Best Director?

[aperio]

Who do you think is the best director of our time/ever? The first one that comes to mind for me is without a doubt Steven Spielberg. His body of work is just incredible imho, and I would say quite easily that he is the first name that likely pops into most people's minds.


Spielberg's works include:

• Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
• Munich (2005)
• War of the Worlds (2005)
• The Terminal (2004)
• Catch Me If You Can (2002)
• Minority Report (2002)
• A.I.: Artificial Intelligence (2001)
• Saving Private Ryan (1998)
• Amistad (1997)
• The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)
• Schindler's List (1993)
• Jurassic Park (1993)
• Hook (1991)
• Always (1989)
• Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
• Empire of the Sun (1987)
• The Color Purple (1985)
• Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
• Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)
• E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
• Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
• 1941 (1979)
• Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
• Jaws (1975)
• The Sugarland Express (1974)
• Duel (1971)

That's one heck of a history of hits and masterpieces.
Who do you think outshines (or equals) Spielberg in terms of consistency and/or sheer quality?

[Stubblecat]

Akira Kurosawa comes to mind, but most Western audiences are unfamilair with the bulk of his work.

However, many of his films were either re-made or inspired other films.

Look at Hidden Fortress. A princess and a trusted Samurai must travel through hostile territory together to find a Hidden Fortress with the assistance of two bumbling sidekicks, one short and one tall...?

Sounds a whole lot like Star Wars to me.

Yojimbo was remade into A Fist Full Of Dollars.
Seven Samurai was remade into The Magnificient Seven.

But on the whole Kurosawa made a fantastic filmography. Not every one was a complete masterpiece, but he made many memorable films. Here's his filmography. Note that he kept busy even after his death in 1998:

Samurai 7 - Vol. 7 - (2005) - Source Writer
The Sea Is Watching - (2003) - Screenwriter
Kaze no Yojimbo - Vol. 5: Deadly Feud - (2001) - Director
Kaze no Yojimbo - Vol. 4: New Battle - (2001) - Creator
Rhapsody in August - (1993) - Director
Madadayo - (1993) - Director
Dreams - (1990) - Director
Ran - (1985) - Director, Screenwriter
Kagemusha - (1980) - Director, Screenwriter, Producer
Dersu Uzala - (1975) - Director
Dodes 'ka-Den - (1970) - Director
Red Beard - (1965) - Director
High and Low - (1962) - Director, Screenwriter
Sanjuro - (1962) - Director, Screenwriter, Editor
Yojimbo - (1961) - Director, Producer, Editor
The Bad Sleep Well - (1960) - Director
The Magnificent Seven - (1960) - Story
The Hidden Fortress - (1958) - Director, Screenwriter, Producer
The Lower Depths - (1957) - Director
Throne of Blood - (1957) - Director, Screenwriter
I Live in Fear - (1955) - Director, Screenwriter
The Seven Samurai - (1954) - Director, Screenwriter
Seven Samurai - Special LD Edition - (1954) - Director
Ikiru - (1952) - Director
The Idiot - (1951) - Director, Screenwriter
Rashomon - (1950) - Director, Screenwriter
Scandal - (1950) - Director, Screenwriter
Stray Dog - (1949) - Director, Screenwriter
Quiet Duel - (1949) - Director
Drunken Angel - (1948) - Director, Screenwriter
One Wonderful Sunday - (1947) - Director
No Regrets for Our Youth - (1946) - Director
The Men Who Tread on the Tiger's Tail - (1945) - Director
Sanshiro Sugata - (1943) - Director


We know the story a bit better

[Tyrfingr]

^^ Hidden fortress is a gem if it is the one i'm thinking about, with the gold hidden away in the firewood. I would hold Ran is my favourite one of Kurosawa amongst the movies i remember, i have to watch them again when i get the oppurtunity.

As for the best director... hmm, tricky. Would depend on the genre and even then i would be to divided between directors.

[Stubblecat]

Yup, Hidden Fortress has the gold in the firewood.

Any Star Wars fan should totally seek out that film.

Ran is a brilliant take on 'King Lear'.

[tines14]

I don't know lot's of movie director names, but when the best director question comes, I don't know why Steven Spielberg name come to my mind.
Yeah, maybe because I don't know lots of names, only him I can remember He is so famous though.
Does anyone know his movies that have come on blu -ray?

[cinema lover]

My vote for best director goes to Tyler Perry. I really enjoy his movies. His characters are down to earth and Madea is the greatest.

[CopyCat]

Did anyone say Steven Spielberg yet ???
Thought so...
Well by no means do I think this "Guy" is the best director, but my favorite is Guy Ritchie...
Below is a picture of him and wife Madonna, sure there a little nutty but I like them both...
I guess there still married, last I heard they had re-done there vowels or whatever...
That has got to be a rocky marriage with both of them wanting to be the boss...


1995 The Hard Case
1998 Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
2000 Snatch
2001 The Hire: Star
2002 Swept Away
2005 Revolver
2008 Suspect
2008 RocknRolla
In the works
2010 Sherlock Holmes

[movieflicker]

i go for akira kurosawa in asian best director, for western director i go for Quentin Tarantino

[Stubblecat]

Originally Posted by cinema lover

My vote for best director goes to Tyler Perry. I really enjoy his movies. His characters are down to earth and Madea is the greatest.

This thread is for best director ever. Ever.

While I know that Mr. Perry has his fans, surely you don't consider him among the best of all time, do you?

Not to sound mean, but we've got Francois Truffaut, Federico Fellini, Alfred Hitchcock, Orson Welles, Stanley Kubrick, Billy Wilder, John Ford, Ingmar Bergman, David Lean, Jean Renoir, Jean-Luc Godard, Franci Ford Coppola, Martin Scorcese and Akira Kurosawa all among the best of the best here.

Okay, I'm sorry. I'll shut up now.

[moo6]

There is no way I could answer this without thinking I left some people out. All mentioned so far are good and some of my favorite movies of all times are ones they have done.