Steven Spielberg and Alfred Hitchcock influences Essay Sample

was also influenced by the pioneering work of Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis. Throughout Hitchcock's career, Freud's insights into human behavior were informing the world of his scientific discoveries, shaping both a curative method and a theory of how the mind and behavior interrelate.

During the 1920s, psychoanalysis was a part of American popular culture, which Hitchcock incorporated into many of his films. Two examples include Psycho, which features a long address by a psychiatrist at the end, and Spellbound, where the main characters are psychoanalysts. (Spoto)

In 1983, Hitchcock's public image deteriorated as society became more immoral. To represent this, he placed endangered characters in locations that symbolized order, such as bastions of civilization like the Statue of Liberty, United Nations headquarters, Mount Rushmore, and Britain's Parliament.

According to Spoto (1983), in Hitchcock's movie "Blackmail", famous landmarks were used for suspense sequences for the first time. However, McGilligan (2003) explains that Hitchcock's goals and intentions were changed by World War 2.

Allowing his films to tackle diverse topics, Hitchcock produced multiple movies during World War II that explicitly addressed war-related subjects, exemplified by titles such as Lifeboat, Foreign Correspondent, and Saboteur. Furthermore, in 1944, he directed two French propaganda shorts for the British Ministry of Information.

Spielberg’s 1975 film "Jaws" initiated the Hollywood blockbuster genre with its storyline centered on a submerged shark.

This genre gained popularity with films like "Bon Voyage" and "Aventure Malgache".

Creating 'Jaws' presented several technical challenges. Filming scenes in the ocean resulted in frequent pauses and delays, as unwanted sailboats often intruded into the shot and saltwater damaged the cameras.

The unreliability of the mechanical sharks was apparent

as they had not been tested in water and the full version sank to the ocean floor upon placement. While the sharks functioned on a shallow sandy bottom, they would often malfunction after exposure to saltwater. To work around this issue, Spielberg utilized suspense techniques in a style reminiscent of Alfred Hitchcock, thus incorporating technology into his filmmaking process.

(Blake, 1975) It was common in the 1980s to produce science fiction films. (McBride, 2001) Spielberg's fascination with space and extraterrestrial life has always been present.

His involvement in science fiction stemmed from feeling like an outsider as a child and his father's belief that aliens wouldn't invade for harm but to share knowledge. Spielberg's interest lies in space exploration.

Steven Spielberg drew inspiration from his father's profession and the science fiction pop culture of the 1980s. In 1982, he directed E.T. (Fredman, Notbohm, 2000). In 1993, technological advances influenced Spielberg to create Jurassic Park.

The use of technology allowed for the creation of lifelike dinosaurs on screen. Spielberg recognized the potential for a more cost-effective way of utilizing computer-generated imagery (CGI) to make films, resulting in Jurassic Park and its sequels, all of which employed CGI and achieved great success. Furthermore, Spielberg's innovations in film technology served as inspiration for other filmmakers.

(McBride, 2001) As Spielberg matured, he understood his duty as a director and began producing more somber movies. Schindler's List, for example, was developed to pay tribute to those who survived the Holocaust. Regrettably, there have been further incidents of genocide since that tragic event.

Although it would have been more convenient to delay the film for a year, Spielberg felt it was crucial to draw

attention to the ongoing situation in Bosnia and the attempted genocide of the Kurdish people.

(Fredman. Notbohm. 2000) One more film that was produced following his involvement in the military was Saving Private Ryan. (Fredman.

Notbohm (2000) asserts that Spielberg made a film targeted towards war survivors. Having been informed by veterans and historians that previous World War II movies were not faithful to the sufferings of war, Spielberg opted to present a gruesome account of the conflict. His choice was shaped by his time as a student during the Vietnam War, where he expressed contempt for those who deemed it the most agonizing war.

McBride wanted to capture and honor the veterans who fought in the Normandy invasion because he saw it in coloring material on their telecasting. As a kid, he frequently heard narratives from his fathers’ engagement in World War II, which had a huge influence on him.

Both artists were greatly influenced by the time in which they lived in 2001. While their works differ, this can be attributed to the different events that shaped their artistic careers. As a result, the concepts, objectives, and intentions of their films have evolved over time. While Spielberg continues to create, he adapts to changing trends and events.

If Hitchcock were still with us today, he would likely make numerous changes to his approach. Bibliography: Blake, Edith. Making of the Movie Jaws. New York: Ballantine Books.

1975 saw the publication of two works involving erectile dysfunction by authors named Fredman and Lester, as well as a work by Notbohm.

The source material is a book titled "Steven Spielberg: Interviews" by Brent that covers the topic of erectile

dysfunction.

In 2000, Nicholas Haeffner wrote about Alfred Hitchcock.

Joseph McBride's book 'London' was published by Longman in 2005.

The book "Steven Spielberg: A Biography" was written by Da Capo in 2001, while "Alfred Hitchcock: A Life in Darkness and Light" was written by Patrick McGilligan.

Regan Books published Donald Spoto's book "Manhattan" in 2003.

The book titled "The Dark Side of Genius" was published by Ballantine books in 1983.