re: What is your Mount Rushmore of Steven Spielberg directed movies?

Jaws
E.T.
Schindler's List
Raiders of the Lost Ark

quote:

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I went for decades thinking that Spielberg directed Poltergeist. Come to find out, it was actually Tobe Hooper who also directed The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

Hooper is listed and credited with directing Poltergeist, but it was later said that Spielberg basically co-directed it with Hooper and went uncredited in doing so.

It was said that Spielberg couldn’t contractually direct another film while also directing E.T. at the same time. That being said, you could say that Spielberg was very “hands on” during the filming of Poltergeist

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Those rumors have always been deeply overstated, and had more to do with industry bias and press manipulation than actual facts. Under the same criteria of directing, or co-directing, “The Goonies” should be listed as a Spielberg film. He was always deeply involved in his productions, whether that involved being on set or not, and “Poltergeist” was a unique collaboration from day 1 - but one in which Hooper was always the intended director. Spielberg in all actuality never intended to direct “Poltergeist,” which is the locus of all the articles you may read on this topic’s disregard of facts: Hooper and Spielberg shook hands on an express director/producer partnership when Hooper pitched the idea of a haunted house film to Spielberg. They developed the story together and Hooper was left with full pre-production as Spielberg chose to direct E.T.. There is far more Hooper-caused subversion of the Spielberg script than there is any rogue designs in The Goonies.

Sean Astin on the Goonies shoot:



It likely doesn’t belong on any proper Spielberg list.