# Worst Film Directors of All Time **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 27, 2003, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-film-directors-of-all-time/171490 "2003-04-27T15:13:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2003, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-film-directors-of-all-time/171490/1 "2003-04-27T15:13:39Z")
I just searched the Straight Dope database, and I discovered that we’ve never discussed that subject. Does anyone have any picks for worst director? ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2003, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-film-directors-of-all-time/171490/2 "2003-04-27T15:20:46Z")
A lot people say Ed Wood, but I saw “Plan 9 From Outer Space” a few weeks ago, and although it was pretty bad, I have indeed seen worse. Much worse. I saw this _thing_ a month or so ago I guess would technically count as a movie, that was awe-inspiringly terrible. I have successfully blocked its full name from my mind, but I seem to recall it was from Germany and had “shit” in the title. I’ll come back after I recall the name. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2003, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-film-directors-of-all-time/171490/3 "2003-04-27T15:25:51Z")
OK, it was [Violent Shit 3: Infantry Of Doom](http://us.imdb.com/Title?0203185). It seemed to be half filmed, half video-taped. Of course, it’s a gore exploitation flick, so I wasn’t expecting _Citizen Kane_, but even with appropriate expectations the director, Andreas Schnaas, deserves to be in the running for worst director, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2003, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-film-directors-of-all-time/171490/4 "2003-04-27T15:33:55Z")
Usually, Edward Wood does indeed get the nod (personally, I consider _Bride of the Monster_ even more of an excrescence than _Plan 9_), but I have a soft spot in my head for William “One-Shot” Beaudine. Beaudine is probably best remembered (if at all) for the “Bowery Boys” films in the '40s; however, my affection(?) for him stems from _Jesse James Meets Frankenstein’s Daughter_ and _Billy the Kid vs Dracula_. In one of these (I forget which) two characters are shown walking through a tunnel/mine, with one of them carrying a torch. So far, so good; but the stagehand with the spotlight manages to shine it everywhere _except_ where the torchlight should logically be falling. (Beaudine got the nickname “One-Shot” because of his refusal to reshoot anything, even when faced with such gaffes.) ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2003, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-film-directors-of-all-time/171490/5 "2003-04-27T16:13:38Z")
**Andy Warhol**. I just saw _Women in Revolt_, and could barely get through it–only the wonderful Candy Darling kept me tuned in. I get the impression Andy (or whichever cohort was on duty that day), just pointed the camera at the cast and disinterestedly walked out of the room. No script, no focus, sometimes the camera wasn’t even pointed at anything in particular. made Ed Wood look like Griffith. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2003, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-film-directors-of-all-time/171490/6 "2003-04-27T16:23:42Z")
How about George Lucas after 1980? Or, if you want to be generous, 1983? ---
**Author:** ![Ender\_Will](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Ender\_Will](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ender_Will)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2003, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-film-directors-of-all-time/171490/7 "2003-04-27T16:38:15Z")
David Lynch. For everyone who says “Mulholland Drive” was a great (or, not bad enough to get Lynch mentioned) film, go rent “Eraserhead.” Now watch it. All the way through. In one sitting. Now, try to tell me that was not the single worst event of your life. ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2003, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-film-directors-of-all-time/171490/8 "2003-04-27T16:49:06Z")
Well, how 'bout we expand the title of ‘Worst Director’ to not only a filmmaker who actually MADE some terrible movies, but also one who INFLUENCED even more godawful movies in his or her wake… With this in mind I’d like to give the nod to Michael “No Single Shot Over Three Seconds Allowed” Bay. I find his movies and all the resulting clones impossible to sit through. ---
**Author:** ![lauramarlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a5b964/32.png) [@lauramarlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lauramarlane)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2003, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-film-directors-of-all-time/171490/9 "2003-04-27T17:08:08Z")
Alan Smithee 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2003, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-film-directors-of-all-time/171490/10 "2003-04-27T17:52:40Z")
My vote goes to _Joel Schumacher_. He’s had some decent flicks, but he gets my vote for single-handedly destroying the _Batman_ movie franchise. ---
**Author:** ![Julius\_Henry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8797f3/32.png) [@Julius\_Henry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Julius_Henry)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2003, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-film-directors-of-all-time/171490/11 "2003-04-27T18:05:31Z")
Tom Laughlin. Just watch _any_ of the **Billy Jack** movies, and you’ll know why. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2003, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-film-directors-of-all-time/171490/12 "2003-04-27T18:20:35Z")
Paul Verhoeven: I used to think he made schlocky movies on purpose. Then he made _Showgirls_, and I realized that he’d been _serious_ about all those other movies. When he sets out to make a _bad_ movie, he doesn’t mess around. ---
**Author:** ![FallenAngel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@FallenAngel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FallenAngel)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2003, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-film-directors-of-all-time/171490/13 "2003-04-27T19:38:59Z")
Curse you, **Ender\_Will**. I was going to say Lynch. I’ve never understood his appeal. He’s bad at every aspect of directing and he makes horrible, unwatchable crap every single time he’s behind a camera. Maybe it’s just a case of gross incompetence being so absolute that it comes out the other side appearing as art or genius to some folks. I’d certainly consider it a better world if DL were working at DQ rather than in film. ---
**Author:** ![Ooner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/c67d28/32.png) [@Ooner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ooner)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2003, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-film-directors-of-all-time/171490/14 "2003-04-27T21:19:11Z")
I was hoping to be the first to say Joel Schumacher. _Falling Down_ and _Tigerland_ both had their good points, but otherwise Schumacher has done absolutely nothing worth a damn. He’s just really good a screwing up potentially good films. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2003, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-film-directors-of-all-time/171490/15 "2003-04-27T21:31:04Z")
Roger Corman? ---
**Author:** ![HalberMensch242](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecb155/32.png) [@HalberMensch242](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HalberMensch242)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2003, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-film-directors-of-all-time/171490/16 "2003-04-27T21:43:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by FallenAngel \* > \*\*Curse you, **Ender\_Will**. I was going to say Lynch. I’ve never understood his appeal. He’s bad at every aspect of directing and he makes horrible, unwatchable crap every single time he’s behind a camera. > > Maybe it’s just a case of gross incompetence being so absolute that it comes out the other side appearing as art or genius to some folks. I’d certainly consider it a better world if DL were working at DQ rather than in film. \*\* Yeah i guess if you don’t appriciate it’s crap, love the logic… Take a look at a movie like The Straight Story at tell me Lynch is the WORST DIRECTOR OF ALL TIME… ---
**Author:** ![Agrippina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Agrippina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agrippina)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2003, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-film-directors-of-all-time/171490/17 "2003-04-27T21:59:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by FallenAngel \* > **Curse you, Ender\_Will. I was going to say Lynch. I’ve never understood his appeal. He’s bad at every aspect of directing and he makes horrible, unwatchable crap every single time he’s behind a camera.** I’m afraid I haven’t seen most David Lynch movies but I think **The Elephant Man** is a pretty excellent movie. Of course when most people think of Lynch, they never think of this movie. I’ll put in another vote for Joel Schumacher. ---
**Author:** ![KinSaba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7bcc69/32.png) [@KinSaba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KinSaba)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2003, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-film-directors-of-all-time/171490/18 "2003-04-27T22:13:23Z")
Rats, **Lauramarlane** , I opened this thread just to answer Alan Smithee. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Man_With_The_Golden_Gun)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2003, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-film-directors-of-all-time/171490/19 "2003-04-27T22:17:44Z")
Wes Craven. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2003, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-film-directors-of-all-time/171490/20 "2003-04-27T23:00:13Z")
**Hal Warren** , director, writer, producer and star of [Manos: The Hands of Fate](http://www.theflagship.net/coldspot/m/manosthehandsoffate.html). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-film-directors-of-all-time/171490.md?page=2)