Book Review – Spielberg: The First Ten Years – A wonderful dive into the films of Steven Spielberg

Courtesy of Insight Editions / Titan Books

Explore the beginning of Steven Spielberg’s remarkable career with Spielberg: The First Ten Years the definitive retrospective that covers Duel, The Sugarland Express, Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, 1941, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial.

Through exclusive imagery and interviews conducted with Steven Spielberg over three decades, as well as insight from the filmmaker’s longtime documentarian, Laurent Bouzereau, this deluxe volume explores how a young filmmaker reinvented American cinema within just ten years- 1971 to 1982.

Courtesy of Insight Editions / Titan Books

For many of us Steven Spielberg shaped our childhood with his films. He brought so many iconic characters and moments to the big screen in the first ten years of his career, which is absolutely phenomenal. The fact that many of those films are still being watched to this day is a testament to just how good they are.

This excellent book has 256 pages that take us through the productions of these films and the impact they had. Interviews with Spielberg see him talk about the films, how they were made, events that happened during and after them and his thoughts looking back on them now. We learn about how he “got greedy” on Jaws wanting to have just one more scare for the audience so went back to film scenes with Ben Gardner’s head appearing in the wrecked boat. We all know how well that turned. Also how Ben Gardner’s outfit and cap were similar to that worn by the sniper from The Sugerland Express.

Every page you learn another little nugget about each film.

Spielberg’s passion for films and filmmaking shines through in every page and I found myself wanting to watch each film again as I read about them. Hearing so many great anecdotes about films I have loved for years was just fantastic. Couple that with all the behind the scenes photo, story boards, script pages, posters and production sketches, made it a great trip down memory lane. The extras such as the fold out map they used to sketch out the plot of Duel and the letter Chuck Jones wrote (along with Wile E. Coyote sketch) to Speilberg were lovely surprises to see. Spielberg later brought in Chuck Jones work on 1941 as a consultant.

Roy Scheider, Lorraine Gary and Steven Spielberg on the set of Jaws.
Courtesy of Insight Editions / Titan Books

Laurent Bouzereau’s writing style is an easy read and his analysis of the films and various scenes did make me reassess some of the thoughts I had on them.

I would love to go into more detail on the various stories and interviews, but it is just best for you to discover them for yourself. I would not want to take that away from you.

It is a good sized coffee table book that you can dip into and learn something new everytime. Leave it out and any guests you have are bound to take a look.

Featuring a fresh perspective on all of Spielberg’s early films– including Duel, The Sugarland Express, Amblin and more, this book is an essential exploration of an iconic filmmaker’s early
career.

“It’s such an honour to be sharing in book form my intimate discussions with Steven Spielberg, with a focus on his defining first ten years,” Bouzereau said. “This book reflects an inspiring journey, using Steven’s own words about his approach to cinema, and through formative stories behind the making of several specific films. The book also offers new and contemporary perspectives on the thematic that forged Steven Spielberg’s visual language as an auteur and storyteller, during the 70s, possibly the most exciting benchmark era in filmmaking.”

Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford during filming of E.T.the Extra- Terrestrial.
Courtesy of Insight Editions / Titan Books

Spielberg: The First Ten Years includes a foreword by John Williams, an introduction by George Lucas, and an afterword by Guillermo del Toro. It is a great read full of wonderful anecdotes and images. I just wish it had been a little longer!

The book is available now.

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Courtesy of Insight Editions / Titan Books