Even in a city where tech geniuses appear as often as software patches, Steve Jobs stands out. Born in San Francisco in 1955, Jobs co-founded the ubiquitous tech company Apple and revolutionized both home computing and the mobile phone. By guiding the invention and release of the iPhone, he changed everything about the way people think about information.

We’ve already talked abouthow the iPhone created its own brand of filmmaking. Now that “The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs” is set to open at the San Francisco Opera, we’re looking at how Jobs has been portrayed over the last two decades of film and TV.

‘Jobs’ (2013)

There are two main biopics of Steve Jobs’ life, and both are worth watching for different reasons. The 2013 release starring Ashton Kutcher (“The Butterfly Effect”) and directed by Joshua Michael Stern (“Why Women Kill”) chronicles the inventor’s founding of Apple through the unveiling of the iPod in 2001. That’s a huge swath of history to cover, and “Jobs” has to leave a lot of information on the cutting room floor.

不过,这是一个相当准确的看男人的rise, fall and return to relevance. Kutcher, rarely known for serious roles, puts his heart and soul into his portrayal. It doesn’t hurt that he has Josh Gad (“Beauty and the Beast”) backing him up as Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak. Between them, they have some tremendous scenes.

Watch it:Streaming onPrimeVideo.

‘Steve Jobs’ (2015)

And then there’s the film everyone was waiting for when “Jobs” was released. Written by Aaron Sorkin (“House of Cards”), this high-profile biopic had some of the biggest stars and directors attached to it in the years before filming. In the end, Danny Boyle (“Slumdog Millionaire”) directed Michael Fassbender (“X-Men: First Class”) as Jobs. The film seeks to flesh out the enigmatic leader’s behind-the-scenes moments through a series of vignettes that occur backstage before various major Apple announcements between 1984 and 1998. It’s an off-kilter way to tell the story that plays well to Sorkin’s theater roots.

Though “Steve Jobs” is well acted and very compelling, it’s more of a vibe than a historical dramatization. The film is far more interested in building Jobs’ story through arguments and interactions with peers than portraying the tech leader’s major life events or lasting impact. But if you believe that small moments make the man, this movie gives a glimpse into a person’s limits.

Watch it:Streaming oniTunes(自然)。

‘Steve Jobs: One Last Thing’ (2011)

There are plenty of cinematic interpretations of Jobs’ exceptional life, but for concision and balance, try the PBS documentary released shortly after his death. Directed by Sarah Hunt and Mimi O’Connor, the hour-long film contains many interviews from Jobs’ peers and one of the last interviews the man himself gave before passing away from pancreatic cancer in 2011.

The movie spares no punches from the darker side of his life, including his apparently rough management style at Pixar. His journey with Zen Buddhism is explored, as well as all the chief points of his tech career. If you’re looking for the most honest and accessible version of Jobs’ life, this is it.

Watch it:Streaming onWETA.

Steve Jobs - One Last Thing TrailerfromLinda MacKenzieonVimeo.

‘Steve Jobs: The Lost Interview’ (2012)

If you’d rather learn about Jobs through his own words, don’t miss “The Lost Interview.” Jobs was part of a documentary about computer culture in 1995 called “Triumph of the Nerds.” He gave a 70-minute interview for the project, but only 10 minutes were used. The full interview was rediscovered by “Triumph” director Paul Sen following Jobs’ death, and received a small theatrical release.

“The Lost Interview” captures Jobs at a low moment in his life. Ousted from Apple and flailing at Next, Jobs looks back over his career with a weary perspective. Six months after taping the interview, he would return to the company and begin changing the world. There’s no real “film” here, but it’s a rare, open look at Jobs. He jokes about using his Apple I to prank call the pope and discusses how a visit to Xerox’s PARC (Palo Alto Research Center) inspired him to rethink how computers were used.

Watch it:Streaming oniTunes.

‘Inside’ episode of ‘American Horror Story: Double Feature’ (2021)

Lastly, Jobs occasionally shows up as a fictional device. One of his most interesting portrayals was in “American Horror Story: Double Feature,” which revolved around aliens making deals with American power players like Dwight Eisenhower to find a home on Earth.

During a trip to Area 51 in the episode “Inside,” Jobs (Len Cordova) is shown to be a resident of a strange dreamscape where humans and aliens work on alien tech. Jobs complains that after half a century of alien technological progress, humans are still using pencils. It’s a brief, but fun cameo in a season that featured various American icons.

Watch it:Streaming onHulu.

Jef Rouner is a freelance writer.