Firelight (partially found Steven Spielberg sci-fi film; 1964): Difference between revisions

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In 1964, Steven Spielberg (then aged 17) independently released his third ever directorial effort (and -technically- his first ever commercially successful film), a sci-fi adventure entitled '''''Firelight'''''.
{{InfoboxLost
|title=<center>Firelight (1964)</center>
|image=Firelightposter.jpg
|imagecaption=Poster for the film.
|status=<span style="color:red;">'''Partially Lost'''</span>
}}


The 135 minute film, for which which Spielberg also wrote the script, was created on a budget of just $500, and was only publicly screened once, at his local Arizona theatre (then known as the Phoenix Little Theatre) on March 24, 1964, to an audience of 500. Spielberg has recounted, in a 1999 ''Inside the Actors Studio'' interview, that through word of mouth and family-sponsored advertising, he was able to sell the 500 tickets at 1 dollar a piece; he would have broke even were it not for one particular audience member who decided to pay double, bringing the total profits to a single dollar (technically, as mentioned, making it his first commercially successful film). In the same interview, he also confirmed that his 1977 feature ''Close Encounters of the Third Kind'' was heavily inspired by ''Firelight''.
'''''Firelight''''' is a 135-minute science fiction film from 1964. It was Steven Spielberg's (then aged 17) third ever directorial effort, released independently.<ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firelight_(1964_film) Wikipedia article.] Retrieved 18 March '16.</ref> Spielberg also wrote the script for the film and has said that it inspired his 1977 feature ''Close Encounters of the Third Kind''.


''Firelight'' centers around a group of scientists (namely, Tony Karcher and Howard Richards, the latter of which identifies as a UFO believer) in the fictional town of Freeport, Arizona. They begin witnessing strange coloured lights in the sky, before a plethora of bizarre disappearances take place (animals, humans and inanimate objects alike). The film contains sub-plots involving Karcher's relationship with his wife, as well as Richards' obsessive quest to prove the existence of aliens to the CIA, and one involving a young captive girl named Lisa, as played by Spielberg's sister, Nancy. ''Firelight''’s twist ending sees three aliens (represented only by shadows) descending on the Earth, revealing their plans to abduct the entire town of Freeport for the purpose of creating a human zoo, back on their home planet of Altaris.
The film was created on a budget of just $500, and was only publicly screened once, at his local Arizona theatre (then known as the Phoenix Little Theatre) on March 24, 1964, to an audience of 500. He sold 500 tickets at 1 dollar a piece, and would've broke were it not for one audience member who decided to pay double, bringing the total profits to a single dollar.


Years after ''Firelight''’s release, while job hunting in Los Angeles, Spielberg lent 2 of his master reels for the film (his only copies, no less) to a producer, in order to showcase his abilities. However, just one week later, the production company in question went bankrupt, and the producer vanished, along with Spielberg's reels. To this day, the missing reels have not been unearthed, and the film remains viewable only in a very incomplete state. Some of the surviving footage his shown up online, though until the stolen reels themselves are reclaimed, the film will never again be seen in its entirety.
''Firelight'' centers around a group of scientists in the fictional town of Freeport, Arizona who witness strange lights in the sky, before a plethora of bizarre disappearances take place (animals, humans and inanimate objects alike). ''Firelight'''s twist ending sees three aliens (represented only by shadows) descending on the Earth, revealing their plans to abduct the entire town of Freeport for the purpose of creating a human zoo, back on their home planet of Altaris.


<br/>
While job hunting in Los Angeles, Spielberg lent two of his master reels for the film to a producer in order to showcase his abilities. However, just one week later, the production company in question went bankrupt, and Spielberg's reels were never returned. To this day, the missing reels have not been found, and the film remains viewable only in a very incomplete state. Some of the surviving footage his become available online.


==Found Footage==
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| {{#ev:dailymotion|http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xjqe5_spielberg-actors-studio-1-2_news|320x240|center|1999 ''Inside the Actors Studio'' interview with Steven Spielberg (part 1 of 2), in which the film is briefly mentioned (11:23-12:38).}}
| {{#ev:dailymotion|http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xjqe5_spielberg-actors-studio-1-2_news|320x240|center|1999 ''Inside the Actors Studio'' interview with Steven Spielberg (part 1 of 2), in which the film is briefly mentioned (11:23-12:38).}}
|}
|}
==References==
<references/>


[[Category:Lost films]]
[[Category:Lost films]]
[[Category:Partially found media]]
[[Category:Partially found media]]

Revision as of 02:15, 19 March 2016

Firelightposter.jpg

Poster for the film.

Status: Partially Lost


Firelight is a 135-minute science fiction film from 1964. It was Steven Spielberg's (then aged 17) third ever directorial effort, released independently.[1] Spielberg also wrote the script for the film and has said that it inspired his 1977 feature Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

The film was created on a budget of just $500, and was only publicly screened once, at his local Arizona theatre (then known as the Phoenix Little Theatre) on March 24, 1964, to an audience of 500. He sold 500 tickets at 1 dollar a piece, and would've broke were it not for one audience member who decided to pay double, bringing the total profits to a single dollar.

Firelight centers around a group of scientists in the fictional town of Freeport, Arizona who witness strange lights in the sky, before a plethora of bizarre disappearances take place (animals, humans and inanimate objects alike). Firelight's twist ending sees three aliens (represented only by shadows) descending on the Earth, revealing their plans to abduct the entire town of Freeport for the purpose of creating a human zoo, back on their home planet of Altaris.

While job hunting in Los Angeles, Spielberg lent two of his master reels for the film to a producer in order to showcase his abilities. However, just one week later, the production company in question went bankrupt, and Spielberg's reels were never returned. To this day, the missing reels have not been found, and the film remains viewable only in a very incomplete state. Some of the surviving footage his become available online.

Found Footage

Compilation of surviving clips from the film.

1999 Inside the Actors Studio interview with Steven Spielberg (part 1 of 2), in which the film is briefly mentioned (11:23-12:38).

References

  1. Wikipedia article. Retrieved 18 March '16.