Interview with the Vampire (10/7), Poltergiest (10/14) (1 Viewer)

[Paul Arnette]

Not to derail the thread, but I got the same 'feeling' about Speilberg's level of 'involvement' with Transformers that I got with Poltergeist. Its namely what you wrote above, some scenes have a strong Speilberg 'stamp' on them. In Transformers its any scene involving 'the boy and his car' storyline.

 

[Travis Brashear]

Um...no.

 

[Paul Arnette]

You're, of course, free to disagree. Speilberg's 'stamp' ain't what it used to be to me. He lost his touch with the middle-class family a long time ago in my opinion, and when he had it it provide such great emotional resonance in films like Poltergest and E.T.

One thing's for sure, Transformers is the only Michael Bay film I can stomach, and I don't think it is because he suddenly made the 'leap' as a director. The 'emotional core' of that movie, if you can call it that, is the work of someone else in my opinion, and it has the faintest of echoes back to the Speilberg's aforementioned 'middle-class touch'.

 

[WillG]

Spielberg has a strong creative hand in any movie he produces, at least back then. I remember a story from the commentary on Gremlins when they were talking about what to name the Mogwai, they said that "someone" suggested Gizmo. So, Gizmo it was.

This is especially true with Poltergeist, which Spielberg did intend to direct but could not because of DGA rules forbidding him to do so while he was working on E.T. Hooper must have been aware of this and known that Spielberg was going to be a heavy creative prescense on the set. I can't imagine Hooper expected that it was going to be entirely his show.

 

[Travis Brashear]

Most amusing and intriguing--though I'd never claim Bay as a great director, TRANSFORMERS is actually the only movie of his I just cannot abide. I find it excrutiatingly awful, and there is no element to it whatsoever that is evocative of Spielberg at his highest or lowest levels. As you note, just feeling free to disagree...

 

[BrettB]

Spielberg's had it rough enough this year catching hell for Indy 4, he doesn't need anyone blaming him for Transformers.

 

[Paul Arnette]

Who was blaming him? I was actually 'praising' him because I 'think' he's responsible for making the first Bay film I can stand. I have a hard time believing anyone would find Pearl Harbor or Armageddon more watchable than Transformers, but 'C'est la vie'. Of course when you're father to a six-year-old, you'd better find some way to 'come to terms' with Transformers or you're just going to be miserable. So, perhaps I have been looking extra hard for the 'silver lining'.

 

[BrettB]

2 grown girls. Haven't had to accomodate the kiddos for years now.

 

[Jari K]

"Transformers" was directed by Michael Bay. It´s "his film". Executive producers come and go. Whether people like his (Bay) movies or not (he makes blockbusters, plain and simple), Bay does movies that look and sound like "Bay".

Btw. Cover art and some info:

DVD Times - Poltergeist (US BD) in October

DVD Times - Interview with the Vampire (US BD) in October

 

[Paul Arnette]

While, I don't think it is nearly as 'cut and dry' where Spielberg is Executive Producer, I am content to leave it at that and return the thread's focus back to the films listed in the title. Speaking of which, both of these titles are now available for pre-order on WHV's site. Poltergeist is roughly $20.21 shipped, while Interview was $17.21.

 

[Travis Brashear]

I love this part from the link above:

"Part of their digibook packaged series of titles, full details are TBC but in terms of extras we expect it to match last year’s disappointing DVD release which only offered the theatrical trailer and the They Are Here: The Real World of Poltergeists Revealed documentary in 2 Parts: Science of the Spirits and Communing with the Dead."

No, no, not even all of that. :frowning: