John Huston. It’s worth making howling stinkers like “Reflextions in a Golden Eye” once in a while if it means you don’t just make one good first movie and then keep remaking it.
Oooh, how could I have forgotten George Cukor and Frank Capra?
Johnnie To. Works prior to '97 are hit and miss, but now he can be relied upon to make something great no matter how little money he has or how lousy the actors are in other people’s movies. At his “worst” he’s just good, at his best… Well, he comes as close to perfection as I’ve ever seen. I can’t think of anyone stateside who works as quickly or consistently. In fact, I can’t think of any American director who always delivers in my book…
OK, I’ll pick a fight, even if Eve won’t.
It is really disturbing to encounter people who think Natural Born Killers is a great movie. Or even a good movie. Or even watchable. I would rather drink a warm bucket of phlegmy spit than see that movie again. What an irredeemable piece of crap! Oliver Stone should have quit making movies after Platoon. The world would be a better place.
I agree with most of the selections above (although, like my neighbor spoke- I’m mystified that anyone could think Oliver Stone is a good director), so I’ll just add one name that shouldn’t be absent from this thread:
Errol Morris:
Gates of Heaven
The Thin Blue Line
A Brief History of Time
Fast, Cheap and Out Of Control
He’s the guy who shows us all repeatedly that a documentary can also be art, and not just a dry textbook in celluloid form.
And I’ll add Les Blank, because his documentaries are so quirky and weird, and because he’s an obvious influence on Morris.
Thanks for the backup, neighbor. Natural Born Killers really sticks in my craw. I’m not opposed to violence in films per se, but that NBK just reveled in it. Violence for the sake of violence. That movie is a boil on the ass of American culture.
But on to more pleasant things…
In the “Promising Young Director” category, I also want to give a mention to Wes Anderson for his work on Bottle Rocket and Rushmore.
Tim Burton!!!
Darren Aronofsky
-Pi
-Requiem for a Dream-I’m utterly distressed, for no theatres around here are showing it
Damn. Everyone I thought of has already been mentioned. I thought I’d at least be the first person to say Errol Morris
Ok, I second Errol Morris
Mike Leigh
John Sayles
I’ll stick to current.
And on behalf of my SO, Lars Von Treirs. Mostly for “The Kingdom”, which was on Danish television, and which everyone should rent if possible, even if you think the current Bjork movie look stupid. (I think it looks stupid but it hasn’t played here, so I don’t know.)
Arnon Shorr
Sure, he’s not exactly famous yet. He’s also only 17. But he’s a very good friend of mine, and has directed many flims already. I helped on one of his fims two summers ago (shot on no budget, not even shoestring), and I’m visiting shooting on another over winter break. He is also an extremely talented individual in other areas. His website is at http://shorrfilms.bizland.com
But my favorite commercial movie director is Kubrick. He was just so sick and twisted! 
Well, I did enjoy NBK. It was a story. A story about 2 screwed up twits that killed for the sake of killing. ** That’s Entertainment** If it evokes emotion, you are being entertained. You don’t have to laugh to be entertained, you just have to feel. If you feel something towards the charactors, you’ve been entertained.
There are movies out there that are a waste of my time. The acting sucks, the mic boom drops into frame, the continuity is all out of whack…NBK had none of these problems…NBK was a well told story. The subject was less than appealing, but the story was told well. Stone did his job.
The animated part with the drops of blood was brilliant. When you saw that, you really knew how sick those two were.
Also Roberto Benigni (“Life is Beautiful”, “Johnny Stecchino”) is very good.
There has only been one movie in which the director’s work absolutely amazed me. Everything was done perfectly. That movie was Casablanca. Just for that, Michael Curtiz gets my vote. Anyone who can handle every detail that perfectly is simply incredible.
David Lean is another whose work has impressed me. Bridge on the River Kwai is a masterpiece in its direction.
I’m not sure about how much he had to do with it, but I generally seem to like Irvin Kirshner’s work.
I recently saw The Winslow Boy, and David Mamet seems to be adapting quite well to directing. He was already one of the best screenplay writers around. And a Bostonian, which I always like.
Sorry, I can’t buy that argument. “Shocking” and “disgusting” do not equal “entertainment.”
Not every piece of footage that elicits emotions qualifies as art. By your definition, if Oliver Stone had given us two hours of kittens being tortured, it would have been a masterpiece. Lord knows it would have evoked emotions. (And in my case at least, emotions not very different from those I actually experienced watching NBK.)
Yes, JimmyNipples, Natural Born Killers is a story. No, JimmyNipples, it’s not a story about “2 screwed up twits that killed for the sake of killing.” The story is in attitude of the media towards the two twits. It’s a movie that makes a point about sensationalism by participating in sensationalism.
And no, it’s not supposed to be entertaining.
Bertolucci: Tango, 1900, Emperor. An epic master.
Costa-Govras: State of Siege, Missing
Kubrick, Coen brothers, Altman.
Herzog’s Fitzcarraldo was just out there. Making the movie had as much impact on the local economy as the lunatic opera-to-the-jungle entreprenour the film was about.
Can’t be one favorite director. Like asking for favorite pet, sibling, child.
imho
Heheheheheh. “Hard Metal Jacket?”
Ok, carry on.
Peter Jackson- Dead Alive (aka Braindead), Meet the Feebles, Heavenly Creatures. We’ll ignore The Frighteners for now- though if he screws up The Lord of the Rings I will become violently angry, and he will be made to pay.
[Edited by slythe on 11-04-2000 at 07:35 PM]
Tim Burton and Terry Gilliam, of course.
Alan Parker hasn’t been mentioned yet, I think. Director of Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” and the incredible “Angel Heart.”
I’m also starting to respect David Fincher for “Se7en” and “Fight Club.”
And also, Spike Jonez for “Being John Malkovich” although I want to see more of what he can do before I call him one of my favorites.
Terry Gilliam
Tim Burton
Stanely Kubrik
David Lynch(kinda suprised noone has mentioned him yet)