Steven Spielberg remains one of Hollywood’s most respected and renowned filmmakers. The humble director, producer and screenwriter has recently released his latest science-fiction film, Disclosure Day, which is expected to be another box office smash for him. But are you a true cinephile who knows all of Spielberg’s sci- works?
Let’s put that to the test! Here, Hollywood Life has rounded up the most popular sci-fi flicks from Spielberg’s portfolio.
Firelight
If you aren’t familiar with this one, don’t beat yourself up. Firelight is Spielberg’s directorial debut, and he was only 17 when it came out. Written and directed by the then-rising filmmaker, Firelight follows a group of scientists who discover a series of mysterious lights in the sky. Abductions take place, and a horrifying twist is revealed: the aliens wish to take the fictional town of Freeport, Arizona, to their planet Altaris to create a human zoo.
Unfortunately, only about 3 minutes of Firelight have been made public. It premiered at the Phoenix Little Theatre, where about 500 people showed up to support the teenage Spielberg’s first major project.
The filmmaker has famously called his directorial debut “one of the five worst films ever made,” but real fans might beg to differ with the genius if they had a chance to watch the movie.
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Written and directed by Spielberg, Close Encounters of the Third Kind was a critical and financial success upon its 1977 release. The film follows an electric utility lineman named Roy who becomes fixated on the unidentified flying objects (UFOs) he sees.
Spielberg intended for the movie to instill hope in the unknown rather than fear. Close Encounters famously ends with Roy voluntarily joining the aliens’ mothership to explore the cosmos, and one of the extra terrestrials smiling, offering humans a warmer adieu rather than a familiar, sinister Hollywoodized ending.
Viewers can rent or purchase the film on select streaming platforms.
E.T. The Extra Terrestrial
E.T. The Extra Terrestrial is arguably the film that Spielberg is most famous for. Released in 1982, the iconic film’s still of the friendly alien biking across the sky became the logo for Spielberg’s production company, Amblin Entertainment. Written by Melissa Mathison, Spielberg directed and co-produced the award-winning box office hit.
E.T. was also the breakout success for then-child actor Drew Barrymore. The concept of the movie was based on Spielberg’s childhood imaginary friend after his parents divorced.
Today, fans can purchase or rent the film on select streaming services. It is not currently streaming for free anywhere.
War of the Worlds
Spielberg’s live-action adaptation of H.G. Wells‘ 1898 novel of the same name has a more horrifying twist by invading aliens than his previous sci-fi films. War of the Worlds, starring Tom Cruise and Dakota Fanning as a father-daughter duo, was released in 2005 as another one of Spielberg’s box office hits.
War of the Worlds follows divorced longshoreman Ray (Cruise), who reunites with his two kids for a weekend just as aliens begin their invasion of Earth. The film reveals that the aliens intend to harvest human blood and tissue to fertilize vegetation, but it proves that the invaders were not prepared for the countless microbes and bacteria that humanity has grown accustomed to.
Paramount+, PlutoTV and STARZ offer subscribers the chance to stream War of the Worlds.
