Steven Spielberg

Draws on

What the speakers say they, or a film of theirs, drew on. Each is a speaker's account: “the maker said so” when they report the maker's own words, “the host's read” when the read is theirs.

Jurassic Park (1993): 2 lines

1. lineage (lineage) · through Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018), which they produced: Jurassic Park ⇒ Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (the host's read). The sequels are a spinoff of Spielberg's imagination though he only executive produces them.

   “even though he's just an executive producer on those movies, it is this interesting spinoff of his imagination.”

   The Big Picture · Steven Spielberg's Top 5 Movies With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan | The Big Picture (Ep. 57) · 0:08:07 · Sean Fennessey (0.85 sure it was them)
2. industry (industry) · through Twister (1996), which they produced: Jurassic Park ⇒ Twister (the host's read). Marketing a disaster around unknown leads follows Jurassic Park, where Sam Neill and Laura Dern were known but not famous.

   “coming off of Jurassic Park where it was like Sam Neil and Laura Dern were like well-known, but not famous.”

   The Rewatchables · ‘Twister’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 1:53:21 · Chris Ryan (0.40 sure it was them)

Bridge of Spies (2015): 1 line

1. lineage (inspiration) · through Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018), which they produced: Bridge of Spies ⇒ Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (the maker said so: interviews). The Fallen Kingdom filmmaker said he structured it as two movies, like Bridge of Spies.

   “He said that he liked that Bridge of Spies was like 2 different movies.”

   Blank Check with Griffin & David · Planet of the Apes with Matt Singer · 1:33:57 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)

David Lean: 1 line

1. unmapped (mentorship / elder filmmaker) · them, directly: David Lean ⇒ Steven Spielberg (the host's read). Spielberg befriended old masters (Lean, Kubrick, Wilder) who handed him their projects.

   “The sort of string of great older filmmakers who somehow, uh, collaborated with Spielberg, only for Spielberg to wind up directing their movies.”

   Blank Check with Griffin & David · Empire of the Sun with Bilge Ebiri · 0:58:01 · David Sims (0.50 sure it was them)

Industrial Light & Magic: 1 line

1. industry (industry) · through Twister (1996), which they produced: Industrial Light & Magic ⇒ Twister (the host's read). The movie was built out of an ILM proof-of-concept clip of a pickup truck driving toward a tornado.

   “It was a proof of concept clip from Industrial Light Magic”

   The Rewatchables · ‘Twister’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:11:39 · Chris Ryan (0.50 sure it was them)

James Bond films (the franchise): 1 line

1. career (career) · them, directly: James Bond films (the franchise) ⇒ Steven Spielberg (the maker said so: Spielberg's own account (he says he called Cubby Broccoli)). Spielberg begged Cubby Broccoli for a Bond job after Jaws and was refused, which fed the motive for Raiders.

   “Spielberg had been, says he had called Cubby Broccoli after Jaws came out being like, hello?”

   Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raiders of the Lost Ark with Brian Michael Bendis · 0:50:05 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)

Jaws (1975): 1 line

1. lineage (lineage) · through Twister (1996), which they produced: Jaws ⇒ Twister (the host's read). Jonas is the Jaws-mayor archetype, a money-motivated antagonist that became a stock character in every movie.

   “The mayor in Jaws is the character that kind of pushes against our lead person.”

   The Rewatchables · ‘Twister’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:54:51 · Chris Ryan (0.50 sure it was them)

Speed (1994): 1 line

1. industry (industry) · through Twister (1996), which they produced: Speed ⇒ Twister (the host's read). Hollywood shifted after Speed; Twister marketed Paxton and others as future stars.

   “The one that changed it was speed.”

   The Rewatchables · ‘Tombstone’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Chris Ryan · 0:54:13 · Bill Simmons (0.40 sure it was them)

Stanley Kubrick: 1 line

1. career (unmade project taken up) · them, directly: Stanley Kubrick ⇒ Steven Spielberg (the host's read). Kubrick could not make A.I. because technology was not ready; Spielberg eventually did.

   “which obviously Steven Spielberg eventually makes.”

   Blank Check — Patreon · Full Metal Jacket with Jon Gabrus (Ad-Free) · 0:35:14 · David Sims (0.60 sure it was them)

Drawn on by

What the speakers say drew on them or a film of theirs, marked the same way.

Chris Columbus: 1 line

1. lineage (lineage) · them, directly: Steven Spielberg ⇒ Chris Columbus (the host's read). The closest Hughes and Spielberg crossed was Spielberg protege Chris Columbus directing Home Alone.

   “Chris Columbus was a Spielberg protégé and he ended up directing Home Alone.”

   The Rewatchables · ‘Weird Science’ With Bill Simmons and Kyle Brandt · 1:26:38 · Kyle Brandt (0.55 sure it was them)

Independence Day (1996): 1 line

1. craft (borrowed style) · them, directly: Steven Spielberg ⇒ Independence Day (the host's read). Independence Day cribs the Spielberg look of actors slowly standing up to stare at something dramatic.

   “And then independence, like cribs a lot of that.”

   Blank Check with Griffin & David · The Lost World: Jurassic Park · 0:21:20 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

Interstellar (2014): 1 line

1. unmapped (development history) · them, directly: Steven Spielberg ⇒ Interstellar (the host's read). Interstellar was developed by Spielberg and Jonathan Nolan and is closer to Spielberg in its first script.

   “Jonathan Nolan's script for Interstellar is interesting, but it's more Spielberg.”

   Blank Check with Griffin & David · Empire of the Sun with Bilge Ebiri · 2:00:35 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)

Spartacus (1960): 1 line

1. unmapped (led to restoration) · them, directly: Steven Spielberg ⇒ Spartacus (the host's read). Spielberg talked Kubrick into letting the film be restored and re-released.

   “and Spielberg knew him then. and was like, well, they're, you know, the American cinema tech or whoever wants to do this.”

   Blank Check — Patreon · Spartacus with Richard Lawson (Ad-Free) · 2:01:51 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993): 1 line

1. industry (industry) · through Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988), which they produced: Who Framed Roger Rabbit ⇒ The Nightmare Before Christmas (the host's read). Katzenberg was looking at Roger Rabbit's success as a reason to try different styles and techniques.

   “looking at the success they had with Roger Rabbit and saying, like, we should try different styles”

   Blank Check — Patreon · The Nightmare Before Christmas with Michael Rianda (Ad-Free) · 0:29:00 · Griffin Newman (0.50 sure it was them)

The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020): 1 line

1. people (people) · them, directly: Steven Spielberg ⇒ The Trial of the Chicago 7 (the host's read). Spielberg long wanted to make it and encouraged Sorkin to write the script.

   “Steven Spielberg had always wanted to make this movie.”

   The Big Picture · Aaron Sorkin Top 5s and ‘The Trial of the Chicago 7’ · 1:31:53 · Sean Fennessey (0.80 sure it was them)

Titanic (1997): 1 line

1. industry (industry) · through Twister (1996), which they produced: Twister ⇒ Titanic (the host's read). Twister started a playbook of putting not-yet-A-list leads in a spectacle, which Titanic and later Star Wars followed.

   “It became a playbook for it.”

   The Rewatchables · ‘Twister’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 1:54:01 · Bill Simmons (0.40 sure it was them)

What the speakers said they did

Directing (90) everyone in directing

• director/producer, Raiders of the Lost Ark (Blank Check with Griffin & David, The Color of Money with Chris Ryan)
• director, 1941 (Blank Check with Griffin & David, The Color of Money with Chris Ryan)
• director, Empire of the Sun (Blank Check with Griffin & David, Empire of the Sun with Bilge Ebiri)
• director, The Color Purple (Blank Check with Griffin & David, Empire of the Sun with Bilge Ebiri)
• director, Hook (Blank Check with Griffin & David, Empire of the Sun with Bilge Ebiri)
• director, Schindler's List (Blank Check with Griffin & David, Empire of the Sun with Bilge Ebiri)
• director, Lincoln (Blank Check with Griffin & David, Empire of the Sun with Bilge Ebiri)
• director, Munich (Blank Check with Griffin & David, Empire of the Sun with Bilge Ebiri)
• director, The Fabelmans (Blank Check with Griffin & David, Empire of the Sun with Bilge Ebiri)
• director, Raiders of the Lost Ark (Blank Check with Griffin & David, Raiders of the Lost Ark with Brian Michael Bendis)
• director, 1941 (Blank Check with Griffin & David, Raiders of the Lost Ark with Brian Michael Bendis)
• director, Jaws (Blank Check with Griffin & David, Raiders of the Lost Ark with Brian Michael Bendis)
• director, Close Encounters of the Third Kind (Blank Check with Griffin & David, Raiders of the Lost Ark with Brian Michael Bendis)
• director, The Fabelmans (Blank Check with Griffin & David, Raiders of the Lost Ark with Brian Michael Bendis)
• director, Hook (Blank Check with Griffin & David, Raiders of the Lost Ark with Brian Michael Bendis)
• director, Schindler's List (Blank Check with Griffin & David, Raiders of the Lost Ark with Brian Michael Bendis)
• director, Lincoln (Blank Check with Griffin & David, Raiders of the Lost Ark with Brian Michael Bendis)
• director, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (Blank Check with Griffin & David, Raiders of the Lost Ark with Brian Michael Bendis)
• director, The Fabelmans (Blank Check with Griffin & David, Sherlock Jr. / The Navigator with James Urbaniak)
• director, The Lost World: Jurassic Park (Blank Check with Griffin & David, The Lost World: Jurassic Park)
• director, Jurassic Park (Blank Check with Griffin & David, The Lost World: Jurassic Park)
• director, Schindler's List (Blank Check with Griffin & David, The Lost World: Jurassic Park)
• director, Amistad (Blank Check with Griffin & David, The Lost World: Jurassic Park)
• director, Hook (Blank Check with Griffin & David, The Lost World: Jurassic Park)
• director, Jaws (Blank Check with Griffin & David, The Lost World: Jurassic Park)
• director, War of the Worlds (The Rewatchables, A CR Month Mailbag!)
• director, Schindler's List (The Rewatchables, A CR Month Mailbag!)
• director (The Rewatchables, ‘Weird Science’ With Bill Simmons and Kyle Brandt)
• director, Saving Private Ryan (The Rewatchables, ‘The Truman Show’ With Bill Simmons, Glen Powell, and Chris Ryan)
• director, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (The Rewatchables, ‘After Hours’ with Bill Simmons and Sean Fennessey)
• director, Jaws (The Rewatchables, ‘After Hours’ with Bill Simmons and Sean Fennessey)
• director, Close Encounters of the Third Kind (The Rewatchables, ‘After Hours’ with Bill Simmons and Sean Fennessey)
• director, Minority Report (The Rewatchables, ‘After Hours’ with Bill Simmons and Sean Fennessey)
• director, Jaws (The Rewatchables, ‘Twister’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan)
• director, Amistad (The Rewatchables, ‘The Ice Storm’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey)
• director, Always (The Rewatchables, ‘What About Bob?’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Van Lathan)
• director, War of the Worlds (The Rewatchables, 'Mission: Impossible' With Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey, and Jason Concepcion)
• director, Minority Report (The Rewatchables, 'Mission: Impossible' With Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey, and Jason Concepcion)
• director, West Side Story (The Big Picture, ‘Mamma Mia!’ Meets ‘The Strangers'! It’s a Movie Swap!)
• director, The Fabelmans (The Big Picture, The 2022 Movie Draft)
• director, West Side Story (The Big Picture, The 2022 Movie Draft)
• director, The Post (The Big Picture, The 2022 Movie Draft)
• director (prone to daddy-issues movies), Catch Me If You Can (The Big Picture, The 25 Best Movies of the Century: No. 11 - 'The Wolf of Wall Street’)
• director, Saving Private Ryan (The Big Picture, 8. I Love America | Do We Get to Win This Time?)
• director, The Fabelmans (The Big Picture, The Top Five Movies of 2022)
• director, West Side Story (The Big Picture, The Top Five Movies of 2022)
• director, Jaws (The Big Picture, The Top Five Movies of 2022)
• director, Close Encounters of the Third Kind (The Big Picture, The Top Five Movies of 2022)
• director, Minority Report (The Big Picture, The Tom Cruise Hall of Fame)
• director, War of the Worlds (The Big Picture, The Tom Cruise Hall of Fame)
• director, West Side Story (The Big Picture, Emergency Mailbag: The Oscars Are Streaming and Hollywood Is Fighting Over Trolls | The Big Picture)
• director, The Post (The Big Picture, The Oscars Schedule Changes, and Andrew Garfield On ‘Under the Silver Lake’ | Interview)
• director, unnamed spy movie with Tom Hanks (The Big Picture, The Oscars Schedule Changes, and Andrew Garfield On ‘Under the Silver Lake’ | Interview)
• director, War of the Worlds (The Big Picture, 'Shazam!’ and the Future of the DCEU With David F. Sandberg | Interview)
• director, Jaws (The Big Picture, Steven Spielberg's Top 5 Movies With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan | The Big Picture (Ep. 57))
• director, Jurassic Park (The Big Picture, Steven Spielberg's Top 5 Movies With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan | The Big Picture (Ep. 57))
• director, Raiders of the Lost Ark (The Big Picture, Steven Spielberg's Top 5 Movies With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan | The Big Picture (Ep. 57))
• director, Close Encounters of the Third Kind (The Big Picture, Steven Spielberg's Top 5 Movies With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan | The Big Picture (Ep. 57))
• director, Schindler's List (The Big Picture, Steven Spielberg's Top 5 Movies With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan | The Big Picture (Ep. 57))
• director, Saving Private Ryan (The Big Picture, Steven Spielberg's Top 5 Movies With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan | The Big Picture (Ep. 57))
• director, Empire of the Sun (The Big Picture, Steven Spielberg's Top 5 Movies With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan | The Big Picture (Ep. 57))
• director, Ready Player One (The Big Picture, Steven Spielberg's Top 5 Movies With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan | The Big Picture (Ep. 57))
• director, Minority Report (The Big Picture, Steven Spielberg's Top 5 Movies With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan | The Big Picture (Ep. 57))
• director, Catch Me If You Can (The Big Picture, Steven Spielberg's Top 5 Movies With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan | The Big Picture (Ep. 57))
• director, Munich (The Big Picture, Steven Spielberg's Top 5 Movies With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan | The Big Picture (Ep. 57))
• director, Hook (The Big Picture, Steven Spielberg's Top 5 Movies With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan | The Big Picture (Ep. 57))
• director, The Post (The Big Picture, Steven Spielberg's Top 5 Movies With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan | The Big Picture (Ep. 57))
• director, Lincoln (The Big Picture, Steven Spielberg's Top 5 Movies With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan | The Big Picture (Ep. 57))
• director, Duel (The Big Picture, Steven Spielberg's Top 5 Movies With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan | The Big Picture (Ep. 57))
• director, Close Encounters of the Third Kind (Blank Check — Patreon, Eraserhead (Ad-Free))
• director, Jurassic Park (Blank Check — Patreon, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button with Richard Lawson (Ad-Free))
• director, Schindler's List (Blank Check — Patreon, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button with Richard Lawson (Ad-Free))
• director, Minority Report (Blank Check — Patreon, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button with Richard Lawson (Ad-Free))
• director, Catch Me If You Can (Blank Check — Patreon, Panic Room with Eva Anderson (Ad-Free))
• director (regrets the walkie-talkie cut), E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (Blank Check — Patreon, Panic Room with Eva Anderson (Ad-Free))
• director, A.I. Artificial Intelligence (Blank Check — Patreon, Eyes Wide Shut with David Ehrlich (Ad-Free))
• director, Jurassic Park (Blank Check — Patreon, Eyes Wide Shut with David Ehrlich (Ad-Free))
• director, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (Blank Check — Patreon, Eyes Wide Shut with David Ehrlich (Ad-Free))
• director, Ready Player One (Blank Check — Patreon, Doctor Sleep)
• director, A.I. Artificial Intelligence (Blank Check — Patreon, Full Metal Jacket with Jon Gabrus (Ad-Free))
• director (implied), Ready Player One (Blank Check — Patreon, The Shining with Timothy Simons (Ad-Free))
• director, Lincoln (Blank Check — Patreon, Barry Lyndon with Karina Longworth (Ad-Free))
• director, Close Encounters of the Third Kind (Blank Check — Patreon, 2010: The Year We Make Contact)
• writer-director, A.I. Artificial Intelligence (Blank Check — Patreon, A Clockwork Orange with Alex Ross Perry (Ad-Free))
• director, A.I. Artificial Intelligence (Blank Check — Patreon, 2001: A Space Odyssey with Jordan Hoffman (Ad-Free))
• director, A.I. Artificial Intelligence (Blank Check — Patreon, Spartacus with Richard Lawson (Ad-Free))
• director, The Lost World: Jurassic Park (Blank Check — Patreon, Alien 3)
• director, Amistad (Blank Check — Patreon, Alien 3)
• director, Ready Player One (Blank Check — Patreon, The Ice Storm with Emily Yoshida (Ad-Free))
• director who tweaked then regretted it, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (Blank Check — Patreon, Return of the Podcast (Ad-Free))

Other (19) everyone in other

• swapped Cape Fear for Schindler's List, Cape Fear (Blank Check with Griffin & David, The Last Temptation of Christ with Jamelle Bouie)
• director (almost made it), Rain Man (Blank Check with Griffin & David, The Color of Money with Chris Ryan)
• rumored to have sniffed at directing, Harry Potter (first film) (Blank Check with Griffin & David, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World with John Hodgman)
• would-be producer (offered to produce for David Lean), Nostromo (unmade Lean project) (Blank Check with Griffin & David, Empire of the Sun with Bilge Ebiri)
• announced creator of Quibi night-only scary show, Quibi Spielberg night-only show (never made) (Blank Check with Griffin & David, Twin Peaks: The Return (Episode 8) with Connor Ratliff)
• paid for Murray's best-actor campaign, What About Bob? (Blank Check with Griffin & David, An Angel at My Table with Dana Stevens)
• admirer, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (The Rewatchables, ‘The Texas Chain Saw Massacre’ With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan)
• Hooper's Universal-lot connection, Poltergeist (The Rewatchables, ‘The Texas Chain Saw Massacre’ With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan)
• hypothetical co-director, Rocky (The Rewatchables, ‘Rocky’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan)
• initially attached to direct, Twister (The Rewatchables, ‘Twister’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan)
• helped Kasdan along; bought Continental Divide, The Big Chill (The Rewatchables, ‘The Big Chill’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey)
• reportedly campaigned for Murray's Oscar nomination ($250,000), What About Bob? (The Rewatchables, ‘What About Bob?’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Van Lathan)
• director/Amblin, Arachnophobia (The Big Picture, The 1990 Movie Draft)
• encouraged Sorkin to write; long wanted to make it, The Trial of the Chicago 7 (The Big Picture, Aaron Sorkin Top 5s and ‘The Trial of the Chicago 7’)
• hypothetical director, The Butterfly Effect (The Big Picture, 300th Episode Ask-Us-Anything Mailbag Spectacular)
• attached to direct an earlier version at Amblin, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Blank Check — Patreon, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button with Richard Lawson (Ad-Free))
• director (comparison: long-time team) (Blank Check — Patreon, Alien³ with Matt Singer (Ad-Free))
• audience member at the Nolan IMAX screening; owns a print, 2001: A Space Odyssey (Blank Check — Patreon, 2001: A Space Odyssey with Jordan Hoffman (Ad-Free))
• talked Kubrick into the Spartacus re-release, Spartacus (Blank Check — Patreon, Spartacus with Richard Lawson (Ad-Free))

Producing (12) everyone in producing

• executive producer, Amazing Stories (Mirror, Mirror) (Blank Check with Griffin & David, The Color of Money with Chris Ryan)
• producer, Who Framed Roger Rabbit (Blank Check with Griffin & David, The Lost World: Jurassic Park)
• producer, Back to the Future (Blank Check with Griffin & David, The Lost World: Jurassic Park)
• producer, The Goonies (Blank Check with Griffin & David, The Lost World: Jurassic Park)
• producer, Gremlins (Blank Check with Griffin & David, The Lost World: Jurassic Park)
• executive producer, Twister (The Rewatchables, ‘Twister’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan)
• producer/director, Continental Divide (The Rewatchables, ‘The Big Chill’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey)
• producer, Gremlins 2: The New Batch (The Big Picture, The 1990 Movie Draft)
• executive producer, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (The Big Picture, Steven Spielberg's Top 5 Movies With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan | The Big Picture (Ep. 57))
• producer, The Haunting (Blank Check — Patreon, The 13th Warrior with David Lowery (Ad-Free))
• set up the series, seaQuest DSV (Blank Check — Patreon, 2010: The Year We Make Contact)
• producer, Band of Brothers (Blank Check — Patreon, 2022 MARCH MADNESS UPDATE 2 PRESENTED BY THE CHIP REPORT)

Writing (1) everyone in writing

• writer-director, A.I. Artificial Intelligence (Blank Check — Patreon, A Clockwork Orange with Alex Ross Perry (Ad-Free))

Acting (1) everyone in acting

• cameo (as himself), Vanilla Sky (Blank Check — Patreon, Vanilla Sky with Richard Lawson (Ad-Free))

Studio (1) everyone in studio

• co-founder, DreamWorks SKG (Blank Check with Griffin & David, The Lost World: Jurassic Park)

What was said about them, by kind

career (11)

1. career (career theory): Empire of the Sun → Steven Spielberg. Bilge argues Spielberg's 70s and 80s films are seen through a child's eyes and his later ones through a parent's eyes.

   “I have this theory that early period of his career, you know, 70s, 80s, that his films really can be best be understood as being from the point of view of a child.”

   Blank Check with Griffin & David · Empire of the Sun with Bilge Ebiri · 0:22:49 · Bilge Ebiri (0.90 sure it was them)
2. career (career): John Williams → Steven Spielberg. Williams is part of Spielberg's people, who apply what they know about assembling a movie and tip it darker for Empire of the Sun.

   “it really is Spielberg and his people, including John Williams, trying to take like what they know about how to put together a movie.”

   Blank Check with Griffin & David · Empire of the Sun with Bilge Ebiri · 0:30:20 · Bilge Ebiri (0.70 sure it was them)
3. career (career): Steven Spielberg → James Bond films (the franchise). Spielberg begged Cubby Broccoli for a Bond job after Jaws and was refused, which fed the motive for Raiders.

   “Spielberg had been, says he had called Cubby Broccoli after Jaws came out being like, hello?”

   Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raiders of the Lost Ark with Brian Michael Bendis · 0:50:05 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
4. career (career): Steven Spielberg → Tom Cruise. Spielberg stopped working with Cruise around the time people wondered whether Cruise was nuts.

   “And then Spielberg stops working with him then?”

   The Rewatchables · A CR Month Mailbag! · 0:09:14 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
5. career (career): Jurassic Park → Steven Spielberg. Jurassic Park is the midpoint of Spielberg's career, blending spectacle with childhood and humanity.

   “it is kind of the perfect middle ground, the median point of Spielberg's career.”

   The Big Picture · Steven Spielberg's Top 5 Movies With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan | The Big Picture (Ep. 57) · 0:07:39 · Sean Fennessey (0.85 sure it was them)
6. career (career): Close Encounters of the Third Kind → Steven Spielberg. Close Encounters carries Spielberg's parents' divorce; Dreyfuss's character is part Spielberg, part his father.

   “And that Richard Dreyfus character being one part Spielberg, and like the idea of wonder and wanting to vanish, and one part his dad kind of abandoning his kids”

   The Big Picture · Steven Spielberg's Top 5 Movies With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan | The Big Picture (Ep. 57) · 0:22:39 · Chris Ryan (0.60 sure it was them)
7. career (career): Janusz Kaminski → Steven Spielberg. Minority Report is maybe the fourth or fifth film Kaminski shot for Spielberg, after A.I., Saving Private Ryan and Amistad, which were real-world where this one is dreamlike.

   “maybe the 4th or the 5th movie that, um, Yanush Kaminsky made with it.”

   The Big Picture · Steven Spielberg's Top 5 Movies With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan | The Big Picture (Ep. 57) · 0:28:27 · Chris Ryan (0.60 sure it was them)
8. career (career): Steven Spielberg → Steven Spielberg. Spielberg is the best popcorn movie director ever.

   “So yeah, he's probably the best popcorn movie director ever.”

   The Big Picture · Steven Spielberg's Top 5 Movies With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan | The Big Picture (Ep. 57) · 0:44:03 · Sean Fennessey (0.60 sure it was them)
9. career (career): Duel → Steven Spielberg. Duel was Spielberg's first real movie and the best TV movie ever.

   “Duel was the best TV movie ever.”

   The Big Picture · Steven Spielberg's Top 5 Movies With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan | The Big Picture (Ep. 57) · 0:59:49 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
10. career (unmade project taken up): Stanley Kubrick → Steven Spielberg. Kubrick could not make A.I. because technology was not ready; Spielberg eventually did.

    “which obviously Steven Spielberg eventually makes.”

    Blank Check — Patreon · Full Metal Jacket with Jon Gabrus (Ad-Free) · 0:35:14 · David Sims (0.60 sure it was them)
11. career (career): Ryan Coogler → Steven Spielberg. Coogler is called the new Spielberg for innate commercial instincts plus personal film-making.

    “this is the key to Kugler, which is why I think he's the new Spielberg, is that he innately has very commercial instincts.”

    Blank Check — Patreon · Iron Man 3 · 0:15:01 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

contrast (5)

1. contrast (contrast): Steven Spielberg → Hitchcock. Precise directors usually dictate to actors like Hitchcock, but Spielberg stays collaborative.

   “most filmmakers who are this precise in their craft, have a tendency to go towards the sort of like Hitchcock”

   Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raiders of the Lost Ark with Brian Michael Bendis · 1:54:57 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
2. contrast (contrast): Quentin Tarantino → Steven Spielberg. Spielberg would not do a talk-show couch turn the way Tarantino did.

   “That is Steven Spielberg doesn't do that.”

   The Rewatchables · ‘Reservoir Dogs’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Chris Ryan · 0:27:29 · Bill Simmons (0.60 sure it was them)
3. contrast (contrast): Steven Spielberg → Michael Mann. Mann is fastidious and obsessed; Spielberg is all over the place, childlike wonder one film, Oscar bait the next.

   “And Spielberg's just kind of all over the place and it's like, oh, the wonder, the childish wonder.”

   The Big Picture · Steven Spielberg's Top 5 Movies With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan | The Big Picture (Ep. 57) · 0:53:19 · Bill Simmons (0.75 sure it was them)
4. contrast (contrast): Steven Spielberg → Francis Ford Coppola. Coppola and Scorsese are viewed romantically for loving their work; Spielberg isn't.

   “Whereas like with Scorsese and with Coppola, Coppola, who really his career completely fell apart in the early 80s”

   The Big Picture · Steven Spielberg's Top 5 Movies With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan | The Big Picture (Ep. 57) · 0:55:02 · Bill Simmons (0.75 sure it was them)
5. contrast (contrast): George Lucas → Steven Spielberg. Spielberg tweaked E.T. and realized he hated having done that, unlike Lucas.

   “you hear about like Spielberg tweaking ET and immediately realizing like, I hated that I ever did that.”

   Blank Check — Patreon · Return of the Podcast (Ad-Free) · 0:53:57 · unknown (0.00 sure it was them)

craft (2)

1. craft (directing style): Steven Spielberg → Ed Wood. Spielberg called out where to look mid-take during the long projector shot, like Ed Wood calling directions.

   “It was almost like Ed Wood going, walk through the door.”

   Blank Check with Griffin & David · Sherlock Jr. / The Navigator with James Urbaniak · 0:19:21 · James Urbaniak (0.50 sure it was them)
2. craft (borrowed style): Independence Day → Steven Spielberg. Independence Day cribs the Spielberg look of actors slowly standing up to stare at something dramatic.

   “And then independence, like cribs a lot of that.”

   Blank Check with Griffin & David · The Lost World: Jurassic Park · 0:21:20 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

industry (3)

1. industry (industry): Steven Spielberg → Martin Scorsese. Most-featured directors: Spielberg 9, Tony Scott 9, Michael Mann 8, Scorsese 8.

   “Spielberg 9, Tony Scott 9.”

   The Rewatchables · A CR Month Mailbag! · 1:02:28 · Bill Simmons (0.60 sure it was them)
2. industry (industry): Gremlins 2: The New Batch → Steven Spielberg. Gremlins 2 was produced by Spielberg and directed by Joe Dante.

   “produced by Spielberg and Joe Dante”

   The Big Picture · The 1990 Movie Draft · 1:13:45 · Sean Fennessey (0.80 sure it was them)
3. industry (industry): Arachnophobia → Steven Spielberg. Arachnophobia is the Amblin movie Spielberg did not direct; Frank Marshall did.

   “that's sort of like the er amblin movie that was not directed by Steven Spielberg”

   The Big Picture · The 1990 Movie Draft · 1:34:28 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)

lineage (1)

1. lineage (lineage): Chris Columbus → Steven Spielberg. The closest Hughes and Spielberg crossed was Spielberg protege Chris Columbus directing Home Alone.

   “Chris Columbus was a Spielberg protégé and he ended up directing Home Alone.”

   The Rewatchables · ‘Weird Science’ With Bill Simmons and Kyle Brandt · 1:26:38 · Kyle Brandt (0.55 sure it was them)

people (12)

1. people (people): George Lucas → Steven Spielberg. Their friendship is the mythology: two sides of the same coin, like the Beatles and Rolling Stones.

   “here's like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones inspiring each other.”

   Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raiders of the Lost Ark with Brian Michael Bendis · 0:41:14 · Brian Michael Bendis (0.50 sure it was them)
2. people (people): Steven Spielberg → Michael Kahn. Spielberg and his editor Michael Kahn have a lifelong working relationship, and Kahn is the one who makes Spielberg look effortless.

   “you know, relationship between him and his editor and him, and he does, he makes things look effortless”

   Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raiders of the Lost Ark with Brian Michael Bendis · 2:34:10 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.50 sure it was them)
3. people (producer hits): Steven Spielberg → Who Framed Roger Rabbit. While directing less, Spielberg was producing blockbusters such as Roger Rabbit, Back to the Future, Goonies and Gremlins.

   “Roger Rabbit, back to the future, Goonies, Gremlins, guy's got a golden touch, right?”

   Blank Check with Griffin & David · The Lost World: Jurassic Park · 0:05:40 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
4. people (casting origin): Steven Spielberg → Swingers. A host speculates Spielberg cast Vince Vaughn after seeing dailies of Swingers.

   “Spielberg seeing swingers, probably seeing dailies of swingers and being like, this guy is obviously going to be a big deal.”

   Blank Check with Griffin & David · The Lost World: Jurassic Park · 0:48:19 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
5. people (people): Twister → Steven Spielberg. Spielberg executive produced and Amblin is a production company, giving the film a wide-eyed wonder-and-fear Spielberg feel.

   “and the Steven Spielberg executive produced it.”

   The Rewatchables · ‘Twister’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:05:51 · Chris Ryan (0.50 sure it was them)
6. people (director tendency): Catch Me If You Can → Steven Spielberg. Spielberg is prone to daddy-issues movies, which explains Catch Me's backstory.

   “Spielberg is obviously prone to daddy issues movies.”

   The Big Picture · The 25 Best Movies of the Century: No. 11 - 'The Wolf of Wall Street’ · 0:36:51 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
7. people (auteur credit): War of the Worlds → Steven Spielberg. War of the Worlds is out because it is truly a Spielberg movie even though Cruise is terrific.

   “that truly is a Spielberg movie.”

   The Big Picture · The Tom Cruise Hall of Fame · 1:16:42 · Sean Fennessey (0.40 sure it was them)
8. people (auteur credit): Minority Report → Steven Spielberg. Minority Report is judged a Spielberg achievement more than a Cruise one and gets cut.

   “because that is a Steven Spielberg achievement rather than a Tom Cruise achievement.”

   The Big Picture · The Tom Cruise Hall of Fame · 1:36:10 · Sean Fennessey (0.50 sure it was them)
9. people (people): The Trial of the Chicago 7 → Steven Spielberg. Spielberg long wanted to make it and encouraged Sorkin to write the script.

   “Steven Spielberg had always wanted to make this movie.”

   The Big Picture · Aaron Sorkin Top 5s and ‘The Trial of the Chicago 7’ · 1:31:53 · Sean Fennessey (0.80 sure it was them)
10. people (attached director): Steven Spielberg → The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Spielberg wanted to make it with Tom Cruise at Amblin but did Jurassic Park and Schindler's List instead.

    “Spielberg wants to make it. With Tom Cruise.”

    Blank Check — Patreon · The Curious Case of Benjamin Button with Richard Lawson (Ad-Free) · 0:37:35 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
11. people (tried to cast): Steven Spielberg → Jack Nicholson. Spielberg reportedly tried hard to get Nicholson for a cameo in Ready Player One.

    “I had heard how hard Spielberg tried to get him for Ready Player one.”

    Blank Check — Patreon · Doctor Sleep · 0:21:18 · Griffin Newman (0.40 sure it was them)
12. people (solo writer-director): Steven Spielberg → Stanley Kubrick. Written and directed by is rare for Kubrick; A.I. was the same for Spielberg later.

    “It is, the rare written and directed by, yeah, much like AI later for Spielberg.”

    Blank Check — Patreon · A Clockwork Orange with Alex Ross Perry (Ad-Free) · 1:23:45 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)

programming (1)

1. programming (programming): Mel Brooks → Steven Spielberg. Brooks is seeded too low and is ahead of Spielberg, the longest remaining filmography.

   “Mel Brooks is someone who, I think we seeded too low.”

   Blank Check — Patreon · 2022 MARCH MADNESS UPDATE 2 PRESENTED BY THE CHIP REPORT · 0:17:17 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

theme (2)

1. theme (theme): Empire of the Sun → Steven Spielberg. Unlike his other childhood films, Empire shows adulthood through a child's eyes.

   “But this is a film where you are seeing adulthood through the eyes of a child.”

   The Big Picture · Steven Spielberg's Top 5 Movies With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan | The Big Picture (Ep. 57) · 0:16:01 · Chris Ryan (0.85 sure it was them)
2. theme (Spielberg comparison): Steven Spielberg → 2010: The Year We Make Contact. 2010 is likened to a less sentimental, more serious-minded Spielberg.

   “Like this is very much kind of doing a less sentimental, more serious-minded Spielberg.”

   Blank Check — Patreon · 2010: The Year We Make Contact · 0:28:53 · unknown (0.35 sure it was them)

unmapped (12)

1. unmapped (near-miss): Rain Man → Steven Spielberg. Many A-list actors and directors chased the Rain Man script, including Spielberg almost making it with Bill Murray in the Hoffman part.

   “you know, Spielberg almost makes it with Bill Murray in the Hoffman part.”

   Blank Check with Griffin & David · The Color of Money with Chris Ryan · 1:34:55 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
2. unmapped (mentorship / elder filmmaker): David Lean → Steven Spielberg. Spielberg befriended old masters (Lean, Kubrick, Wilder) who handed him their projects.

   “The sort of string of great older filmmakers who somehow, uh, collaborated with Spielberg, only for Spielberg to wind up directing their movies.”

   Blank Check with Griffin & David · Empire of the Sun with Bilge Ebiri · 0:58:01 · David Sims (0.50 sure it was them)
3. unmapped (development history): Interstellar → Steven Spielberg. Interstellar was developed by Spielberg and Jonathan Nolan and is closer to Spielberg in its first script.

   “Jonathan Nolan's script for Interstellar is interesting, but it's more Spielberg.”

   Blank Check with Griffin & David · Empire of the Sun with Bilge Ebiri · 2:00:35 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
4. unmapped (champion): Steven Spielberg → What About Bob?. Spielberg paid out of pocket to campaign for Bill Murray for best actor.

   “Steven Spielberg like paid out of pocket to run a best actor campaign for Bill Murray”

   Blank Check with Griffin & David · An Angel at My Table with Dana Stevens · 1:34:32 · Griffin Newman (0.50 sure it was them)
5. unmapped (praise): Pete Postlethwaite → Steven Spielberg. Spielberg reportedly called Postlethwaite one of the best actors he had worked with; they also worked together on Amistad.

   “Spielberg said after, I guess, during the making of this film, Pipostle Fate was one of, if not the best actors he'd ever worked with.”

   Blank Check with Griffin & David · The Lost World: Jurassic Park · 0:56:26 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
6. unmapped (creator's own verdict): Hook → Steven Spielberg. Spielberg himself calls Hook a disaster and his biggest mistake, so hosts argue nostalgia should not rehabilitate it.

   “he says he thinks hook sucks.”

   Blank Check with Griffin & David · The Lost World: Jurassic Park · 1:38:21 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
7. unmapped (made by someone else): Catch Me If You Can → Steven Spielberg. Fincher was linked to Catch Me If You Can, which Spielberg made.

   “which Spielberg makes.”

   Blank Check — Patreon · Panic Room with Eva Anderson (Ad-Free) · 0:41:24 · David Sims (0.70 sure it was them)
8. unmapped (friends): Stanley Kubrick → Steven Spielberg. Kubrick and Spielberg were very close.

   “obviously Kubrick and Spielberg very close”

   Blank Check — Patreon · The Shining with Timothy Simons (Ad-Free) · 2:26:31 · David Sims (0.35 sure it was them)
9. unmapped (set up the series): Steven Spielberg → seaQuest DSV. The speaker says Spielberg set up seaQuest, making Scheider an elder statesman lending legitimacy to a show with a talking dolphin.

   “In the 90s, Spielberg like sort of throws in the bone and sets up Sequest, DSV”

   Blank Check — Patreon · 2010: The Year We Make Contact · 0:30:05 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
10. unmapped (owns print): Steven Spielberg → 2001: A Space Odyssey. Spielberg owns a print and has a screening room but still went alone to see Nolan's version.

    “he owns a print of 2001 and he's got a screening room”

    Blank Check — Patreon · 2001: A Space Odyssey with Jordan Hoffman (Ad-Free) · 0:20:47 · Jordan Hoffman (0.50 sure it was them)
11. unmapped (led to restoration): Steven Spielberg → Spartacus. Spielberg talked Kubrick into letting the film be restored and re-released.

    “and Spielberg knew him then. and was like, well, they're, you know, the American cinema tech or whoever wants to do this.”

    Blank Check — Patreon · Spartacus with Richard Lawson (Ad-Free) · 2:01:51 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
12. unmapped (praise): Pete Postlethwaite → Steven Spielberg. Spielberg reportedly called Postlethwaite the best actor in the world around The Lost World and Amistad.

    “Spielberg called Postlethwaite, the best actor working”

    Blank Check — Patreon · Alien 3 · 0:52:50 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)

verdict (2)

1. verdict (verdict): Hook → Steven Spielberg. Spielberg himself said he lacked faith in Hook's meat and covered with bigger sets and colors.

   “I didn't have a lot of faith in the meat of the movie, and I cover for it by being like, make the sense bigger”

   Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raiders of the Lost Ark with Brian Michael Bendis · 2:35:37 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
2. verdict (verdict): Schindler's List → Steven Spielberg. Bill suspected Spielberg did it for an Oscar, which he admits isn't fair.

   “he's doing this because he wants to win an Oscar?”

   The Big Picture · Steven Spielberg's Top 5 Movies With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan | The Big Picture (Ep. 57) · 0:53:26 · Bill Simmons (0.75 sure it was them)

what-if (3)

1. what-if (what-if): Steven Spielberg → John Hughes. Movie swap: Spielberg directs Weird Science and Hughes directs The Goonies, which he produced.

   “I would have Spielberg direct, weird science, and I would have Hughes direct, uh, the Goonies, which he produced”

   The Rewatchables · ‘Weird Science’ With Bill Simmons and Kyle Brandt · 1:26:44 · Kyle Brandt (0.55 sure it was them)
2. what-if (what-if): Twister → Steven Spielberg. Spielberg was initially attached to direct, as he was for every movie in the 90s, before Jan de Bont took over.

   “Spielberg initially attached to direct, which I think was the case for every single movie in the 90s”

   The Rewatchables · ‘Twister’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 1:16:39 · Bill Simmons (0.50 sure it was them)
3. what-if (what-if): The Butterfly Effect → Steven Spielberg. Sean wants the Butterfly Effect redone with Spielberg and Colin Farrell and a better script.

   “what if this was Steven Spielberg and Colin Farrell”

   The Big Picture · 300th Episode Ask-Us-Anything Mailbag Spectacular · 0:36:37 · Sean Fennessey (0.85 sure it was them)

Fun items about them

1. fun, about Steven Spielberg: Bilge's unified field theory: Spielberg's early films are from a child's point of view, the later ones from a parent's, with Hook as the pivot where he realizes he is a parent.

   “Halfway through hook. Spielberg realizes I'm a parent.”

   Blank Check with Griffin & David · Empire of the Sun with Bilge Ebiri · 0:23:25 · Bilge Ebiri (0.90 sure it was them)
2. fun, about Steven Spielberg: Bendis, who never knew until The Fabelmans, is stunned that young Spielberg lived with a pet monkey, which the film's Marion scenes echo.

   “He lived with the monkey.”

   Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raiders of the Lost Ark with Brian Michael Bendis · 0:36:39 · Brian Michael Bendis (0.80 sure it was them)
3. fun, about Steven Spielberg: Bendis's mom sold Spielberg to him as the guy who gave his mother a Bloomingdale's card with no limit, the aspirational image of success.

   “Steven Spielberg gave his mother, uh, uh, a Bloomingdale's card with no limit.”

   Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raiders of the Lost Ark with Brian Michael Bendis · 0:37:19 · Brian Michael Bendis (0.80 sure it was them)
4. fun, about Steven Spielberg: In the making-of documentary Spielberg, in love with Kate Capshaw, looks into the camera and says Indiana Jones did not get the girl.

   “Indiana Jones didn't get the girl.”

   Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raiders of the Lost Ark with Brian Michael Bendis · 2:07:05 · Brian Michael Bendis (0.85 sure it was them)
5. fun, about Steven Spielberg: On the Fabelmans set, Spielberg greeted Urbaniak with a pun on 'thanks for having me.'

   “And Steven Spielberg said, thanks for being had, which was cute.”

   Blank Check with Griffin & David · Sherlock Jr. / The Navigator with James Urbaniak · 0:18:00 · James Urbaniak (0.90 sure it was them)
6. fun, about Steven Spielberg: Famous video of Spielberg at home watching the Oscar nominations expecting a Jaws best director nod and not getting it; he then spent about twenty years chasing an Oscar.

   “he's sitting there in shock because he was so ready to get a best director nomination.”

   Blank Check with Griffin & David · The Lost World: Jurassic Park · 0:03:26 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
7. fun, about Steven Spielberg: Between Jurassic Park and Lost World, Spielberg released a PC and Mac video game, Steven Spielberg's Director's Chair, while building DreamWorks.

   “He releases the video game. Steven Spielberg director's chair for PC and Mac.”

   Blank Check with Griffin & David · The Lost World: Jurassic Park · 0:06:20 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
8. fun, about Steven Spielberg: The hosts argue DreamWorks was the biggest blank check ever: a whole studio built on Spielberg's career as collateral.

   “And you and I would both argue that is the biggest blank check that any filmmakers ever had.”

   Blank Check with Griffin & David · The Lost World: Jurassic Park · 0:07:12 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
9. fun, about Steven Spielberg: Per the internet, Spielberg loved Murray so much he spent $250,000 of his own money campaigning for an Oscar nomination.

   “Steven Spielberg loved Murray so much in this movie that he spent 250,000 of his own money”

   The Rewatchables · ‘What About Bob?’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Van Lathan · 0:58:54 · Bill Simmons (0.90 sure it was them)
10. fun, about Steven Spielberg: The Soderbergh Raiders remix: Hardcore Chris Ryan content.

    “Hardcore Chris Ryan content.”

    The Big Picture · Steven Spielberg's Top 5 Movies With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan | The Big Picture (Ep. 57) · 0:10:35 · Sean Fennessey (0.60 sure it was them)
11. fun, about Steven Spielberg: The 'hit by a car in 1986' test: how would he be remembered at his peak?

    “if you just got hit by a car at the peak of your career, how would people remember you?”

    The Big Picture · Steven Spielberg's Top 5 Movies With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan | The Big Picture (Ep. 57) · 0:51:08 · Bill Simmons (0.80 sure it was them)
12. fun, about Steven Spielberg: At the Village East Nolan screening, Jordan watched Spielberg arrive alone by town car, despite owning a print.

    “he owns a print of 2001 and he's got a screening room, but he was like, you know what?”

    Blank Check — Patreon · 2001: A Space Odyssey with Jordan Hoffman (Ad-Free) · 0:20:47 · Jordan Hoffman (0.50 sure it was them)