Steven Spielberg and Francis Ford Coppola were part of a group of influential 70s filmmakers, along with Martin Scorsese, Brian De Palma, and George Lucas, called the Movie Brats (first coined by film critic Pauline Kael).When I think about their friendships and lasting influence on one another, it really warms my heart. I think collaboration and this kind of support are incredibly important to have a long-lasting career. It was really cool to see a lot of these guys come together to watch Coppola get the 50th AFI Life Achievement Award from the American Film Institute. While presenting the award to Coppola, Spielberg said, “On one hand, you are a warrior for independent artists, you always champion their causes, but also, and always, you’re fearless in how open you are to ideas, opinions and inspiration.”He continued to talk about Coppola's films, talking about seeing an early cut of Apocalypse Now and giving feedback. “When the film ended, you asked us to tell you what we saw, how we felt. You invited all of us in, so one by one, we told you where we were lost and where we were found, and I sat there in awe, learning that leaving yourself open and searching was, in fact, your superpower.”And Spielberg finished giving Coppola maybe the best platitude of all when it comes to his work. "The Godfather, for me, is the greatest American film ever made. Many artists can and do take a bow from their work on a page,...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Today