Steven Spielberg is quite often the first name that springs to mind when somebody mentions the word Hollywood, as the man is responsible for some of the most ground-breaking and truly memorable movie moments since the birth of celluloid. With that in mind, here at We Got This Covered we were very pleased to get wind of the fact that a box set dedicated to the director’s immeasurable impact on cinema is set to be released on Blu-Ray. Quite frankly, we couldn’t be more excited.
Why, you ask? Well, when you think of Spielberg, what films do you think of? E.T? Jaws? Jurassic Park? The list goes on and on for the three time Academy award-winning director – so much, in fact, that you could probably fill plenty more box-sets with the man’s work. But that is not the reason we’ve gotten a little giddy. No, we’re excited because this release seems to nod not only to Spielberg’s successful films, but to his underrated and often forgotten achievements from the fledgling years of his broad-scoped career.
The box set, due to hit shelves October 14th, pays tribute to such films as Duel, the nail-biting thriller starring Dennis Weaver which well and truly thrust Spielberg toward the blaring lights of superstardom. That film, which centers solely on a man pursued by a chaotic truck, was perhaps an early indicator of his knack for gripping tension and diligent direction. Many, myself included, would class Duel as the precursor – baby brother if you will – to his wildly successful monster classic, Jaws (both films make an appearance in this collection).
Similarly, under-mentioned films like The Sugarland Express (which, alongside Duel, marks the first time the film has been restored on Blu-ray format), Always and 1941 also make up the numbers alongside such box-office smashes as E.T, Jurassic Park and Jurassic Park: The Lost World.
Here is a full list (via Amazon) as to what special features you can expect to find in the eight-film Steven Spielberg collection:
Duel (1971)
A traveling salesman (Dennis Weaver) is terrorized by an unseen trucker on a remote desert highway.
- A Conversation with Director Steven Spielberg
- Steven Spielberg and the Small Screen
- Richard Matheson: The Writing of Duel
- Photograph and Poster Gallery
- Trailer
- Cast and Filmmakers
- Production Notes
The Sugarland Express (1974)
A mother (Goldie Hawn) desperately attempts to reunite her family by helping her husband escape prison and kidnapping their son.
- Theatrical Trailer
Jaws (1975)
When a seaside community is under attack by a great white shark, the chief of police (Roy Scheider), a marine biologist (Richard Dreyfuss) and a shark hunter (Robert Shaw) embark on a quest to destroy the beast.
- Spotlight on Location: The Making of Jaws
1941- Theatrical & Extended Version (1979)
Pandemonium erupts in Los Angeles after the WWII attack on Pearl Harbor in this wartime spoof starring Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi.
- The Making of 1941
- Deleted Scenes
- Production Photographs
- 1941 Comic Relief
- The Marketing of 1941
- The Reviews
- Production Notes
- Cast and Filmmakers
- Theatrical Trailer
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
A lost alien from space befriends a 10-year-old boy (Henry Thomas) who helps him find a way home.
- Deleted Scenes
- Steven Spielberg & E.T.
- A Look Back
- The E.T. Reunion
Always (1989)
After sacrificing himself to save a friend (John Goodman), a daredevil firefighting pilot (Richard Dreyfuss) returns to earth to help his surviving girlfriend (Holly Hunter) move on with the help of an angel (Audrey Hepburn).
- Production Notes
- Cast and Filmmakers
- Theatrical Trailer
Jurassic Park (1993)
Journey to an amazing theme park on a remote island where dinosaurs once again roam the earth and five people must battle to survive among the prehistoric predators. Starring Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Samuel L. Jackson and Sir Richard Attenborough.
- The Making of Jurassic Park
- Early Pre-Production Meetings
- Location Scouting
- Phil Tippett Animatics: Raptors in the Kitchen
- Storyboards
- Foley Artist
- Production Archives: Photographs, Design Sketches and Conceptual Painting
- Theatrical Trailers Including Jurassic Park III
- Dinsoaur Encyclopedia
- Production Notes
- Cast and Filmmakers
- DVD-ROM Features Including Live Web Events
The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)
Four years since the disaster at Jurassic Park, two groups are in a race against time that will determine the fate of the remote island’s prehistoric inhabitants. Starring Jeff Goldblum, Julianne Moore, and Vince Vaughn.
- The Making of The Lost World
- Deleted Scenes
- Illustrations and Conceptual Drawings
- Storyboards
- Models
- The World of Jurassic Park
- The Magic of ILM
- Theatrical Trailers Including Jurassic Park III
- Dinosaur Encyclopedia
- Production Notes
- Production Photographs
- Cast and Filmmakers
- Posters and Toys
- DVD-ROM Features Including Live Web Events
