The 100 Greatest Directors of All-Time

whammon
Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2007 11:35 pm

After much searching, watching, reading, and just plain copying and pasting, I have come up with what I believe is a fairly decent (but by no means definitive) list of the 100 greatest film directors of all time. I'll be releasing one name a day, maybe more, until the list is complete, along with brief explanations and significant film listings.

Among the many criteria I used to formulate this list (yeah, like I actually crunched numbers) are box-office success, critical praise, awards and nominations, quality and quantity of the body of work, memorable films, and sometimes just clever spots to place them.

So enjoy, debate, call me an idiotic douche, whatever, but still, have fun with this whole thing. We begin with Heavy Metal Horror.

100. Rob Zombie
Rob Zombie has been a part of the entertainment industry most of his adult life, from his early days as a Production Assistant on “Pee-Wee’s Playhouse,” to his latest project, directing the lofty remake of the horror classic, “Halloween.” Ever a fan of the horror genre, Zombie’s former band name, “White Zombie,” is actually derived from the title of a 1932 Bela Legosi film. Zombie has worked his way up the ladder, doing everything from animation (album cover designs and the hallucination sequence of “Beavis and Butthead Do America”) to writing, to music (White Zombie albums, solo albums, film soundtracks). His two previous directing efforts, “House of 1,000 Corpses” and “The Devil’s Rejects,” offer a truly gruesome combination of gore and artistic design. Dubbed as a member of the “Splat Pack,” by film historian Alan Jones, Zombie was the recipient of Fangoria’s “Chainsaw” Award for “The Devil’s Rejects.”
Noteworthy Films: House of 1,000 Corpses, The Devil's Rejects

PatDaddy77
Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2007 11:52 pm

I think he's in it more for the violence than the gore, though he uses a fair amount of it. I think he was more in to thr grind house movies than the splatter the 13th's. but I could be wrong.

whammon
Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2007 11:56 pm

He;s actually more a fan of 30s and 40s horror, according to imdb, still, he uses violence and gore to great effect.

PatDaddy77
Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2007 12:06 am

I do wanna see what he did with halloween, though I don't know if I'll approve. the original is one of my top 5 all time with stuff like scarface and the shining.

whammon
Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2007 1:11 pm

99. Brad Bird
Cutting his teeth on “The Simpsons” and “The Critic,” Brad Bird learned two important facets of animation: Good Visuals and Good Stories. Emphasizing the quality of the story and the visual concept of his animated movies over the name recognition of his voice talent, Bird was able to create visual marvels. His first feature length film, “The Iron Giant,” is also his only cell-shaded film. His more famous work has been his Disney/Pixar efforts, “The Incredibles,” for which he won an Oscar, and the more recent, “Ratatouille.” In each of these films, his voice talent is recognizable if you pay real close attention and have an ear for their particular voices (Jennifer Aniston and Vin Diesel in “Giant,” Craig T. Nelson and Jason Lee in “Incredibles,” Patton Oswalt, Janeane Garafolo, and Peter O’Toole in “Ratatouille,”), but he never goes out of his way to bring in big names so the audience can say, “Ooh, there’s Mike Meyers,” or “Hey, that’s Sarah Michelle Gellar,” like other animation studios. He instead spends his time and energy to make sure the story is solid, and the visuals are crisp, and that is why come next year, he may have two Oscars after only three feature-length films.
Noteworthy Films: The Iron Giant, The Incredibles, Ratatouille

whammon
Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 3:12 pm

98. Guy Ritchie
He might have been higher on this list if he hadn’t decided to mix business with pleasure. He struck gold in 1998 with the pervasive dark comedy, “Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels,” for which he garnered several awards and nominations from various bodies and film festivals in the UK. 2000 saw another cult hit with “Snatch.” Then, sadly, he got married to Madonna, who despite all previous evidence to the contrary, thinks she’s a good actress. Ritchie sold out his artistic style by directing his bride in the unforgivable “Swept Away,” which garnered him two Razzie nominations. Still, despite his domestic flaw, his first two cult hits, along with the fact that he introduced the world to action star Jason Statham (though he was already well known in the UK as a former Olympic diver) earn him a spot on the list.
Noteworthy Films: Lock, Stock, & Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch

whammon
Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2007 3:10 pm

97. M. Night Shyamalan
Born in India, but growing up in Philadelphia, Shyamalan’s mainstream film career has lived and died by the concept of the twist ending. Though he directed two films early on that had more to do with his own heritage, he hit the big time with “The Sixth Sense,” earning Oscar nominations for Directing and Writing. He saw continued critical and box office success with his next two films, but has since hit a snag. Now that everyone knows to expect a twist ending, his films become more about guessing the ending long before it happens. And on that note, Shyamalan tries to go further and further out there to make them happen, at times ignoring the overall quality of the film. This was most clear in his most recent effort, “Lady in the Water,” which failed at the box office and earned him Razzie honors. Aside from his love affair with the twist, Shyamalan has two other stylistic habits seen by other directors. He, like Sidney Lumet (New York) and John Waters (Baltimore), prefers to set his films in his home state of Pennsylvania. Also, either as an homage to greats like Alfred Hitchcock, or maybe just as an ego trip, Shyamalan gives himself a cameo in each of his films.
Noteworthy Films: The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, Signs, The Village

lasvegasguy
Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2007 9:56 pm

Quote :

Ritchie sold out his artistic style by directing his bride in the unforgivable “Swept Away,” which garnered him two Razzie nominations.

Isn't it sad how men will throw everything away for a good fellatrix? Sean Penn has his own issues, but he at least had acting talent. Ever since his marriage to that skank and that dreadful movie they did together, he's never had credibility with me.

Madonna always was a talentless hack who shook her ass to stardom in the Pop music world. She has had many opportunities to improve her acting over the years and has repeatedly proven she doesn't make the cut.

The original Swept Away was a masterpiece. For Madonna to aspire to remake an original and daring film like that into the shallow piece of shit she defiled the screen with was an abomination.

I'm really impressed you are taking on a project of this magnitude. As usual with you, I will learn a lot from it.

narrator
Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2007 11:26 pm

Shymalan at #97? What a twist!

whammon
Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 1:45 pm

96. Franco Zeffirelli
With the exception of Baz Luhrman’s 1997 modernization, whenever anyone mentions a “Romeo & Juliet” movie, his is the one that comes to mind. It was also the only nudity any of us saw in high school outside of sex ed (ironically, the actress, Olivia Hussey, who was only 15 at the time, was not allowed to attend the premiere in 1968 because the film had nudity, despite the fact that she was the only nude). Zeffirelli has long been associated with theatre and Shakespeare. Aside from R&J, he’s directed film adaptations of “Otello,” an opera based on the play, and the 1990 version of “Hamlet” starring Mel Gibson and Glen Close. The Florence native’s resume includes just as many English language films as Italian, and run the gamut from “The Champ” to “Tea with Mussolini.” His other famous achievement came in 1977, back when TV movies mattered. Zeffirelli was at the helm for the Emmy nominated mini-series, “Jesus of Nazareth.” But his body of work is not without some tarnish. Like many other greats, he’s done a film or two that is simply God awful. Zeffirelli’s contribution to the pantheon of crap is 1981’s “Endless Love,” which earned him a Razzie nomination.
Noteworthy Films: Romeo & Juliet, Jesus of Nazareth, The Champ, Otello, Hamlet, Jane Eyre, Tea with Mussolini

whammon
Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2007 1:52 pm

95. Bobby and Peter Farrelly
Aside from making us all think twice about our hair gel, this subversive brother tandem has been at the forefront of American comedy since the mid 1990s, when they burst onto the scene with the hilarious goofball buddy movie, “Dumb & Dumber.” In 1998 they hit gold with the off-beat romantic comedy, “There’s Something About Mary,” which has since been named by the American Film Institute as one of the 100 Greatest Comedies of all time. The Farrellys have an odd character makeup in their films, oftentimes using physical and mental handicaps for comedy (prosthetic hand in “Kingpin,” conjoined twins in “Stuck on You,” morbid obesity in “Shallow Hal”). Their justification is that most films portray the disabled as heroic characters always overcoming adversity, whereas they treat them as normal, everyday people, who have the same ability to be loving, humorous, or just plain jerks, like everyone else.
Noteworthy Films: Dumb & Dumber, Kingpin, There’s Something About Mary, Me, Myself & Irene, Osmosis Jones, Fever Pitch

whammon
Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2007 8:23 pm

94. Melvin Van Peebles
Melvin, father of Mario, is best known for one dynamic film, 1971’s “Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song,” about a Black Panther and a hooker on the run from racist white cops. It is the quintessential odd movie, and one of (if not the only) high points of the “Blacksploitation” era. Melvin had other small successes, such as “Watermelon Man” and “Don’t Play Us Cheap,” an adaptation of his own Tony-nominated musical, but in the end, “Sweetback” was his defining moment as an independent filmmaker. Though his overall body of work is small, he has received high praise from the black and indie communities, inspiring the likes of Spike Lee, and earning Lifetime Achievement honors from the Chicago Underground and Los Angeles Pan-African Film Festivals.
Noteworthy Films: Watermelon Man, Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song, Don't Play Us Cheap

whammon
Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 4:32 pm

93. Samuel Fuller
After serving as a rifleman in World War II, Samuel Fuller began his film career specializing in low budget westerns and war films, saving the studio money by writing, directing, and producing the films himself. His masterpiece as a studio director was “Pickup on South Street,” a film noir about a young pickpocket who unwittingly steals a microfilm intended for communist spies. At the end of the 1950s, Fuller broke off from 20th Century Fox and went independent, creating even more brilliant and controversial films in the 80s. “The Big Red One,” which was nominated for the Golden Palm at Cannes, is based upon his old Army unit in WWII, and one of the first to truly depict the horror that soldiers felt on the battlefield (in a famous scene, the soldiers scream as tanks roll over their foxholes, which Fuller said actually happened, so the soldiers could release their terror without anyone hearing). In 1982, he released the controversial “White Dog,” about a man trying to domesticate a vicious dog trained to fight and kill black people. Fuller was the guest of honor at the first annual film festival in Sodankyla, Finland, and now has a street named for him in the town. He has also received special distinctions and honors from the Independent Spirit Awards, the Locarno International Film Festival, and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association.
Noteworthy Films: I Shot Jesse James, The Baron of Arizona, The Steel Helmet, Pickup on South Street, Hell and High Water, The Big Red One, White Dog, Thieves After Dark

whammon
Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 2:51 pm

92. Leo McCarey
With over 100 directorial credits to his name, Leo McCarey was one of the hardest working men during the silent film era. Specializing in romance and comedy, he was able to translate that to great success with talking pictures as well, although his output slowed down. Among his comedic achievements is the 1933 Marx Brothers classic, “Duck Soup,” recognized by AFI as one of the best comedies, and best movies, of all time. On the romantic side, McCarey brought us “Love Affair,” and “An Affair to Remember,” which was later referenced and remade into the chick-flick staple, “Sleepless in Seattle.” McCarey won four Oscars in his career, two for directing (“The Awful Truth,” “Going My Way”), and has a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame.
Noteworthy Films: Duck Soup, The Awful Truth, Love Affair, Going My Way, The Bells of St. Mary’s, An Affair to Remember, Rally ‘Round the Flag, Boys!

whammon
Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 5:09 pm

91. Giuseppe Tornatore
One of the most recognizable names in modern Italian cinema, despite a relatively small body of work (10 films released since 1986, two in production). Born in Sicily, most of Tornatore’s films are set on the island. His most famous work internationally is 1988’s “Cinema Paradiso,” which won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Picture and the Grand Jury Prize at Cannes (among many other honors). “Paradiso” is one of the penultimate films of the “self-reflexive” sub-genre, basically movies about movies. His films have been featured at Cannes, and have thrice been nominated for the Golden Palm. The David DiDonatello Awards (Italy’s version of the Oscars) has honored him three times as Best Director.
Noteworthy Films: Il Camorrista (The Professor), Cinema Paradiso, Stanno Tutti Bene (Everybody’s Fine), Una Pura Formalita (A Pure Formality), L’Uomo Delle Stelle (The Starmaker), The Legend of 1900, Malena, La Sconosciuta (The Unknown)

lasvegasguy
Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 8:56 pm

I want to know if these guys are going to be on your list:

Ed Wood
Russ Meyer
Roger Corman

whammon
Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 9:31 pm

lasvegasguy wrote:

I want to know if these guys are going to be on your list:

Ed Wood
Russ Meyer
Roger Corman

That all depends. You gonna stop reading if I say no?

lasvegasguy
Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 9:40 pm

whammon wrote:

lasvegasguy wrote:

I want to know if these guys are going to be on your list:

Ed Wood
Russ Meyer
Roger Corman

That all depends. You gonna stop reading if I say no?

You know I won't stop reading. I posted that to let you know I'm still paying attention and learning as I promised.

If any of these guys are listed above Mario Van Peebles, however, I will take issue fo' sho'.

whammon
Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 11:24 pm

Duly noted.

On a separate note, next Monday and Tuesday I will be in Philly/DE for the MNF game, so I'll leave this up to you guys. If you want, I can give you three names on Sunday before I go, or give you three on Wednesday when I get back. Your choice.

Redbob86
Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 2:03 am

Take your time. Oh, and I have been reading all your picks, for the record. Even if I don't post, I'm reading each one.

Sassenach
Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 6:35 am

Ditto.

Outlaw
Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 9:00 am

whammon wrote:

91. Giuseppe Tornatore
One of the most recognizable names in modern Italian cinema, despite a relatively small body of work (10 films released since 1986, two in production). Born in Sicily, most of Tornatore’s films are set on the island. His most famous work internationally is 1988’s “Cinema Paradiso,” which won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Picture and the Grand Jury Prize at Cannes (among many other honors). “Paradiso” is one of the penultimate films of the “self-reflexive” sub-genre, basically movies about movies. His films have been featured at Cannes, and have thrice been nominated for the Golden Palm. The David DiDonatello Awards (Italy’s version of the Oscars) has honored him three times as Best Director.
Noteworthy Films: Il Camorrista (The Professor), Cinema Paradiso, Stanno Tutti Bene (Everybody’s Fine), Una Pura Formalita (A Pure Formality), L’Uomo Delle Stelle (The Starmaker), The Legend of 1900, Malena, La Sconosciuta (The Unknown)

1900 was cool.

whammon
Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 2:15 pm

Well, since so many of you were nice enough to give input, I'll give you a treat and give you a three-spot before I leave. It's no real bother for me. I've already got the list made up, it's just the mini-bios that take a bit of time.

whammon
Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 4:56 pm

90. Brian De Palma
Using a voyeuristic style of extended shots with no pans or zooms, Brian De Palma has found a niche in crime and suspense films. His first big success was “Sisters” in 1973. He hit audience gold in the 1980s with his three best films, “Blow Out,” “Scarface,” and “The Untouchables,” a rare achievement, in that it’s actually a good movie based on a TV show. Ironically, “Scarface” was nominated for an Oscar for Cinematography because of De Palma’s voyeur style, yet De Palma himself was nominated for a Razzie as Worst Director. Being an admirer of Alfred Hitchcock, De Palma pays homage to the master of suspense in many of his films, either in camera work (long, extended shots), music (worked with Bernard Herrmann, who composed many of Hitchcock’s films), or casting (uses many blonde actresses in “femme fatale” leading roles). Like other famous directors, De Palma has also directed music videos. Growing up in New Jersey, and being a huge Bruce Springsteen fan, he directed the video for “Dancing in the Dark,” which introduced the world to one Courtney Cox. Another fun fact from IMDB: “In the 1970s, De Palma helped a close friend on a film project. He helped audition and interview actors. When the film was shot, De Palma did some uncredited writing on an opening "scrawl," a device the friend thought of at the last minute to help explain events in the film, so the audience would not be confused. The friend was George Lucas and the film was Star Wars.”
Noteworthy Films: Sisters, Carrie, Dressed to Kill, Blow Out, Scarface, The Untouchables, Raising Cain, Carlito’s Way, The Black Dahlia

narrator
Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 5:29 pm

Redbob86 wrote:

Take your time. Oh, and I have been reading all your picks, for the record. Even if I don't post, I'm reading each one.

Same here. Whatever works for you. Either way, you'll probably still finish this up by the time PatDaddy gets his story finished.