STEVEN SPIELBERG A Life in Films

This brief biological sketch of Spielberg, the reserved Hollywood film giant, may be a profound opportunity missed. Jo Anna Perrin narrates the somewhat stilted introductory remarks. Johnny Heller, with his staccato baritone, bravely attempts to bring some interest and insight to a text that is not only largely absent of charm but also haughty and preachy at moments. These weaknesses keep the listener less than fully involved. The perspective here is to explain Spielberg's life through his principal films, drawing obvious and not-so-obvious parallels. While those efforts may be reasonably successful, the overall appeal and insights about Spielberg are limited, at best. W.A.G. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2017]