The first movie that terrified Steven Spielberg: “It was a traumatic thing”
Cinema has the power to move us, anger us, put a smile on our faces, or simply terrify us. Steven Spielberg knows that a good film can impact a viewer for life if it is executed properly, something he has achieved many times. His movies have left a significant impact on both cinema and society as a whole, making him one of the most accomplished directors of all time.
His breakthrough effort was Jaws, which terrified many people into going to the beach. His tale of killer sharks who won’t hesitate to attack casual seaside-goers reportedly led to a decrease in beach tourists within America upon its release and is likely responsible for the widespread fear of sharks. Spielberg certainly left an impression on viewers with his feature, which became a huge sensation, helping to usher in the concept of the modern blockbuster.
From there, he has continued to make many blockbuster movies that have soared at the box office, like Jurassic Park, which revolutionised cinema with its use of realistic special effects, and ET the Extraterrestrial, a beloved film that has defined many people’s childhoods. The filmmaker also knows the importance of telling profound stories about war and suffering, earning significant acclaim with titles like Schindler’s List and Saving Private Ryan.
No matter what Spielberg makes, he is certain to leave his viewers thinking about what they’ve just watched for days, weeks, or even months after. Whether it’s the feeling of fear, disgust, shock, hopefulness, or happiness, the filmmaker has mastered the art of creating enduring images.
It makes sense, then, that Spielberg’s first memory of watching a movie is so incredibly vivid and detailed, with the filmmaker explaining on the NPR radio show Fresh Air that he was terrified by what he was first subjected to on the big screen. When he was six years old, his parents decided to take him to the movie theatre, although a young Spielberg was under the impression that – because of the title of the movie, The Greatest Show on Earth – he was going to the circus.
He was profoundly disappointed, but the experience would prove to be life-changing, even if six-year-old Spielberg didn’t know it at the time. “This movie started playing. And I don’t know how long it took me to fall under the spell of the film. And I was enchanted. I remember just being enchanted by – didn’t understand the story, didn’t understand what they were saying, but the imagery was amazing. But then along came this horrible train crash, and the train wreck was terrifying.”
The young future filmmaker wanted to get out of there as soon as possible, “I wanted to leave the theatre,” he explained. Yet, he remained. “I was sinking as low as I could get in the – in my seat so as not to see the screen. But it was a really terrifying, traumatic thing. And it never left me. My first movie was a movie that scared my pants off, and I’ll never forget that.”
Since then, Spielberg has made images that his childhood self would have been terrified of, perhaps leaving him with no choice but to sink into his seat to avoid scary sharks and giant dinosaurs.
