Amblin'

Too see Spielberg in his early years has always been a thrill for me. I'm always looking for a film that he made in the days before "Jaws" and such. This particular film is no exception. It's about two hitchhikers who become friends in the end as they hitchhike.

The scenery was great, the story was good, the acting (despite no dialog) was good. I really liked this movie. It's a shame that Spielberg calls it a "Long Pepsi Commericial," because I see it as something more. I see it as a film about being separated from everyone else and then finding a friend along the way and being able to open up to others.

Amblin' is a film of a kid that's in love with the movies. Whoever judges this little diamond by its execution will commit a mistake. A mistake that it won't allow you to see the true nature of the film. Spielberg is a storyteller and here you have the first sample of his career. You can clearly see that he (at such young age) is able to capture the emotion of his subject and project it to the viewer's eye. That is truly amazing and I think that this is what caught mister Sidney Sheinberg's eye about Spielberg. It takes charisma to be able to direct and he proved he had it.

Although not intended when filmed, it serves as a small piece of 60's youthful hippie nostalgia.

All masters achieve greatness at once and Spielberg illustrates it. His 1st professional work is a terrific short love story in the hippies world. It prefigures in a way his future Duel because it's also a silent movie (no dialogs) set in really sunny California! In spite of the minimalist plot (reaching the waves), Spielberg gives us a dynamic movie with great casting, cool soundtrack and amazing camera work. Even today, he still does the same things and he always reaches his audience because he is a true storyteller! So he's different from David Lynch, another favorite director of mine because Lynch prefers feelings over story and from Tim Burton who stays in fairy world. Spielberg knows how to tell different stories and is always in touch with the moment. So that's why Amblin is finally very moving because it's Spielberg in the 60s, the hippie generation, the rebellious and dreaming youth and for sure, movies like that can't be done today, even by Spielberg! A true gem to discover quickly!

Two hitchhikers cross paths and travel together.

The filmmaking craft on display is excellent, as the camera and editing tells the story perfectly. It has a great use of landscapes, body language, tracking shots, lighting, shadows, music, and some especially effective transitions. I love how everything you see tells you what you need to know about the characters.

As for the story, it is depends how interested you are in the characters for how much you are likely to take out of it. I liked the portrayal of the characters that builds up to a fairly good reveal, but other than for the technical aspects it is not something I would personally choose to rewatch. It works well if you like sixties nostalgia.

For aspiring filmmakers it is worth watching to see what can be achieved with minimal resources.

A young hitchhiker carrying a guitar case (which he jealously guards) and a bedroll, heading to a beach in the coast, is accompanied in his journey by a beautiful and free spirited female traveler he meets on the road. A love story in the Hippie Era.

Interesting work from one of the most famous directors of this time (whether you like it or not). A very simple plot, followed by the constant camera of Spielberg, and a careful (though not totally) direction makes it for something that should be watched at least once.

The film has its visual merits: the cinematography is quite good and the viewer gets to see some great shots of the desert landscape the protagonists travel through. Some other takes, framings and the use of close-ups are neat, while some others need a few improvements. There's some effective use of tracking shots. The editing is also well managed. The weird part is the use of a couple of jump cuts and freeze frames that give a feeling of being watching some 60's hippie sitcom credits (sorry, I'm not a big fan of these techniques in films). The soundtrack by Michael Lloyd goes well with the scenes.

For a movie without dialogue, where expressions are important, both Richard Levin and Pamela McMyler put a great effort in their respective acting, where they "say" a lot without speaking a single word. Their roles are not so memorable or special, but they give their best without disappointing.

Symbolism is also present. And it is important to understand some of the context in which this was filmed: the late 60's, where hippie movement and free love were often found here and there. The personality of the girl (who represents the free spirit and slovenliness of hippies) has an impact on the boy (who represents something more reserved and quiet), who during his journey to the beach (who could be also seen as a personal journey to an ideal of the society he lives in), he "learns" from her, but at the same time she appears to project some thoughts and ideals of him. This is the strongest point of Amblin': their interaction and how it affects to each other.

It's not a perfect film (it gets very amateurish at some points), but it has some interesting messages and great production values. Recommended for those who want to discover the beginnings of one of the most prolific directors in Hollywood.