Steven Spielberg is one of the most important directors of all time and a pioneer of blockbuster cinema. In the late 90s he warned actor Antonio Banderas that cinema would change significantly, and we see that nowadays in every blockbuster.
Who is Steven Spielberg? Steven Spielberg is one of the most important directors and personalities in cinema, especially in the blockbuster field. He has not only made spectacular films like Jaws, E.T., or Jurassic Park, but also historically relevant films like The Color Purple or Schindler’s List.
He was also present when cinema changed dramatically in the late 90s. The CGI technology was on the rise, and the director warned actor Antonio Banderas about the big change.
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CGI on the rise
In the film The Mask of Zorro from 1998, Antonio Banderas played the lead role. Directed by Martin Campbell, and Steven Spielberg was involved in production. As Banderas revealed in an interview with Yahoo, Spielberg warned the actor during the production of the film and praised him for the film.
Steven Spielberg once said to me while we were filming: ‘This will probably be one of the last westerns shot the way westerns used to be made, with real scenes, real horses, where everything is real, sword fights, no CGI.’
Antonio Banderas about a conversation with Steven Spielberg (Source: Yahoo)
He told Banderas that times would change and very quickly. Banderas should be proud of the film he participated in.
For Banderas, the film was definitely worthwhile. It was internationally very successful and made the actor known outside of Europe. Before the film, he mainly starred in European films. Most recently, he could be seen in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny or heard in Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.
Was CGI the downfall of cinema? No, probably not. What can be said is that CGI is used in almost every major film. Even scenes with practical effects use CGI, and Spielberg also used many computer effects in films like Ready Player One.
The quality of CGI always depends on the film and how well and visually appealing it is presented. Above all, CGI is cheaper than many practical effects, as these require a different effort when filming. Many blockbusters also use greenscreen instead of real locations, and that is often noticeable. A revolutionary CGI film from 1982 caused a stir: This film revolutionized CGI in movies, yet did not receive an Oscar because computer effects were considered a “cheat”
