Director: Steven Spielberg
Films: Duel, Always, 1941 Directors and Theatrical cut, Sugarland Express, Jaws, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Jurassic Park.
In my lifetime, there hasn’t been a more influential and exciting film director than Steven Spielberg. He’s a man who’s managed to pluck at every heartstring, surprise with every creation, excites with continual fresh ideas and given some of the finest and most unforgettable cinema in modern movie history. The Steven Spielberg Director’s Collection, available on Blu-ray today from Universal Pictures International Entertainment, is the first time they’ve collected eight of his best.
It begins with his first feature-length television movie DUEL from 1971. The film is written by the legendary Richard Matheson and has a very basic premise but is still an effecting thriller to this day. Starring Dennis Weaver as an everyday travelling salesman, he’s heading back home on a long drive and unintentionally revs up a challenge with an unknown psychotic truck driver. It doesn’t matter what he does to try and get away, but after over-taking the truck, whoever is driving decides he’ll do everything he can to try and ram him off the deserted desert roads. Spielberg doesn’t show the driver, a wise choice, and this remastered version looks great and has all the tension of your common thriller and is far superior to any standard television movie you’ve seen. What’s utterly clever is how the truck becomes an entity all of its own, a demon on the road out to kill whatever has disturbed him and why? Because it can and isn’t that always the creepiest way? DUEL has been digitally restored, and is presented beautifully in widescreen.
Next up from 1989, ALWAYS is the classic ‘Earth Angel’ story starring Richard Dreyfuss as a daredevil firefighting pilot. After he sacrifices himself to save his friend (John Goodman), he returns to Earth help his surviving girlfriend (Holly Hunter) move on with her life, along with the help of another angel, played by Audrey Hepburn.
It has all the early hallmarks of the great director and a brilliant performance from eighties favourite Dreyfuss. It’s actually a remake of the 1943 movie A GUY NAMED JOE but utterly warm-hearted with accompanying impressive performances from Hunter, Goodman and Hepburn in her last ever film. Think of it as a Sunday movie with the family for a story that’ll test both your heart and head, but without too much strain.
The collection also features his first theatrical release, THE SUGARLAND EXPRESS (1974), stars Goldie Hawn as a mother who’s desperate to reunite her family but there’s a twist with all this, she wants to do it by kidnapping her son and helping her husband escape prison. It’s another great cast and worth your time for sure as things, as you’d expect, don’t quite go as planned.
You then get two versions of the movie 1941, the theatrical and extended cut, which is a wartime spoof starring Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi. Made in 1979, the film focuses on a whole load of pandemonium that erupts in Los Angeles after the World War II attack on Pearl Harbour. 1941 is probably my least favourite Spielberg outing but if you’re a fan of the proper, old-style spoof then there’s entertaining moments to be had. However, I find the movie to be somewhat disjointed and a whole lot of sketches with a stunning cast that fails to find a steady character story. It’s a genre that only AIRPLANE and NAKED GUN has really mastered.
The collection also has JAWS (1975), E.T. THE EXTRA TERRESTRIAL (1982), JURASSIC PARK (1993) and JURASSIC PARK: THE LOST WORLD (1997) – Which I’m sure you know about and, while we’re here, JURASSIC PARK is in my all-time top 5 and still looks stunning.
Spielberg’s films have featured endless superstars of the screen and just this selection goes a long way to showing off his endlessly impressive talent. The films included in this historic collection are accompanied by a Blu-ray exclusive: A 34-page companion book on the visionary director’s career, featuring rare photos, archival materials and more.
I haven’t even mentioned the hours of bonus features that include Making-of Documentaries, Interviews with Steven Spielberg, Behind-the-Scenes Featurettes, Rare Archival Footage, Deleted Scenes and much more. It’s not only a great compilation to own for yourself but a perfect gift for any movie fan. This selection offers an opportunity at last to experience some of the most memorable films of our time from one of the most influential filmmakers of the past 40 years.
[usr=5] The Steven Spielberg Director’s Collection is available to purchase now, pick up yours here.
