If there is one director who embodies the essence of movie-making, it’sSteven Spielberg. FromJawstoThe Color Purple, Spielberg has touched nearly every genre, adding his unique touch to each picture. But even the greatest of all time had his doubts at one point. Like many,Spielberg has always held a fondness forLawrence of Arabia, and it’s easy to see why. The war epic remainsone of the most reveredpictures of all time, thanks toDavid Lean’s innovative filmmaking and itsfantastic performances. In fact, Spielberg deemed the movie so perfect, that he nearly didn’t pursue his own dreams.
‘Lawrence of Arabia’ Remains One of the Greatest Films Ever Made
Following the epic tale of T.E. Lawrence (Peter O’Toole) to find Prince Faisal (Alec Guinness),Lawrence of Arabiaseta new standard for filmmakingwhen it was released in 1962. Despite its nearly four-hour runtime, the film is enthralling throughout. Lean’s style is breathtaking, as he famously captured the desert landscapes with masterful craft, and the overall cinematography makes even the most basic sequences artistic. Structurally, the film is fascinating. It deviates fromthe normal biopicformat to create a real sense of adventure, one that—even for audiences who know Lawrence’s story—keeps viewers enthralled. The film also manages to keep its plot clean, employing a cinematic flow that fills the extended runtime with only the most necessary details. By all meaningful metrics, the film is the definition of “perfect.”
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WhenCollider revisited the picturein 2022, it was declared an unrivaled masterpiece, and that review still stands. But it’s not just moviegoers who can still appreciate the film, as it continues to influence moviemakers.Lawrence of Arabiaheavily shaped directorJames Cameron’s masterpiece,Avatar. Of the inspiration, Cameron said: “[it] owes a lot to good, old-fashioned, adolescent adventure storytelling like…Lawrence of Arabia. There are also a lot of very recognizable archetypes in the story: the American frontier and the conflict between a technical, military civilization and a nature-aligned Indigenous population.”DunedirectorDenis Villeneuvealso sang the film’s praises whiletalking to TIFF. He remembered seeing the picture at 19 years old, saying the “screening changed my life.” Of course, Spielberg was also influenced by the movie, but not in the way anyone would expect.
Steven Spielberg Almost Gave Up His Dream Because of ‘Lawrence of Arabia’
It’s hard to find another filmmaker quite like Steven Spielberg. His influence and power have truly changed the movie industry forever. Beginning with his seminal classic,Jaws, Spielberg has influenced every genre of film thanks to his diverse efforts and endless curiosity. Hissemi-biographical movie,The Fablemans, gave audiences a nostalgic look at how he fell in love with movie making at a young age, which, according tothe Max documentarySpielberg, the film was not far off from reality. The doc also sees the esteemed director himself proclaimLawrence of Arabiaas one of the most influential films he’d ever seen, but not necessarily in a good way at first.
Spielberg explains that, at roughly 16 years old, he went to see the film. “I remember the time I almost gave up my dream of being a movie director,” he said. Spielberg had been making home movies since he was a kid, but seeingLawrence of Arabiachanged things for him. When the film rolled out, it was all the rage, and the aspiring director paid premium prices to see it in a high-end theater on 70mm film with stereophonic sound. “[…]when the film was over, I wanted to not be a director anymore. Because the bar was too high.” He went on to praise the film’s visual aesthetics, as well as its dynamic script, saying: “It was the first time seeing a movie I realize that there are themes that aren’t narrative story themes, they are themes that are character themes, that are personal themes,” finishing with “at the heart and core ofLawrence of Arabiais: who am I?” However, the very film that once made Spielberg doubt his dreams would soon turn the tide for the future megastar.
Thoughthe perfection of the pictureinitially deterred Spielberg’s life-long desire, he found himself going back for more. He claims he went to see the film again a week later and twice more in the following weeks. Enamored with its effects on him, Spielberg realized that he couldn’t let go of his dream. “I realized that there was no going back,” he explained. “[…] this was going to be what I was going to do or I was going to die trying.” Though it may have derailed him briefly,Lawrence of Arabiaonly affirmed Spielberg’s desires and helped set him on the path to becoming one of the greatest filmmakers in history.
Lawrence of Arabiais available to stream on Max in the U.S.
Lawrence of Arabia
The story of T.E. Lawrence, the English officer who successfully united and led the diverse, often warring, Arab tribes during World War I to fight the Turks.
