Best Director

[Guest shlidgn90]

i dont know if you guys like actor/directors but dennis hopper has made better movies than guy ritchie and he wasn't in the 64. who's robert zemeckis facing also?

[Guest J*ingus]

Robert Altman vs Francois Truffiant

 

Nashville has a special place in my heart, and that's not even getting to the other great work that Altman has done.

 

George Roy Hill vs Barry Levinson

 

I want to vote for The Sting. I really do. But Levinson has the better overall body of work in my opinion.

 

Sidney Lumet vs Steven Sodebergh

 

Damn, this one was hard. Dog Day Afternoon, 12 Angry Men, and The Verdict are all fine cinema. (And he wrote a mighty good book on directing.) But Sodebergh is one of the few people who can honestly claim to be even more artistically flexible than Lumet, with such great yet completely different films like Traffic and The Limey.

 

Francis Ford Coppola vs Clint Eastwood

 

Eastwood isn't bad, but considering everything Coppola ever made in the 70's, he gets the easy win here.

 

Guy Ritchie vs David Lean

 

Lawrence of Arabia > Tarantino wannabe.

 

Christopher Nolan vs Orson Welles

 

Actually, yeah, Nolan does remind me of Welles. But Orson has a long list of good-to-excellent films, while Nolan only has two.

 

Jean Renoir vs Frank Capra

 

I tried to watch Rules of the Game, really I did. But it bored me to sleep, twice.

 

Jean- Luc Godard vs Woody Allen

 

I liked Weekend, but that's the only Godard movie I can say that for. Allen on the other hand consistently entertains me with just about everything he's done.

 

 

Group B

 

Henry Hathaway vs John Ford

 

Why is Hathaway on here? For True Grit? Ford did the same things and did them better.

 

Joel Coen vs Don Siegel

 

Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? > Eastwood action flicks.

 

Steven Spielberg vs Wes Anderson

 

Anderson's got potential, but Spielberg is quite possibly the most UNDERrated director working today in my opinion.

 

Franco Zeffirelli vs Vincente Minelli

 

What, none of you guys have seen the miracle that is an 18-year-old Olivia Hussey's bared mammaries in Romeo & Juliet?

 

David Lynch vs Quentin Tarenteno

 

If this was a writing contest, Tarantino would spank Lynch's bizarre ass, but it's not.

 

Sam Peckinpah vs Howard Hawks

 

How great is one director who can do sweet comedies like Bringing Up Baby, tough noir thrillers like The Big Sleep, and seminal sci-fi flicks like The Thing? And Peckinpah tends to be overrated, The Wild Bunch wasn't THAT great.

 

Bertrand Tavernier vs William Wyler

 

A quick check of imdb reveals that not only have I never seen any of Tavernier's films, I haven't even HEARD OF any of them. That's a specatularly rare thing with me. That being said, I doubt he ever did anything quite as good as Wuthering Heights or Ben-Hur.

 

Spike Lee vs Cameron Crowe

 

I always thought Lee was a singularly untalented and pedestrian director, addressing "edgy" racial topics that Richard Pryor had covered years ago. And while he does have the strike of Jerry Maguire against him, Crowe's other stuff was pretty damn good.

 

 

Group C

 

Robert Redford vs Martin Scorsese

 

Scorsese got real overrated real fast once he hit Goodfellas, but before that he was easily one of the best filmmakers in the world, from Mean Streets on forward. Nothing that Redford has done can compare.

 

Paul Thomas Anderson vs John Sturges

 

I will admit that I haven't seen nearly as much of Sturges as I need to, but what I have seen isn't any better than Boogie Nights, so PT gets the duke.

 

Stanley Kubrick vs Roman Polanski

 

Polanski made one masterpiece, a couple of other decent thrillers, and then a whole lotta shit. Kubrick made a bunch of incredibly overrated movies, but did a lot of damn fine work in his career as well.

 

Akira Kurosawa vs Terry Gilliam

 

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Rot in hell, Gilliam the Overpraised. The one true God of cinema just smited thee.

 

Blake Edwards vs Mike Nichols

 

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? was SO damned good; then what the hell happened to Nichols's talent? Why did he feel content spending his life churning out mild comedies? Sigh. On the other hand, I did always have a certain weakness for Inspector Clouseau and the Pink Panther flicks, plus there's always Victor/Victoria, so Blake wins this one.

 

David Croneberg vs Mel Brooks

 

Tough one, but ultimately I like my favorite Brooks movie (Young Frankenstein) more than my favorite Cronenberg movie (Crash).

 

Brian DePalma vs John Huston

 

An interesting comparison, as both guys are somewhat similar; extremely talented directors who mostly made thrillers & adventure pics, but often worked below their abilities for some reason or another. But DePalma never quiiiiiiiite made anything as good as The Treasure of the Sierre Madre, or as warm and tender as The African Queen, so Huston triumphs for me.

 

Fritz Lang vs Tim Burton

 

Burton, bah. A decent director, but wildly overpraised, and sometimes seems to lack a human heart. Lang on the other hand made several of the best films ever, period.

 

 

Group D

 

John Sayles vs Oliver Stone

 

Yes, this IS a joke, because worthless drug-addled shithead hack Stone isn't worthy of loading film into Sayles's camera.

 

George Cukor vs Preston Sturgis

 

Sturges made a few nice little movies; Cukor made Gone With the Wind, The Philadelphia Story, Gaslight, and A Star Is Born.

 

Wolfgang Petersen vs Rob Reiner

 

Das Boot > North.

 

Alfred Hitchcock vs John Carpenter

 

Weird seeing Hitch up against one of his Mini-Me's.

 

Sergio Leone vs Sam Raimi

 

Another strange one, since Raimi was definitely influenced by Leone (remember The Quick and the Dead?), but ultimately Leone never did anything as creative as Evil Dead II, or as heartbreaking as A Simple Plan.

 

Billy Wilder vs Ed Burns

 

Double Indemnity pisses on Boo-urns's career from a great height.

 

Luis Bunuel vs Terrence Malick

 

I've only seen one Bunuel flick, and it was only 17 minutes long, but Un Chien Andalou was one of the damndest viewing experiences of my life, something I can't say about Thin Red Line.

 

Elia Kazan vs James Cameron

 

Aw, of all the various directors I listed that really meant something to me personally, you ended up picking one who I just put there out of a sense of duty? Bash me all you want, but I loved Titanic, and that paired with Aliens makes a tough director to beat.

[Guest ISportsFan]

If I have no preference, nobody in the matchup is bolded.

 

Group A

 

Robert Altman vs Francois Truffiant

 

George Roy Hill vs Barry Levinson

 

Sidney Lumet vs Steven Sodebergh

 

Francis Ford Coppola vs Clint Eastwood

 

Guy Ritchie vs David Lean

 

Christopher Nolan vs Orson Welles

 

Jean Renoir vs Frank Capra

 

Jean- Luc Godard vs Woody Allen

 

 

Group B

 

Henry Hathaway vs John Ford

 

Joel Coen vs Don Siegel

 

Steven Spielberg vs Wes Anderson

 

Franco Zeffirelli vs Vincente Minelli

 

David Lynch vs Quentin Tarenteno

 

Sam Peckinpah vs Howard Hawks

 

Bertrand Tavernier vs William Wyler

 

Spike Lee vs Cameron Crowe

 

 

Group C

 

Robert Redford vs Martin Scorsece

 

Paul Thomas Anderson vs John Sturges

 

Stanley Kubrick vs Roman Polanski

 

Akira Kurosawa vs Terry Gilliam

 

Blake Edwards vs Mike Nichols

 

David Croneberg vs Mel Brooks

 

Brian DePalma vs John Huston

 

Fritz Lang vs Tim Burton

 

 

Group D

 

John Sayles vs Oliver Stone

 

George Cukor vs Preston Sturgis

 

Wolfgang Petersen vs Rob Reiner

 

Alfred Hitchcock vs John Carpenter

 

Sergio Leone vs Sam Raimi

 

Billy Wilder vs Ed Burns

 

Luis Buinel vs Terrence Malick

 

Elia Kazan vs James Cameron

 

Jason

[Guest endgame722]

Group A

 

Robert Altman vs Francois Truffiant

George Roy Hill vs Barry Levinson

 

Sidney Lumet vs Steven Sodeberg

Francis Ford Coppola vs Clint Eastwood

 

Guy Ritchie vs David Lean

Christopher Nolan vs Orson Welles

 

Jean Renoir vs Frank Capra

Jean- Luc Godard vs Woody Allen - Never seen any of Godard's films

 

Group B

 

Henry Hathaway vs John Ford

Joel Cohen vs Don Siegel

 

Steven Spielberg vs Wes Anderson

Franco Zeffirelli vs Vincente Minelli - Haven't seen anything by either guy

 

David Lynch vs Quentin Tarenteno

Sam Peckinpah vs Howard Hawkes

 

Bertrand Tavernier vs William Wyler

Spike Lee vs Cameron Crowe

 

Group C

 

Robert Redford vs Martin Scorsce

Paul Anderson vs John Sturges

 

Stanly Kubrick vs Roman Polanski

Akira Kurosawa vs Terry Gilliam - Never seen anything by Akira

 

Blake Edwards vs Mike Nichols - Haven't seen anything by Blake Edwards

David Croneberg vs Mel Brooks

 

Brian DePalma vs John Huston

Fritz Lang vs Tim Burton

 

Group D

 

John Sayles vs Oliver Stone

George Cukor vs Preston Sturgis

 

Wolfgang Petersen vs Rob Reiner

Alfred Hitchcock vs John Carpenter

 

Sergio Leone vs Sam Raimi

Billy Wilder vs Ed Burns

 

Luis Bunel vs Terrence Malick

Elia Kazan vs James Cameron

[Guest MDH257]

A lot of people are bringing up North as the reason their not votng for Rob Reiner. I guess This is Spinal Tap, Stand By Me, The Princess Bride, and Misery count for nothing.

[Guest J*ingus]

They count, but North counts against them, and Peterson has Das Boot, In the Line of Fire, and The Neverending Story on his side.

[Guest Banky]

I know there is a backlash towards Kevin Smith, but he isn't on the list? Fuck thaaat!

[Guest Ravenbomb]

Smith's talents are in writing. I'm more surprised that David Fincher isn't on the list, what with Se7en, Alien 3 (Bad movie, good directing), The Game, Fight Club and Panic Room.

I mentioned North being a BIG reason not to vote for Reiner, but I voted for him because of the movies that he did that I liked...and because I hadn't heard of the other guy.

[Guest WrestlingDeacon]

Kevin Smith says he's a horrible director, so why post a guy who admits he's not very good? I heard him say on Howard Stern that the only reason he directs his own movies is because he can't find anyone else he trusts and he wants to keep charge of his scripts. He is a fantastic writer though. We should have a best screenwriters thread, but I don't think that would work very well.

[Guest godthedog]

i love it when people don't name anybody in the nomination thread, then complain that somebody's not in the tournament.

 

no, wait. i don't like that, it's annoying.

[Guest Kahran Ramsus]

Group A

 

Robert Altman vs Francois Truffiant

George Roy Hill vs Barry Levinson

 

Sidney Lumet vs Steven Sodeberg

Francis Ford Coppola vs Clint Eastwood

 

Guy Ritchie vs David Lean

Christopher Nolan vs Orson Welles

 

Jean Renoir vs Frank Capra

Jean- Luc Godard vs Woody Allen

 

Group B

 

Henry Hathaway vs John Ford

Joel Cohen vs Don Siegel

 

Steven Spielberg vs Wes Anderson

Franco Zeffirelli vs Vincente Minelli

 

David Lynch vs Quentin Tarenteno

Sam Peckinpah vs Howard Hawkes

 

Bertrand Tavernier vs William Wyler

Spike Lee vs Cameron Crowe

 

Group C

 

Robert Redford vs Martin Scorsce

Paul Anderson vs John Sturges

 

Stanly Kubrick vs Roman Polanski

Akira Kurosawa vs Terry Gilliam

 

Blake Edwards vs Mike Nichols

David Croneberg vs Mel Brooks

 

Brian DePalma vs John Huston

Fritz Lang vs Tim Burton

 

Group D

 

John Sayles vs Oliver Stone

George Cukor vs Preston Sturgis

 

Wolfgang Petersen vs Rob Reiner

Alfred Hitchcock vs John Carpenter

 

Sergio Leone vs Sam Raimi

Billy Wilder vs Ed Burns

 

Luis Bunel vs Terrence Malick

Elia Kazan vs James Cameron

[Guest Gamengiri2002]

This should be fun

 

GROUP A

 

Robert Altman vs. Francois Truffaut

 

Truffaut is THE, read THE, best french director of all time. While I do like sporadically enjoy Godard. 'The 400 Blows' is one of my 100 favorite films of all time. Altman however, while consistent, has done nothing on the level of '400 Blows' or "Jules and Jim' in his career.

 

George Roy Hill vs. Barry Levinson

 

I really don't think either man is worthy of being declared one of the 64 best directors of all time, but if I had to choose, Levinson's filmography is more consistent

 

Sidney Lumet vs. Steven Soderbergh

 

I think Soderbergh is overrated but Lumet eviscerates him on every possible level. Lumet gave us Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon, Network, 12 Angry Men and on a lesser note The Verdict. Soderbergh did Traffic but has offered little else of that quality.

 

Francis Ford Coppola vs. Clint Eastwood

 

This isn't even as close as you might think it to be. The first two Godfathers and The Conversation are some of the best movies ever made. Unforgiven being Eastwoods best effort.

 

Guy Ritchie vs. David Lean

 

Jesus! Is this even debatable? Lean by leaps and goddam bounds

 

Christopher Nolan vs. Orson Welles

 

This seems easy but I'll tell you this now. Im betting that in twenty years Nolan will be able to sufficiently shut out Welles in a pair off.

 

Jean Renoir vs. Frank Capra

 

This is so close and I'm seriously only doing this so that it's not so one sided in Capra's favor.

 

Jean Luc Godard vs. Woody Allen

 

I really can't groove too hard on Godard's work. I liked "Pierrot le Fou" and "A Band of Outsiders" but other than those two I remain largely unmoved by his work. Allen on the otherhand might be the most consistent director of all time second only to Kurosawa's fifteen year period between Rashomon and Red Beard.

 

GROUP B

 

Henry Hathaway v. John Ford

 

For 'The Quiet Man'. That is all

 

Joel Coen vs. Don Siegel

 

I would really like to send Siegel to the next round but he's paired off against a strong personal favorite so I guess there will be none of that

 

Steven Speilberg vs. Wes Anderson

 

This was a neccessity choice. The real pity is that neither of these guys could polish Frank Capra's shoes and yet he gets shafted in the first round

 

Franco Zeffirelli vs. Vincente Minelli

 

I really don't think Zeffirelli should have been on the ballot

 

David Lynch vs. Quentin Tarantino

 

Not only is Tarantino responsible for the my favorite film ever (Pulp fiction) he manages to maintain a watchability much moreso than Lynch (whom I truly do like)

 

Sam Peckinpah vs. Howard Hawks

 

Not even close.

 

Bertrand Tavernier vs. William Wyler

 

Neither should be here but I've gotta maintain.

 

Spike Lee vs.Cameron Crowe

 

Truth be told, honestly. I relate to Crowe more.

 

GROUP C

 

Robert Redford vs. Martin Scorsese

 

This is ridiculous. Redford? Please. Scorsese should make it to the finals here.

 

Paul Anderson vs. John Sturges

 

Anderson is destined to be one of the greatest directors of my generation. Sturges fails to thrill me.

 

Stanley Kubrick vs. Roman Polanski

 

Chinatown is a better film than anything Kubrick has ever done, but after 'The Killing' Kubrick never missed a step until 'Eyes Wide Shut'

 

Akira Kurosawa vs. Terry Gilliam

 

If the finals isn't Kurosawa/Scorsese then something is truly wrong with our culture.

 

Blake Edwards vs. Mike Nichols

 

Edwards never matched up to The Graduate or Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

 

David Cronenberg vs. Mel Brooks

 

I have a soft spot for Brooks that I justdon't have for Cronenberg.

 

Brian De Palma vs. John Huston

 

De Palma is very hit and miss. But Scarface and Carlito's Way are better than anything Huston has done save The African Queen

.

Fritz Lang vs. Tim Burton

 

No contest. 'M' is a film classic

 

Oliver Stone vs. John Sayles

 

Sayles shouldn't even be here.

 

George Cuckor vs. Preston Sturgis

 

Cuckor races over Sturgis and doesn't look back.

 

Wolfgang Petersen vs. Rob Reiner

 

I respect Das Boot but I love Spinal Tap

 

Alfred Hitchcock vs. John Caprenter

 

So out of Carpenter's league its hideous. John himself would vote for Hitchcock here.

 

Sergio Leone vs. Sam Raimi

 

Oddly enough, the closest call of this round. Evil Dead 2, The Gift, and A Simple Plan are so diverse Raimi can't help but win.

 

Billy Wilder vs. Ed Burns

 

We'll call this a mercy killing

 

Luis Bunuel vs. Terrence Malick

 

12 words: The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, Belle de Jour, Un Chien Andalou

 

Elia Kazan vs. James Cameron

 

Come on! James Cameron is a fucking asshole! Fuck him and his big fucking ego.

 

There you have it

[Guest Ravenbomb]

him being an asshole doesn't matter. This is a 'Best Director' thing, not a personality thing

[Guest evenflowDDT]

i love it when people don't name anybody in the nomination thread, then complain that somebody's not in the tournament.

 

no, wait. i don't like that, it's annoying.

Well, like I said, I didn't know there was a nomination thread. Plus nobody but me would vote for Herschell Gordon Lewish anyway.

[Guest WrestlingDeacon]

I just looked up Lewis on the imdb and that is quite possibly the funniest looking filmography ever, third rate horror films and tenth rate porno.

[Guest Lethargic]

i love it when people don't name anybody in the nomination thread, then complain that somebody's not in the tournament.

 

no, wait.  i don't like that, it's annoying.

Well, like I said, I didn't know there was a nomination thread. Plus nobody but me would vote for Herschell Gordon Lewish anyway.

I would. haha

[Guest Gamengiri2002]

him being an asshole doesn't matter. This is a 'Best Director' thing, not a personality thing

ok then, 'On the Waterfront' "A Streetcar Named Desire" and "East of Eden" are better than "Aliens" "Titanic" and "The Terminator"

[Guest J*ingus]

I'd vote for Lewis, depending on who he was up against. Hell, I'd even vote for the OTHER Paul Anderson if he was facing Oliver Stone.

[Guest godthedog]

didn't lewis do 'tormented', the b-movie about the guy at a lighthouse or something who kills his wife & he has visions of her severed head?

[Guest Lethargic]

didn't lewis do 'tormented', the b-movie about the guy at a lighthouse or something who kills his wife & he has visions of her severed head?

No, that was Bert Gordon.

[Guest godthedog]

d'oh! that's right, bert i. gordon.

 

i need to start checking my work.

[Guest El Satanico]

Group A

 

Robert Altman vs Francois Truffiant: Haven't seen Truffiant

 

Barry Levinson

 

Steven Sodeberg: Lumet has made some good movies, but i just like more of Sodeberg's

 

Francis Ford Coppola

 

David Lean

 

Orson Welles: This should be a total blow out at this point. Two movies no matter how good there are up against Welles is a no contest.

 

Jean Renoir vs Frank Capra: Haven't seen Jean Renoir

 

Jean- Luc Godard vs Woody Allen: Haven't seen Jean-Luc Godard

 

 

Group B

 

 

John Ford

 

Joel Coen

 

Steven Spielberg: Once again two good movies compared to a library made up of movies that are at least decent leads to a landslide

 

Franco Zeffirelli vs Vincente Minelli: Haven't seen anything from either

 

David Lynch

 

Sam Peckinpah: I like 70's action films better than cowboy movies

 

Bertrand Tavernier vs William Wyler: It's probably obvious by now that i haven't seen any of these french movies.

 

Spike Lee: I'm not a big Spike Lee fan, but he's made more "meaningful" movies than Crowe has.

 

 

Group C

 

 

Martin Scorsese: No contest and he'll win by a total landslide

 

John Sturges

 

Stanley Kubrick: No contest for me since i'm a Kubrick "mark"

 

Akira Kurosawa: I like all of Terry Gilliam's movies quite a bit, but it's The Seven Samurai and I just can't vote against it

 

Blake Edwards

 

David Cronenberg: And despite what some people said his best movies aren't the popular ones.

 

John Huston

 

Fritz Lang

 

 

Group D

 

 

Oliver Stone

 

George Cukor

 

Rob Reiner

 

Alfred Hitchcock: Now here's a VERY lopsided contest. John Carpenter would even laugh at being matched up against Hitchcock.

 

Sergio Leone: I'm kinda surprised that Raimi has been getting as many votes as he has. I was close to picking him myself, but Leone just has better movies and more movies.

 

Billy Wilder

 

Luis Bunel vs Terrence Malick: Haven't seen Bunuel

 

Elia Kazan: Other than Aliens and The Abyss, James Cameron's movies are overhyped and overrated when they are really only decent at best.

[Guest J*ingus]

Sam Peckinpah: I like 70's action films better than cowboy movies

Um, you do know that Peckinpah is best known for his Westerns like The Wild Bunch, Ride the High Country, Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia, and Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, and that Hawks made movies in all different genres, right?

[Guest evenflowDDT]

d'oh! that's right, bert i. gordon.

 

i need to start checking my work.

That's OK, I just noticed my "Lewish" typo. Oh, right, maybe I should vote later. But does "Best Director" even really matter? Good directors are capable of making bad/mediocre films just as bad/mediocre directors are capable of making good films.

[Guest MarvinisaLunatic]

Even though I absolutely hate Star Wars..

 

No George Lucas?

 

um..yeah..

[Guest El Satanico]

If you hate Star Wars why would you want Lucas on the list?

 

Hell i'm a Star Wars fan and I know that Lucas shouldn't be on this list.

[Guest MarvinisaLunatic]

Well, he beats out the 20 or so directors on this list who's films I've probably never seen, and don't even know who most of them are.

[Guest WrestlingDeacon]

Acutally he doesn't. Lucas is a good producer and idea man, but I've always found his direction to be very flat and stilted. If you look at his filmography he's only directed five films outside of student work anyway. Marvin, it's also a little hard to say that the work of someone you admit to not liking is better than work you've never even seen.

 

Also let me side with Jingus who rightly points out that Pecinpah's bread and better was always westerns and Howard Hawks has directed everything from farce to musicals. If you like 70's action films Satinco you should have voted for Don Siegel.

[Guest El Satanico]

Just because you haven't seen their work doesn't mean that Lucas is better.

 

I mean I'll probably never see any of the work from the French guys, but i can still guarantee that they are better directors than Lucas.

[Guest El Satanico]

If you like 70's action films Santinco you should have voted for Don Siegel.

I almost did vote for him, but I happen to really like Coen Brothers movies so had to vote for them.

 

Yeah i probably shouldn't have made that remark about Peckinpah. I didn't mean that Peckinpah has only made 70's Action movies. I guess i just remarked on it because i liked all his 70's action movies.