#Also yes I DID EDIT THAT SO IT SAID LEE FOR YOUR NAME HAHAHA

[g1gglee-rxccoon]

This has me giggling

WHYYY

I will fight you @wilblee-soot

[whomst-art-thou-whomst-whomst]

Texts from the Lost Tomb part 6.1

🎶 Back on the bullshit I never got off🎶

Is this another unnecessary story arc?? With three sections??

Yes.

Wushanju Crew Chat

Wang Meng: You know, I’m someone who appreciates consistency in my day. My life is pleasant, very few issues indeed if you ignore the big ones. And yet. Yet here we are. With unresolved messes at the end of a day.

Wang Pangzi: SOMETHIN YOU NEED TO SAY MARY POPPINS

Wang Meng: We need to talk about Huo Daofu and the glittery bead curtain.

Wang Pangzi: MY FAVE TEEN WIZARD SERIES

Wu Xie: did you turn on that suggested word thingy lol

What glittery bead curtain

Wang Meng: I closed the shop at 6:00pm this evening on the dot. I locked all of the doors in and out of the shop very carefully, especially in light of recent events. The hall leading to the back office was empty. I filed the day’s paperwork, updated and sent emails, and then spent an extra hour organizing receipts and dusting. When I came back out, there were glittery iridescent bead curtains over the front entrance to the shop.

What could this mean?

Wu Xie: uh that you need to spend less time at work?

Wang Pangzi: LOOKS LIKE WE GOT ONE FOR THE DETECTIVES. THE MYSTERY OF THE BEDAZZLED THRESHOLD COMMENCES

Wu Xie: I think we can be relatively secure in thinking a glittery bead curtain isn’t a hostile threat

Wang Pangzi: SAYS YOU

I REMEMBER YE OLDE EXPLORATION TIMES HOW FAST THINGS GOT FURIOUS

BEANBAG CHAIRS SET AFLAME AND LEFT ON DOORSTEPS AS A WARNING

GLITTERBOMBS FOR DAYS

PANIC AT THE DISCO

Wang Meng: Ugh, forget it. I should have just taken them down, regardless of who they belong to.

Zhang Qiling: They are not mine.

Wang Pangzi: A BOLD STATEMENT COMING FROM OUR PRIME SUSPECT

SOMEONE QUICK GO DRAW CHALK AROUND THE DOORWAY TO MARK THE SCENE OF THE CRIME

Wang Meng: Do we know anyone who *would* sneak in and put those up? For whatever reason, legal or not? Even as a joke?

Wang Pangzi: ARE YOU SERIOUSLY ASKING WHETHER WE KNOW ANYONE WHO IS CHAOTIC, AN OUTLAW, A PRANKSTER AND/OR SNEAKS INTO PLACES

BECAUSE THAT WOULD MEAN OUR SUSPECT LIST IS LITERALLY EVERYONE WE KNOW EXCEPT FOR YOU.

Wu Xie: okay let’s think about this; for starters, I didn’t break into my own shop

Wang Meng: You would be in danger of doing some work in the process, that’s true.

Wang Pangzi: LOL

Wu Xie: ANYWAY let’s keep going. For example, Xiao Ge would only break in somewhere for a good reason. Xiao Ge, did you do this?

Zhang Qiling: No.

Wu Xie: okay who’s next

Wang Pangzi: YOU REALLY MISSED YOUR CALLING IN INTERROGATION TIANZHEN

REALLY PUT THE SCREWS TO HIM

IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE;)

Zhang Qiling: How can we be certain *you* didn’t do it?

Wang Meng: Admittedly that was my guess, too.

Wang Pangzi: WOW I SEE HOW IT IS

BLAME PANGZI AS USUAL

ANYWAY HOW DOES HUO DAOFU FIT INTO THIS

Wu Xie: Oh yeah him! Oops I got distracted

Wang Pangzi: UR ENTIRE HISTORY IN A NUTSHELL

Wu Xie: Ugh fuck off

Wang Meng what abt Huo Daofu??

Zhang Qiling: ?

Wu Xie: oh sorry xiaoge I didn’t realize you wouldn’t have spent much time around him last year

He and I go way back

Zhang Qiling: Way back where?

Babysitters Club Chat

Wang Pangzi: I CANNOT BELIEVE HE IS BUYING YOUR INNOCENT ACT

IF YOU EVER TURN TO EVIL WE ARE FUCKED

Zhang Qiling: ?

Wang Pangzi: YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHO HUO DAOFU IS

YOU WERE EXTREMELY POLITE AND BORDERLINE FRIENDLY TOWARDS HIM

Zhang Qiling: I wanted him to feel welcome. I wanted to be sure he understands he has a place here. A specific place.

Wang Pangzi: FOR A SILENT GUY YOU ARE A MASTER AT SUBTLE POWER PLAYS IM ALL TINGLY

LMAO THE IDEA OF WU XIE LEAVING YOU FOR HUO DAOFU IS HILARIOUS AND ALSO NOPE

Zhang Qiling: Rationally, I understand that.

Main Chat

Wang Meng: Huo Daofu is coming for the weekend—didn’t Wu Xie tell you? Wu Xie asked me to check in a week ahead so we could start getting ready for his arrival

Wu Xie: oh yeah I did do that

Wang Meng: Fortunately I know you and so I already went ahead and took care of everything.

Re: the trip

He made a deal with Wu Xie’s doctor that he would do periodic checkups on him here at Wushanju

Bc Wu Xie hates being in the hospital

And frankly the hospital hates him too

Wang Pangzi: FAMILIARITY BREEDS CONTEMPT LOL

I FORGOT HUO DAOFU WAS DOING THAT

A VERY CHIVALROUS GESTURE

WOULDNT YOU SAY

XIOAGE

Zhang Qiling: Is it safe for him to be here with a criminal loose on the premises?

Wu Xie: Right, back to the curtain! Let’s focus on the curtain, hmm?

Wang Pangzi: I AM SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS WEEKEND.

ALSO WE CAN RULE OUT XIAO BAI FOR THE CURTAIN SHE JUST SENT A SELFIE FROM NORWAY COVERED IN GREEN SLIME WITH ZERO CONTEXT, UR PROTEGE INDEED

Wu Xie: okay but who else would do something so oddly charming yet illegal and—wait.

Snake Eyes Chat

Wu Xie: hey, Glasses hasn’t been in touch lately right?

Li Cu: uh nope

Unless u count the outdated memes

Why, is money or Xie Yuchen missing

Or is this curtain related, I saw Wang Meng’s tweet

Wu Xie: haha no nothing to worry about really

(I mean maybe? but who knows)

Wang Meng is probably just getting a little paranoid in his old age

Li Cu: better than getting reckless and stupid as hell in ur old age

Wu Xie: …hey:(

Unknown Number: Li Cu, we discussed this.

Wu Xie: ????????

Li Cu: *sigh* fine, reckless and stupid as heck

Unknown Number: …close enough.

Wu Xie: EXCUSE who is that

Madame, Sir, Non-Binary Tree Spirit, etc—whomst the fuck

Are you

Li Cu is underage FYI

So Im staying on this chat

Li Cu: okay first of all, it’s not like that

Second of all I’m literally not underage I s2g

u threw the embarrassing surprise bday party, okay so u should remember

And C, that’s my counselor and I invited her. She wanted to meet u and I knew u wouldn’t agree to a visit so I added her to our chat

we have been discussing u

Wu Xie: Oh wow!!!!!!!

What a surprise:)

hi so nice to meet you:)

Main Chat:

Wu Xie: RED FUCKING ALERT

FUCK THE CURTAIN FUCK THE VISIT

IVE BEEN TRICKED INTO FAMILY THERAPY BY A SMUG TEENAGER WHO TEXTS UNKNOWN NUMBERS

Wang Meng: I assume that means something to someone here?

Not my problem? Good.

Wang Pangzi: AHAHAHA GOD I LOVE LI CU

HES LIKE ADORABLE KARMA FOR ALL THE SHIT YOUVE PUT ME THROUGH

IM RAISING HIS ALLOWANCE

Wu Xie: wait i give him an allowance

has he been collecting on two allowances??

Zhang Qiling: Three. I knew about both of yours.

Snake Eyes Chat

Wu Xie: so uh may I ask your name?

Unknown Number: you can call me Ms. Lee.

Now, if you’re comfortable talking in this format, why don’t you tell me how things have been going?

Wu Xie: oh everything is normal and fine and safe as usual, why do you ask:)

Li Cu: I heard about ur necklace thing. nice of you to NOT mention it.

another dangerous adventure. again. prick.

Ur lucky your cool boyfriend cares about you so much or you’d have already died like ten years ago

Wu Xie: lol try twenty years ago

Li Cu: That isn’t funny.

Unknown Number: …What?

Wu Xie: shit ur right, okay that was a bit glib, my apologies.

…I use humor as a coping mechanism?

Unknown Number: and Li Cu, how do you feel about that?

Li Cu: he doesn’t even know what that phrase means

He doesn’t cope, like ever

In fact

It’s kind of why we met

Which is a funny story in retrospect tbh

Wu Xie: haha what are you talking about sweetie hahaha need I remind you of certain anecdotes that could idk send me to jail maybe lmao

Unknown Number: …You know, perhaps an in-person meeting might be more effective?

Wu Xie: haha such a nice idea but why

Main Chat

Wu Xie: If I go to jail, I’ll have to create alliances for protection, right, that’s how it works on tv

Who do we know who spends time in jail

Other than Hei Yangjing, he’s only ever there for like 12 hours and i suspect he just gets himself arrested bc he enjoys the breaking out process

Also how’s the curtain case coming along

Zhang Qiling: Has someone threatened you?

Wu Xie: well not yet but soon I’m sure

Wang Pangzi: WHERE WAS THIS PARANOIA WHEN WE GOT TAKEN TO THE TEA HOUSE HUH

Snake Eyes Minus Your Fucking Therapist Chat

Li Cu: okay how tf did u pull off spy and undercover shit

u are sus as hell

Wu Xie: damn son is it pick on Wu Xie night

I missed the flyers or I would’ve invited my uncles

Also re: the curtain it’s been mostly solved

Li Cu: I’m not your son, idiot.

Wu Xie: …oh. Sorry, sorry, you’re right, bad choice of words, haha

Forget i said anything

Delete this chat even

Li Cu: shit I meant

Legally, biologically, I meant—

shit

…I turn into an asshole as a coping mechanism?

Wu Xie: oh that’s all okay! I have to go do something else now let me know if you need anything okay kid thanks!

Li Cu: goddamn it calm down who’s the kid here

lemme organize my thoughts so I can articulate my emotions fuckin healthily or w/e

Ugh maybe for like one afternoon we could go to Ms. Lee together? She knows how to word stuff

Wu Xie: uh…okay.

Li Cu: Anyway you don’t need to worry abt jail

As if you would survive prison for one day you’d piss off half the place in like an hour or less

I gave Ms. Lee the heavily edited version of the desert highway to hell roadtrip and i discussed it more in terms of like “nightmarish but still wouldn’t take any of it back”

Well maybe the sand

that shit was everywhere

Wu Xie: oh kiddo. It’s fine, really…You don’t have to explain yourself to me.

Li Cu: no, no it’s just

I do technically have a dad

who is an asshole. Being a son doesn’t really mean shit to me bc it sucked.

So you need to stop backing down just cuz ur guilty abt stuff. I’m really really glad ur not my dad in a good way. Do u get what I mean there

Where’s the mafia widower I followed into hell, huh

Wu Xie: Ur a good kid, despite my influence. I’m really glad you have someone to talk to after everything I…after everything. Wow this talking through feelings thing is kind of weird but nice ur right

Jfc no wonder it took me and xiaoge so long to—you know what, we won’t get into that

Li Cu: ew tmi

Also re: this week’s recent necklace fuckery

I moved my stuff here, I live here now

So you can’t die anymore

Or else…Idk I don’t have a threat planned

anyways abt the curtain

Wu Xie: oh my god, kid…kid you have no idea

I am in tears.

Li Cu: see this is why I can’t be nice to you I can sense the hallmark channel from here

Ugh don’t be sad in ur room that’s dumb

Go hug Pangzi or something

Maybe delete this chat

Or the curtain thing

Focus on the curtain thing

Just stfu and go away

Wu Xie: <3 screenshotting this <3

Li Cu: I take back everything I said. This is why Xiao Ge sleeps on the roof. I hope the ghosts of the Wangs put up that curtain to strangle you somehow. Go die in a stupid way, it’ll suit you.

Wu Xie: lol don’t worry I’m not gonna embarrass you with it or anything

Main Chat

Wu Xie: omg guys look how cute my kid is *sending screenshot*

Wang Pangzi: I MEAN

HE IS WISHING YOU DEATH

BUT SURE

CUTE I GUESS

Wu Xie: no but read the whole thing:):):)

Zhang Qiling: It is indeed very hard to remain angry with you. And you are welcome to join me on the roof.

Wang Pangzi: UH NOPE

NOT WHENI HAD TO BLEACH THE COUNTER IN THE KITCHEN

DONT TRAUMATIZE THE EARLY BIRDS THEYRE ALREADY FREAKED OUT BY U YA HOODIE CRYPTID

Wu Xie: ok true but babe ur like a sexy cryptid

Wang Meng: so, are we just accepting that there is a glittery curtain of unknown origin, and Huo Daofu is going to have to see it while he’s waiting for you at Wushanju bc you’re going to family therapy?

Wu Xie: right

Wang Pangzi: SHOULDA TAKEN EARLY RETIREMENT HUH

Wang Meng: I’m going to go dust something.

Unnamed Chat:

Unknown number: so the curtain…

Unknown number 2: yep, not my best work but I kinda panicked last minute u know

Unknown number: what is in the water at Wushanju that makes everyone dumb and attractive

Unknown number 2: relax they’ll figure it out

[crisp-ofhurricane]

The Extra in Ordinary Spielberg

“Was this movie made by [Steven] Spielberg?” asked my dad, out of the blue.

That night on last October was the hundreds of times he and i were having Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix moment on TV. But it was the first time ever i heard the bizarre question from him.

“No, it wasn’t,” i replied. “Dad, but you know Harry Potter is made by JK Rowling, right? Those novels you always bought for me.”

He responded, “well, yes.. but Spielberg always creates something unusual. Something imaginative. Yang aneh-aneh gitu lah.”

I smiled.

***

Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, December 18 1946, who would’ve thought this marvelous director was struggling with bullies when he was a kid and received frantic looks by people because he’s a jew.

“I’m just a lonely guy,” told him, referring to his youth phase where he also found himself hard to accept parents’ divorce.

Young Spielberg was not extraordinary yet, even his sister, Sue, stated that he didn’t like school. We all can say he was like those kids who came to the thoughts that academic shit was not their thing. He often got C and bullied a lot, Sue said.

Despite that, young Spielberg always wanted to do amazing stuff. His biggest passion was making movies.

Being in film industry evidently doesn’t always require you to have an official degree from certain (and prestigious) universities, but sometimes it could add up their persona. For example, you’d be gauging directors’ credibility more if they went to cool film schools ��� Martin Scorsese and Ang Lee studied at NYU, Francis Ford Coppola at UCLA, George Lucas at USC, and Kathryn Bigelow at Columbia. But it did not occur to Spielberg.

He dreamt of going to USC or UCLA, although he often admitted he was not infatuated with college. As he and his family ‘predicted’, he couldn’t go because of his grades. Luckily, his spirit already found its place: behind the lense.

He got to experiment with his very own precious weapon, 8mm Kodak movie from his dad when he was 12 or 13. Since then, he began to shoot scenes. One of his first films called Firelight which needed a quite long time to edit. It contained UFO which made it a sci-fi genre but he never said he liked it. According to his biography written by fellow Richard Schickel titled Spielberg: The Retrospective, he arranged Firelight’s premiere at a local theater complete with limousines. This kid was something. Considering his young age with inexperience of writing-directing, his effort was not bad at all. He was around 17 years old at that time.

“I tried very hard to get into USC Film School, but I didn’t have good enough grades to get in. I got turned down after having interview in person,” he added. “So, my film school was Universal.”

Mischievous at its gold

Spielberg revealed about a ‘mischief’ he did before he even entered adulthood stage. A kind of mischief you probably believe only could happen in a movie plot. Quite honest with you, it is one my favorite trivia about him.

It was the day when Spielberg spending his summer holiday in Canoga Park and decided to take Universal Studios tour. The tour was made by buses and in the middle of the day there was a bathroom-break. Some kids went to the loo, including him. What made him an extra-ordinary than the rest of visitors was, he was hiding in the stall, waiting for them to depart so he could roam and wander the studio alone.

“[After wandering the studios] I didn’t know how to get home. I spent the afternoon walking in and out of various rooms such as sound stages, cutting room. I actually had an amazing time. I thought it was the time to make a phone call. But then I bumped into a man named Chuck Silvers,” explained him.

In Schickel’s book, Silvers was mentioned as the head of the film library. When Spielberg explained how he got into the studios and wandered around, Silvers laughed appreciatively at it. His part did not stop there. Silvers obligingly wrote him a three-day pass. As you can anticipate it, the young soon to-be filmmaker used it well.

As I read from several sources, it has been said that Spielberg admitted when the three-day pass was expired, he found himself can’t stop sneaking around the studios. He learnt so much about editing process, sound mixing, cinematography, lighting, et cetera. Until one day he encountered Hitchcock’s set, Phantom of The Opera. I laughed a lot when he said that he got kicked off by one of the assistant director hahaha.

During his wandering-and-learning time in Universal lot until people just assumed he was one of the studio’s workers, Spielberg met chief editor Richard Belding and being asked if he wanted to make himself useful – as in being an intern if we could say so. Of course he answered yes. From then, he developed an amiable affection for Universal. It also made him willing to pursue his dream to become a director. My lord, how I admire his gold determination…

Joan Crawford and early lifework

Spielberg’s adventure began here, literally inside Universal as it was his personal university. He got the chance to make a short movie called Amblin’ – yea, that famous Amblin’ that later dubbed as his production company. Not only directing, he also wrote the script. In his documentary, Spielberg (2017), he said Sid Sheinberg, President of Universal Television (at that time), had liked the movie. Can you believe it?

“I looked at this film and I was very taken with it. I had a very strong feeling that this was not your average young filmmaker,” uttered Sheinberg. He did think Spielberg had something.

After declaring his admiration for Spielberg’s mini creation, guess what, Sheinberg offered him a seven-year contract to come to Universal to direct television series. Young Spielberg was no different from us who got excited for what he could achieve. So be it, especially when he was given such a powerful promise from Sheinberg. I will support you in success, but I will also support you in failure. It became his blessing, he even mentioned it when he received his own Cecil B. DeMille award in 2009.

(Spielberg with Sheinberg in 1989)

As Spielberg enlarged his capability on-screen, TV was his first medium of professional debuts. He learned how to direct and create stories by making TV series in late 1960s. I could only imagine about his taste of series at that time and compare it to series nowadays. Was he like The Duffer Brothers who suddenly surprise people with the unexpected brilliance? I guess we could ask ‘60s generation for that LOL.

Another interesting story about him in his early stage of directing was involving the classic actress Joan Crawford. It was around 1968 when Spielberg first introduced to the crew, and Crawford herself. It was his first directorial debut ever in TV world. He was chosen to direct Night Gallery that aired on NBC in 1969. With Crawford as the leading actress, Spielberg admitted he was scared of her. I repeat, he was scared the living dead out of her.

“I was terrified. At first, she terrified me – just the idea that NBC and Universal were casting her and they were signing me,” stated him in an interview with BuzzFeed couple of years ago. “I had never directed anybody with a SAG card, so the first member of SAG I’ve ever directed is Joan Crawford.”

Spielberg was only 22 at that time and I tried so hard to absorb how psyched and insane he was. So young, felt under-qualified, and realized he needed to harness his extra talent to prove he was the right one to direct the series. And it happened, the ordinary Spielberg was kinda being underestimated by the rest of the crew. In Schickel’s book, the crew said a few times, “this kid better prove himself quickly or he’s out of here.” Such a go hard or go home moment for you as a novice, eh? Hahahahahahah gosh..

His precious moment not only ended there. At one night, Crawford wanted to be picked up at a house she was staying at. Note that she never met Spielberg, so she had no idea about him at all. Spielberg came with the associate producer John Badham, and when these two arrived and Crawford invited them in, she took a look at him.

“The first thing she said was, ‘Well, we can’t go out to dinner. Everyone will think you’re my grandson.’ Seconds later she corrected herself, ‘my son!’” told Spielberg. HAHAHAHAH this is hilarious I can’t think of anything else beside Spielberg probably only responded her with an awkward grin while scratching his black hair.

Though she sounded like joking around, they really did not go out to have dinner. She decided to have the meeting inside the house instead hahahahah. And after Spielberg and Crawford’s first encounter, they began to shoot the project. Boy did he receive glance of ‘unpleasant’ treatment from the crew, still. “Can’t you catch up a little bit?” was one of yelling-phrase thrown at him. As he got yelled at from the crew, thankfully some of them were helping him get through the ordeal, including Crawford. Spielberg claimed that she treated him like a professional. Wow that must be flattering for this whiz kid.

(Spielberg testing out some angles for Crawford)

After the release of Night Gallery, the show got good ratings. And here comes the best part yet. Spielberg added, ten years after Crawford’s death, he received such an amazing story from Lew Wasserman, Studio Executive of Universal.

“Lew and I are having lunch together at The Commissary and he said, ‘did I ever tell you my Joan Crawford story?’ And I said, ‘no! What is it?’” told Spielberg.

The 71 year-old director continued that Wasserman reminded him about his first meeting with Crawford, that night which supposed to be their first dinner out.

“I said to Lew, yeah I remember when I met her. And he added, ‘well I guess you guys left an hour later and then she called me’.”

You know what Crawford said according to Wesserman?

“How dare you treat me this way! You assign me this kid — he’s got acne, long hair, and he was wearing love beads around his neck! I’m not working with him.” 

Man I laughed my ass off hearing this story. Spielberg, who was the new kid on the block, probably still in his period of time whenever he looked himself in the mirror, he grunted a little because of the acnes spread on his face. And that love beads… HAHAHAHA well it’s not his fault actually. From his defense, it was one of the iconic style item in late ‘60s!

Spielberg continued the story, “and Wasserman simply replied, ‘OK, Joan. We believe in the kid. We will find someone else to play your role.’ I just couldn’t believe it he said that.”

W o w… just wow… Sir, neither could I. Bet you close the ‘60s with a toss of cold beers surrounded by those people who always got your back.

1970s is probably well-known for his glorious time, but before all the blockbuster’s phenomena, early ‘70s was still ‘modest’. Duel and Sugarland Express are the famous ones of his directorial debut for feature films, respectively aired in 1971 and 1974.

Duel is a television movie that aired on ABC which starred Dennis Weaver. Spielberg himself admitted that he didn’t listen to an advice that suggested him to shoot inside the studio. Young Spielberg was being Spielberg, he decided to shoot on location with those real props such as trucks and cars. At least his effort to chase the tight deadline paid off. He stated that Duel had a profound influence on the film that made him a kind of superstar director, one of the main reasons is the studio decided to expand the screening in Europe and won some festival prizes.

Whereas Sugarland Express is theatrical feature starring Goldie Hawn and William Atherton. While celebrating the winning in Cannes Festival for the screenplay and listed as one of the Hollywood new wave movies, it had another meaning for him. Sugarland Express brought the connection between Spielberg and the amazing John Williams, who until now is still collaborating with him to transform movies into beautiful score. What a fate I tear up a little :’)

In addition, ‘70s wouldn’t seem perfect without talking a bit about The Movie Brats, a famous movement in Hollywood that changed the industry. Who would’ve thought young Spielberg is able to be listed one of them?

Other than him, Movie Brats in ‘70s consisted numerous of prominent directors such as Alan Pakula, David Lynch, Terrence Malick, Bruce Dern, Ron Howard, Woody Allen, John Cassavetes, Wes Craven, James Cameron. As for Coppola, Scorsese, Lucas, and Brian De Palma are “the chosen ones” who became Spielberg’s closest circle. They even consider it sort of a fraternity. Who wants to be in this gang? I know I do hahaha.

Make the impossible possible

Once upon a time, there was an Orca beaten up by a giant shark in a horrific way.. it was in summer 1975, a terror haunted people of Amity Island. Hee hee as you already know, Orca was actually a boat that carried three brave men who wanted to hunt down the ruthless shark.

Jaws was phenomenon. I know it was based on novel by Peter Benchley with same title, but I’ve never read it. Anyway, about the movie.. do you remember when Chief Brody, played by Roy Scheider, was no kidding when he said “you’re gonna need a bigger boat” after he saw his nemesis the great white shark for the first time. That line became famous ever since though. It was one of the best moments from the movie.

In preparation for making Jaws, Spielberg was like a nowadays youngster who would like to build a startup company: ambitious, stick to the plans, and have no idea how much problems will happen next. He just do it.

“The studio [Universal Pictures] had never shot a film on the ocean before. They would do it on the back lake, or a studio tank, they would make miniature boats. Everything would be easy that you would never get cold and wet,” explained Jaws’ cinematographer Bill Butler in Spielberg documentary.

He continued, “But Steven said, ‘I’m gonna shoot in the open ocean’.”

As he probably sounded full of courage and foolish at the same time, his reason was simply beyond ordinary. Spielberg wanted to make the thrill feels as authentic and real as possible. So he thought shooting the film in the back of studio lot was ridiculous.

“So to me, there was no going back. It had to be shot in the ocean,” he added.

His extra courage had to face some battle with nature, realizing the fact that he had no idea about the tides, how winds affect the water, and so on that possibly wrecked the technical shit. People, I’m sure you still remember that he used mechanical shark with hydraulic stuff, right?

Spielberg spilled the beans that the production process was enough nightmare for him as the director before the movie even completed. Hahaha :(

From the long overdue shooting duration, overly budget, and all the hardship he got to do in the middle of Atlantic Ocean, especially with Bruce the shark itself. Still from his documentary, Spielberg said that the first time the crew tested the shark, it sunk. He shared the similar sad story with BuzzFeed.

“100 days over schedule, all the water, it was insane. I almost got fired probably 19 times. My most troubled shoot after Jaws has been nothing. It doesn’t even compare. Jaws was nightmare because… I don’t even know who we were. We were a bunch of upstarts, a bunch of young people who thought we could take on the ocean. You can’t take on the ocean. And we thought we could do it by bringing a mechanical shark into the Atlantic Ocean and the salt water just wreaked havoc on all of the hydraulic tubes and things and the shark kept sinking,” uttered him.

Scorsese who appeared in Spielberg also shared about how people doubted his upcoming movie.

“I remember when Steven was in production on Jaws, the word around town and in LA Times was that it was folly and gonna be a disaster,” stated Scorsese.

Man… we can’t thank him enough for not quitting those crappy time back then, otherwise there’d be no terrifying horror that successfully made soooo many people get scared of going near water. The world had discovered much that Jaws broke box office and became the famous blockbuster in the era.

I watched Jaws when I was in elementary school probably in early 2000 and I was terrified as heck. That scene when Quint character being attacked by the shark will forever be attached in my memory because… such a vividly horror for a kid like me. And when I rewatch it, I love the idea that the scene lacking of backsound which made it even scarier and genuine. And… the tone of the cinematography in it was raw, grey-ish and whenever there’s a red, that’s gotta be blood. Hahahaha, what a genius. Oh and the film score by Williams… you felt it by your own.

His effort and determination was all worth it, the movie sold 25 million tickets in 38 days according to The Movie Book, Big Ideas Simply Explained. “The success of Jaws changed my life,” claimed him.

We all know that Jaws eventually became the highest-grossing worldwide film of all time, until Star Wars came along two years later.

This was Spielberg’s letter to Lucas when Star Wars ousted it. Neat, huh?

His next remarkable adventure was involving an alien creature that stranded on Earth who then befriends with a boy named Elliot and his siblings. The alien which being named as E.T. from extraterrestrial later sent to his home land in outer space. Spielberg once again depending on physical effect to make an alien felt so real by using robotic puppet and special costumes. As a kid, E.T. kinda freaks me out, but then it shaped my perspective about the appearance of aliens. I mean, Spielberg nailed it when it comes to the intention that E.T. was made for family movie-time in the living room with big bowl of popcorn.

With the touch of fantasy, E.T. somewhat became one of his memorable creations that made history of cinema with some of the iconic shots, and the score. That halloween scene when E.T. gotta be hidden under ghost costume, riding bikes while flying in the sky which now becomes an icon of Amblin studio, and the ending scene… Boy it still gives me goosebump every single time. Elliot’s sad expression face and the tears, long and close shots in the face, and William’s perfect score.. such a magical, heartbreaking sci-fi in my childhood.

In Schickel’s book, it stated that Spielberg thought the root idea for E.T. lies buried in his childhood, when he was a little kid, feeling somewhat lost, alienated, and being this Jewish kid always in all-gentile neighborhoods. Although he was brave enough to ‘disguise’ his personal life in such family-friendly piece, E.T. for me overall, is capable to stimulate kids’ imaginations to the groundbreaking ideas, just like what he did to the movie.

Another impossible Spielberg crafted that was based on a novel is my favorite one, Jurassic Park. Again, I’m not going to talk about Michael Crichton’s book. Well, Jurassic Park is… as timeless and classic as Jaws. In his biography by Schickel, Spielberg even said that he was trying to do a ‘good sequel’ to Jaws, on land. That was a crazy thing to say, which led him into a new level of brilliance.

Aside those controversy of science theory, Jurassic Park did change the game of how cinema worked. With those animatronic dinosaurs, the sound effects, and such new bar of CGI, Spielberg was successfully hard to beat.

He admitted he had wanted to make a dinosaur movie since he was a child. I assumed since it was his long-time dream, so he thought everything had to be perfect. It was not him if the ideas was not extra-insane.

“I want eight to nine meter real dinosaurs that can interact with the characters,” revealed Spielberg.

His lifelong producer Kathleen Kennedy added, “that can run too.”

So Universal team up with Stan Winston Studios to construct the dinosaurs especially T.rex animatronics with 41 foot long and controlled by telemetry devices. If you still don’t know how they made dinosaurs’ roar, you should google it and be prepared to be in awe.

“Making a movie should make you fear, that way you push the limit. Making Jurassic Park was no guarantee to be good,” stated Spielberg.

He always speaks as a human being who happened to be a talented-mixed-with-anxiety artist, even in early ‘90s he still showed up in modesty. Well, with his sublime techniques, he enabled to wrap all the seemingly impossible —the plot, brought characters to life, the prehistoric creatures— in simple, down to earth masterpiece.

I watched it for the first time in 1999. Jurassic Park is my first Spielberg’s films, so guilty as charged if I praise this movie too often and in overly dramatic way. I always remember what my mum constantly said about him. “He was a genius.” Her reason was because of Jaws and… Jurassic Park. And thanks to her, Spielberg is the first director I’ve known in my childhood because of Jurassic Park. I don’t know why my mum introduced me to this realm of dinosaurs first, maybe it’s because she didn’t want to discourage me to swim if I watched Jaws earlier.

“It was a beginning of a whole new era,” said Lucas in Spielberg.

I can’t disagree with him. From Jurassic Park, I grew the curiosity about what paleontologists do, my craziness for anything related to dinosaurs increased, and it built my habit of over-analyzed about behind the scenes from every movie I watch until now. Ohhhhh… Jurassic Park was also the first movie that made me take film score seriously, and appreciate it. It was my first time to fall in love with John Williams himself that later I found out he made the iconic scores for Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Superman, Home Alone, and Harry Potter. Since that, I started to pay attention to composers hahahahaha.

My admiration for Spielberg actually escalated even more when I learned that he had to manage his time during the production of Jurassic Park to begin shooting Schindler’s List. Really, if I ever had a chance to meet him in person, one of top-five questions I give to him will be: HOW THE HELL YOU MANAGE ALL THAT??? THE EXHAUSTION AND THE EMOTIONS??

Both movies were released in 1993. And I’m sure it was one of his milestone of career. Two Oscars in his own hands. Just wow.

Schindler’s List is a product of life experience that Spielberg want to relate to. The setting was using Nazi occupation period in Germany, focusing on ‘heroic’ act of Oskar Schindler that saved 1.100 jews from slavery and genocide in Auschwitz camp.

“This is the first movie with a message I have ever attempted. It’s a very simple message — that something like this should never happen again. But it’s one that’s very close to my heart,” stated a big fan of Lawrence of Arabia.

Born in a jewish family, Spielberg found himself very hard to finish the production of the movie. He unveiled that it was simply so hard for him, especially when shooting the disturbing acts of Nazi to the jews. In Spielberg, film editor Michael Kain said that Spielberg got emotional easily which he knew it was not good at all for directing.

“Steve said, ‘I can’t do it. It’s too tough’,” Kain reminisced.

He then admitted, his wife, Kate, was the force of his life, particularly during this hard times. “She encouraged me to finish Schindler’s List. It was the most emotional film I’ve ever made,” he added.

Collaborating with Williams for the eerily, heart rending score, Williams once revealed he felt ‘unable’ to be the composer. “I talked to Steven that he needed a better composer for Schindler’s List because the movie was so beautiful. Then he sweetly said, ‘yes I know but they’re all dead’,” said Williams in the middle of his acceptance speech for AFI Life Achievement Award in 2016.

As much as I’m rooting for Jurassic Park score, I was glad that Williams received his Oscar for Schindler’s List. It was also known that Steven didn’t take the profit from the movie.

Is he overrated?

After making Jaws and realized his life changed, Spielberg was recognized to be one of prominent pioneers in movie history, particularly pop culture. Two years after Jaws released, Spielberg launched Close Encounters of The Third Kind in 1977. It was his first big-screen sci-fi that reached a decent success. This movie was the first one also, that inspired by Spielberg’s personal life and soon followed by plenty of his other creations.

In Spielberg, the director revealed that his parents’ divorce influenced so much in his movies’ plots. From Close Encounters, Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade, to Catch Me If You Can, War of The Worlds, and Lincoln. These movies had family-problem inside that rooted from Spielberg’s life experience, often with father issue. Go rewatch ‘em again if you slightly forget. Whereas Saving Private Ryan was a tribute for his dad. 

“My most movies all told about family, disintegrated and unification again,” stated him in Spielberg.

For me personally, some of them might work out like what happened with Frank Abagnale Jr. in Catch Me If You Can because it seemed genuine, but I gotta agree with certain critics that felt Spielberg’s family background in the movies could by syrupy. I’m not a big fan of War of The Worlds and I dislike the idea that Tom Cruise’s on-screen son was going back safely in his father’s hug. Too sentimental and kind of bit unrealistic.

After making fictional and personal stuff, Spielberg was also interested in political and historical ones. I admire how he got an inner calling to make The Color Purple and Amistad which centered black people tales of survival, Empire of The Sun that colored a different nuance from real-life event in Eastern Asia and casted the young Christian Bale. I’m sorry I didn’t really watch Indiana Jones but I believe Spielberg bonding time with Lucas was one of the best things that could happen in Hollywood.

Spielberg’s talent was undoubtedly ravishing. With his constant movie productions in such short amount range of time, people often think that he’s around so much and well, you can’t really please everyone. He knows that many people dislike his art. He often got compared to Scorsese, some of them called him greedy and only seek for blockbuster ones. He’s overrated, they said. Do you agree?

To answer my own question, I don’t. I myself don’t like all of his movies but Spielberg is incomparable. He’s been making so many movies since ‘70s, some of them lacking of recognitions and failed to gain accolades. I won’t say he’s underrated either, but he proves himself since day one. Would you able to erase him from the industry? Alas, no.

Steven Spielberg is not overrated, because I don’t rate him. I learn from him. It is an old story of the world to use zero-to-hero phrase, but Spielberg unleashed technology aesthetic and character-driven theme in such a body of work.

He was once an ordinary, maybe he still is. He only needs an extra of everything to make it all beyond compare. To this day, one new word suits him: unstoppable.

Happy birthday, old man.

December 18, 2017

A personal homage in account of counting days to the release of The Post, Spielberg’s newest historical feature starring Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks. Thanks Sir, for make it happen in less than a year. I always admire journalism-theme movies and I hope this one would be in line with All the President’s Men, both in storyline and success.