Course Description: After the audacious success of Jaws, Steven Spielberg quickly directed a string of blockbusters that earned him credibility with the major studios in Hollywood. Although he would continue to make entertaining high-concept movies, Spielberg also revised traditional themes such as family survival and individual responsibility, diverging significantly from his mentors: Hitchcock, Ford and Kubrick. This overview will focus on how Spielberg imbues his movies--whether they be fantasy adventures or historical epics--with a voice both classic and progressive, both personal and universal.