# How important is the director to you on whether you see a movie? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 20, 2012, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-is-the-director-to-you-on-whether-you-see-a-movie/644679 "2012-12-20T23:02:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2012, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-is-the-director-to-you-on-whether-you-see-a-movie/644679/41 "2012-12-21T21:29:56Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > I probably wouldn’t see one of his movies if a blow-job for me was included. Only reason I watched “Chicago”, for what that’s worth. Anyway, the director’s not the only reason I’ll watch a movie, but generally speaking directors tend to be drawn to certain types of scripts, so for example, I probably won’t like a Wes Anderson movie, regardless of how good of a director he happens to be, or the excellent performances he may elicit from his casts. I think that’s probably 60-70% of what people really mean when they say “I like so-and-so’s movies”; they realize that so-and-so typically chooses stories that they will like. Probably 20% is knowing that so-and-so’s vision of the source material will be up their alley, and 10% is the actual acting, editing, etc… ---
**Author:** ![toast\_pakora](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3ec8ea/32.png) [@toast\_pakora](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toast_pakora)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2012, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-is-the-director-to-you-on-whether-you-see-a-movie/644679/42 "2012-12-22T09:51:29Z")
A certain director might be the tipping point for choosing a particular movie, usually it’s the actors or plot or even filming location. But then I realised that I will always see Michael Mann and Ridley Scott films. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2012, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-is-the-director-to-you-on-whether-you-see-a-movie/644679/43 "2012-12-22T12:02:18Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > Whether the director matters or not depends on the director. > [@obfusciatrist](#): > > There are a small handful of directors where them being involved will sway me one way or another. But for 90% of movies, the director is an unknown entity to me and I’m fine with that. These two responses sum it up perfectly for me. I will seek out the work of certain directors (Whedon, Raimi, Kevin Smith, Tarantino) and a few others I will avoid, but most of the time it doesn’t matter. The plot or the actors are usually more important. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2012, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-is-the-director-to-you-on-whether-you-see-a-movie/644679/44 "2012-12-22T12:45:33Z")
Not really. I barely even know who the director _is_ until I see his name in the credits. Hell, I track the musical composers more religiously than the directors. There are a few directors I try to watch, but more I try to avoid. (Michael Bay, Uwe Boll, M. Night Shylaman). ---
**Author:** ![Sleeping\_Synapse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@Sleeping\_Synapse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeping_Synapse)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2012, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-is-the-director-to-you-on-whether-you-see-a-movie/644679/45 "2012-12-23T01:47:56Z")
I’ll go see any film that is to my tastes. But, knowing the likes of Malick, Mann, Kubrick and even Shamalamadingdong are at the helm will take precedence over what the Bays, Abrams’ and Bolls barf up. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2012, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-is-the-director-to-you-on-whether-you-see-a-movie/644679/46 "2012-12-23T18:44:28Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > It depends. Most movies I see, I don’t pay attention to who’s directing it, and many of the cases where I do know who’s directing, it doesn’t make a difference (I would have seen _The Avengers_ even without Joss Whedon directing, for instance). But it does matter sometimes. But would you have paid money and braved the theater had _Avengers_ been directed by Uwe Boll, Michael Bey, M. Night Shamalyn, or the Wachoski siblings? ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2012, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-is-the-director-to-you-on-whether-you-see-a-movie/644679/47 "2012-12-23T23:40:30Z")
I don’t think anybody has spelled M. Night. Shyamalan’s name correctly in this entire thread. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2012, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-is-the-director-to-you-on-whether-you-see-a-movie/644679/48 "2012-12-23T23:46:05Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > I don’t think anybody has spelled M. Night. Shyamalan’s name correctly in this entire thread. That’s because no one dared Google it. He might have another movie coming out and we might have accidentally clicked on a preview and … :: shudder :: I can’t continue. ---
**Author:** ![PandaBear77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@PandaBear77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PandaBear77)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2012, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-is-the-director-to-you-on-whether-you-see-a-movie/644679/49 "2012-12-23T23:50:06Z")
Not very important usually. I refuse to watch any Woody Allen movie, though. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2012, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-is-the-director-to-you-on-whether-you-see-a-movie/644679/50 "2012-12-23T23:57:26Z")
> [@PandaBear77](#): > > I refuse to watch any Woody Allen movie, though. I watched _Midnight in Paris_, because everybody said it was an amazing film, plus it had time travel in it. It was really ordinary. I’ve seen cleverer sitcom premises and more amusing fratboy comedies. _Hot Tub Time Machine_ was a better film, and that was crude and revolting half the time. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2012, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-is-the-director-to-you-on-whether-you-see-a-movie/644679/51 "2012-12-24T00:57:01Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > I don’t think anybody has spelled M. Night. Shyamalan’s name correctly in this entire thread. I loved **The Sixth Sense**. I loved **Unbreakable**. I loved **Signs**. Yes, he has had some real clunkers too, but I still give him a chance. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2012, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-is-the-director-to-you-on-whether-you-see-a-movie/644679/52 "2012-12-24T03:10:44Z")
> [@](#): > > Quoth **Skald** : > > But would you have paid money and braved the theater had Avengers been directed by Uwe Boll, Michael Bey, M. Night Shamalyn, or the Wachoski siblings? I wouldn’t see it done by Boll, Bay, or Shamawhatever, but that’s irrelevant, because there was never a chance they would have been picked for it to begin with. The first two only ever do things that are made to be bad, and I doubt Sham will ever direct anything again after _The Last Airbender_ (which is also the point where I made up my mind definitively about him-- If _Airbender_ had gotten less-than-putrid reviews, I would have gone to see it). The Wachowski brothers, yes, I probably would have seen it. But then, I also don’t think the second and third Matrix movies are as bad as they’re made out to be. Not as good as the first, of course, but I don’t feel like I was cheated out of the price of my ticket. ---
**Author:** ![Rollo\_Tomasi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/58956e/32.png) [@Rollo\_Tomasi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rollo_Tomasi)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2012, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-is-the-director-to-you-on-whether-you-see-a-movie/644679/53 "2012-12-24T03:13:34Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I doubt Sham will ever direct anything again after _The Last Airbender_ [After Earth](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1815862/), starring Will Smith and scheduled for U.S. release on June 7, 2013. ---
**Author:** ![Dancer\_Flight](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dancer_flight/32/7601_2.png) [@Dancer\_Flight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dancer_Flight)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2012, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-is-the-director-to-you-on-whether-you-see-a-movie/644679/54 "2012-12-24T03:55:41Z")
> [@shijinn](#): > > if there were a blacklist of directors who utilises shaky cam, i would use it. Start one with Paul Greengrass at the top. I loved the first Bourne movie (Directed by Doug Liman) and eagerly went to the see the Bourne Supremacy. Instead of crystal clear and brutal action sequences that required, you know, decent training and fight choreography, Paul Greengrass decided to just shake the camera instead. I waited 'til the DVD for the Bourne Ultimatum and his technique hasn’t improved, I simply won’t watch another film by him again. I will pretty much watch anything that Michael Mann puts out (and usually like it). Other directors colour what my anticipation of the movie will be like, and may determine whether I’m in the mode for a particular movie or not. -DF ---
**Author:** ![tomcar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tomcar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomcar)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2012, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-is-the-director-to-you-on-whether-you-see-a-movie/644679/55 "2012-12-24T04:19:48Z")
I am loving all the Michael Mann love in this thread. Hell, I even liked his Miami Vice film (I was a huge fan of the series.) ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2012, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-is-the-director-to-you-on-whether-you-see-a-movie/644679/56 "2012-12-24T04:36:26Z")
It only matters to me if the director is someone I really like or really dislike. For example: if it’s by Guillermo del Toro, I will definitely watch it, but if it’s by Richard Kelly or Wes Anderson, I’m probably not going to bother with it. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2012, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-is-the-director-to-you-on-whether-you-see-a-movie/644679/57 "2012-12-24T15:23:04Z")
**Rollo Tomasi** , **Skald** _just_ warned specifically against posting dangerous links like that. Thanks a lot, now everyone in this thread is going to have to get neuralized. Note: Rhymer Industries’ neuralizers are slightly more invasive than the _MiB_ version. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2012, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-is-the-director-to-you-on-whether-you-see-a-movie/644679/58 "2012-12-26T20:40:33Z")
The only thing I care about is the plot. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2012, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-is-the-director-to-you-on-whether-you-see-a-movie/644679/59 "2012-12-26T20:50:58Z")
> [@Dendarii\_Dame](#): > > The only thing I care about is the plot. and full frontal nudity. ---
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2012, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-is-the-director-to-you-on-whether-you-see-a-movie/644679/60 "2012-12-26T22:52:18Z")
I’ll agree with those who say that the director is only a big factor in my movie viewing choices in certain instances. Spielberg is hit or miss, and his films are distributed pretty evenly over my love/hate/don’t give a shit spectrum. If the topic interests me, and if I am given to understand by people whose taste I tend to agree with that the film is worth seeing – _Lincoln_, for example – I’ll go see it. In other cases (M. Night Whateverhisnameis), the director’s name on the poster is a clear warning to avoid the film like the plague. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-is-the-director-to-you-on-whether-you-see-a-movie/644679.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-is-the-director-to-you-on-whether-you-see-a-movie/644679.md?page=4)