# Most Over-Rated Film Directors
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-over-rated-film-directors/268462
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [October 10, 2004, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-over-rated-film-directors/268462 "2004-10-10T10:05:31Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 5
### Author:  [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)
#### Post date: [October 11, 2004, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-over-rated-film-directors/268462/81 "2004-10-11T13:01:53Z")
I’ll throw someone new out there, **Pedro Almodovar**.
I’ll grant that I’ve only seen a few of his, but they’re supposedly his best, “tie me up. . .”, “women on the verge. . .”, “talk to her”, and one other. Talk about saying almost nothing in the most heavy-handed way possible. And, they’re not necessarily bad, but we’re talking “overrated” here and there are some who consider this dude to be an absolute genius,
I’ll throw **Mel Gibson** and **Ron Howard** in together. It’s hard to say they’re overrated because a lot of people think they’re hacks to begin with. But, they’ve both won Oscars, and that shouldn’t surprise anyone because they both make the most formulaic, Hollywood style pictures imaginable. Any Hollywood director could make the movies these two make if they were given the same script and the same budget.
They are both uncreative and have no skill except for repeating what they’ve seen before.
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### Author:  [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)
#### Post date: [October 11, 2004, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-over-rated-film-directors/268462/82 "2004-10-11T13:55:27Z")
> [@lissener](#):
>
> … EVIDENCE …
Do I have to write a dissertation to be believed. It’s a message board and I’m not up for tenure or a doctorate. How do I prove that I get a particular work of art or not? Is there an arbiter or judge where we can go and find out what the right answer is? Or are _you_ to be the judge?
**Ilsa** - I know. And I’m sorry if you got caught in the crossfire. But previously, you have been very vocal about your defense of Verhoeven, and IIRC, used the same tactic **lissener** does. I might be mistaken about that, and if so, I apologize.
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### Author:  [@Jack\_Sayid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Sayid)
#### Post date: [October 11, 2004, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-over-rated-film-directors/268462/83 "2004-10-11T14:19:52Z")
I see no one has mentioned by favorite director David Fincher!
::::: rubs hands together :::::
Excellent!
Although, I’m sure someone will come along shortly and tear him apart.
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### Author:  [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)
#### Post date: [October 11, 2004, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-over-rated-film-directors/268462/84 "2004-10-11T14:28:45Z")
> [@SPOOFE](#):
>
> Obviously, the best way to meld often-disseparate elements is a very subjective thing, which is why some people didn’t like, say, the uber-exaggerated blood in _Kill Bill_… and I understand why it’s disliked. For me, it simply established the movie even more solidly as a comic book-ish movie, which explained many of the other ludicrous elements.
For me, it established the movie for what it was intended to be - a homage to the speghetti westerns, kung fu films, revenge dramas and even Anime that Tarantino grew up with. Those movies WERE violently over the top. One pissed off chick COULD take on 88 ninja Yakuzas (although there weren’t that many…they just thought the name sounded cool) and blood did spray 15 feet into the air! Kill Bill is brillant (or at least entertaining) not because it is original in its ridiculousness but because of the masterful way it combines those exagerated styles.
In all seriousness, you can always find something about any director not to like.
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### Author:  [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)
#### Post date: [October 11, 2004, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-over-rated-film-directors/268462/85 "2004-10-11T14:31:20Z")
No one’s mentioned Joel Schumacher either, but it’s probably because he was never considered to be a good director in the first place.
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### Author:  [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)
#### Post date: [October 11, 2004, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-over-rated-film-directors/268462/86 "2004-10-11T14:36:55Z")
> [@roger thornhill](#):
>
> **Lissener** , you have a good point and it is well made. “Elitist” and “pretentious” can indeed be cop-outs and argument avoiders, elitist in particular. But be careful. People may describe a film or a director as “pretentious” without implicating you in the criticism.
Good point
I used the word “pretentious” (misspelled, as were other words in my post, I’m afraid). But I was referring to the Director (Kubrick) and to printed critiques of his work. I was not referring to anyone on the Cafe Society board. And yes, even tho I’m not wild about Kubrick,I am bright enough to analyze things, including books and movies.
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### Author:  [@fusoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fusoya)
#### Post date: [October 11, 2004, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-over-rated-film-directors/268462/87 "2004-10-11T16:21:40Z")
I can’t believe nobody’s mentioned **Gus Van Sant** yet. Well…maybe I can considering he IS the most over-rated director out there, who directed what I consider to be one of the most over-rated movie ever…Good Will Hunting. It’s not enough that he made the most pointless remake ever (Psycho), but he went on to make what I consider to be the worst movie ever made - Elephant…
and he’s been talked about to death, but I will never forgive Spielburg for ruining A.I. … pure ego there.
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### Author:  [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)
#### Post date: [October 11, 2004, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-over-rated-film-directors/268462/88 "2004-10-11T17:14:10Z")
> [@C K Dexter Haven](#):
>
> ::: Moderator cracks whip and pounds gavel, energetically :::
>
> **lissener** , you are out of order in personal insults and attacks on another poster in this thread. If you want to call someone an “ignorant asshole”, go to the Pit. If you think that he called you a name first, hit the REPORT THIS POST button, do NOT, repeat do NOT, call him a name back.
>
> You’ve been around here long enough to know better.
>
> Consider this an official Warning: get your act together. If you think you’ve been insulted, the proper response (in this forum) is to REPORT THIS POST. You do it by clicking on the little exclamation point in the upper right corner of the post.
>
> Any other action, and you’re the one who gets reported. I do not have the time, energy or inclination to play police inspector and judge and jury and go back and sift thorugh 80 posts to find out “who started it.” You’re the one who was caught, and you were way over the line. And you’ve been around long enough to know better.
>
> Now, having said that: **Gamaliel** , you’d better take this to heart, because it certainly looks to me as if you’re the one who started it, with a comment comparing **lissener** to “mindless sheep.” If **lissener** had reported that post, you’d be the one getting reamed out. Listen up: personal insults directed against other posters are NOT permitted in this forum. The place for such is the Pit.
>
> :::: pounds gavel again, hoping to hit someone’s finger ::::
>
> Now, play nice or don’t play in this forum.
>
> Cafe Society is about the arts and entertainment. It is possible for someone to admire something as high art that you think is a pile of shit. Each to his own taste (pretend I said it in French.) There’s a massive difference between saying that the art is a pile of shit, and saying that the person who admires it is same.
>
> Of all the forums, this one should be the one where it’s easiest to confine the criticism to the works in question (or the artists/authors), and not to insult other posters.
>
> Got it??
In fact, enough is too much.
your humble TubaDiva
Administrator
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### Author:  [@Gamaliel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gamaliel)
#### Post date: [October 11, 2004, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-over-rated-film-directors/268462/89 "2004-10-11T17:15:35Z")
Real life commitments prevent me from writing a complete response to all the comments in the thread right now, I’ll get to this by tomorrow at the latest. I do want to address this immediately.
> [@C K Dexter Haven](#):
>
> Now, having said that: **Gamaliel** , you’d better take this to heart, because it certainly looks to me as if you’re the one who started it, with a comment comparing **lissener** to “mindless sheep.” If **lissener** had reported that post, you’d be the one getting reamed out. Listen up: personal insults directed against other posters are NOT permitted in this forum. The place for such is the Pit.
I know you don’t want to read the entire thread to asses who is at fault, and that’s fine, I don’t blame you, but at least describe the posts that you do read accurately.
lissner: Whatever dude. Your description of your understanding of his satire indicates pretty clearly that you don’t see it, but that’s cool with me. At least you have the safety of the pack.
Me: Yeah, that’s it. Anyone who disputes the greatness of your Brave Visionary Auteur is just a mindless sheep afraid of the bold, terrifying insights of Starship Troopers. Baa. Baa.
If he actually thought I was calling him a sheep, then I will apologize to him because that was not the intent of my comment. However, I think it’s fairly clear that I was **not** calling lissner a “mindless sheep”. I am accussing him of calling **me** and people who disagree with him mindless sheep, which is pretty much the gist of his statement.
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### Author:  [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)
#### Post date: [October 11, 2004, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-over-rated-film-directors/268462/90 "2004-10-11T18:02:18Z")
::opens up bomb shelter::
Look the birds are singing! We are free to mention Starship Troopers again without getting caught in a shit-storm. Yeah!
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### Author:  [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)
#### Post date: [October 11, 2004, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-over-rated-film-directors/268462/91 "2004-10-11T18:04:33Z")
I did **not** hit that :o damn smiley. Where the hell did that come from?
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### Author:  [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)
#### Post date: [October 11, 2004, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-over-rated-film-directors/268462/92 "2004-10-11T18:06:38Z")
> [@Ilsa\_Lund](#):
>
> Spielberg: Hack.
>
> Lucas: Hack.
>
> Tarentino: high hackfactor.
>
> Coen Bros.: Hit and miss.
>
> Kurosawa: Overrated.
Right… and by your estimation, Paul Verhoven is a genius.
:rolleyes:
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### Author:  [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)
#### Post date: [October 11, 2004, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-over-rated-film-directors/268462/93 "2004-10-11T18:14:36Z")
> [@Loach](#):
>
> I did **not** hit that :o damn smiley. Where the hell did that come from?
Take #2 from “The Brown Bunny”?
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### Author:  [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)
#### Post date: [October 11, 2004, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-over-rated-film-directors/268462/94 "2004-10-11T18:20:30Z")
> [@Loach](#):
>
> I did **not** hit that :o damn smiley. Where the hell did that come from?
You had a : followed by an ‘o’
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### Author:  [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)
#### Post date: [October 11, 2004, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-over-rated-film-directors/268462/95 "2004-10-11T18:23:16Z")
Ahhhh, its all becoming clear. Forgive me, things are getting pretty rowdy over here at the post ban party.
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### Author:  [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)
#### Post date: [October 11, 2004, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-over-rated-film-directors/268462/96 "2004-10-11T19:23:43Z")
I don’t see filmmakers like Spielberg, Cameron, Reiner, or Howard as overrated. They generally achieve what they set out to do; make entertaining popular movies. Not every film has to be a artistic masterpiece; sometimes you just want to watch a good movie.
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### Author:  [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)
#### Post date: [October 11, 2004, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-over-rated-film-directors/268462/97 "2004-10-11T20:27:01Z")
**Loach** , a banning is not a cause for celebration… at least, not in this forum. More decorum in the forum, please.
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### Author:  [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)
#### Post date: [October 11, 2004, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-over-rated-film-directors/268462/98 "2004-10-11T21:19:45Z")
Spanking noted. Just a little joke, no actual celebration occured during this post. Decorum is my middle name.
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### Author:  [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)
#### Post date: [October 11, 2004, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-over-rated-film-directors/268462/99 "2004-10-11T22:14:36Z")
I have nothing against Verhoeven as a director. **Robocop** and **Total Recall** were both excellent action films with interesting SF elements; **Basic Instinct** was a very well made and suspensful murder-mystery/sex thriller; **Flesh+Blood** was probably the best depiction of 15th century Europe I’ve ever seen on film. I haven’t seen his Dutch films but I understand that they’re held in high critical regard. Now, I can’t say I’m all that crazy about hs post- **Instinct** work, but I’m not going to condemn him for making two or three lesser films.
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### Author:  [@Albert\_Rose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Albert_Rose)
#### Post date: [October 11, 2004, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-over-rated-film-directors/268462/100 "2004-10-11T22:23:18Z")
**Robocop** seemed pretty satirical to me. **Basic Instinct** didn’t. Of course, I saw it with five drunk fraternity brothers. I didn’t see any of his other movies.
Question: can an _auteur_ make bad movies?
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