Favorite director?

[Fast]

Who is your favorite director? Kind of a simple question - but hard to answer...

[gemeaux]

I don't have a favourite yet, I haven't watched enough movies by specific directors to know which is my favourite. I like Tarantino for sure, but I think Lars von Trier and Jean-Pierre Jeunet may surpass him once I watch more of their movies.

[Fast]

There are a few I'd like to name, Tarantino/Rodriguez work so well together, and so well alone - I'm usually always impressed. Wes Anderson is quickly becoming one of my favorite artistic directors, he's funny, sincere and has great shots. I'm also a big fan of the Coen Brothers - they have so many hits, (fargo, big lebowski, no country, etc etc.).. If I was forced to pick just one I guess I'd have to go with Q.T.

[k2hsharpe]

I'm with you Fast
the Coen Brothers are biggies
Ridley Scott would be a favourite
as is Michael mann
My most favourite would be Carlos Saura at the moment (I'm reliving my youth perhaps)

But I have a secret favourite,
and I don't even know their name.

I read once about a movie that was sooo bad the director refused to allow his name to be associated with it. The people making the movie had to make up a director and released it under that made up name. Since then, whenever a movie is so bad it embarrasses every one associated with it, they release it under this name. This director has made all of the worst movies ever made, more or less (:-))).

This could be an urban myth, but I think not.
But I forgot the name. Do you know it?
Does anyone out there know it??
Please post it here if anyone does.

[Silver Wind]

I will have to ask my sister about that k2h, she would know if it is real, and what the name is.

My faves are

Ridley Scot
Tim Burton
M. Night Shyamalan
Martin Scorsee

[k2hsharpe]

if you get a chance to ask your sister
then please do Silver Wind.
I've needed to know this for so long now
(laughing)))

[Mr. Blocks]

My favourite is Kevin Smith. I like how he makes movies, and the message he gets across in his movies. He has his own vibe and I can imagine that if I were to ever make movies myself, then they would be pretty much like his.

Those I've seen are:

Clerks
Clerks 2
Jersey Girl
Jay and Silent bob: strikes back
Mallrats
Dogma

You'll find gold with the likes of Jersey Girl and Dogma (my favourites).

[joethfc]

Alan Parker - mainly because I love "the wall" despite its controversy
"midnight express" and "the commitments" were also good works of his i have seen

[Gardenhead]

Probably a toss up between David Lynch and Guillermo Del Toro.

[Ernie]

For older films there can be no other for me than, Sir Alfred Hitchcock !
He pioneered many new techniques in the suspense and psychological thrillers, not only in Film, but also in Radio TV genres with both his directing and writing.

More recently it has to be James Cameron ! Not just for his incredible directing, but for his writing also. To me the conception and delivery of his Films in general, explore the relationship between humanity and technology. Why, oh why did he only write Terminator 3 and not direct it as well ?

They must be two of the most influential and ground breaking directors in their time.

ernie

PS; I just have to include John Ford for Westerns and not only because he happened to direct my all time favorite movie :D

[BenJohnson]

I would be torn between Tim Burton and David Lynch.

[purple heart]

Obvious answer is :
Satyajit Ray
Charles Chaplin

for international -

Recent favourite is - Andy Garcia ( because I love watching Lost City again and again )
Steven Soderburgh

*All time fave - Rituparno Ghosh

[amberzak]

Stephen Spielberg was my childhood hero. He was the reason I wanted to tell stories. I love his 80s and early 90s films

[Henry P]

Hitchcock, John Ford, Kurasawa, Fellini. All gone, all masters.

[Apathy Boy]

I have to agree with Henry. Kurasawa was the master, especially his post WW2 films. Even now they are still explosive. I'm glad John Woo studied his films.

[narmour]

Tarantino
Scorsese
Darren Aronofsky

Are my favorite's =D

narm

[poetryfan]

Defintley:

Tarantino
Copolla
Scorsese
Fincher

[sunday]

François Ozon, Bernardo Bertolucci, Yimou Zhang

[S.Tehrani]

Kurosawa, Kobayashi, Von Trier, Haneke, Amenebar, Zhang, Arronofsky, Iñárritu, tons more.

I laugh when people put the overrated Hitchcock on the same level as a Kurosawa though. :D

[Gardenhead]

Kurosawa, Kobayashi, Von Trier, Haneke, Amenebar, Zhang, Arronofsky, Iñárritu, tons more.

I laugh when people put the overrated Hitchcock on the same level as a Kurosawa though. :D

I dare you to qualify that statement :p

[S.Tehrani]

I dare you to qualify that statement :p
I'd rather not get into a cinematic debate here. I just see him hailed as some genius or one of the top ten directors in human history, and I disagree strongly with that idea. He had some good ideas, pioneered certain cinematic trends, and is an important part of cinematic history...but in terms of film, I would never ever rank any of his "best" alongside the best of Kurosawa or Kobayashi. Just not as much in terms of substance or ability.
Anyway, I wasn't calling him a bad director, I just think there's a lot of hype and overrating going on.

[rantingpete]

Mike Leigh for me. His body of work is untouchable:

Abigails Party
Nuts In May
Secrets and Lies
Naked
High Hopes
Vera Drake
Bleak Moments
Career Girls
Happy-Go-Lucky
Meantime
Life Is Sweet

Alan Clark was inspiring too...

[m_b]

Mike Leigh for me. His body of work is untouchable:

Abigails Party
Nuts In May
Secrets and Lies
Naked
High Hopes
Vera Drake
Bleak Moments
Career Girls
Happy-Go-Lucky
Meantime
Life Is Sweet

Alan Clark was inspiring too...

I'm with you on this, Pete. I've never seen a bad Mike Leigh movie. Every one runs the gamut of emotions, right off the scale lol.

I really like character-driven stories, written or filmed. I think the big names like Spielberg, Cameron, Michael Bay...etc are little more than egocentric, cynical opportunists, out to grab as much money as possible via contemptuous emotional manipulation, eye-grabbing spectacle and even historical revisionism!

Mike Leigh's movies are very 'down to earth'. His characters are utterly believable. My favourite movie was directed by Wim Wenders so, i guess he's also a favourite :)

[Heamus Seaney]

Although I am addicted to the work of Sergio Leone (what a partnership with the great Ennio Morricone!), I feel that their films are a little too formulaic for Leone to be considered one of the best ever. They can all be linked back to a film that they didn't even write!

Not that playing with formula is necessary a bad thing. I just feel that SL was too limiteed by it.

For me the greatest director would be Jean Luc Godard. Not many directors can claim to have changed cinema as much as he did. Films should be judged on their provance. The films of Godard embody his era. A bout de souffle is one of my favourite all time films and Pierrot le feu is essential viewing for the cinephile!

[Andy182]

For me it really has to be Stanley Kubrick!!! Especially his adaption of my favourite book 'A Clockwork Orange'. In my opinion his finest piece of work!!!