Spielberg Spiel

I just read Molly Haskell's book on Steven Spielberg.  It's part of a series on Jewish lives.  But the question film fans asked, even before it came out, is why Haskell?

She's been a film critics for decades, and has never particularly liked Spielberg.  Was it that hard to find someone who did?  She doesn't have to be a starry-eyed fan, but if she doesn't appreciate his popular stuff, maybe she's not the one who should be discussing his work.

Spielberg is one of the top entertainers, as well as respected directors, in the history of Hollywood.  And the films that made him--Jaws, Raiders Of The Lost Ark, E.T.--in addition to being blockbusters, are fun.  Haskell was negative about Spielberg back then and still hasn't come around.  If anything, she's one of the people who thinks Spielberg ruined the kind of film she likes.

Haskell is a good writer, and the book isn't bad, but I still think it's a mistake.  And just when you're annoyed that she doesn't go for something, she mentions a film she likes, and it's invariably one of Spielberg's weakest--Empire Of The Sun, Amistad, A.I.  (I think they're all weak, but A.I. is stunningly bad.)

Spielberg has flaws, and who knows which of his films will hold up in the long run.  But he has created a special body of work, and knowing that without feeling it makes the book a non-starter. (Or at least not the place to start if you want to read about Spielberg.)

PS  Haskell claims Saving Private Ryan won the Oscar for Best Picture.  The film lost that to Shakespeare In Love.  I'm surprised no one caught the error.

PPS  HBO will air a documentary on Spielberg this Saturday.  Perhaps that's the best way to learn about him, since it's hard to ignore the visual side.