Steven Spielberg Described This Epic '60s Movie As A 'Major Miracle'

Steven Spielberg is the undisputed king of creating epic cinematic events. But when it comes to the kind of motion pictures he personally loves, there's just one movie he has publicly compared to a miracle – 1962's "Lawrence of Arabia." "Certainly, 'Lawrence of Arabia' was the film that set me on my journey. I look at that picture as a major miracle," he told the American Film Institute. "It just uplifted me." Spielberg later explained that it made him want to be a director, and left him completely shell-shocked after his first time seeing it. "I couldn't really comprehend the enormity of the experience. So I wasn't really able to digest it in one sitting. I actually walked out of the theater stunned and speechless," he said in "Lawrence of Arabia: A Conversation with Steven Spielberg." 

Widely considered one of the best movies of all time, Spielberg isn't alone in loving "Lawrence" — he took part in restoring the movie alongside fellow directing legend Martin Scorsese. And the flick remains a paramount passion for him. During a 2023 appearance on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," he said that it's still his most-watched feature film. But though Spielberg's admiration for "Lawrence of Arabia" runs deep and true, it clearly isn't the only picture that has impacted his output.

Which other films helped influence Steven Spielberg's work? "Citizen Kane," for one. The sweeping classic — in which Orson Welles makes one of the best directorial debuts of all time – is a major favorite of his. Spielberg admitted that Welles' work has encouraged him to have chutzpah while making his own motion pictures. "It means everything to me," he said to the American Film Institute. He's also expressed approbation for productions like "The Searchers," "The Godfather," and "The Greatest Show on Earth," describing each one as a formative influence on his movies.

But directors never stop growing, and one can't accuse Spielberg of staying stuck in the past. He also loves "Dune: Part Two" and Christopher Nolan's "Dark Knight" trilogy. He even owned up to being dazzled by a Marvel Cinematic Universe film. "The superhero movie that impressed me was 'Guardians of the Galaxy.' When it ended, I left the cinema with the feeling that I had just experienced something new, free of cynicism and without concern for being gritty when necessary," he told Omelete (via IndieWire). And he's fond of comedies like "Tootsie" and "Viva Las Vegas," as well.  

Absorbing so many different stories from so many different genres has paid off handsomely for the director. Over the years, Spielberg has helmed movies as varied as "Schindler's List" and "Jurassic Park." With both the biggest of blockbusters and largest of bombs under his belt, his reputation seems destined to grow for decades to come — and his work will be a testament to the power of human creativity until the oceans run as dry as T.E. Lawrence's deserts.