Spielberg: A Retrospective Book Review

• 9th Oct 2012

Author: Richard Schickel

Richard Schickel produced a very similar volume of work on Clint Eastwood not so long ago. Now he turns his attention to Spielberg for this hefty book.

The format is similar in that you have your introductions, your background and your look at the early career before chaptering off into each film in the Berg’s career for an average of 8-10 pages at a time. Each chapter is not long, but they do contain enough concise material about each film that you get a good sense of where Spielberg was headed and, the brief production history as well as the impact the film had.

Add to the mix a decent select ion of production stills and artwork and you have the makings of a fine book at a very decent price. This is a good choice for anyone who wants a nice edition of a book on the man’s career, but not delving too deeply into the background of each film.

Spielberg provides the forward for the book, and the introduction chapter to the man gives a broad view of his background before becoming a filmmaker. The filmography at the end is extensive in that it also lists the producer/executive producer work Spielberg has committed to. There is also a short chapter on what is yet to come!  Looking at the list of films he has been associated really hammers home how much of a big player he has been in almost every summer since the early 80s!

Steven Hurst