Best Director of the 20th Century? Options

[RonNorthVersion3]

DUDE! Why am I not on that list?!

Fucker.

[jonerik]

Uhhh... Why is Oliver Stone not on that list....? Or Tim Burton...?

Stone's incredibly overrated (see above). I like Tim Burton a lot, on the other hand. Didn't care much for "Mars Attacks," but everything else he's done has been great. Why isn't he on the list? I dunno...maybe just because his stuff is so stylized. No one does Tim Burton better than Tim Burton, but I'm not sure he'd be capable of doing, say, a western, or a crime movie. Compared to a guy like, say, Robert Wise (who also probably should have been on the list the more I think about it), Burton just doesn't have that kind of versatility. But you could certainly make a case for Burton belonging. Like I said, I do like his stuff.

[T-Bone]

Why didn't you put Spike Lee on there?

Because I think he's pretty seriously overrated, too.  I haven't seen a film of his that I've liked more or less all the way through since "Malcolm X" and "Bamboozled" was an absolute fucking mess.

Yeah, I'm definitely not a Spike Lee fan, but "25th Hour" was great. I watched "Do the Right Thing" for the first time about a month ago and it reminded me of a bad high school theater production. I then watched "25th Hour" for the first time a week ago, and he's certainly come a long, long way. His obsession with NYC is a tad annoying though.

And although he's certainly not the greatest director of all time, I like Buñuel a lot. "The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie" is such a clever film.

The greatest director of the 20th Century... or any century that had a movie industry... is of course the bull from Durham... Mr. Kevin Costner.
If by greatest director you are speaking of the length of his films that is.

Otherwise, I would vote for the director that tugs at our heartstrings while tugging at our purse strings especially through the 1980s with stories from Chicago's teenagers. The director I speak of is of course Mr. John Hughes. Sixteen Candles, Planes Trains and Automobiles, Uncle Buck, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Weird Science and Breakfast Club all have a special place in our collective hearts.

Danka Schoen Mr. Hughes... Danka Schoen.

I'm Gene Shalit.

[sass]

I thought bamboozled was fucking hilarious!! And 25th hour is one of the best movies I have seen all year. I loved everything about that movie.

[dhyal]

but otherwise spike lee is usually a great director, although i haven't seen (and want to): "clockers", "summer of sam", "25th hour" (his "white person trilogy", if you will...)

All three movies were fantastic, with Clockers being one of my all-time faves.

I disagree that it's part of a "white person" trilogy though...

[sass]

as do i. just because his first movies were about urban black culture does not limit him to ONLY making movies about black culture.

[JWS]

as do i. just because his first movies were about urban black culture does not limit him to ONLY making movies about black culture.

ok, so then how about calling it his "relatively apolitical trilogy"? You could throw Crooklyn in there, too, that was another great flick of his that wasn't bogged down with heavy-handed issues and social criticism.

deet deet deet.

[sass]

I don't think I saw Crooklyn. You didn't find 25th Hour to be about social criticisms? Maybe I just want everything to be about social criticism?

[jonerik]

Interesting results so far. In spite of the usual oaths of undying fealty to David Lynch around here, he hasn't picked up a single vote so far. No votes yet for Welles and Ford, either, and only one apiece for Kurosawa and Coppola. I would have expected all of those guys to have done better. The things you learn....

[JWS]

I don't think I saw Crooklyn. You didn't find 25th Hour to be about social criticisms? Maybe I just want everything to be about social criticism?

I didn't see 25th Hour, but yeah - I guess it is supposed to get a li'l critical by the end, huh? I guess it wouldn't be a Spike Lee joint if the man didn't inject some of his own political agenda into it, but personally I enjoy the ones with less of that. Crooklyn, which is perhaps his most passionate study of the lives of a black family in America, is ironically probably his least politically-tinged effort. You should see it, it's my favorite flick of his after Summer of Sam.

[sass]

Speaking of David Lynch can anyone tell me what the hell happened at the end of Mulhullond Drive?
Yes....I feel the same about FFC, that's why I voted for him

[Jake_Gershwin]

Charlie Watts

[T-Bone]

Interesting results so far.  In spite of the usual oaths of undying fealty to David Lynch around here, he hasn't picked up a single vote so far.  No votes yet for Welles and Ford, either, and only one apiece for Kurosawa and Coppola.  I would have expected all of those guys to have done better.  The things you learn....

Well, it's not like those guys aren't masters of their craft. They are some of my favorite directors, just not my most favorite.

Also missing - David Cronenberg. That guy makes some cool, wacky-ass movies.

[Bailey]

Greatest director of 20th Century? As opposed to what other century?

[RonNorthVersion3]

Greatest director of 20th Century?  As opposed to what other century?

Pssst.

The 21st Century.

[jonerik]

Greatest director of 20th Century? As opposed to what other century?

Well, Edison invented the motion picture in 1888. Films weren't particularly long until the early 20th century, but they existed and frequently tried to tell a story of sorts.

[JWS]

Greatest director of 20th Century?  As opposed to what other century?

Pssst.

The 21st Century.

Or the 19th - which is a tie, really, between brothers Louis and Auguste Lumière.

[Guest_noon]

I feel obligated to reply

wim wenders
jarmusch
ozu
john sayles
mike leigh
rossillini

Kubrick gets the nod over Hitchcock, methinks.

Anyone seen Scorcese's latest, Gangs of New York? I've not felt so disconnected from what's happening onscreen since Cabin Boy. The sets they filmed it on were not even remotely passable as any historical location where anyone could have ever lived. Felt like I was at the Panto. Bringing Out The Dead was crap too. Mean Streets might still be his best ever.

I'd also throw out an honourable mention for Mr. Mike Leigh, who at least warrants a place on that list.

Secrets and Lies
All or Nothing
High Hopes
Naked
Life Is Sweet
Topsy Turvy

Great films all.

[I, Guest]

David Lynch oh yes indeed---

and, not the best- but still worth watching: Stan Brakhage
oh and John Casavetes, too.

[sue]

Well, "best" is hard to say; there are many directors (or bands, or authors, etc) that I respect as being extremely talented, but they're just not my cup of tea. I can think of several on that list. However, my "favorite" one is definitely Terry Gilliam, since "The Fisher King" is one of my all-time favorites, and I loved "12 Monkeys", too. Although Alfred Hitchcock is pretty damn good.

[Guest]

mullholland drive(short version): 1st half a dream, then she wakes up to her shitty life, has the girl that dumped her murdered, cant face it, then pops a cap in her own ass.

[thedude]

i don't know who the greatest director is, but godfathers I & II are without a doubt the best movies i've seen. the fact that the studio tried to ruin and fire coppola and pacino makes me even more convinced that the reason they are so good is because of coppola.

also, john ford and frank capra are both great