Spielbergs' movies post 80s are almost all nothing more than message movies. "Boomer Ideology" really got its start in the late 60s counter culture movies, where cinema became not so much about entertainment but about idealism and propagating THE MESSAGE and Spielberg was falling right in line.
Some of these examples are pretty forced, tho.
Poltergeist had one of the first on screen appearances of pot smoking parents as if it was perfectly normal.
ET - single parent family with not one mention of dad. (Though that's a typical Disney trope by Walt himself)
I've been in the industry and there's very much this self-righteous strain of "I must use this tool for good and enlighten the masses!" and so the B plot will be my homily. (looking at you Star Trek Next Generation)
The 50s and 60s were woke in their own way - but their stories were about infiedlity and adultery and cracking down the family unit. (See Airport 1970 for an indepth look at THAT)
Spielbergs' movies post 80s are almost all nothing more than message movies. "Boomer Ideology" really got its start in the late 60s counter culture movies, where cinema became not so much about entertainment but about idealism and propagating THE MESSAGE and Spielberg was falling right in line.
Some of these examples are pretty forced, tho. Poltergeist had one of the first on screen appearances of pot smoking parents as if it was perfectly normal. ET - single parent family with not one mention of dad. (Though that's a typical Disney trope by Walt himself)
I've been in the industry and there's very much this self-righteous strain of "I must use this tool for good and enlighten the masses!" and so the B plot will be my homily. (looking at you Star Trek Next Generation)
The 50s and 60s were woke in their own way - but their stories were about infiedlity and adultery and cracking down the family unit. (See Airport 1970 for an indepth look at THAT)