A STEVEN SPIELBERG "FILM"?

Matt Goltz
June 2002

I saw MINORITY REPORT today, liked it just fine. Decent story, performances, some surprises even. Yet, I just wish Spielberg and cinematographer Janusz Kaminski hadn't relied on that new and increasingly irritating color process that renders 99% of his film in that monotone (this time, bluish) palette.

Over the last few years, the use of digital post-production to alter film color has run rampant. The Wachowski Brothers' THE MATRIX (the first I remember seeing it) Brian Helgeland's PAYBACK (fine, it was still new then) Steven Soderberg's TRAFFIC (used very well to establish place) The Coen Brothers' O' BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU? (that "ol' timey feel") The remake of GET CARTER (unnecessary and getting tiresome) Guillermo Del Toro's BLADE 2 (green and yellow?? "VOMIT-vision??"), Ridley Scott's BLACK HAWK DOWN (okay, I GET it: the desert is HOT.)

Then there's that new "high speed shutter effect" used so often in THREE KINGS, GLADIATOR, SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, BLACK HAWK DOWN, and BEHIND ENEMY LINES, as well as the "over-exposure of lightsources" that Kaminski's used in EVERY Spielberg film since SCHINDLER'S LIST. I just wanna slap these cinematographers who seem to think that having the camerawork continually call attention to itself is such a great idea.

Mental note, shooters: If the audience notices it, then they've been pulled out of the movie, the illusion is ruined and they eventually end up losing the ability to care what's happening. I wanna be wrapped up in a story and entertained, not distracted by images that would look out of place in a Pepsi commercial or a bad martial arts flick.

Remember how Spielberg's films used to dazzle with color and great composition? Think of the INDIANA JONES films, JAWS, and CLOSE ENCOUNTERS. Word online is that INDIANA JONES 4 is close to actually happening, at last. Now everyone get together and hope it's directed by the old Steven Spielberg we used to know, and not this new guy. Let's not forget, Hollywood... Color film was invented for a reason. Ick, I sound bitter. Better watch it before I become another Roeper.