Greatest Director of Our Time

Xyphir · Post by **Xyphir** » April 30, 2004, 2:14 pm

There have been so many directors that encapsulated their generations... Martin Scorsese, Stanley Kubrick, Orson Wells, Alfred Hitchcock, Steven Spielberg, Francis Ford Coppola, George Lucas, Ridley Scott...

Obviously, there is overlap but who do you consider the director of this generation? Quentin Tarantino, Wachowski Bros., M. Night Shyamalan, Coen Bros., Peter Jackson, Tim Burton? I'm sure there are others I'm missing, but who is the heir apparent to Spielberg?

Although Peter Jackson worked with the budget of some third-world-countries GDP, what he brought to the film as far as cinemitograhpy was unparallleled. Waching the DVD extras brought a new appreciation for the films and how Jackson literally immersed himself in Middle Earth. As much as I dispise remakes, or even remakes of remakes, I'm looking forward to his adaptation of King Kong.

Pahreyia · Post by **Pahreyia** » April 30, 2004, 3:28 pm

As much as I like Peter Jackson and what he did for LotR, I think that he's still "untested" as far as directing. He did a wonderful job on 3 movies, but they amounted to one large movie in the end. His adaptation of King Kong will show whether or not he has the tenacity and ingenuity to cross genres and still produce top quality films. I'd say the same for M. Night Shyamalan. He's done 3 very good films, but they've all been of the same genre and it's unknown how well he could handle a high action film or romance or era films.

Of the directors you listed for out generation I would probably have to go with Tim Burton as the defining director of our time. His works from Batman to Big Fish are widely diversified and he's done very well in all of his films. He keeps a flavor that is uniquely his, and at the same time can tackle a wide range of film types.

Dregor Thule · Post by **Dregor Thule** » April 30, 2004, 4:22 pm

I don't know nearly enough on the subject, but first one that comes to mind for me is Hitchcock. The man knew how to craft a movie. Some of the people you list makes me cry. Lucas, Spielberg.. wtf. They make(made?) popular fare, but by and large they aren't masters of the art.

kyoukan · Post by **kyoukan** » April 30, 2004, 4:24 pm

Pahreyia wrote:As much as I like Peter Jackson and what he did for LotR, I think that he's still "untested" as far as directing.

what the fucking hell? Jackson has made over a dozen movies and almost all of them are excellent.

Sirensa · Post by **Sirensa** » April 30, 2004, 4:27 pm

Xyphir wrote:Obviously, there is overlap but who do you consider the director of this generation?

Dregor Thule wrote:I don't know nearly enough on the subject, but first one that comes to mind for me is Hitchcock

Hitchcock isn't this generation!!!

Dregor Thule · Post by **Dregor Thule** » April 30, 2004, 4:39 pm

Greatest Director of Our Time

I knew who Hitchcock was before I knew any other director probably.

Ashur · Post by **Ashur** » April 30, 2004, 4:59 pm

"of our time" is about as concise as that other gem I keep seeing in advertising: "in recent memory"

"Experts say that blah blah blah is the most blah blah blah in recent memory".

Huh? So that's what? Last week? Several decades? The last century?

P.S. My other pet peeve is "a few moments", as if a "moment" were some measureable time that you could have multiples of.

P.P.S. Steven Spielberg

Pahreyia · Post by **Pahreyia** » April 30, 2004, 5:10 pm

kyoukan wrote:
Pahreyia wrote:As much as I like Peter Jackson and what he did for LotR, I think that he's still "untested" as far as directing.
what the fucking hell? Jackson has made over a dozen movies and almost all of them are excellent.

Don't even say that The Frighteners, Meet the Feebles or Dead Alive was anything resembling good movies. I won't mention Bad Taste as it was an 80's movie and that stands on it's own accord. I'll grant you that Heavenly Creatures was very good in 1994... But beyond that and LotR you're coming up short.

Dregor Thule · Post by **Dregor Thule** » April 30, 2004, 5:13 pm

I haven't seen the others, but I loved The Frighteners, and if you disagree with me I'll take that as a good thing.

kyoukan · Post by **kyoukan** » April 30, 2004, 5:23 pm

Nice you see you looked him up on IMDB, but you still don't know what the fuck you are talking about.

Fairweather Pure · Post by **Fairweather Pure** » April 30, 2004, 6:31 pm

The Frighteners was great. The group that did the special effects for that movie worked on a shoestring budget and pulled off some excellent stuff. That same production house went on to do Independence Day and Godzilla. I'm sure they've done more since, but I remember when/why they were chosen for ID4, and that was due to thier work on The Frighteners. That was a huge step for them and they did an awsome job on that.

I always enjoy totally self-contained movies like The Frighteners. Not too much fluff, but a good time none-the-less.

Pahreyia · Post by **Pahreyia** » April 30, 2004, 6:31 pm

I have a friend who is an aspiring screenwriter. He happens to be a fan of Peter Jackson, so I hear about him and his movies often. I could have called out those movies from memory and having seen them. I used IMDB to make sure that I didn't miss any of the films that he directed.

EDIT: Clarified because Kyoukan's just stupid enough to pick apart a small portion of my post to make some lame-brained half ass point that makes Pilsburry's posts look intelligent.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » April 30, 2004, 6:47 pm

Xzion · Post by **Xzion** » April 30, 2004, 6:52 pm

i cant stand M Night. I found the 6th sense and signs to be large overrated peices of shit, im debaiting weather or not to give him one more chance on his new movie, but it doesnt look very promising.

My favorite director would have to be Ridley Scott, Tim Burton is also up there for me, and of course tarantino in his own way

Fairweather Pure · Post by **Fairweather Pure** » April 30, 2004, 6:55 pm

Oh yeah, on topic...

I enjoy a director that leaves his own mark on a movie. Tim Burton, Quentin Tarantino, and M. Night Shyamalan have a distinct style that makes a movie truely thier own. Guy Ritchie had a good thing going with Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels/Snatch, but missed the mark with the movie he made with Madonna, which was absolutely terrible. I think it was so bad because he tried too hard not to leave his personal thumbprint on the movie.

Even though I really do enjoy all the directors I mentioned above, I would have to go with Steven Spielberg because of several reasons. First and foremost, he has many movies under his belt and most of the above are still freshman of sorts. Secondly, Steven Spielberg is all over the map in terms of what he chooses to make. He has done so many classic entertainment movies, from Goonies to Indiana Jones, yet also has done significant "high impact" films such as Schindler's List, Saving Private Ryan, and Amistad.

When some of the above directors get the liberty to work on ever more personal projects and such, we will see who takes the crown from Steven. On paper, it would appear Quentin Tarantino is going to leave the lasting impression, but Tim Burton definately has a wide body of work that is both interesting and diverse.

I saw an interview with Haley Joel Osment who said Steven Speilberg and M. Night Shyamalan are so amazingly similar in thier approach to filmmaking that it was almost scarey. I believe that, given time, M. Night Shyamalan will rise to the top of the heap. I think he is well thought out, original, has fantastic style, and his movies are a labor of love. (Yes, Signs had a shit ending, but the camera work and story telling was top notch IMO)

So, Steven Speilberg for now, but I'm keeping my eye on M. Night Shyamalan for the future. His next movie is called The Village, and it looks very much like Signs in it's horror-ish feel. I sincerely hope he dosen't paint himself into a corner with the horror genere.[/img]

Cracc · Post by **Cracc** » April 30, 2004, 10:46 pm

Arent you people forgetting bergman?

Arborealus · Post by **Arborealus** » May 1, 2004, 12:14 am

PJ untested...lol..yeah right...

PJ is a great director...I just hope he doesn't get sucked into the hollywood machinery...Assuming he continues to follow his own ethic he will remain among the top directors...LotR wasn't great film...But The Frighteners showed brilliance and Heavenly Creatures was great film...

QT is great on his own scripts and his scripts are fun...I'd say his tenure will be dependent on how long his material holds out...Classic dialog driven film...

Lars Von Trier is continuing to make great (if a bit idiosyncratic) film...He is one of the few directors really pushing the craft of film making...

I love the feel of Tim Burton's films they are rich texturally and very elegant generally...And he continues to produce great films some popular some not so popular...A nice mix of great story driven fare and quirky blockbusters

Guy Maddin, I would like to see with a Hollywood budget though i think he might implode with that degree of responsibility...

Up and comers...John Cameron Mitchell...

Lalanae · Post by **Lalanae** » May 1, 2004, 12:25 am

PT Anderson and Sofia Coppola.

Seen every one of their feature films and all of them rank in my top 50 films. Neither one has done "a lot" of films, but what they have done has been amazing and I expect to see these youngsters around for a long time.

Arborealus · Post by **Arborealus** » May 1, 2004, 12:35 am

Lalanae wrote:PT Anderson and Sofia Coppola.

Seen every one of their feature films and all of them rank in my top 50 films. Neither one has done "a lot" of films, but what they have done has been amazing and I expect to see these youngsters around for a long time.

Ohhh yeah PT Anderson

Soffia Coppola feels a bit more like Martin Scorsese's child than Francis' to me...but still that's not too far from the tree...:

kyoukan · Post by **kyoukan** » May 1, 2004, 8:48 am

Pahreyia wrote:I have a friend who is an aspiring screenwriter. He happens to be a fan of Peter Jackson, so I hear about him and his movies often. I could have called out those movies from memory and having seen them. I used IMDB to make sure that I didn't miss any of the films that he directed.

EDIT: Clarified because Kyoukan's just stupid enough to pick apart a small portion of my post to make some lame-brained half ass point that makes Pilsburry's posts look intelligent.

durr durrrr my friend is a screenwriter and I've seen all of peter jackson's movies even though I fucking said in my first worthless post in this thread that he is untested as a director. also I'm a fucking gender confused twit whom everybody hates. whee! watch me wreck another thread with my stupid!

every single one of those movies (with the exception of the frighteners which is still highly entertaining) is pretty much universally regarded by film afficionados (that's people like me, who you may or may not recognize as "people who know what the fuck they are talking about") as the height of their sub-genre. you're a moron.

if you talked out of your ass any longer we'd have to vacate the thread from the fumes. christ. never post again.

Zamtuk · Post by **Zamtuk** » May 2, 2004, 11:26 am

the hell? Peter Jackson did Dead Alive? That movie fucking owned, and is probably my favorite B movie of all time. Knowing he did that ups his stock in my book.

Im also surprised no one mentioned Stanley Kubrick as best director.

Arborealus · Post by **Arborealus** » May 2, 2004, 11:32 am

Zamtuk wrote:the hell? Peter Jackson did Dead Alive? That movie fucking owned, and is probably my favorite B movie of all time. Knowing he did that ups his stock in my book.

Im also surprised no one mentioned Stanley Kubrick as best director.

Kubrick was a great director...no doubt...but I interpreted the topic as forward looking...And sadly Kubrick won't be directing much in future...I hope...

Keverian FireCry · Post by **Keverian FireCry** » May 3, 2004, 5:49 am

I'd have to say Joel Coen of the Coen Brothers is one of the best directors of our time. Coen Brothers write/direct/produce together, though I *think* it's Joel who does the directing, maybe Ethan does some too.

I own these movies of theirs and they are all fuggin great:

Blood Simple
Raising Arizona
The Hudsucker Proxy
The Big Lewbowsky
Miller's Crossing
Fargo
Oh Brother Where Art Thou

That's a pretty flawless line of movies IMO, and though they've had some failures, they are at the top of my list of best Directors.

Im guessing a lot of people have seen most of those. Blood Simple was I think one of their firsts, if not their first major movie, and I don;t think that many people ahve seen it. Also Millers Crossing isn't nearly as popular as others on that list, but its just as great.

Coen Brothers are amazing filmakers and Id have to nominate them as best Directors of our time =)

Arborealus · Post by **Arborealus** » May 3, 2004, 9:34 am

Keverian FireCry wrote:I'd have to say Joel Coen of the Coen Brothers is one of the best directors of our time. Coen Brothers write/direct/produce together, though I *think* it's Joel who does the directing, maybe Ethan does some too.

I own these movies of theirs and they are all fuggin great:

Blood Simple
Raising Arizona
The Hudsucker Proxy
The Big Lewbowsky
Miller's Crossing
Fargo
Oh Brother Where Art Thou

That's a pretty flawless line of movies IMO, and though they've had some failures, they are at the top of my list of best Directors.

Im guessing a lot of people have seen most of those. Blood Simple was I think one of their firsts, if not their first major movie, and I don;t think that many people ahve seen it. Also Millers Crossing isn't nearly as popular as others on that list, but its just as great.

Coen Brothers are amazing filmakers and Id have to nominate them as best Directors of our time =)

Both brothers write and direct all their movies...I imagine Joel carries more of the directing chores as Ethan is busy being their producer...Talk about saving money...

...Or paying the bulk to themselves...

Yeah great directors etc...They really own dark comedy...

Tenuvil · Post by **Tenuvil** » May 3, 2004, 3:49 pm

Xyphir wrote:...who do you consider the director of this generation?

Quentin Tarantino. After seeing KB 1 and 2 he has no equal right now.

Keverian, regarding the Coen Brothers you left out their best work IMO: Barton Fink.

Drolgin Steingrinder · Post by **Drolgin Steingrinder** » May 3, 2004, 4:18 pm

One of the things about directors we think of as being in the special class - Kurosawa, Kubrick, Hitchcock, Wilder - is that they changed the language of film. Spielberg hasn't done that, nor has Lucas - the ones that come the closest are Tarantino with his auteur-style and his asian-inspired editing and photography, Von Trier with the Dogme project and the focus on the "natural camera" and PT Anderson, in my opinion.

Xyphir · Post by **Xyphir** » May 3, 2004, 5:42 pm

Drolgin Steingrinder wrote:One of the things about directors we think of as being in the special class - Kurosawa, Kubrick, Hitchcock, Wilder - is that they changed the language of film. Spielberg hasn't done that, nor has Lucas - the ones that come the closest are Tarantino with his auteur-style and his asian-inspired editing and photography, Von Trier with the Dogme project and the focus on the "natural camera" and PT Anderson, in my opinion.

You don't think Tim Burton has 'auteur-style'? I've always enjoyed the gothic reflections in some of his older films and have attributed it to his style. Perhaps that was the Tim Burton-of-before since his latest movies seem to lack the touch which was so indicitive of his previous films (Batman, Beetlejuice, Nightmare Before Christmas). The re-make of Willy Wonka should be interesting with J. Depp playing the lead, but I'm still shaking my head at why Burton would take up another remake after the abysmal failure of Planet of the Apes.

Tarantino amuses me, but something about his films fail to captivate me. I can't take movies that can't take themselves seriously serious. I was entertained watching Kill Bill, but not really wowed. Same with From Dusk Til Dawn. I'm more impressed with his writing than his directing. True Romance is perhaps one of my favorite films. The scene with Dennis Hopper and Christopher Walken is incredible. Gary Oldman was fantastic as the 'dreaded' pimp, and the other cameos (Brad Pitt, Val Kilmer, etc.) were just icing on the cake.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » May 3, 2004, 5:55 pm

Xyphir wrote:The re-make of Willy Wonka should be interesting with J. Depp playing the lead...

Mini Me's career is saved! He gets the lead Oompa Loompa job for sure.

Drolgin Steingrinder · Post by **Drolgin Steingrinder** » May 3, 2004, 6:24 pm

I'm a huge Tim Burton fan, and besides Planet of the This Movie Shall Not Be Named, he hasn't made a movie that I haven't thoroughly enjoyed. I just don't think he's groundbreaking in any way - he has a distinct feel and theme to his movies, which I think is really cool. He's not afraid to make movies that aren't necessarily crowdpleasers (much like the Coen Bros. in that respect), and I admire him greatly for that. Visionary maybe, groundbreaking no.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » May 3, 2004, 9:10 pm

I'm not feeling the love for Kevin Costner as a director...or actor...or...

Keverian FireCry · Post by **Keverian FireCry** » May 3, 2004, 9:52 pm

Keverian, regarding the Coen Brothers you left out their best work IMO: Barton Fink.

Yeah, that is a great one too. Knew I was forgetting one. Don't own it, but I should

Toshira · Post by **Toshira** » May 8, 2004, 4:34 pm

Coen Brothers, hands down.

Spang · Post by **Spang** » May 9, 2004, 2:44 am

Kevin Smith gets my vote!

Pherr the Dorf · Post by **Pherr the Dorf** » May 9, 2004, 11:23 am

Xyphir wrote:
Drolgin Steingrinder wrote:One of the things about directors we think of as being in the special class - Kurosawa, Kubrick, Hitchcock, Wilder - is that they changed the language of film. Spielberg hasn't done that, nor has Lucas - the ones that come the closest are Tarantino with his auteur-style and his asian-inspired editing and photography, Von Trier with the Dogme project and the focus on the "natural camera" and PT Anderson, in my opinion.
You don't think Tim Burton has 'auteur-style'? I've always enjoyed the gothic reflections in some of his older films and have attributed it to his style. Perhaps that was the Tim Burton-of-before since his latest movies seem to lack the touch which was so indicitive of his previous films (Batman, Beetlejuice, Nightmare Before Christmas). The re-make of Willy Wonka should be interesting with J. Depp playing the lead, but I'm still shaking my head at why Burton would take up another remake after the abysmal failure of Planet of the Apes.

Did you even see Big Fish... fucking Brilliant

VeeshanVault

Greatest Director of Our Time

Greatest Director of Our Time

Re: Greatest Director of Our Time