"Back to the Future", "Who Framed Roger Rabbit", "Forrest Gump" and other films. Robert Zemeckis - film innovator

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

For several decades, the name of Robert Zemeckis has been heard with enviable constancy in the media. A talented director and screenwriter, having once taken the highest bar, has maintained the status of a master for many years in a row.

Childhood and love for television

Robert Zemeckis, one of the world's most successful directors, producers and screenwriters, was born in 1952 to a working-class family of B altic and Italian ancestry. Robert's parents were quite down to earth and reserved in terms of ambition, so they raised their son as well.

But from early childhood, Robert succumbed to the influence of television. He was literally fascinated by this attribute of modernity and to this day, contrary to popular belief about the destructiveness of television, he claims that it was it that became the key factor in the formation of his creative consciousness.

This is not surprising, because Robert's parents caged him from their stereotypes, patterns, restrictions, which seemed to them insurmountable and, the saddest thing, quite suitable for life. But the boy whoI dreamed of cinema and television, it did not suit me. Therefore, from an early age, he began to cherish in his heart the dream of creating a real movie. In the meantime, using a small, unpretentious camera, together with friends, he began to shoot children's comic videos, which became his first experience on the way to great cinema.

Training and first victories

Contrary to the opinion of his parents, after school, Robert Zemeckis entered the university and received an education in the speci alty "cinematic art". There he met his future creative partner, ideological inspirer and just a friend - Bob Gale. They were drawn together by their love of popular American cinema and repelled by the intellectual efforts of their classmates, who were fascinated by the search for something unusual, in fact, without imagining what good films should be.

Robert Zemeckis first made a name for himself in 1972 when he made a short film called Field of Honor and won a student award for it. The original short caught the attention of Steven Spielberg himself, who later provided him and his friend Bob with significant support, including producing their first feature films.

Zemeckis' first high-profile success was Romancing the Stone, starring Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner.

It was followed by the cult film "Back to the Future", which marked the beginning of a fantastic trilogy. Many predicted the release of the fourth part, but the sequel "Back to the Future-3"became final. A quarter of a century has passed since the release of the trilogy, and its popularity has not faded. Millions of viewers loved these films. Robert Zemeckis did not disappoint fans in the future.

Movie Animation - Who Framed Roger Rabbit

The success of every genius is associated with the invention of something new. For Zemeckis, the inclusion of an animated character in the movie was such a bold discovery. We are talking about the famous film "Who Framed Roger Rabbit", released in 1988. It was a truly unique experience that changed the world of cinema. The idea and its bold implementation brought him three Oscars at once.

In 1988, continued collaboration with Steven Spielberg. The latter attracted Zemeckis to create a series called Amazing Stories. What was notable about this fantastic telenovela was that each episode had a different director, usually with a big name. Among them were Martin Scorsese, Clint Eastwood, Peter Hyams and others. The series were more like full-length films. Robert Zemeckis directs the eighth episode of the series' second season.

Forrest Gump, Cast Away and others are the result of a successful creative union between Tom Hanks and Robert Zemeckis

But perhaps the most important achievement in the cinematographic activity of Zemeckis was the film "Forrest Gump". Thanks to the commercial success, high appreciation of the artistic value by critics, the incredibly talented Tom Hanks involved in the film, the film is on a par with the brightest film masterpieces. Hollywood.

Forrest Gump won a record number of Oscars and was also recognized at almost every international film festival.

In 2000, Tom Hanks and Robert Zemeckis returned to their creative partnership again - the picture "Outcast" was released, which both critics and the audience perceived very favorably. Subsequently, the film became one of the best in the history of Hollywood.

2004 marked a new stage in the work of Zemeckis - animated films. The Christmas fairy tale called "Polar Express" was loved by both adults and children. A magical adventure, embodied in a colorful, amazingly beautiful animated film, has become an essential attribute of the festive atmosphere for many viewers.

You can endlessly describe the pictures taken by this brilliant director. Even the sequels do surprisingly well, according to critics (Back to the Future 3 is a prime example of this, which many people think surpassed the second part, contrary to the usual opinion that the sequel is always worse than the beginning). In addition, Zemeckis is recognized as a Hollywood pioneer in terms of innovation. It is difficult to overestimate the contribution to the formation of film culture that his films made. Robert Zemeckis has created his own slightly fantastic, slightly fabulous film empire, where each picture is worthy of attention, recognition and sincere audience love.