The Movie Brats

          What we can learn about the past can directly impact our future. One group of filmmakers known as “The Movie Brats” knew this and applied it to their lives. George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, and Martin Scorsese were just a few of “The Movie Brats.” They were called this because they were the first major filmmakers to go to school for cinema. They probably took a class or two on Film History which significantly added to their knowledge and success. Instead of going straight into the film industry, they went to major colleges and universities like University of Southern California and University of California, Los Angeles. Here, they gained a great deal of factual knowledge before entering the “real world” along with experience.

          One of the most obvious things that Lucas, Spielberg, and Scorsese have in common is that they are American, they make American movies with American themes. You may be thinking, “Come on. George Lucas’ Star Wars isn’t American themed.” You’re right, but Lucas’ film American Graffiti definitely is. I mean it even has America in the title. Spielberg’s film are also very American. E.T. was a box office hit and is still considered to be a “classic” today. It is set in a small town in Iowa where he makes the audience fall in love with the characters. Probably his 2 most patriotic works are Saving Private Ryan and the TV mini-series Band of Brothers. These films are easily relatable to American Audiences because of our history in World War II. Scorsese’s film Gangs of New York deals with early Americans in the five points. I believe that these locations and themes helped connect American audiences to the films, making them great successes.

          Some movies such as Star Wars, The Departed, and Jaws are not so “in your face” about America. What I believe carried these movies to a global success is the knowledge and talent of “The Movie Brats.” Without their educations, i doubt some of their films would have been as globally iconic.

          Finally, Spielberg and Scorsese have major box office hits dealing with Historical Fiction. Saving Private Ryan, Band of Brothers, Catch Me If You Can, The Aviator, and Gangs of New York are clear examples of this. History provides the audience with a sense of familiarity. This can help them become immersed within the story sooner than science fiction movies for example. Also, historical films can help connect the rest of the globe to the movie, thus increasing its success. 

          Since the beginning of film, people, era’s, and film have been categorized. While “The Movie Brats” make up one small category in time, they were globally known for their impact within the film industry. This goes to show that studying and learning form the past can lead to success in your future.