Amblin'
Amblin' | |
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Directed by | Steven Spielberg |
Written by | Steven Spielberg |
Produced by | Denis C. Hoffman |
Starring |
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Cinematography | Allen Daviau |
Edited by | Steven Spielberg (uncredited) |
Music by | Michael Lloyd |
Distributed by | Sigma III Corp. |
Release date |
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Running time | 26 minutes |
Country | United States |
Budget | $15,000 |
Amblin' is a 1968 American
Plot
A young man carrying a closely guarded guitar case meets a free-spirited young woman while hitchhiking across the
There is no spoken dialogue in the film aside from the lyrics to the opening and closing theme song. There is an ambient soundtrack featuring bird sounds, wind, passing car noises, popping noises made by the characters, fire sounds, and laughter, along with instrumental music.
Casting
Spielberg found his lead actor Richard Levin working as a librarian in the Beverly Hills Public Library. For the mysterious redhead in the film, Spielberg discovered Pamela McMyler from the Academy Players directory. She had previously been a member of the Pasadena Playhouse and had a small role in The Boston Strangler.
Steven Spielberg as writer and director
Amblin' became a reality after Spielberg was introduced to aspiring producer Denis C. Hoffman. The movie had a $15,000 budget. In 1968, his friend Hoffman provided financing of approximately $10,000. At the time, Hoffman had no experience in producing, writing or developing motion picture projects. At Hoffman's request, the music of October Country, a band he was managing at the time, was used for the film.
In exchange for the financing provided by Hoffman, Hoffman exacted from Spielberg the young filmmaker's agreement to (a) direct Amblin' for no compensation whatsoever and (b) be bound for ten years to direct any script selected by Hoffman if such a script was brought to Spielberg by Hoffman. For this second film, Spielberg was to receive the payment of $25,000 plus 5% of the profits after expenses (the so-called "1968 Amblin Contract").
No second film for Hoffman was ever made. Spielberg bought out the contract in 1977 for $30,000, but Hoffman claimed the buyout was invalid and sued Spielberg in 1995 for $33 million.[2] The matter was settled out of court.
Production
Amblin' started shooting on July 6, 1968, at Denis Hoffman's Cinefx
Jerry Lewis taught a film directing class at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles for a number of years; his students included Spielberg.[3] In 1968, he screened Amblin' and told his students, "That's what filmmaking is all about."[4] In his 1971 book, The Total Film-Maker, Lewis says, "[The film] rocked me back. [Spielberg] displayed an amazing knowledge of film-making as well as creative talent."[5]
Release and impacts
Opening on December 18, 1968, at Loews Crest Theater in Los Angeles, Amblin' shared a double bill with Otto Preminger's Skidoo. Amblin' won several film festival awards including a showing at the Atlanta Film Festival in 1968 (winning the Silver Phoenix Jury prize making it Spielberg's first award for filmmaking).
This movie, only 26 minutes long, led to Spielberg becoming the youngest director ever to be signed to a long-term deal with a major Hollywood studio (
See also
References
- ^ Spielberg on Spielberg (documentary film). 2007.
- ^ Bates, James (October 25, 1995). "Spielberg Suing Investor Who Backed His 1st Film in 1968". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
- ^ Jerry Lewis: TV Guide Biography
- ISBN 978-1-60473-836-0.
- ^ Jerry Lewis The Total Film-Maker, Random House, 1971
External links
- Amblin' at IMDb