Author Topic: [Various] The Top 20 Great Directors Working Today  (Read 7023 times)

1SO

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[Various] The Top 20 Great Directors Working Today
« on: October 17, 2008, 04:52:59 PM »
Before I list the Top 20 I want to give a Great thanks to all of you who followed along and took part.  It's been a lot of fun.

I took information from All the polls to come up with the most accurate list I could.  Of course this is all up for debate, just like it can all change as a new Great film arrives.

Special Mention to the Great Directors whose work remains largely unseen.  I posted a few of them in a special Thread.  There you will find mention of Guy Maddin, The Dardenne Brother, Hou Hsiao-hsien, Abbas Kiarostami and many others who would probably be all over this Top 20 if a few more of us would give them a look.  (Of course beyond that list are some even more obscure Great Directors.  I recommend you check out this thread and pay attention to the posts by pixote, sdedalus, roujin and Verite.

Runners-Up...

In the final days there was a big cry of "Where's Steven Soderbergh?"  Well, in the complete list of 100+ directors, Soderbergh fell just outside the Top 20 because many feel he's in a slump right now.  While 36% feel he's as Great as ever, 44% feel he's off his game right now with 20% doubting if he'll ever be Great again.

Spike Jonze and Julian Schnabel were in a 3-way fight for #20, but ultimately Jonze hasn't made enough movies and his last one was too long ago.  As for Schnabel it's a combination of having too few features that remain mostly unseen, and those who feel that The Diving Bell & The Butterfly is his first Great movie.

Which Brings Us To...

#20 ANDREW STANTON
Again, not a lot of work to judge him on, but that didn't bother most of you.
5 Votes For.  8 Votes Against
With only 2 features, he's already proven his Greatness.    (46.4%)
He's got my attention.  Certainly above average.    (39.3%)
I can take or leave his work.    (10.7%)
Too early to have an opinion.    (3.6%)



#19 PAUL GREENGRASS
7 Votes For.  5 Votes Against.
45% of those who participated in the Best British Directors Poll feel that Greengrass belongs on the list, but he did not rank as high as Christopher Nolan or Danny Boyle.  He also came in 3rd in a Deat Match against Alfonso Cuaron and Nolan.
He's one of the Very Best.    (38.9%)
He's Great, but I don't see him making my Top 10.    (16.7%)
He is solid, but only sometimes Great.    (33.3%)



#18 DAVID CRONENBERG
7 Votes For.  5 Votes Against.
Anytime he makes a movie, there’s a good chance it’ll be a masterpiece.    (7.4%)
He is usually great and certainly one of our Best Directors.    (33.3%)
He is solid, but only sometimes Great.    (40.7%)



#17 MICHEL GONDRY
11 Votes For.  4 Votes Against.
Defeated Julian Schnabel 20-4 and Spike Jonze 22-18
A unique talent that brings Greatness to any script. (13%)
A Great director most of the time. (30.4%)
Always interesting, but you can't count on him for Greatness. (52.2%)



#16 DANNY BOYLE
10 Votes For.  6 Votes Against.
Over 60% of those who participated in the Best British Directors Poll feel that Boyle belongs on the list.
Anytime he makes a movie, there’s a good chance it’ll be a masterpiece. (5.9%)
His direction is usually great and he is certainly one of our Best. (38.2%)
He is solid, but too uneven and only sometimes Great. (38.2%)



#15 BRAD BIRD
12 Votes For.  6 Votes Against.
Defeated Gondry 15-11 but lost to Hayao Miyazaki 17-10
Anytime he makes a movie, there’s a good chance it’ll be a masterpiece. (44.4%)
He is usually great and certainly one of our Best Directors. (29.6%)
He is solid, but only sometimes Great. (14.8%)


#14 CHRISTOPHER NOLAN
9 Votes For.  8 Votes Against.  Oddly, the most polarizing director on this list.
Over 67% of those who participated in the Best British Directors Poll feel that Nolan belongs on the list.
Destroyed by Tarantino in a Death Match 22-6
He's always been Great.  I'll watch anything he does.    (40.6%)
Because of The Dark Knight, I'll watch anything he does.    (6.3%)
He's very Good.  I don't think he's Great.    (25%)
I never thought he was anything special.    (12.5%)



#13 DAVID LYNCH
8 Votes For.  3 Votes Against.
Defeated Cronenberg 13-11.
He is one of the 5 Best Directors Today. (29.4%)
He certainly makes my list, but I can think of a dozen who are better. (23.5%)
He is solid, and sometimes Great. (23.5%)


#12 ALFONSO CUARON
12 Votes For.  2 Votes Against.
Winner over Nolan and Greengrass 15-12-7.  Lost to Terrence Malick 15-13
He's one of the Best, and he's getting better. (43.3%)
He's Great, but I don't see him making my Top 10. (23.3%)
He is solid, but only sometimes Great. (23.3%)



#11 QUENTIN TARANTINO
13 Votes For.  5 Votes Against.
Winner over Nolan 22-6.  Lost to P.T. Anderson, but only 16-15
He's one of the Very Best.    (23.5%)
He's Great, but I don't see him making my Top 10.    (14.7%)
Mostly Great.  Certainly makes the list.    (35.3%)



#10 TERRENCE MALICK
15 Votes For.  3 Votes Against
Winner over Cuaron 15-13
One Of The Top 10 Directors Working Today. (27.6%)
He's Great.  I'll watch anything he does. (20.7%)
He's not always Great, but he's worth watching. (13.8%)
I admire his talent a lot more than his films. (24.1%)



#9 STEVEN SPIELBERG
4 Votes For.  6 Votes Against.  People feel comfortable calling him Great, but exactly how Great seems to change from day to day.
Death Match Tie with Gus Van Sant.  Lost to David Fincher 19-15
Still a Great Director.  I'll watch anything he makes. (63.3%)
A Great Director, but I prefer his non-commercial fare. (10%)
I'll still always watch, but I doubt his ability to be Great. (16.7%)



#8 HAYAO MIYAZAKI
10 Votes For.  1 Vote Against.
Defeated Brad Bird 17-10.  Lost to Werner Herzog 18-12
A Great director and Animation's current Best Director.    (35.5%)
I expect Greatness.    (25.8%)
I hope for Greatness.  He's certainly among the Best.    (9.7%)



#7 GUS VAN SANT
17 Votes For.  3 Votes Against.
Tied Spielberg in Death Match.  Lost 17-9 to Wong Kar Wai.
He's one of the Best. (30%)
He's Great, but I can think of a dozen who are better. (3.3%)
Usually Great.  Certainly makes the list. (10%)
He's really Good, especially his art-house films. (33.3%)
He's really Good, but I wish he was less arty. (6.7%)
He is solid, but rarely Great. (13.3%)



#6 DAVID FINCHER
17 Votes For.  2 Votes Against.
Defeated Spielberg 19-15.  Lost to Wong Kar Wai 14-11.
He is one of the 5 Best Directors Today.    (44.8%)
He certainly makes my list, but I can think of a dozen who are better.    (13.8%)
He is solid, and sometimes Great.    (37.9%)
He's incredibly overrated.   (3.4%)



#5 WERNER HERZOG
13 Votes For.  1 Vote Against.
Lost to Wong Kar Wai 12-11.  defeated Hayao Miyazaki 18-12
Anytime he makes a movie, there’s a good chance it’ll be a masterpiece.    (50%)
A Great Director who's still able to deliver something fresh.    (32.1%)
Uneven, but well worth watching.    (7.1%)
I'm interested if the reviews are good.    (7.1%)



#4 MARTIN SCORSESE
15 Votes For.  3 Votes Against.
He is one of the Very Best Directors Today. (51.4%)
He's Great, but I can think of a dozen who are better. (20%)
He's Great, but I'm growing tired of his technique. (5.7%)
He's still solid, and sometimes Great. (17.1%)
He's mostly coasting on his past glory. (2.9%)
He's always been pretty overrated. (2.9%)



#3  WONG KAR WAI
18 Votes For.  2 Votes Against.  What's even more impressive is nearly 20% haven't seen enough of his work.
Defeated Gus Van Sant 17-9, David Fincher 14-11 and Werner Herzog 12-11
Not only Great, but currently the Best Director of Asian Cinema. (26.9%)
Can't wait to see more.  He's definitely Great. (46.2%)
I've seen enough to say he's really good. (7.7%)



#2 JOEL & ETHAN COEN
20 Votes For.  2 Votes Against.
Tied Paul Thomas Anderson in a Death Match.  (I was going to post a poll with WKW to see how many defected, but further evidence pointed to a clear winner.)
They ARE the Best Directors working today. (20.6%)
They are towards the top of my list of favorites. (52.9%)
They make my list, but I can think of a dozen directors who are better. (11.8%)
They can be great, but they're more hit and miss. (11.8%)
I only like a couple of their films. (2.9%)



#1 PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON
26 Votes For.  1 Vote Against.
Tied with the Coen Brothers in a Death Match.  Defeated Tarantino 16-15
Anytime he makes a movie, there’s a good chance it’ll be a masterpiece.    (43.2%)
He is usually great and certainly one of our Best Directors    (38.6%)
He is solid, but only sometimes Great.    (13.6%)
He is Good.  I don’t think he’ll ever be Great.    (2.3%)
He is not one of the Best Directors working today.    (2.3%)


You may not personally agree (and you know I don't), but you probably already figured it would look something like this.  And that's just where they stand now.  When I started this experiment Wall-E, The Dark Knight and Burn After Reading hadn't even opened yet.

Much more to say, but it's time to open the floor to all of you.
« Last Edit: October 28, 2010, 07:16:30 PM by pixote »

edgar00

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Re: The Top 20 Great Directors Working Today
« Reply #1 on: October 17, 2008, 05:11:05 PM »
Hey, Cronenberg, Wong, Fincher and Van Sant made the list so I'm happy. The rest of you can duke it out as much as you want.
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Basil

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Re: The Top 20 Great Directors Working Today
« Reply #2 on: October 17, 2008, 05:13:29 PM »
Interesting list. Thanks for all your hard work, 1StrongOpinion.
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Sam the Cinema Snob

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Re: The Top 20 Great Directors Working Today
« Reply #3 on: October 17, 2008, 05:17:08 PM »
And once again this makes me realize why the democratic system suck...and why I always disregard filmspotters' suggestions.  :P

Yea, I'm continuing my stereotype as the cranky old man who can only whine.

Wilson

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Re: The Top 20 Great Directors Working Today
« Reply #4 on: October 17, 2008, 06:04:09 PM »
And once again this makes me realize why the democratic system suck...and why I always disregard filmspotters' suggestions.  :P

Yea, I'm continuing my stereotype as the cranky old man who can only whine.

Nice to meet you Sen. McCain.

Sam the Cinema Snob

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Re: The Top 20 Great Directors Working Today
« Reply #5 on: October 17, 2008, 07:35:29 PM »
And once again this makes me realize why the democratic system suck...and why I always disregard filmspotters' suggestions.  :P

Yea, I'm continuing my stereotype as the cranky old man who can only whine.

Nice to meet you Sen. McCain.
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Re: The Top 20 Great Directors Working Today
« Reply #6 on: October 18, 2008, 11:24:47 AM »
I'm amazed Herzog is so high. I'm sure he would be, too!

Otherwise, good list
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karlwinslow

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Re: The Top 20 Great Directors Working Today
« Reply #7 on: October 18, 2008, 11:59:17 AM »
I'm amazed Herzog is so high. I'm sure he would be, too!


seriously!  i do like herzog, but what has he made recently that he deserves to be number 5?  rescue dawn was ok.  grizzly man was pretty good.  but that does not make a top 5 director in my book.

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Re: The Top 20 Great Directors Working Today
« Reply #8 on: October 18, 2008, 12:05:25 PM »
i think this list suffers from the same lack of screening/perspective the Filmspotter 100 did, as pixote pointed out, a first through just gets the juices flowing and allows some perspective on odd inclusions and omissions.  along these lines, i'm not surprised by the list, but i am saddened
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Re: The Top 20 Great Directors Working Today
« Reply #9 on: October 18, 2008, 12:14:18 PM »
I'm amazed Herzog is so high. I'm sure he would be, too!


seriously!  i do like herzog, but what has he made recently that he deserves to be number 5?  rescue dawn was ok.  grizzly man was pretty good.  but that does not make a top 5 director in my book.
Encounters is pretty brilliant.
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