What is Amblin-style?

When you see the Amblin logo, what movies do you think of? Amblin has made or partnered on movies like E.T., Jaws, Hook, An American Tail, and Schindler’s List. Other Amblin films are Super 8, The Goonies, and Jurassic Park.

Every so often, we hear about new shows or movies that the creators or others describe as “Amblin-style.” But what does that mean?

What is Amblin-style?

Personally, when I think about what I consider to be Amblin-style, I don’t think of a lot of the movies that they were involved in. I don’t think of Twister, Jurassic Park, or Back to the Future, nor many of their other movies or shows. I think of E.T., The Goonies, and Super 8. And based on the times that I’ve heard people reference Amblin-style, I think others do as well. I think of kids riding bikes through neighborhoods, I think of adventures into the unknown, and I think of elements of the supernatural in the story.

Other Amblin-style movies and shows, that aren’t officially Amblin productions include Stranger Things and Earth to Echo.

The first time I saw advertising for Stranger Things, with its title font like that of the old Choose Your Own Adventure books, and the art like the posters of Drew Struzan, which was created by Kyle Lambert for the show.

As for Earth to Echo, that is a “found footage” style film where a group of friends find a little alien, and an have an adventure together, while trying to discover the origin of the alien and why it is there. Like The Goonies, their neighborhood is scheduled for demolition, and they decide to go on one final adventure together. I highly recommend it if you haven’t already seen it.

There are also two new upcoming productions that are both coming to Disney+ that I would include in this. Crater and Star Wars: Skeleton Crew.

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew: According to Vanity Fair, inside Lucasfilm, the show is being described as a galactic version of classic Amblin coming-of-age adventure films of the ’80s.

What are your thoughts? What do you think of when you think about Amblin films? What do you consider to be “Amblin-style?”

Check out the official Amblin movies here, and look here for Amblin series.