Summary
Overview
Steven Spielberg joins the podcast to discuss his new film 'Disclosure Day,' his belief in extraterrestrial life, his legendary career spanning from Jaws to West Side Story, and offers advice to young filmmakers. He reflects on missing out on directing a Bond film, reveals his parents' favorite of his movies, and explains why he believes The Godfather remains the greatest American film ever made.
Spielberg's Belief in Extraterrestrial Life and Making Disclosure Day
Spielberg opens up about his evolving belief in aliens, explaining that while he once needed to see evidence himself, he now believes credible whistleblowers from the military and intelligence community who claim the government has been hiding the truth about extraterrestrial contact. This shift in perspective, combined with documented incidents like the aerial school encounter in Zimbabwe, prompted him to make Disclosure Day. He discusses how he approaches science fiction by grounding incredible stories in credible reality, similar to how Stephen King and Michael Crichton operate.
- Spielberg now believes we are not alone on this planet based on credible whistleblowers from the Air Force, Navy pilots, and intelligence community
- The aerial school incident in Zimbabwe where 60 kids had an encounter with off-world beings influenced his thinking
- He approaches sci-fi by making the incredible credible, grounding fantasy in terrestrial reality and good science
- Michael Crichton's Jurassic Park worked because of the credible science behind cloning dinosaurs from amber
" I do believe that we are not alone in the cosmos, in the universe. As far as do I believe that aliens are here and have been here, 50 years ago to make Close Encounters, I would have said seeing is believing. And I haven't seen one. I've not even seen the UFO. But today, I'm more inclined to say with all the smartphones that are out there and all the things that I've seen and all the people who I believe, I believe the believers, I am absolutely ready to say that I do believe that we are not alone here on this planet. "
" whistleblowers were now coming from higher levels of authority. They were coming from the United States Air Force. They were coming from Navy pilots. They were coming from our intelligence community in Washington. People were blowing the whistle and saying that the government has been hiding for decades the truth that we are not alone. "
Early Influences and the Cultural Phenomenon of Davy Crockett
When asked about his favorite film at age 11, Spielberg recalls Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier, which he describes as the first cultural phenomenon that appealed specifically to kids. The film sparked merchandise sales and backyard reenactments, serving as the Star Wars of his generation. He also reveals how his parents' love of Hollywood musicals shaped his eventual decision to make West Side Story decades later.
- Davy Crockett was the first cultural phenomenon appealing to kids, predating adult phenomena like Gone with the Wind
- The film sparked merchandise including coonskin caps and plastic models of Davy Crockett's rifle, making it the first Star Wars-level phenomenon for children
- His parents loved Hollywood musicals and took him to see them in the 1950s and 60s, which eventually led him to make West Side Story
" when I was 11 years old, that was the bomb. That was the movie that we were reenacting in our backyards. That was the film that they started selling merchandise, coon skin caps and powder honed and plastic models of his rifle, Old Betsy. That was, for me, the first Star Wars of films that really reached my 11-year-old neighborhood. "
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