Latest news with #TheSugarlandExpress
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Netflix adds Steven Spielberg's first big-screen movie — and no it's not Jaws
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Fifty years ago, Steven Spielberg made a movie that quickly solidified him as one of the preeminent directors in all of Hollywood, Jaws. While that movie is undoubtedly Spielberg's breakthrough picture, it was not his first time that audiences got to see a Spielberg movie on the big screen. That distinction goes to 1974's The Sugarland Express, which is a new addition to Netflix as of May 1, and one of my picks for new movies to stream in May. The Sugarland Express stars Goldie Hawn as a woman who attempts to reunite her family, but to do so involves breaking her husband out of jail and then kidnapping their young son from the foster family looking after him. However, things quickly go awry, including kidnapping a police officer, and they are soon pursued across the state. William Atherton, Ben Johnson and Michael Sacks star in the movie, which was written by Hal Barwood and Matthew Robbins, based on a true story. Often overlooked in Spielberg's filmography, The Sugarland Express is a fascinating entry from the director who would become known for some of the biggest movies in Hollywood history. Incredibly, Spielberg was just 26-years-old at the time the movie was released and still he earned praise, particularly from one of the most notable critics of the time, Pauline Kael, who called the movie 'one of the most phenomenal debut films in the history of movies' in The New Yorker; even detractors at the time called Spielberg a 'skillful' technician. Personally, The Sugarland Express reminds me of the Hollywood B-movies of the 1960s and early 1970s, often made by Roger Corman; particularly the fact that it is a road picture crime movie with plenty of car crashes. It's an entertaining movie, but I won't go so far to say we need to reevaluate it as a forgotten Spielberg masterpiece. But any fans of Spielberg should watch it to check off his complete filmography. Another reason that The Sugarland Express is a notable movie is that it actually is the first time that Spielberg and composer John Williams worked together. While Spielberg was an upstart at the time, Williams was already an Oscar-winning composer coming off a recent string of movies that included Fiddler on the Roof (his first Oscar win) and The Poseidon Adventure. But it didn't take long for Williams to recognize the talent and passion that Spielberg brought to the table. In an interview on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert back in 2022, Williams detailed the lunch meeting that was arranged for him and Spielberg ahead of The Sugarland Express, where Williams said after overcoming the initial surprise of Spielberg's youth he 'I realized this was somebody very, very special.' Though Williams' blues-tinged score for The Sugarland Express would not be nominated for an Oscar, it was the start of a collaboration that has yielded some of the greatest movie scores of all time (Jaws, Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T., Jurassic Park, Schindler's List and more). Netflix subscribers can now watch The Sugarland Express on the streaming service; if you're not a Netflix subscriber the movie is available via digital on-demand. Watch the trailer for The Sugarland Express right here:
Irish Daily Star
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Star
Steven Spielberg's 'most underrated' film is coming to Netflix and fans can't wait
An iconic film by the legendary director Steven Spielberg is set to hit Netflix , and fans are 'losing their minds' with excitement. The acclaimed maker of E. T. and Jurassic Park, Spielberg has a repertoire filled with beloved hits spanning from war biopics to family adventures and edgy thrillers. However, it's one of his early career gems that has got fans thrilled as it's soon to land on the streaming platform, causing a stir among film enthusiasts on X . Regarding his work on this particular film, Spielberg admitted to feelings of unpreparedness yet acknowledged its valuable contributions to his growth. He remarked: "[It] was the biggest bite I had ever taken out of the cinematic pie up to that point in my career, and I wasn't prepared for it. But I learned how to do it- sort of on-the-job training." This "on-the-job training" paid off, as fans celebrate the enduring quality of the movie. Social media users express their admiration, with one calling it "one of Spielberg's most interesting films." Another proclaimed: "My favorite love-on-the-lam flick." The Sugarland Express, marking its 50th anniversary last year, is gearing up for its Netflix debut on May 1, according to sources at What's On Netflix. The plot centers on a woman who busts her husband out of prison to rescue their son, leading to wild chases across the country. Movie enthusiasts continue to marvel at the enduring appeal of the film, even after its milestone anniversary, with one awestruck fan confessing it still holds up. They wrote: "Watching Sugarland Express for the first time since the Clinton admin, and losing my mind over this horizontal split diopter." A split diopter allows a camera lens to simultaneously capture two focal planes. In The Sugarland Express, this technique crisply captures both the car ahead and a rearview mirror reflection. Goldie Hawn starred in Spielberg's theatrical debut (file) (Image: Sunset Boulevard, Corbis via Getty Images) The film has garnered a host of admirers, with recommendations pouring in. One supporter declared: "Spielberg's most underrated, that split diopter is also one of the great single-shot evocations of the era's generation gap." Echoing the praise, another added: "I just watched this film for the first time yesterday too! This was my favorite shot and moment in the film... with the silhouette shot being up there as well. Truly underrated film by Spielberg and great performances, specifically by Goldie Hawn." Amazement also surrounds the fact that this was Spielberg's first theatrical film, following his TV feature Duel which aired in 1971. Comparisons to legendary directors have been made by another viewer, who appreciated the film's style, noting: "Fuses Howard Hawks-esque humanism and tonal dexterity with God tier visual storytelling a la David Lean. "Populist entertainment that feels personally, even intimately handmade. A couple dozen watches in and it's still one of my hardcore cinematic ideals."
