, reviews of the time, and reflection of the work through modern lenses
Anyways a great read and made me appreciate Spielberg more
Anyways a great read and made me appreciate Spielberg more
July 3, 2014
Very well researched. Almost too much. Do we need to know when, exactly, Max Spielberg was conceived?
August 7, 2025
Though well-researched terrible and biased
The author did a ton of research and was able to give great research on Spielberg and his family history. He didn’t seem to like his films at all and spent the chapters quoting articles and reviews to prove his point. In the acknowledgments when the author admitted to dating Spielberg’s sister and using (with permission Amy Irving’s name to market (I.e. sell) a screenplay, that shows that ethically he shouldn’t have written this biography. He’s too biased.
I’d give it zero stars if I could
The author did a ton of research and was able to give great research on Spielberg and his family history. He didn’t seem to like his films at all and spent the chapters quoting articles and reviews to prove his point. In the acknowledgments when the author admitted to dating Spielberg’s sister and using (with permission Amy Irving’s name to market (I.e. sell) a screenplay, that shows that ethically he shouldn’t have written this biography. He’s too biased.
I’d give it zero stars if I could
August 12, 2018
Steven Spielberg: A Biography is the perfect source for learning about Steven Spielberg, acclaimed director of classics such as Jaws, Close Encounters Of The Third Kind, and E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial. It doesn’t go on for too long and ends perfectly. You can tell that Joseph McBride really did a lot of research in order to find out about this director. I would highly recommend it. Now it’s off to Stanley Kubrick’s Biography!
Read
September 3, 2020audiobook. a lot to unpack lol
December 3, 2018
Published in 1997, this is a thorough (and hefty, at 528 pages in total, including various notes etc) and well written biography that follows Spielberg closely from precocious child genius to huge entertainment phenomenon. Focussing heavily on his youth (and striving to make a connection with his outsider status in relation to his later direction of “Schindlers List”), this really came alive for me when Spielberg reached Hollywood, with the period up to “1941” told in great depth. Beyond that, the writer had middling feelings about the films (didn’t like “Raiders” or “Temple Of Doom” at all) and so some are addressed really briefly while his marriages - first to Amy Irving, then to Kate Capshaw - aren’t really examined in much detail at all (especially the latter). Other than those niggles, this is very readable, well presented and thoroughly researched, a great introduction to the director (there are other editions, bringing his story further up to date) and I’d very much recommend it.
December 11, 2021
Exhaustively researched, and exhaustive to read
WHoooo Boy, does this book go on and on. I wanted to give up and quit so many times.
You could have cut this book in half and it would have been a shade over just right.
I love all the stuff about the movies and what went into them, especially the creative choices. But man oh man do you have to slog through a lot of tabloid he said she said to get to the next one. Just getting to the first home movie you have slog through the painfully complete history of every recorded ancestor of Mr. Spielberg this author could unearth. Equally painful to read were the numerous accounts of young Steven's cruel and violent behavior toward girls in his family and neighborhood.
This book has everything in it, even if I only wanted a quarter of whats here.
WHoooo Boy, does this book go on and on. I wanted to give up and quit so many times.
You could have cut this book in half and it would have been a shade over just right.
I love all the stuff about the movies and what went into them, especially the creative choices. But man oh man do you have to slog through a lot of tabloid he said she said to get to the next one. Just getting to the first home movie you have slog through the painfully complete history of every recorded ancestor of Mr. Spielberg this author could unearth. Equally painful to read were the numerous accounts of young Steven's cruel and violent behavior toward girls in his family and neighborhood.
This book has everything in it, even if I only wanted a quarter of whats here.
January 17, 2025
This book is certainly an impressive scholarly work - well researched, reasonably well referenced, and when there is analysis offered, it is thorough and insightful. Unfortunately, the analysis haphazard, seemingly picking pictures at random. What possessed him to give devote more pages to 1941 than all the Indiana Jones movies combined? Does 1941 really offer more insight into his personality than the father-figure analogies of Last Crusade? Further, he has a tendency to focus too much on the story of the movie - presumably most people reading this book have seen these movies and can draw their own conclusions about the story itself. We'd rather hear about how and why they were made. For my tastes, more facts and less analysis would make a more balanced book.
The first half of the book is very good, because the author takes his time explaining family connections, his amateur films, etc. It is a little repetitive (how often does McBride feel he has to tell us that Spielberg felt like an outsider growing up?), but the detail and narrative flow are good, telling us a lot about the man behind the movies. Especially interesting is the information on Spielberg's TV work. Unfortunately, the second half of the book rapidly degenerates into a shallow overview of things we already know about Spielberg, and is very disappointing. It's almost like McBride had a page limit, and after spending so much time on S's childhood, he had to rush through the remaining material, save for sections on Schindler's List and Colour Purple (both deserving movies, of course). Even Jurassic Park is little more than a sideshow. Further, McBride weirdly denigrates Crichton's novel, but Peter Benchley's Jaws seems to avoid this fate - why attack Crichton's story and only his story, even if you feel Jaws the movie is superior to Jurassic Park (which I would agree with), Benchley's novel is not any more "literature" than Chrichton's (and no more realistic!). Another example: Raiders of the Lost ark is racist and "a soulless and impersonal film" while Last Crusade as "a graceful piece of popular filmaking...gratifyingly free of racist overtones that blighted the two previous films." Huh? Has McBride actually watched these three movies? Are the Arabs in Last Crusade as stereotyped as those in Raiders? If that's the case, isn't Elsa's betrayal in the Last Crusade misogynist compared to Raiders' heroic portrayal of an independent woman?
At any rate, this is an important work, recommended for anyone that wants to learn more about the early life and works of Spielberg. But I would suggest the last 5 chapters may not be worth your time.
The first half of the book is very good, because the author takes his time explaining family connections, his amateur films, etc. It is a little repetitive (how often does McBride feel he has to tell us that Spielberg felt like an outsider growing up?), but the detail and narrative flow are good, telling us a lot about the man behind the movies. Especially interesting is the information on Spielberg's TV work. Unfortunately, the second half of the book rapidly degenerates into a shallow overview of things we already know about Spielberg, and is very disappointing. It's almost like McBride had a page limit, and after spending so much time on S's childhood, he had to rush through the remaining material, save for sections on Schindler's List and Colour Purple (both deserving movies, of course). Even Jurassic Park is little more than a sideshow. Further, McBride weirdly denigrates Crichton's novel, but Peter Benchley's Jaws seems to avoid this fate - why attack Crichton's story and only his story, even if you feel Jaws the movie is superior to Jurassic Park (which I would agree with), Benchley's novel is not any more "literature" than Chrichton's (and no more realistic!). Another example: Raiders of the Lost ark is racist and "a soulless and impersonal film" while Last Crusade as "a graceful piece of popular filmaking...gratifyingly free of racist overtones that blighted the two previous films." Huh? Has McBride actually watched these three movies? Are the Arabs in Last Crusade as stereotyped as those in Raiders? If that's the case, isn't Elsa's betrayal in the Last Crusade misogynist compared to Raiders' heroic portrayal of an independent woman?
At any rate, this is an important work, recommended for anyone that wants to learn more about the early life and works of Spielberg. But I would suggest the last 5 chapters may not be worth your time.
August 15, 2019
There are lots of information listed here which I didn't know about Steven Spielberg. For one, I didn't know his family background was Jewish. They fled to America during the war. Then, he once lived in Phoenix, Arizona while growing up. I was even surprised that he stayed in Valley of the Sun. If I knew, I would have took a closer at that place to feel what it was like during his time when I was in and out of Arizona several time. From this book, I learn that Steven got his first camera from his father. To say his father didn't love him would be an understatement. Unlike many father's who don't really care much for their child back in those days, his father was always concern about his education. However, what Steven wanted to do was to make film. His father was more practical in making him get an education. Like all the biographies I have read, even Steven Spielberg have his share of hard stories in order to get to where he is from today. So who could blame him even if he show a bit of stuck up attitude. It wasn't easy for him even though he is talented. People were afraid of him outshine them that is why in those days very hard to built that dream if you do not have connections at all. Just talent alone is just not enough.
I didn't quite enjoy reading this. Too much details about how flim movie was done and not what I was looking for in a biography book. A bit dry.
I didn't quite enjoy reading this. Too much details about how flim movie was done and not what I was looking for in a biography book. A bit dry.
May 8, 2022
Have been reading this for the better part of the year, and finally just decided to power through the home stretch this weekend. This is a pretty fascinating overview of Spielberg's career, and McBride's insight proves invaluable - even when I disagree with his takes on certain films (War of the Worlds is a masterpiece!), or wonder why he's belaboring the point of "Spielberg's actual age" so much in the early going.
Also worth noting - unless it's since been updated - this only follows him up to about 2010, when Tintin and War Horse were just going into production, so it's obviously somewhat incomplete by now. Still, Spielberg's approach to his career is one from which I derive a preponderance of enthusiasm for my own, so that's always nice. Good to re-charge the batteries every once in a while.
Also worth noting - unless it's since been updated - this only follows him up to about 2010, when Tintin and War Horse were just going into production, so it's obviously somewhat incomplete by now. Still, Spielberg's approach to his career is one from which I derive a preponderance of enthusiasm for my own, so that's always nice. Good to re-charge the batteries every once in a while.
August 18, 2023
Every time I read a bio, I worry that the early childhood years will be dull. I thought that would be mitigated if not solved since The Fablemans would help carry me through. But this early section of this book is endless, nearly insufferable and took longer than ANY other bio I have ever read. I wondered if this thing was just gonna be about Spielberg’s childhood. When the author finally finally finally gets the merciful fuck on with it, this is a terrifically informative and insightful look at the world’s most famous filmmaker. The author calls out the flaws in the work, which was refreshing even if I didn’t always agree. This is a second edition but only goes up to about 2010 but obviously no bio is complete with the subject both still living and working. If you’re not the insane completist I am, jump in a little late and enjoy. Otherwise, pack a fucking lunch.
April 20, 2024
Illuminating, readable biography of Spielberg sometimes lapses into pop psychology (okay, he's got daddy issues, but maybe that doesn't explain every artistic choice he's ever made). Also makes it seem as though Spielberg's whole career before 1993 was just a warmup for Schindler's List. Jaws, anyone? Raiders?
Anyway, still worth a read for the behind-the-scenes details and extensive interviews with his collaborators. You come away still liking the subject, which is more than you can say for some Hollywood biographies.
Anyway, still worth a read for the behind-the-scenes details and extensive interviews with his collaborators. You come away still liking the subject, which is more than you can say for some Hollywood biographies.
December 20, 2018
I thought this book was great, it goes in depth about Steven's life, him overcoming things, and his first films. I also like how it talks about the origin of some of his most famous movies, like Jurassic Park, King Kong, and Jaws. This book is really good at describing how he did it, where he did it, and why he did it. Which makes the story even better to read. I definitely recommend this to anyone who is fan.
June 30, 2024
Ig its a decent textbook? I was forced to get it for a media studies class. Only thing I did enjoy was that it atleast had some pictures to make this hefty book somewhat interesting. Other than that, it was dry.
Honestly, my personal bias is: I can't stand the guy in general & sure, he was influential at his prime, but how can he just seem so bland despite being good at his craft?
Overall, there's better biographies & textbooks to use for cinematic studies.
Honestly, my personal bias is: I can't stand the guy in general & sure, he was influential at his prime, but how can he just seem so bland despite being good at his craft?
Overall, there's better biographies & textbooks to use for cinematic studies.
May 2, 2019
Fascinating book with some much background details. The comments about Goonies (1985) and Young Sherlock Holmes (1985) are slightly off, since both are classics. Young Sherlock Holmes (1985) is a proto-Harry Potter movie.
April 29, 2022
Enjoyed this in audio. It reminded me of Stuart Wood's Son of Stone (Book 2`1) which had Stone's son, Peter, as a young genius in the movie industry. It was fun going along with Spielberg to see how he got into the industry.
July 12, 2026
A good reminder that these kinds of books are slaves to their historical context, this takes it as a given that Schindler's List is the apotheosis of Spielberg's career and every previous film is judged in relation to it, whether or not they built to it.
June 30, 2017
easy read, and pretty interesting on how he got so famous in the early days of film making.
April 2, 2018
A great biography on Spielberg. Dives into the films, but also into the personal life. Joseph McBride doesn't shy away from the flaws, so you get a full picture of Spielberg.
April 25, 2018
This was so dry, I’m dehydrated. I wouldn’t say it’s entirely the authors fault. Steve is the most successful AND the most boring guy at the same time somehow.
January 6, 2022
Love many of his movies. Was a good in depth on his life and career and how he was able to make some very iconic movies and make a big name in Hollywood for himself.
April 24, 2025
7.5/10⭐️
Joseph McBride’s comprehensive biography on Steven Spielberg was very informative and gave me somewhat of a better idea of the man. McBride takes many different sources for his research and gives a lot of great detail.
In fact, the book is written almost like a textbook, and—especially at the beginning—can be very dull. It doesn’t help if you’re listening to the audiobook which is horribly narrated. He sounds like the rabbi from Seinfeld.
It starts to pick up and be more interesting when it talks about his childhood and more from the beginning of his career up to his co-creating of DreamWorks.
If you’re looking for a comprehensive guide to Spielberg’s life, this is the one for you. Well worth the time.
Joseph McBride’s comprehensive biography on Steven Spielberg was very informative and gave me somewhat of a better idea of the man. McBride takes many different sources for his research and gives a lot of great detail.
In fact, the book is written almost like a textbook, and—especially at the beginning—can be very dull. It doesn’t help if you’re listening to the audiobook which is horribly narrated. He sounds like the rabbi from Seinfeld.
It starts to pick up and be more interesting when it talks about his childhood and more from the beginning of his career up to his co-creating of DreamWorks.
If you’re looking for a comprehensive guide to Spielberg’s life, this is the one for you. Well worth the time.
June 23, 2021
I really loved reading this book. It's been quite the emotional journey for me as I frequently fall in love with my protagonists. Since my lover is a real person this time, I found myself really becoming immersed into his history. I now realize that while I thought I was a "Spielberg fan," I am about as good of a Spielberg fan as Phil Tippett is a dinosaur supervisor.
My first Spielberg movie was "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" when I was 12. I also remember going to the theater to see "Raiders of the Lost Arc", "ET", "Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom", "Schindler's List", "Saving Private Ryan" (I think), and "Lincoln". I've also seen "Jaws" on a big screen at the beach (more than once). I'm pretty sure every other Spielberg movie that I've seen has been on some sort of TV screen including "Duel", all of the Jurassic movies, "AI" (sometimes referred to as my favorite movie), "Always", "Hook" and "Minority Report".
Interestingly, I never knew that "Duel" which I saw as a very young child, and have remained so traumatized by, that I didn't get my driver's license until I was 23, and which I continue to use as my excuse for the way I drive on road trips, was a Spielberg film.
So, because there were so many films that I hadn't seen, I bought all of the DVDs (including some TV shows and movies). I also began watching the many interviews and speeches he's given, which are now available on YouTube. I've purchased many of the vintage copies of magazines featuring Steven's many adventures and other references such as Carl Gottlieb's "The Jaws Log." Steven Spielberg has become my COVID project.
Of the movies that I've finally watched on DVD, (I can't tell you how hard I cried when I realized that I may never be able to see these movies in the theater), I am absolutely IN LOVE with "The Color Purple", "The Sugarland Express", and "1941". "Empire of the Sun" is growing on me (I've only watched it once), and I still have to watch everything since 2005 (except Lincoln).
I've really changed the way I think about movies, in that, I now try to pick up on all of these nuances in lighting, and camera angles, and expressions, and gestures that I never fully appreciated before. However, that pressure becomes kind of overwhelming at times, and I sometimes find myself afraid to watch them AT ALL. I am always hoping to be in "just the right mood" to digest the emotional content, and alert enough to notice all of the subtle transitions, and perceptive enough to take in all of the grand cinematography; but I am hardly ever in THAT mood! I have finally realized that I won't ever fully understand a movie in one viewing. Even a "light" movie will probably require at least ten viewings if I want to really experience it. So now I've given myself permission to just watch a film for the first time, and enjoy what I enjoy, with no pressure on myself. But, I also know that 2 through 5 are going to wreck me, but then after 6 through 10, I'll finally understand the film pretty well, until I come to understand that I don't.
When the week of June 29, 2021, rolled around, I hoped the movie "AI" would be in theaters for the 20th anniversary. It wasn't. I cried. I hope that I can see Schindler's list in a theater on or around November 30, 2023. Beyond that, I fear to desire anything more because the only thing that will fulfill my dream will be the thing that haunts my nightmares.
I am so happy to have read this book and to have been encouraged to seek out even more understanding beyond this book. I love empathizing with young Steven: that lonely, imaginative dreamer, yearning for acceptance and belonging. I love being inspired by apprentice Steven: that confident, creative storyteller, reaching out and grabbing his dreams. I love being in awe of virtuoso Steven: that Master, actualized artist, re-creating the industry in his own image.
Joseph McBride did an excellent job stimulating my enthusiasm, delighting my curiosities, and elevating my spirit. A+
Addendum: After reading this book, I longed for Steven to make his life story into a movie. The movie in my mind was largely based on this book. Last year, when "The Fableman's" came out, Joseph McBride was proven to have done a fantastic job on this biography. I even felt certain after reading this account that Arnold and Leah's divorce was due to an affair that Leah had with "family friend" Bernie. In interviews, Steven pretends that he has kept this a secret, and yet McBride let this out many years ago.
We may never know for know the answers to the recurrent questions posed by McBride: Did Steven live in Scottsdale or Phoenix, and did he lie about it? Did Steven used to lie about his age and why?. Finally, we may never be sure if Denis C. Hoffman screwed Steven over or vice versa. I hope that Joseph has come to peace with these mysteries. LOL.
My first Spielberg movie was "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" when I was 12. I also remember going to the theater to see "Raiders of the Lost Arc", "ET", "Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom", "Schindler's List", "Saving Private Ryan" (I think), and "Lincoln". I've also seen "Jaws" on a big screen at the beach (more than once). I'm pretty sure every other Spielberg movie that I've seen has been on some sort of TV screen including "Duel", all of the Jurassic movies, "AI" (sometimes referred to as my favorite movie), "Always", "Hook" and "Minority Report".
Interestingly, I never knew that "Duel" which I saw as a very young child, and have remained so traumatized by, that I didn't get my driver's license until I was 23, and which I continue to use as my excuse for the way I drive on road trips, was a Spielberg film.
So, because there were so many films that I hadn't seen, I bought all of the DVDs (including some TV shows and movies). I also began watching the many interviews and speeches he's given, which are now available on YouTube. I've purchased many of the vintage copies of magazines featuring Steven's many adventures and other references such as Carl Gottlieb's "The Jaws Log." Steven Spielberg has become my COVID project.
Of the movies that I've finally watched on DVD, (I can't tell you how hard I cried when I realized that I may never be able to see these movies in the theater), I am absolutely IN LOVE with "The Color Purple", "The Sugarland Express", and "1941". "Empire of the Sun" is growing on me (I've only watched it once), and I still have to watch everything since 2005 (except Lincoln).
I've really changed the way I think about movies, in that, I now try to pick up on all of these nuances in lighting, and camera angles, and expressions, and gestures that I never fully appreciated before. However, that pressure becomes kind of overwhelming at times, and I sometimes find myself afraid to watch them AT ALL. I am always hoping to be in "just the right mood" to digest the emotional content, and alert enough to notice all of the subtle transitions, and perceptive enough to take in all of the grand cinematography; but I am hardly ever in THAT mood! I have finally realized that I won't ever fully understand a movie in one viewing. Even a "light" movie will probably require at least ten viewings if I want to really experience it. So now I've given myself permission to just watch a film for the first time, and enjoy what I enjoy, with no pressure on myself. But, I also know that 2 through 5 are going to wreck me, but then after 6 through 10, I'll finally understand the film pretty well, until I come to understand that I don't.
When the week of June 29, 2021, rolled around, I hoped the movie "AI" would be in theaters for the 20th anniversary. It wasn't. I cried. I hope that I can see Schindler's list in a theater on or around November 30, 2023. Beyond that, I fear to desire anything more because the only thing that will fulfill my dream will be the thing that haunts my nightmares.
I am so happy to have read this book and to have been encouraged to seek out even more understanding beyond this book. I love empathizing with young Steven: that lonely, imaginative dreamer, yearning for acceptance and belonging. I love being inspired by apprentice Steven: that confident, creative storyteller, reaching out and grabbing his dreams. I love being in awe of virtuoso Steven: that Master, actualized artist, re-creating the industry in his own image.
Joseph McBride did an excellent job stimulating my enthusiasm, delighting my curiosities, and elevating my spirit. A+
Addendum: After reading this book, I longed for Steven to make his life story into a movie. The movie in my mind was largely based on this book. Last year, when "The Fableman's" came out, Joseph McBride was proven to have done a fantastic job on this biography. I even felt certain after reading this account that Arnold and Leah's divorce was due to an affair that Leah had with "family friend" Bernie. In interviews, Steven pretends that he has kept this a secret, and yet McBride let this out many years ago.
We may never know for know the answers to the recurrent questions posed by McBride: Did Steven live in Scottsdale or Phoenix, and did he lie about it? Did Steven used to lie about his age and why?. Finally, we may never be sure if Denis C. Hoffman screwed Steven over or vice versa. I hope that Joseph has come to peace with these mysteries. LOL.
January 12, 2023
I enjoyed reading this book very much. Mr. McBride seems to have researched very thoroughly and helped me to understand Steven Spielberg's genius much better. Sometimes he goes into too much detail (finance and business) which does not interest me that much (hence not five stars).
McBride's analyses of Spielberg's films are fair and well-reasoned. I have to agree fully in most cases. I wasn't aware of the somewhat artificial distinction between entertainment and art in cinema. In my opinion Spielberg is a master of mixing the two elements in a way that is perfect for the screenplay in question. And Mr. McBride is a master of portraying such a genius!
McBride's analyses of Spielberg's films are fair and well-reasoned. I have to agree fully in most cases. I wasn't aware of the somewhat artificial distinction between entertainment and art in cinema. In my opinion Spielberg is a master of mixing the two elements in a way that is perfect for the screenplay in question. And Mr. McBride is a master of portraying such a genius!
July 2, 2012
Quite good, really informative and is not all one sided exactly. By that I mean we get an interesting perspective (this is writing from 2026) on the anti-Semitic actions taken on Steven that were later dramatized in his film The Fabelmans. Spielberg says he was harsssed, and yet the teens said thet largely didnt see it... except for those who did if briefly. I suspect he did get attacked, but not as much ss he claimed (like he might have blown it out proportion but not because simply Schindler's List was coming out and he needed material)
I don't know if it is necessarily a great biography overall just in the sense of scattered opinions that I think show McBride is slightly snobbish or such in taste, although your mileage may vary, like how dismissive he seems to be of 2/3 of the Indiana Jones series and anything that has just the width of childishness about it in Spielberg's career. But on the other hand there is a lot of good psychological analysis that goes hand in hand with looking at the craft of filmmaking and just how much of a paradox at times Spielberg seem to be at least in his personal and professional career as far as someone looking for artistic success alongside the commercial acceptance, I.E everything about the color purple and Empire of the Sun.
What stands out the most in McBride's reportage and biography is just the wealth of interviews that he was able to get, everything down to Steven's neighbors and teachers and even people who barely knew him but just saw him skulking around in high school and college. Of course a lot of this is tampered with the fact that he became such a success, so there is a bit of well we had no idea that he would become so and so but he got a C grade in this class because x y and z but it does add to this being a captivating listen.
I also found that McBride writing about the films of Spielberg's that he particularly admires and finds so formally and substantively audacious like ET the Extra-Terrestrial and Schindler's List are written about with a lot of clarity, not to mention how transformational the experiences of making them were for Spielberg. And he does well exploring a lot of different sides like the sentimental squishy accusations against ET and the aspects of the making of Schindler's List that people found so fascinating and even repulsive in some critical circles.
I don't know if it is necessarily a great biography overall just in the sense of scattered opinions that I think show McBride is slightly snobbish or such in taste, although your mileage may vary, like how dismissive he seems to be of 2/3 of the Indiana Jones series and anything that has just the width of childishness about it in Spielberg's career. But on the other hand there is a lot of good psychological analysis that goes hand in hand with looking at the craft of filmmaking and just how much of a paradox at times Spielberg seem to be at least in his personal and professional career as far as someone looking for artistic success alongside the commercial acceptance, I.E everything about the color purple and Empire of the Sun.
What stands out the most in McBride's reportage and biography is just the wealth of interviews that he was able to get, everything down to Steven's neighbors and teachers and even people who barely knew him but just saw him skulking around in high school and college. Of course a lot of this is tampered with the fact that he became such a success, so there is a bit of well we had no idea that he would become so and so but he got a C grade in this class because x y and z but it does add to this being a captivating listen.
I also found that McBride writing about the films of Spielberg's that he particularly admires and finds so formally and substantively audacious like ET the Extra-Terrestrial and Schindler's List are written about with a lot of clarity, not to mention how transformational the experiences of making them were for Spielberg. And he does well exploring a lot of different sides like the sentimental squishy accusations against ET and the aspects of the making of Schindler's List that people found so fascinating and even repulsive in some critical circles.
November 15, 2017
What follows is a review of the second edition:
This is a very good biography. However, much of its merit belongs to the chapters that come from the first edition - the first sixteen chapters and the prologue. These total 448 pages. The second edition adds four new chapters and a mere 83 additional pages, bringing the total page count to 531. There is a difference in approach to how the author covers the films of Steven Spielberg in the chapters belonging to the two editions. To put it simply, the second edition chapters are inferior.
The author only begins discussing "Duel" in chapter nine and concludes the first edition covering "Schindler's List" in chapter sixteen. The author basically covers Spielberg's first fifteen films in 250 pages (pages 199-448), or nearly seventeen pages per film. What you get is rich behind the scenes information that reads like a production history. You get an idea of how Spielberg approached each film. There is always a bit about how the films were received by critics and the public, as well as the author's own opinion.
The new chapters cover the next ten films in Spielber's career, from "The Lost World: Jurassic Park" to "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull." Now you get only about eight pages per film, even less considering the fact considerable time is spent discussing Spielberg's founding of a new studio, his running of that studio, and his next three films that were in various stages of development or production at the time this second edition was published. Those three films are "Lincoln," "The Adventures of Tintin," and "War Horse." So the author gives an account of each film that is less than half as detailed as the first edition chapters. There is not much behind the scenes information. These new chapters read more like a critical survey of the films, a film by film assessment by the author.
I don't know why there is such a difference in approach between the two editions. I don't know what the author was thinking. If you want to read this book, it is only worthwhile for the first sixteen chapters and the prologue. That is, of course, the first edition. If you would still like the author's assessment of the later films of Spielberg, then go ahead and buy the second edition.
This is a very good biography. However, much of its merit belongs to the chapters that come from the first edition - the first sixteen chapters and the prologue. These total 448 pages. The second edition adds four new chapters and a mere 83 additional pages, bringing the total page count to 531. There is a difference in approach to how the author covers the films of Steven Spielberg in the chapters belonging to the two editions. To put it simply, the second edition chapters are inferior.
The author only begins discussing "Duel" in chapter nine and concludes the first edition covering "Schindler's List" in chapter sixteen. The author basically covers Spielberg's first fifteen films in 250 pages (pages 199-448), or nearly seventeen pages per film. What you get is rich behind the scenes information that reads like a production history. You get an idea of how Spielberg approached each film. There is always a bit about how the films were received by critics and the public, as well as the author's own opinion.
The new chapters cover the next ten films in Spielber's career, from "The Lost World: Jurassic Park" to "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull." Now you get only about eight pages per film, even less considering the fact considerable time is spent discussing Spielberg's founding of a new studio, his running of that studio, and his next three films that were in various stages of development or production at the time this second edition was published. Those three films are "Lincoln," "The Adventures of Tintin," and "War Horse." So the author gives an account of each film that is less than half as detailed as the first edition chapters. There is not much behind the scenes information. These new chapters read more like a critical survey of the films, a film by film assessment by the author.
I don't know why there is such a difference in approach between the two editions. I don't know what the author was thinking. If you want to read this book, it is only worthwhile for the first sixteen chapters and the prologue. That is, of course, the first edition. If you would still like the author's assessment of the later films of Spielberg, then go ahead and buy the second edition.
August 29, 2008
I love all the inside info about the making of Jaws, Indy, ET, Color Purple, etc. because I grew up with these movies and they are imprinted on me so strongly. (It was odd reading about all the bad reviews these movies got from serious critics when they came out because I was a kid at the time and assumed everyone loved them.) But I couldn't take all the psychoanalytic tone of a lot of the writing and skipped over a lot of the stuff about his adolescence. Still, it's such an American success story and I'm mildly intrigued by SS's reluctance to come clean about some of the facts of his life. All part of becoming a success.
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