Favorite Movie Director? (1 Viewer)

[UndeadSnoopy]

I apologize in advance if this topic has been brought up on EE before (guessing it has, though I didn't have the patience to find it). I'm just curious to see some responses. Maybe I'm missing some important work. I am a bit of a cinephile.

I am not commenting on the history of cinema (I know the importance of Orson Welles and John Ford, for example). I am asking for personal favorites.

Martin Scorsese followed closely behind by Quentin Tarantino would be my choices. Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas. I have to go with Scorsese.

Here are two classic scenes from both directors. Much love for the steadicam scene.

 

[guidomerkinsrules]

This question used to be easy for me - Woody Allen by a long stretch— now I just can’t bring myself to watch his movies anymore
It’s now probably the Coen Brothers
(But I think Miyazaki might be the best)

 

[UndeadSnoopy]

This question used to be easy for me - Woody Allen by a long stretch— now I just can’t bring myself to watch his movies

That's understandable considering his personal life. Though Annie Hall is a classic, my favorite is Hannah and Her Sisters. I feel conflicted about Roman Polanski also, but Repulsion, Rosemary's Baby, and Chinatown are brilliant.

 

[Shotgunred]

There are so many great ones. Hitchcock, Kubrick, Coppola, Eastwood..... I guess I would have to give the nod to Scorsese, followed closely by Stanley Kubrick. Probably because they made 2 of the best movies ever IMO, Goodfellas and Full Metal Jacket.

 

[guidomerkinsrules]

That's understandable considering his personal life. Though Annie Hall is a classic, my favorite is Hannah and Her Sisters. I feel conflicted about Roman Polanski also, but Repulsion, Rosemary's Baby, and Chinatown are brilliant.

For me the change came when he started using his movies as a defense of his public battles
Before the **** really hit the fan, his avatars were put to (his) scrutiny- like he knew what he was doing was problematic and he was working it out in his art
Then when the social/legal troubles mounted, his films became more like propaganda
...

Add Jim Jarmusch to my ‘favorite directors’ ledger

 

[Sun Wukong]

In no particular order:

Hayao Miyazaki is, for my money, the greatest visual storyteller to ever live.

Akira Kurosawa is perhaps the most complete filmmaker in the history of the medium and I think most people don't truly understand how influential he was.

Late 70's/Early 80's Ridley Scott with Alien, Blade Runner, Legend, etc. is up there for me.

Dario Argento in the 70's and 80's was a master. Then something happened and he didn't just decline in quality, but became lazy and incompetent. But that run of giallo and horror in the 70's and 80's hasn't been matched by anyone else and probably never will.

 

[UndeadSnoopy]

In no particular order:

Hayao Miyazaki is, for my money, the greatest visual storyteller to ever live.

Akira Kurosawa is perhaps the most complete filmmaker in the history of the medium and I think most people don't truly understand how influential he was.

Late 70's/Early 80's Ridley Scott with Alien, Blade Runner, Legend, etc. is up there for me.

Dario Argento in the 70's and 80's was a master. Then something happened and he didn't just decline in quality, but became lazy and incompetent. But that run of giallo and horror in the 70's and 80's hasn't been matched by anyone else and probably never will.

Miyazaki's masterpiece is Spirited Away.
My Kurosawa favorite is Ran. Just beautiful.
Glad you mentioned Legend by Ridley Scott. Underrated.
I can't say I agree with you on Argento. I have never understood the love for Suspiria.

 

[RazorOye]

Dario Argento in the 70's and 80's was a master. Then something happened and he didn't just decline in quality, but became lazy and incompetent.

interestingly enough, I think a similar arc played out for Scorsese - Wolf of Wall Street seems to be the primary exception in the last couple of decades. Though, in fairness, I think it was less laziness and incompetence and overestimating his ability to tell a story. Some of his work was pretty tedious to get through.

I always really liked David Lean. Doctor Zhivago and Lawrence of Arabia are as strong a top 2 for a single director as anyone else I can think of.

Ran is phenomenal! Also my favorite Kurosawa.

Kubrick was manic, but incredibly talented. And I love Hitchcock. What he did was "Rope" was a terrific achievement. More recently, Villeneuve, Cuarón, Nolan, del Toro.

 

[UndeadSnoopy]

interestingly enough, I think a similar arc played out for Scorsese - Wolf of Wall Street seems to be the primary exception in the last couple of decades. Though, in fairness, I think it was less laziness and incompetence and overestimating his ability to tell a story. Some of his work was pretty tedious to get through.

I always really liked David Lean. Doctor Zhivago and Lawrence of Arabia are as strong a top 2 for a single director as anyone else I can think of.

Ran is phenomenal! Also my favorite Kurosawa.

Kubrick was manic, but incredibly talented. And I love Hitchcock. What he did was "Rope" was a terrific achievement. More recently, Villeneuve, Cuarón, Nolan, del Toro.

Though it had it's moments, Casino just felt redundant after Goodfellas. I did enjoy the Leonardo Dicaprio years for the most part. You are right, The Wolf of Wall Street was the best. It felt strange laughing at a Scorsese movie.

 

[guidomerkinsrules]

Miyazaki's masterpiece is Spirited Away.
My Kurosawa favorite is Ran. Just beautiful.
Glad you mentioned Legend by Ridley Scott. Underrated.
I can't say I agree with you on Argento. I have never understood the love for Suspiria.

Spirited away is probably his best but Ponyo is my clear favorite
Similarly Ran is one of the best movies ever, but Dreams is my favorite by a long shot (bonus it has Scorsese- even though it’s one of my least favorite of the segments)

 

[Sun Wukong]

interestingly enough, I think a similar arc played out for Scorsese - Wolf of Wall Street seems to be the primary exception in the last couple of decades. Though, in fairness, I think it was less laziness and incompetence and overestimating his ability to tell a story. Some of his work was pretty tedious to get through.

I actually saw this observation in a YouTube comment of all places, but it was one I found myself agreeing with: the "blueberry muffin" scene in Casino is where Scorsese officially crossed the line into self-parody. The musical cue (Lee Dorsey's "Workin' in The Coal Mine") is too on the nose and Scorsese times it so that when DeNiro storms the kitchen to rant at the Chef for not having an equal number of blueberries in each muffin the song cuts to Dorsey doing the spoken word "How long can this go on!?" lament. It felt like someone doing a bad impression of a Scorcese scene (especially after Goodfellas) and not like an actual Martin Scorcese scene.

Miyazaki's masterpiece is Spirited Away.
My Kurosawa favorite is Ran. Just beautiful.
Glad you mentioned Legend by Ridley Scott. Underrated.
I can't say I agree with you on Argento. I have never understood the love for Suspiria.

Suspiria actually isn't even his favorite movie of mine. For straight Giallo I think Tenebrae is his best movie, and for his obvious horror work I prefer Inferno. And I will defend the utterly batshirt insane Phenomena to my dying breath. Jennifer Connelly who can psychically communicate with bugs! A straight razor wielding chimpanzee with the skills of a ninja and heart of a hero! Deformed monster kids! Donald Pleasance basically playing Professor Charles Xavier! Evil ballerinas (an Argento hallmark, weirdly enough). A tour de force.

re: Kubrick. I really love The Shining. But it's his only film I feel that way about. Everything else feels so clinical and emotionally detached. I can appreciate his prowess as a director for sure, but I have trouble connecting with most of his work.

 

[superchuck500]

I love Wes Anderson and I’m not going to apologize for it.

 

[Optimus Prime]

Not a single Spielberg vote?

 

[UndeadSnoopy]

There are so many great ones. Hitchcock, Kubrick, Coppola, Eastwood..... I guess I would have to give the nod to Scorsese, followed closely by Stanley Kubrick. Probably because they made 2 of the best movies ever IMO, Goodfellas and Full Metal Jacket.

Eastwood is so hit and miss. Unforgiven is on the top of my list for westerns, but how can you screw up one of my favorite books -Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil?

 

[UndeadSnoopy]

Not a single Spielberg vote?

I mentioned on a previous thread the impact Jaws had on me as a child so I won't go into detail. But what he created with a malfunctioning, fake-looking mechanical shark was impressive.