Spielberg: films are looking like games Related content
- News EA/Spielberg LMNO project not dead [4]
- News EA dismisses Spielberg game rumours [10]
- News Spielberg talks up his games [16]
Advertisement
Spielberg: films are looking like games News
PC
PlayStation 2
PSP
DS
Xbox 360
PlayStation 3
Wii
News
by
Robert Purchese
Iconic Hollywood film maker Steven Spielberg believes movies are starting to take a leaf out of the videogame book.
Talking to Yahoo, he recalled his first time playing Pong, and the leaps and bounds our industry has taken since then.
"I think film-makers are learning things from videogames," said Spielberg. "Movies are starting to look more and more like videogames, like the digital introductory teasers videogames give you before they turn control over to the player.
"A lot of movies, like this movie with Angelina Jolie and James McAvoy called Wanted. It had a lot of videogame savvy. The Bourne Ultimatum had a lot of videogame savvy in the quick cuts and the audacity of camera angle."
Spielberg helped create the acclaimed Boom Blox for EA, and is currently working on project "LMNO" for the publisher. This, said Spielberg, will be an Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 game focused on "movie-type story", although gameplay details are so far scarce.
As for the director himself, Spielberg admitted a fondness for Rock Band, in which he assumes the roll of drummer.
"One thing I can do is hit a drum. So that's what I do," he said, honestly.
There's no release date for LMNO, but the prevalence of chatter suggests we may hear more soon.
Advertisement
Are you excited about LMNO (working title) on Xbox 360/PlayStation 3?
View Eurogamer readers most anticipated games
Thanks!
Related Games
LMNO (working title)
Want to comment on this article? Log in, or register!
Comments: 1-45 of 45 in total
Poster
|
dopeonthetable
10/12/08 @ 11:50
0
I don't think he is calling anything ""digital introductory teasers""- I think it's clear that he is talking about the way in which action films are borrowing stylistically from typical cut-scene choreography, whatever such a thing might be.
|
|
Doctor_What
10/12/08 @ 11:58
0
Ah, so that's why movies generally, and his in particular, have been a bit rubbish lately. Kingdom of the Crystal Dull was awful!
|
|
illusiondance
10/12/08 @ 11:59
0
i still dont get how he compares the Bourne ultimatum to a cut-scene.... what am i missing here?
|
|
dopeonthetable
10/12/08 @ 12:02
0
Assuming that I'm right in thinking he means "cut-scenes"- it's a weird description, right? As though one particular section of a videogame would suddenly turn analogue. And I'm not sure that "introductory" or "teaser" accurately describes the relationship between cut-scenes and gameplay. I know we call the opening cinematics "intros", but they are just one of many stages of preface the player must get through before taking control of the action, each of which might -perhaps should- be considered as legitimate parts of the final "experience", not mere introductory content. "Teaser" has similar problems- sure, they build momentum and excitement, but it might not be fair to think of them as separate to the "main event".
|
|
Thunderbolt!
10/12/08 @ 12:18
0
Can't really blame Spielberg as he only directed the latest Indy film as that crown of shit rests on George Lucas as he wrote it.
Spielberg is responsible for some of the best films ever (Transformers was pretty good IMO)
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 10/12/08 @ 12:19
|
|
DoctorZoidberg
10/12/08 @ 12:54
0
Spielberg is a movie legend. There are no two ways about it. He has been recently dipping his toes into gaming, Boom Blox was actually pretty fun.
I think people here "hating" (as you all put it) are probably to young (& stupid) to know any better! |
|
dopeonthetable
10/12/08 @ 13:04
0
I don't think there are any "haters" here- a lot of his recent films have had nothing remarkable about them other than their budget and now he's made some fairly strange remarks about games and film that seem less informed than they should be considering his position.
In other words: I think there are some reasonable criticisms being made in this thread, and "reasonable criticism" is radically different to "hating".
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 10/12/08 @ 13:06
|
|
Doctor_What
10/12/08 @ 13:33
0
Yes, Speilberg is a movie legend, but mostly based on his excellent output from the late 70s to the very early 90s. He's done a lot of very mediocre work since then. Beyond Munich, his output for the last decade has been mostly pretty pedestrian. What on earth made him think that the absolute tosh that was the latest Indy film was worth filming?
(And George Lucas should never be allowed near films - he's a good ideas guy, but dangerous in charge of a script and even worse when he's directing.) Sadly, I'm both too old and over-qualified to be classed as young and (completely) stupid! |
|
Shakey_Jake33
10/12/08 @ 13:54
0
To be honest though, it's refreshing to hear an established film director recognise the achievements in video games, and how film can potentially learn things from video games. He's far more in-touch than so many film-makers who just see it as all childish fun with no further value.
|
|
0
Yeah, and where the intros (cause I assume that is what he meant, right? o.o) got their insipration from in the first place? Then games got more popular, ergo influential in pop culture to the point where film business noted that and started to take the more juicy (and popular) bits for it's own work. It's coming round and about, nothing surprising here.
Haven forbid though if flms were to inspire their narrative and story ideas from games. Of all the media capable of telling a story videogame business still lurks at the very bottom for some reason. |
|
Britesparc
10/12/08 @ 14:27
0
He's talking about intro movies; "teasers" is an American TV term to describe the bit of a TV programme before the credits start. Back in 90s this was usually the shot of an alien eating a weirdo in a trailer park before the X-Files music started, but nowadays it's half an episode of Lost and two-thirds of an Ugly Betty.
Also, Spielberg is a cinematic God. I don't get why people think his recent films have been less than great. Granted, there's debate about the quality of Crystal Skull (personally I loved it) but stuff like Munich, Minority Report, Catch Me If You Can, and to a lesser extent War of the Worlds are all pretty damn spiffing. |
|
0
My OCD is terrified at the use of 'roll' instead of 'role'.
(Also I thought videogames got their inspiration from films? Which is what cutscenes are, essentially.. so... Films -> Videogame Cutscenes. But now we have Videogame Cutscenes -> Films? Isn't that just.. returning to square 1? *confused*
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 10/12/08 @ 16:10
|
|
0
Munich, Minority Report, Catch Me If You Can, and to a lesser extent War of the Worlds are all pretty damn spiffing.
Are they, i mean, lets be real here. They're good shows, but are they generational movies? Speilberg once created shows that 20 years on, were still loved. E.T., the goonies, Jaws, Raiders of the lost ark, schindlers List, saving private ryan, shit even jurassic park 1, were all movies that had unbelievable impact. Do you really beleive that 20 years from now, kids are going to look back at Catch me if you can, or Minority report in the same way as we do with the first indy film? or E.T. I'm not saying he isnt good, christ the man IS the movie industry really,but his current work is eclipsed by his past work edit, two letters for you AI The mans crowning failure.
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 10/12/08 @ 16:18
|
|
0
Minority Report has already been pretty influential, particularly those stupid gesture interfaces. It's funny, the accepted critical line when it comes to Spielberg seems to be that his early movies (Star Wars, ET, etc) damaged the whole industry with their infantile themes and blockbuster marketing, whereas his later movies like Schindler's List and Munich are seen as more mature and worthy. Exactly the opposite of what most people here think. I don't think I agree with either view.
|
|
0
Funny, I spun up the ET 20th Anniversary Edition a couple of nights ago and had forgotten how Mr S had ruined the film with the totally unnecessary and plastic-fantastic CGI that's been placed over the top of the original puppet. It totally removes the charm of what was originally captured on film and makes the wretched creature looks like something like... Jar-Jar-Binks.
Any don't even mention the walkie-talkies. |
|
Britesparc
10/12/08 @ 17:44
0
"Do you really beleive that 20 years from now, kids are going to look back at Catch me if you can, or Minority report in the same way as we do with the first indy film? or E.T. "
Catch Me, probably not, it's fun but flawed. Munich, deffo: it's a minor sci-fi masterpiece. OBVIOUSLY not in the same league as ET, CE3K, etc, but certainly the sorta film where everytime it's on telly you'll be thinking "oh, excellent, Minority Report!". And Munich is the best film he's made since Schindler's List. He had an extraordinary run of greatness with Jaws, CE3K, Indy and ET (only spoiled by 1941) and since then has made a fair few all-time classics as well as some films that were "only" very entertaining. Oh, and Hook. He did make Hook. However as pretty much no one here seems to like AI then I might as well give up and go home ;-) |
|
0
No director with a back catalogue the size of Spielberg's can be immune to criticism, you can't make perfection *every* time.
He stands up with the best of them though overall, for sure he's still one of the three directors whose films I'd want with me on a desert island (with a TV too of course!) ... |
|
0
I like Spielberg, he has made some of the greatest movies in film history IMO (early Spielberg of course!).
But he's talking out of his crapper..... Quick cuts in Bourne were not the appeal. Good writing, direction and good actor performances were the key. Wanted?? Please Mr "I ruined War Of The Worlds" IMO movies are starting to loose ground to the videogame, not taking a leaf out of it's book (coming from a LONG time movie fanatic, known as "the book" by some old work colleagues for his movie love/knowledge). Hell, they 99.9% of the time screw up great stories handed on a plate BY videogames! / glares at Resident Evil
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 10/12/08 @ 21:20
|
|
0
I think he has a way of swiftly building up believable and warm relationships between people - like the family in ET, or the one in War of the Worlds for that matter. Some may find it a bit cheesy but I like it and it makes whatever happens to these people in the course of the story seem more important.
I can't think of any videogames that come close in terms of creating believable characters - maybe Half Life 2, even ICO in it's own way - certainly not Fahrenheit though for all of David Cage's wannabe auteur crapola. Anyway I hope he gets more involved in the game industry, it can only be a good thing.
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 11/12/08 @ 00:41
|
|
3william56
11/12/08 @ 04:06
0
"sh*te films are looking more like videogames"
Fixed. Good films look nothing like videogames. Mr S's own early back catalogue demonstrates this perfectly. Though a vid game based on Duel would be pretty suave. Films that look like videogames are almost always 100% suck. Mr S's recent Indy travesty (yes, CGI monkeys and Shia LeTarzan I'm looking at you) demonstrates that nicely too. |
|
0
"Quick cuts in Bourne were not the appeal. Good writing, direction and good actor performances were the key. Wanted?? Please Mr "I ruined War Of The Worlds" "
How did he ruin WOTW? The first two acts had my jaw on the floor and I still think they're superb after repeated viewings - the third act is pretty weak but I haven't seen a good third act in a film for at least the past 5 years ... |
|
0
"How did he ruin WOTW?
The first two acts had my jaw on the floor and I still think they're superb after repeated viewings - the third act is pretty weak but I haven't seen a good third act in a film for at least the past 5 years ... " Well true, it wasn't a bad movie as such and in terms of FX it's awesome, but concentrating a single families experience compared to what could of been, yes he ruined it IMO. Even the 50's movie was a more convincing alien invasion IMO. |
|
0
The script was actually based on reality believe it or not! A crystal skull as in the film was in fact discovered and believed to have supernatural powers etc. The people who found it would tour the New Age festivals around the world with it (since they like their nice coloured rocks and shit) and the entire myth about aliens providing the ancient Mayans or whatever with technology etc came about.
Then eventually the skull got put under some serious scrutiny, found that it was not actually one lump of complete and unsculptuered crystal but two man made halves put together. The duo who discovered it still maintain its intergrity though. Thats where the entire plot comes from, which I guess is a parallel to the mystical indian rocks from Temple Of Doom. Was WOTW ok? |
|
captain_chris
12/12/08 @ 12:56
0
WotW was a good film :- loosely based on a book and a previous film of the same name. I think its portrayal of a gung-ho well equipped but ultimately feckless US army (it was the tom cruise character who noticed the lack of forcefield) is 'of its time' enough, along with some of the other 'issues' it depicts, that it could never be considered a great.
Don't know how much input he had as a producer on the excellent Band of Brothers but I'll add that to his list of greats. |
|
0
It's not the aliens that are the problem with Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull; rather, it's the total disregard for treating the audience with intelligence at the expense of a cheap laugh: -
I can accept mystical rocks, a radio for speaking to God, and a cup that holds everlasting life, because they're mythical - they're engrained in our consciousness as a "just might be something to it" phenomenon. But hiding in a lead lined fridge to withstand a nuclear blast? Then getting out of said fridge after it's ridden the blast wave of a nuclear detonation somehow? Well that just fails because we know it cannot happen, no matter how much we want to believe in the supernatural or things beyond our understanding. Of course it made a boat load of money for the 3 of them, so expect Indy 5 somewhere in our collective futures... |
Comments: 1-45 of 45 in total
Want to comment on this article? Log in, or register!
