No offense tinear, but I don't agree with either your conclusion or Tom's list.

While I respect Schindler's List and Saving Private Ryan, I consider those serious "presige" pictures, but no better or worse than any other type of film. IMHO, you're a little off base suggesting that Raiders of The Lost Ark is merely "high quality kid's fare" in order to elevate more emotional docu-dramas that are intended to convey some kind of moral message that was close to the Director's heart & Oscar ambitions. In fact, I would separate both of those two fine films from the rest of his body of work as being less representative of his personal style and creativity, not that that's necessarily a bad thing.

There arer a lot of films I might be tempted to describe as "kid's fare" because they are obviously targeting kids, but none are by Steven Spielberg. There are certainly a few more accessible to children, Like ET and perhaps his attempt at screwball comedy, 1941, but Raiders is obviously a tongue in cheek homage to the action serials of the 30's & 40's, aimed at adults who watched these cliffhangers as kids (i.e., nostalgia).

As I've stated before, I'm not a huge fan of Spielberg's work generally because he has a tendency towards sloppiness (i.e., in service of creating emotional impact & suspense), except in the case of those two prestige films that I mentioned earlier. So how would I rank Steven Spielberg's Top (Best) 5 films if my arm were twisted to participate in such a list?

1) AI-Artificial Intelligence
2) Schindler's List
3) Saving Private Ryan
4) Jurassic Park
5) War Of The Worlds

All of these are more or less message pictures, which you may construe to mean "adult" in theme as in targeting a more sophisticated audience, but it's also worth noting that his more serious filmfare (i.e., Schindler & Ryan) isn't joyful or satisfying on repeated viewings.

The most ENTERTAINING of Spielberg's films (with a little cheating to include the best films in series):

1) Jurassic Park I & II
2) Raiders of The Lost Ark & Las Crusade
3) Jaws
4) AI-Artificial Intelligence
5) Close Encounters of the Third Kind

These are just my opinions; of course, YMMV.

Cheers,
AuPh

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Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - Let's rate Speilberg's top 5 - TomD 10:38:07 07/02/05 (18)

"Duel" was real good, especially for a newcomer doing it with no big bucks... - orejones 04:08:56 07/04/05 (1)

Re: Yeah! - patrickU 05:41:12 07/04/05 (0)

WotW certainly won't make it. I was getting bored with it. * - mr grits 21:33:17 07/02/05 (1)

Well, you're wrong on so many things, politically speaking, why not this too. - Audiophilander 09:18:01 07/04/05 (0)

Sorry, Dave, but an adult list would be more like: - tinear 11:20:15 07/02/05 (13)

No offense tinear, but I don't agree with either your conclusion or Tom's list. - Audiophilander 01:06:28 07/04/05 (0)

I would (if I had to...) take his childish stuff over his wholesale dreck like the SPR - Victor Khomenko 11:38:41 07/02/05 (4)

Re: dreck like the SPR? - halfnote 22:11:48 07/03/05 (3)

Re: Gremlins - PCL 07:45:40 07/04/05 (2)

Kurosawa is an artist... Spielberg is an untouchable. - Victor Khomenko 08:18:31 07/04/05 (1)

Do you mean to say... - PCL 17:26:11 07/04/05 (0)

Sorry, Tom (and Dave), gotcha mixed up...nt - tinear 11:21:13 07/02/05 (6)

Re: Pinot noir d`Oregon.....nt - patrickU 12:03:29 07/02/05 (5)

Hey, I'll send you a couple of best vintage - tinear 16:52:49 07/03/05 (4)

Re: I was only saying that .... - patrickU 05:37:32 07/04/05 (0)

How about two for me, and I carry one for Patrick? - Victor Khomenko 18:01:05 07/03/05 (2)

Re: Take care Tin, he may end with drinking all three on a long... - patrickU 05:39:05 07/04/05 (0)

Nope, one for you, two for Patrick. Of course, should - tinear 19:12:13 07/03/05 (0)

Follow Ups

No offense tinear, but I don't agree with either your conclusion or Tom's list. - Audiophilander 01:06:28 07/04/05 (0)

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