Seven Favourites From the ‘Steven Spielberg Presents’ Era

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Gremlins, a selection of gems from the golden era of Spielberg-produced adventures

Gremlins (1984). Credit: Warner Brothers

As a child, four words above all demanded my cinema attendance: “A Steven Spielberg Film”. Those words apply to this day. However, during my childhood, growing up in the golden era of Spielberg, a second, three-word phrase also precipitated instant excitement, and much begging from yours truly to my endlessly harassed parents to go and see the film in question: “Steven Spielberg Presents”. These words first appeared before Gremlins (1984), which is currently celebrating its 40th anniversary.

What was the difference between the two Spielberg credits? I quickly learned “A Steven Spielberg Film” meant Spielberg directed. A landmark cinematic experience invariably ensued, like Jaws (1975) or Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), both of which I saw first on television, then later on cinema rereleases. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) and E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) were similarly formative experiences. I saw the former on a double bill with Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984), and the latter during the original cinema run. I have written elsewhere about how E.T. was the Damascus Road moment that converted me to cinema, so I won’t reiterate those details here.

I also learned films prefaced “Steven Spielberg Presents” were executive produced by Spielberg rather than directed by him. However, his creative fingerprints were all over them, and they were often made by his production company, Amblin Entertainment. They had an inventive, high-concept tone that was very much “on brand” (if you’ll forgive my use of an obscenity) for the Spielberg adventures regularly issued throughout the 1980s.

This era arguably began with Poltergeist (1982); a hugely entertaining rollercoaster supernatural horror directed by Tobe Hooper, with Spielberg credited as producer (“A Steven Spielberg Production” rather than “Steven Spielberg Presents”). There was even some debate as to whether Spielberg secretly directed the film. Either way, Poltergeist very much strikes the “Steven Spielberg Presents” tone, though, in fairness, occasionally films prefaced with these words fell outside the traditional ethos associated with them.

Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams (1990) is one such example. It’s an interesting anthology piece that Spielberg, George Lucas, and various other filmmakers (including Martin Scorsese) helped Kurosawa to complete, honouring one of their cinematic heroes (Lucas, in particular, owes a huge debt to Kurosawa). It’s well worth a look for Kurosawa completists. One segment involving humans transformed into tormented demons in a post-nuclear holocaust landscape is quite alarming, and there’s another interesting bit with Martin Scorsese playing Vincent Van Gogh. However, it’s not a film traditionally associated with the “Steven Spielberg Presents” banner.

On the other hand, I was surprised when Arachnophobia (1990), directed by long-time Spielberg collaborator Frank Marshall, failed to feature the “Steven Spielberg Presents” credit, as it is exactly the type of film with which they had become associated, and Spielberg is indeed credited as an executive producer. Since he had already dabbled in more grown-up subject matter with The Color Purple (1985) and Empire of the Sun (1987), perhaps Spielberg was mentally shifting gears to make Schindler’s List (1994) and no longer wanted his name only associated with a certain kind of adventure story for children. In any case, the lack of his name in the preface is the only reason Arachnophobia doesn’t feature in the following countdown of my seven favourites with the “Steven Spielberg Presents” credit.