Countless film directors are known for repeatedly making similar movies, although some manage to reinvent themselves with something new. It may be a filmmaker who got pigeonholed in the action genre who later went entirely against audience expectations to release an epic romance that defines the rest of their career and has an incredible impact on cinema. Other directors are known for catering primarily to a male audience, who then show a new dimension to themselves with a highly feminist story that embraces female empowerment.
While it’s true that Steven Spielberg is one of the most famous film directors who ever lived, over the course of his career, he built up a reputation for producing family-friendly movies and box office smashes. While Spielberg’s career really took off with the release of the intense seaside thriller Jaws in 1975, throughout the 1980s and 1990s, his output was mostly aimed at viewers of all ages. From E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial to Indiana Jones right through to Jurassic Park, Spielberg’s bread and butter for this period of his career were all mainstream crowd-pleasers.
However, with the release of Schindler’s List in 1993, Spielberg showcased a new side to his cinematic skillset with an epic WWII historical drama. As the recipient of seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Schindler’s List reestablished Spielberg as a major cinematic voice in mature adult cinema. Following this, Spielberg balanced his more family-friendly output with challenging releases like Saving Private Ryan, Lincoln, Bridge of Spies, and even the autobiographical story The Fablemans, proving his skills across any genre he tries his hand at.
