Empire of Dreams is the first definitive look at all of the science fiction, fantasy, and horror films directed by Steven Spielberg, one of the most popular and influential contemporary filmmakers. Spielberg helped spark the renaissance of these genres in the 1970s and 1980s and remains productive and prominent in them today. Following most of Spielberg's oeuvre as well as his audiences' reactions, this book shows that his appeal as a storyteller is primarily visceral and emotional-for he has found ways to tap into his own feelings and to evoke profound emotion in audiences.

Chapter 1 Introduction: "I dream for a living" Chapter 2 1: Duel (1971): Paranoid Style Chapter 3 2: Jaws (1975): Hydrophobia Chapter 4 3: Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977; rev. 1980): Unidentified Flying Object Relations Chapter 5 4: E.T. (1982) as Fairy Tale Chapter 6 5: Poltergeist (1982): Divorce American Style Chapter 7 6: Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981): Totem and Taboo Chapter 8 7: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984): Bad Medicine Chapter 9 8: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989): Raiders of the Lost Father Chapter 10 9: Always (1989) and the Eternal Triangle Chapter 11 10: Short Films: "Kick the Can" (1983) and "The Mission" (1986) Chapter 12 11: Hook (1991): The Peter Pan Syndrome Chapter 13 12: Jurassic Park (1993) and The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997): Jaws on Land Chapter 14 13: A.I. (2001): Separation Anxiety Chapter 15 14: Minority Report (2002): Oedipus Redux Chapter 16 15: War of the Worlds (2005) and Trauma Culture Chapter 17 Conclusion: Moving Toward the Light