Movie Directors

[axon]

Quick question for you guys, who do you regard as the best movie director of all times? mainstream or not, it doesn't matter.

For me it is the late Akira Kurosawa - a Japanese director who made mostly black and white samurai films. If you are not sure who he is, the movie "Seven Samurai" should ring a bell - it is probably his most popular movie.

His movies are really expensive, so if you guys are interested I suggest looking at your local library...like I said 99% are black and white and with subtitles....but all are really worth it. My favorite ones are "Seven Samurai" and "The Hidden Fortress" - and BTW, starwars is based took many of its concepts and ideas from the latter movie.

I knew of Kurosawa way before I was interested in Dostoevsky...and I've just recently read that Kurosawa was a huge fan of D; I've noticed this correlation after recently seeing a movie by him entitled - "The Idiot"; and yes it is an adaptation of D's story

Kurosawa adapted many of the famous works from all over the world of literature into his films, but mainly Dostoevsky and Shakespeare....you guys should really check him out.

[earth]

Ridley Scott.

The man is a genious with his cinematography.

[paul]

'kay I don't make films- but if I did they'd have a samurai

[scot88]

'kay I don't make films- but if I did they'd have a samurai

ugh. i hate that song...

anyway, my pick would be tim burton.  does it get any better than edward scissorhands? i think not.

[Mogwai]

I'd have to second Ridley Scott.  His work in Gladiator is unmatched.

[paul]

Jim Jarmusch

[axon]

>>Jim Jarmusch

thats nice   can you tell us why?

[Worm]

anyway, my pick would be tim burton.  does it get any better than edward scissorhands? i think not.

Burton is good.  Scissorhands is excellent.
But i saw 'Big Fish' a while ago ... well, i'll just leave it at saying that i found it 'a bad movie'.

I don't remember always which director made which movies.
I do like Gibson .. "Braveheart" and "the Passion of the Christ" are pretty good.  And i like the guy himself a lot, and i like his acting roles.

I love too many movies to start to sum it all up here ...

[Alyosha]

Hmm, besides Kurosawa, I would say:

Polanski, Lynch, Kubrick, Hitchcock, Curtiz, Tarkovsky,  Alex Cox, Ingmar Bergman, and Erich von Stroheim.

I haven't see Kurosawa's version of the Idiot yet, but I love his adaptations of Shakespeare, like Ran and Throne of Blood.

[axon]

yes throne of blood is excellent .

[featherbrain]

Tim Burton, because he's one of those few directors who are fascinating in their own right --usually they end up being celebrities whether they like it or not.

On Edward Scissorhands: Burton's best film. It vaguely reminds me of The Idiot.

Other worthwhile directors...Robert Rodriguez [he's an interesting person & I like his relaxed views on cinema]...Baz Luhrmann [I only really liked Moulin Rouge, but his artsy cinematography is fun to watch]...Milos Forman [Amadeus] ...Roger Corman {the Pit and the Pendulum]...

I'm also very interested in not-American movies, but they are difficult to get ahold of.

[Dillon]

Coppola: Apocalypse Now, Godfather I & II. I have yet to see a movie more poignant and utterly incredible in both context and content than Apocalypse Now--the film, in every aspect, is completely and totally brilliant beyond description. And, of course, what more can be said about Godfather that hasn't been quipped in the past 30 years?

Darron Aronofsky: Requiem For A Dream. Truly, truly terrifying and masterful if you pay attention closely.

Stanley Kubrick: A Clockwork Orange, Full Metal Jacket, Dr. Strangelove, The Shining. This man essentially existed not as Stanley Kubrick, but as his films. What you are watching is not only so bare and true as to scathe your sense of worldly interaction, but Kubrick himself.

[axon]

agreed,"Appocalypse Now" is a great movie, but the book is oh-so-much-more fullfilling.

I also like Kubrick - maybe not every movie, but there are certainly very memorable ones - "Eyes Wide Shot"', "Clock work orange" "shining" and the first part of "full metal jacket"

As for Arofonsky, well, I can't really judge yet. "Pi" is a great movie, "Requiem" is good as well - but he just hasn't preduced enough yet to equate him with the other director's dicussed in this thread.

[Dillon]

As for Arofonsky, well, I can't really judge yet. "Pi" is a great movie, "Requiem" is good as well - but he just hasn't preduced enough yet to equate him with the other director's dicussed in this thread.

I get you, but what I wrote was on "Requiem", and if it is any indication or unbiased example of his skill and aptitude, then he most certainly will find himself on the same plane with more highly-promoted directors here.