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How Did John Ford Influence Steven Spielberg

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John Ford?s Influence on Steven Spielberg

John Ford?s Influence on Steven Spielberg
Erik Gebhardt
Cleveland State University
COM 320: History of Film

Erik Gebhardt
COM 320
Professor Neuendorf
15 October 2015
Steven Spielberg Filmmaking is one of the most unique, creative, and innovative projects that someone can complete. The film industry is a true art form, and the appreciation for the industry from the actors and actresses, to the filmmakers, producers, and directors continues to increase. Attending a premier, or just going to the local movie theater on a Friday night to see a movie that looks enticing from the trailers that have been seen is one of the most fun parts of living. …show more content…

He has been known to talk about the influence that he received from the legend John Ford. One specific influence that he received, or followed along with regarding John Ford, were how his films were normally optimistic, minus a few such as ?Schindler?s List.? ?Saving Private Ryan? is a tragic movie, but it has optimistic perspectives throughout the film. This is an influence from John Ford. For example, in Ford?s ?The Searchers?, there is usually an optimistic tone in the film, especially from John Wayne. All along, John Wayne knows he is going to find his niece, in which he does and he brings her back where she belongs. In ?Saving Private Ryan? for example, many men die in the opening scene on D-Day at Normandy, but Tom Hanks? character is able to find and save Private Ryan at the end of the film. It is a hard film to watch because so many young men die while trying to save one person, but that one person is eventually saved and it shows the courage that the characters in the film represent. Spielberg got this directly from Ford. This creates a feeling of gratitude and happiness for the audience as they leave the theater knowing that the main objective of the film has been …show more content…

There is no doubt about this. But, it is the ways that make these filmmakers some of the greatest of all time. Ford uses optimism in his films; he represents the struggles in real life situations, like he does in ?Grapes of Wrath?, even though the film is based off of a book. This is a way for him that he can connect to the audience. He directed many war films, and they were authentic because he was in the war and he saw what happened in many different areas. For Spielberg, he believed in extraordinary circumstances, which is why he directed many movies about dinosaurs and aliens. But, in these movies, symbolism is portrayed because it asks if there is other life out there. This is what makes it enticing to the audience. Both of these men are some of the greatest of all time and they are both very familiar in many

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