Your Favorite Directors, why?

[How2PK]

I'll write something tonight, just to do you a favor, MPC. :P

[Uldric]

James Cameron

 

- Terminator

 

- Titanic :wink:

 

- Aliens

 

- He's doing some upcoming stuff with '3d' cameras that I saw on a tv show

 

- Aquaman (Not really, but you saw it on Entourage :P )

 

 

 

Yeah, usually makes awesome films, can see more: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000116/

 

 

 

Then again, to add a little bit of flavour:

 

 

 

Hayao Miyazaki

 

Does anime that looks absolutely stunning. Probably his most popular titles would be Howl's Moving Castle and Spirited Away. Other ones

 

- Porco Rosso (My fav)

 

- Kiki's Delivery Service

 

- Laputa

 

 

 

More info can be found: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0594503/

[MyPurpleCrayon]

Ah never really been introduced to either of them. As IndyFan said, directors don't get recognized enough.

 

 

 

Oh, and thanks Daan! :P

[blushenka]

Milos Forman (*the most greatly underated director ever imo). He directed:

 

Valmont

 

Amadeus

 

Man on the Moon

 

One Flew over the Cuckoo's nest

 

The People vs Larry Flynt

 

Each of these movies is fantastic, for storytelling too but imo especially for directing so you should check them out.

 

 

 

David Lynch. He's been mentioned before, I know, but the reason he stands out for me is because I finally managed to see Twin Peaks (the series). There is also a movie as well, Twin Peaks: Fire walk with me, but you shouldn't see that unless you saw the series first. Twin Peaks is a remarkably creepy series that has its share of humour and some soap opera-ish bits. But what's great about it is the atmosphere of that small town, the interesting characters and of course, the directing.

[How2PK]

Milos Forman underrated? In your dreams maybe. :P

 

 

 

Stanley Kubrick Sure, you all know him. But of course he needs to be mentioned as he got me started in watching movies the way I do now. All his movies I have seen (with exception of Fear and Desire because it isn't available) are atleast good. There isn't one that's only average. Which isn't that weird, as he wanted to make the best movie, of every genre. In the end he didn't get the best in any genre (sci-fi being the exception), but all his movies are up there in the top of their genre. Which makes him one of the most diverse directors.

 

 

 

Recommendations:

 

2001: A Space Odyssey

 

A Clockwork Orange

 

Paths of Glory

 

The Shining

 

 

 

Federico Fellini Perhaps my favorite Italian director. Started out writing for the big neo-realist directors with his breaktrough being Rossellini's Rome, citta aperta (rome open city). In the earlt fifties he started making his own movies, I Vitteloni becomming his first success, and he made other semi new relalist movies. In the 60s he started, just as many other Itallian directors, his own style. His more autobiographical movies with childhood memories, dreams, halucinations. With 8ÃÆââ¬Å¡Ãâý being the best example, and IMO his best movie. From his later work (everything after Amarcord) I haven't seen anything, so I wouldn't be able to judge that. :). He also had an almost life-long collaboration with Nino Rota (who you probably know from the Godfatherscore), be sure to check out his scores as well. :)

 

 

 

Recommendations

 

8ÃÆââ¬Å¡Ãâý

 

La Dolce Vita

 

Amarcord

 

La Strada

 

 

 

David Lynch - One of the more interesting American directors of his generation. With him being a little bit more experimental and more focussed on making quality movies than making a good box-office deal. And being one of the few modern and succesful directors making abstract/surreal movies. He started out with Eraserhead, which is probably his most surreal movie, but perhaps the least lynch movie (compared to his other work). Clear influence from Bủ̮̱̉uel is seen, as in more of his movies. But unlike other movies Eraserhead doesn't have much form, he's still struggling with himself. Later he has found more balance and his movies became more for a wider audience.

 

 

 

Recommendations:

 

Eraserhead

 

The Elephant Man

 

Blue Velvet

 

Mulholland Dr.

 

 

 

Jean-Luc Godard - Perhaps the most influential director of the 60s. Starting out in the 50s with the cahiers du cinema giving a whole new dimension on being a movie critic, giving a whole new definition of cinema. And it didn't stay with words, they started to make movies, to show they really could do it differently. This is a very brief description on how the Nouvelle Vague (The French new-wave) got started. It started with Melville making a start, then Chabrol with the real first new wave, and Truffaut making the first succesfull one. But then came Godard, with A BOUT DE SOUFFLE, mixing everything making the weirdest genre cocktails, inventing strange cuts that had never been done before and adding a lot of critic on society. He continued making new-wave movies till '67 when he made Week-End. After that he went more into politics, making obscure documentaries that barely got any notice. And every now and then he made a movie, some considered good, others crap. If you want to compare Godard to a modern director it's deff. Tarantino. Both introducing a new style of filmmaking, both mixing so much genres, both excellent writers and both have "cool" dripping all over their movies.

 

 

 

Recommendations:

 

A Bout de Souffle

 

Le Mepris

 

Pierrot le fou

 

Bande A part (Rings a bell? ;))

 

Alphaville

 

 

 

Yasujiro Ozu Is probably my favorite Japanese director. With his on first sight simple (but technically pretty complicated) chamber-dramas, capturing a lot of different familiy relations in every part of life. All set in Japanese culture. Later on he combined that with the westernization of Japanese culture. His movies are never fast paced. They're always rather slow, but not boring. It's an emotionally strong tour and pretty interesting look on Japanese culture and they all deal with situations you will encounter as well.

 

 

 

Recommendations:

 

Banshun (his best IMO)

 

Tokyo Monogatari

 

BakushÃÆÃâÃâû

 

Ukigusa (the '34 version and his '59 remake)

 

 

 

Andrei Tarkovsky is probably the least accesable director of this list. Not because his movies are hard to get, but because his movies are, well, you need some patience for it. As they're all having extremely long and uncut shots, long silences you name it. So you need to be a kind of 'experienced' watcher for his movies. And then not experienced as in, I go to the cinema three times a month to see the new blockbusters. Because then you will not enjoy it (well, you could, if you're interested, but generally when you do these kind of things, you're not). His movies have another purpose. He doesn't really works with a plot, atleast, the plot is of less-importance than the meaning of his movie. Bringing life-questions to the screen in almost poetical shots, everything composed to evoke the deepest emotions. But it's not like his movies are for snobs, or the so called 'intellectuals'. His movies are for everybody, the simplest man out there can do something with it. All you need is the patience and interest. If you're interested in Tarkovski and his movies the book Sculpting in Time is also an interesting read. :)

 

 

 

Recommendations:

 

Stalker (IMO his best)

 

Nostalgia

 

Solyaris

 

Andrey Rublyov

 

 

 

Steven Spielberg Probably the most complete director America has ever known. He basically is the inventor of the blockbuster, with Jaws. Taking special effects to the next level, Jurassic Park. Making the movies a day out for the entire family, E.T. I don't think there's any director with the same eye for commerce as he has, but still stays true to the art, Schindler's List.

 

 

 

Recommendations:

 

Jaws

 

Schindler's List

 

Indian Jones Trilogy

 

E.T.

 

 

 

That's it for now. Will do some more later, I think. Oh, don't nail me down on a mistake here and there. Didn't do research to look up if everything was correct.

 

 

 

[edit] took out some spelling mistakes in the Godard part, as it was pretty hard to read. I was rushing it a bit.

 

 

 

[edit]2 I took out Playtime at the Godard part. As Godard had nothiung to do with it. Tati made that of course. :P Still worth checking out of course. And I put Pierrot le fou instead of it.

[blushenka]

Milos Forman underrated? In your dreams maybe. :P

 

 

You're implying he's over-rated? I don't know, but he seems to be less of a 'hip' director, like take for instance Tarantino...

 

On a different note, I like what you said about Tarkovski. I wouldn't name him one of my favourites and this is probably for lack of patience. It needs a certain 'mood'. I saw Stalker when I was around 13 or so and it bored me to death...Then somewhat more recently I saw The Sacrifice and I liked much better.

[How2PK]

You're implying he's over-rated? I don't know, but he seems to be less of a 'hip' director, like take for instance Tarantino...

 

On a different note, I like what you said about Tarkovski. I wouldn't name him one of my favourites and this is probably for lack of patience. It needs a certain 'mood'. I saw Stalker when I was around 13 or so and it bored me to death...Then somewhat more recently I saw The Sacrifice and I liked much better.

 

 

 

I don't think he is overrated, but he isn't underrated either. He has got a lot of credit for his work. I agree with you on the mood subject, you can't put his movies on whenever you want. And it's a bad plan to keep a Tarkovski marathon. :P I watched them like, one every month/two months or something. His movies have got a lot to offer, but on the age of 13 those things are probably hard to recognize, due to his way of directing.

 

 

 

Have you seen Bergman's work as well? If you're into Tarkovski I think you'll enjoy his movies as well. :)

[MyPurpleCrayon]

A lot!

 

 

 

Ah your posts are awesome! I learn so much from them, considering I haven't heard of most of those directors. Thanks for actually taking the time to make a well thought out post, I appreciate it. :P

[VOV]

Spielberg is my favourite. Everything the man touches, whether he's directing, writing, or producing it, is instant gold.

[Bubsa]

Not everything. His film "Always" was most noteable for Audrey Hepburn's last performances. Romance is something Spielberg hasn't conquered (although, he hasn't really tried to).

 

 

 

Having said that, what a ratio. His many dozens of great films far outweight his very few flops (The Terminal, anyone?).

[VOV]

I thought The Terminal was excellent :-k

 

 

 

Hanks and Spielberg are an amazing team: Saving Private Ryan, Catch Me if You Can, The Terminal, and Band of Brothers are all excellent IMO.

[MyPurpleCrayon]

I thought The Terminal was excellent :-k

 

 

 

Hanks and Spielberg are an amazing team: Saving Private Ryan, Catch Me if You Can, The Terminal, and Band of Brothers are all excellent IMO.

 

 

 

I'd have to agree with you on this one. Although Hanks and anyone could be an amazing team.

[How2PK]

Hm, I don't think Hanks is that great. And I don't thinik the movies they've done together are very good; Saving Private Ryan and The Terminal. Catch me if you Can is quite alright though.

[indy500fan]

i enjoyed the terminal and saving private ryan. the terminal was kind of stupid at times though. saving private ryan kind of had a odd story. but i did enjoy them both.

[foolgool]

Hitchcock

 

Jackson

 

Spielberg

 

 

 

 

 

Hitchcock had very good movies back when he made them; I especially like North by Northwest.

 

Peter Jackson did LotR. Enough said.

 

I haven't seen too many Spielbergs, although his first big movie, Duel, is one of a select few movies to actually have scared me.

[blushenka]

 

Have you seen Bergman's work as well? If you're into Tarkovski I think you'll enjoy his movies as well. :)

 

Yeap, I've seen some Bergman movies. And I agree, they're great. Like for instance 'The Seventh Seal', I'll never forget the atmosphere in that one. I have yet to watch Nostalgia by Tarkovski, meaning I have it but I didn't watch it yet. I've heard a lot about it, I'm waiting especially to see that famous scene with the man holding a candle and trying not to let it go out.

 

 

 

Can't believe I forgot to name Peter Jackson as one of my favourite directors. I've only seen LOTR by him (no, I didn't see King Kong), but that was brilliant enough. I have my problems with the script to the movies, but the directing was flawless.

[Black_Flat]

Robert Zemeckis - His attention to the most minor of details is incredible as well as his writing of the back to the future trilogy. As well as whenever he teams up with a big name, his movies seem to be great.

 

 

 

Favorites

 

 

 

Forrest Gump

 

Contact

 

What lies beneath

 

Cast Away

 

and of course the back to the future trilogy

 

 

 

The Wachowski Brothers

 

 

 

Ok so the matrix 2 and 3 wern't all that good, but you're not asking who writes the best sequals your asking who is the best directors.

 

 

 

Direction in the first matrix is good, Direction in the 2nd and 3rd matrix is brilliance.

 

 

 

Favorites

 

 

 

Matrix (screenplay more so than direction)

 

Matrix 2 (direction)

 

Matrix 3 (direction)

 

 

 

Quinten Tarrantino

 

 

 

THIS MAN IS A GOD, anyone thats as messed up as Quinten Tarrantino with as much money as he has, frankly scares me. By know im suprised that he hasn't saw'n off his own arm and had it surgicaly attached to his skull...

 

 

 

Favorites

 

 

 

Kill bill (ITS ONE MOVIE IT SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN SPLIT INTO 2)

 

Pulp Fiction

 

Resvour Dogs

 

From dusk til dawn (just disturbing)

 

 

 

Kevin Smith - Truely one of my idols (and the only idol i have that has nothing to do with motorsports... but thats a whole other bag of worms) his hillarity and direction is second to none, i've never heard of any one before him being able to : produce, direct and act while managing his best friend though a drug adiction WHO IS ONE OF THE MAIN CHARACTORS IN THE MOVIE... how he does what he does, i don't know, the only man to ever make a movie that i've had to stop half way through because my jaw hurts so much from laughing so hard.

 

 

 

Favorites

 

 

 

all of them...

 

Clerks

 

Chasing Amy

 

Mallrats

 

Dogma

 

Jay and silent bob strike back

 

Jersey Girl (a romance movie that i like...)

 

Clerks 2

 

 

 

George lucas... nothing has to be said

 

 

 

thats about it... by far Kevin smith is my favorite director, but there are just so many greats...

 

 

 

Black flat

[Punc]

Tim Burton for basicly every movie he made :D

 

 

 

Quetin Tarantino is good, but didn't really like Kill Bill as much as his other movies.

 

 

 

Richard Kelly for Donnie Darko.

[How2PK]

George lucas... nothing has to be said

 

 

 

Actually: Yes. Explanation is needed. I don't really see how he cuold be your favorite, with the few movies he has made. He directed the first Star Wars movie, American Graffity and THX 1138. And there's the three new Star Wars movies, which aren't that great. Sure, Lucas has been a very influential man in the history of cinema. But from all the things he did, direction is the thing he's least famous for, and that's not for nothing.

 

 

 

And tarantino didn't direct From Dusk 'Till Dawn. And I don't get your comment on Kill Bill? + Writing, producing, directing and taking a role in your movie really isn't something new, rare or special. I don't see why you're cheering so much for it.

[Evadek]

probably Guy Ritchie, he does a very good job at portraying a mood with camera angles and music

[MyPurpleCrayon]

And I don't get your comment on Kill Bill?

 

 

 

Erhm... maybe he wants to watch a 5 hour long movie?

 

 

 

And Tarrantino is not a good actor, he shouldn't be praised for doing so.

[How2PK]

Heh. I think he's quite alright. Sure, he isn't like this top-notch actor something. But he's fun, and I like to see him (in a not iwanttosleepwithhim kind of way). :P

[Bubsa]

probably Guy Ritchie, he does a very good job at portraying a mood with camera angles and music

 

I call fluke. Sure, lock stock was f'ing brilliant, but I'm really struggling to find another film he has made that came anywhere that.

[darkmage099]

Spielburg, Quinten Tarrantino, Jerry Bruckheimer is AWESOME, but I dont know if he is a director or a producer. :oops:

[indy500fan]

i thought george lucas did THX 1138 pretty well, the star wars ones are just ok.

 

 

 

wouldn't ever consider him one of my favourite/greatest directors.

 

 

 

Kill bill (ITS ONE MOVIE IT SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN SPLIT INTO 2)

 

 

 

its still just one movie, just one part came out in theatres a while before the other part. not too many people will sit through a 4+ hour long movie, especially when they dont know what to expect.

 

 

 

there is a torrent going around of kill bill in chronilogical order, takes all the different parts and arranges them chronilogically. just thought you might be interested, but cant post torrents here, its against the rules.