Steven Spielberg vs James Cameron: Ultimate Blockbuster King.

[Beaddle]

This is a pro blockbuster thread. I was going to add George Lucas but Lucas only mostly has star wars. Who is the ultimate Hollywood blockbuster King of all time? its a close one. I like both directors but Spielberg edges Cameron out. His work is more versatile. his work ethic is more impressive.

Cameron

Terminator 1
Terminator 2
Titanic
Avatar
Aliens


Spielberg
ET
Jurassic Park
Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind
Jaws
Indiana Jones Series.
Saving Private Ryan

Spielberg also has some art house friendly classics like Schindler's List, Lincoln and The Color Purple.

[Comic-Reader Lad]

To me, it's obvious that Spielberg is not only the blockbuster king, but the superior director overall.

First, Spielberg DEFINED the modern-era Hollywood blockbuster and quite frankly, Hollywood storytelling in general. Everyone gets compared to HIM.

Second, Spielberg has more films to his credit, and he has indeed shown more versatility than Cameron. Cameron is a good action director, but I can't see a Schindler's List or Color Purple coming from him.

Third, Spielberg has a more recognizable style -- it's the one every director since Spielberg has tried to copy. The greatest directors like John Ford, Alfred Hitchcock, Billy Wilder, Spielberg, etc. each have a style all his own, but I'm not sure Cameron really gets to that level where I can tell what a "James Cameron" movie is without looking at the credits.

Spielbergian and Hitchcockian are terms movie buffs use to describe their styles and movies that emulate their styles. There really is no "Cameronian" style of directing where such a term has fallen into the movie buff lexicon.

Spielberg by a mile or two.

[Ilan Preskovsky]

What? Really? Spielberg by several billion miles. I wouldn't even think to compare them.

[thwhtGuardian]

I think if Cameron were honest with himself even he'd say Spielberg is better than him.

[WebLurker]

I like Spielberg's work better then Cameron's. I will concede I haven't seen as much from him, but I think Spielberg was always in a class of his own.

[sunofdarkchild]

At their absolute best I'd say that they are equal. Terminator 2 and Aliens are as good as anything Spielberg has done. But Spielberg operated at his peak for more often than Cameron. Jaws, Raiders of the Lost Arc, Jurassic Park, Saving Private Ryan. Comparing them is like comparing a band which was a one-hit wonder to the Beatles. Cameron's films have not been bad, but nothing he's done for the last 3 decades has come close to Terminator 2, while Spielberg's best could be one of any number of films and a museum could be made just of the great movies he directed.