Movies: Greatest director of all-time

[The Macho King]

Impossible to judge. This isn't sports - there isn't any sort of objective criteria we can point to as to what makes a great director.

I have some favorites. Kurosawa has insane range. Kubrick composes a shot better than basically anyone. For modern movie making, you can't find someone more important than Spielberg. Hitchcock is foundational. Wong Kar-Wai probably is the leader in "i sit and wait through the credits for 20 minutes after it's over to sort out my feelings." Lynch made surrealism mainstream. Etc. Ad nauseum.

 

[Finlandia WOAT]

Miyazaki Hayao

 

[sansabri]

dunno about all around best, but for American movies it took an Italian to make the best ones

 

[VMBM]

Scorsese, but I don't feel very passionate about it. It's just that when I think of his top four or five movies (King of Comedy, Goodfellas, Mean Streets, Taxi Driver for me), he seems to come out on top in comparison. Spielberg maybe at #2.

Then again, there are directors that are even more auteurs in the sense that they also write all or nearly all of their movies, like Bergman. I'm quite a shallow Bergman-fan though; I love some of his more accessible films like Wild Strawberries, Fanny and Alexander and Smiles of a Summer Night, but the more challenging stuff like The Silence and Persona often leaves me cold (or maybe they're just crap, hi hi).

 

[Hippasus]

Being a director is sort of like being a painter, or perhaps a composer, with a lot of people involved. It involves sight, sound, interpersonal relations though acting. I said one of the criteria of a great director is being able to actualize an aesthetically-pleasing vision through film, but I should add a caveat on that. There is the beautiful as well as the sublime. The latter can evoke a sense of overwhelmedness or even a sense of dread in the viewer. Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey might be a good example of this, but there are many, many others. Even Goodfellas or something. I think of aesthetically-pleasing quality as having more to do with nice cinematography, good storytelling, etc.

Another good one that I haven't seen mentioned is Jim Jarmusch. He has a unique sort of black-and-white style, and good characters and stories.
Down by Law and Dead Man are examples.

 

[NyQuil]

Yasujirō Ozu.

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

Kubrick for me.

How many directors can claim to have (arguably) the best film in multiple categories?

Horror: The Shining
War: Full Metal Jacket
Period Piece: Barry Lyndon
Sci-fi: 2001

 

[Nakatomi]

Kubrick for me.

How many directors can claim to have (arguably) the best film in multiple categories?

Horror: The Shining
War: Full Metal Jacket
Period Piece: Barry Lyndon
Sci-fi: 2001

Two contenders in the war category considering Paths of Glory.

 

[Shareefruck]

Ozu and Wong Kar Wai for me

 

[KallioWeHardlyKnewYe]

From a pure nuts-and-bolts standpoint there's a pretty strong argument for Spielberg.

From a subjective artistic perspective sheeesh. Dealers choice. If you'll allow me three era-centered pics I'll be completely uninteresting and say Welles, Kubrick and PTA. That trio has the best mix of being inventive, compelling and entertaining.

But if I post here tomorrow I'll probably say someone else.

 

[Hippasus]

 

[kihei]

From a pure nuts-and-bolts standpoint there's a pretty strong argument for Spielberg.

From a subjective artistic perspective sheeesh. Dealers choice. If you'll allow me three era-centered pics I'll be completely uninteresting and say Welles, Kubrick and PTA. That trio has the best mix of being inventive, compelling and entertaining.

But if I post here tomorrow I'll probably say someone else.

PTA over, say, Bunuel, Kurosawa, Hitchcock, Ford, Huston, Lean, and Fellini?

 

[KallioWeHardlyKnewYe]

PTA over, say, Bunuel, Kurosawa, Hitchcock, Ford, Huston, Lean, and Fellini?

I was putting him as more of my modern era champ. With Kubrick and Welles in the periods before him.
Didn't state that very clearly. And fully acknowledge it flies in the face of "all time."

Like Spielberg, there's a pretty good argument for Kurosawa as a total package. Technically elite, versatile, entertaining, not opposed to getting a little weird. (A knock on Spielberg).

 

[Fantomas]

No such thing as the greatest, but I've recently been on a Claude Sautet binge and think he's among the best. Even his weakest are enjoyable.

His movies are just about people, relationships, the kind of stuff the really resonates once you hit your 30s/40s.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

No such thing as the greatest, but I've recently been on a Claude Sautet binge and think he's among the best. Even his weakest are enjoyable.

His movies are just about people, relationships, the kind of stuff the really resonates once you hit your 30s/40s.

Les choses de la vie hits so hard, amazing film.

 

[Fantomas]

Les choses de la vie hits so hard, amazing film.

Everyone seems to love that one, but it left me a bit cold. Maybe because that type of story has been told many times since this movie was made. My favorite is Cesar & Rosalie.

 

[x Tame Impala]

It's a silly question for a cinephile. There are numerous great directors masters of their art who have all contributed the fabric of cinema. Placing one above the other is a pointless exercise.

You have omitted so many directors too. The Russian school ? Tarkovsky, Konchalovksky, Zvyagintsev, Vertov, to name just three. Or even directors like Klushantsev inspired by Cosmism that in turn inspired Star Wars. The Czech school especially the New Wave. Forman, Juraj Herz, Vera Chytilova to name three. The Polish school Kryztof Kieslowski, Andrezj Wajda, Polanski to name but three. The Hungarian Bela Tarr. The numerous French directors like Claude Chabrol, Eric Rohmer. Germany from Lang onwards to Fassbinder & Wenders. In Britain from Pressburger to Loach & India with Satajit Ray.

There is a huge world of cinema out there with so many superb films most people who utter Spielberg (who is a very decent director with the likes of the masterpiece that is Schindler's List) don't even know about. Not even forgetting Italian cinema & Italian horror & realism too.

Ok and who are these directors with a filmography better than: Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, RAIDERS, ET, The Color Purple, Empire of the Sun, Hook, Schindler’s List, Jurassic Park, Amistad, Saving Private Ryan, Minority Report, Catch Me if You Can, Munich, Lincoln, and Ready Player One?

Please point me in their direction because the above are some god damn great movies. Spielberg covers a ton of genres and tones, he tells amazing human stories, his settings are all over the place, and arguably more than anyone what the experience of a movie should be.

 

[BMann]

Ok and who are these directors with a filmography better than: Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, RAIDERS, ET, The Color Purple, Empire of the Sun, Hook, Schindler’s List, Jurassic Park, Amistad, Saving Private Ryan, Minority Report, Catch Me if You Can, Munich, Lincoln, and Ready Player One?

Please point me in their direction because the above are some god damn great movies. Spielberg covers a ton of genres and tones, he tells amazing human stories, his settings are all over the place, and arguably more than anyone what the experience of a movie should be.

There are plenty of great directors. Firstly there is no need to throw a tantrum. Secondly you probably need to watch far more films & from across the world rather than just Hollywood., Thirdly I said he was good director.

I do admit it gives me a chuckle when on social media or Youtube when looking at the comments. This is the greatest film ever made, this is the greatest book of all time. You wonder how many films or books the commenter has actually seen or read. It seems a particular affliction of today.

Or bizarre comments like Hans Zimmer or John Williams is greater than Mozart of Beethoven. Or he is the greatest film composer of all time. If you listen to their scores they are often heavily influenced by composers of the concert hall. Some film composers like Horner have even plagiarized note for note works by Prokofiev & Khachaturian (Aliens) without so much acknowledging it.

 

[x Tame Impala]

There are plenty of great directors. Firstly there is no need to throw a tantrum. Secondly you probably need to watch far more films & from across the world rather than just Hollywood., Thirdly I said he was good director.

I do admit it gives me a chuckle when on social media or Youtube when looking at the comments. This is the greatest film ever made, this is the greatest book of all time. You wonder how many films or books the commenter has actually seen or read. It seems a particular affliction of today.

Or bizarre comments like Hans Zimmer or John Williams is greater than Mozart of Beethoven. Or he is the greatest film composer of all time. If you listen to their scores they are often heavily influenced by composers of the concert hall. Some film composers like Horner have even plagiarized note for note works by Prokofiev & Khachaturian (Aliens) without so much acknowledging it.

Who are these directors and can you list their movies?

 

[The Macho King]

Kurosawa made Roshomon, Seven Samurai, High and Low, Yojimbo, Ran, Ikiru, Dreams, Ran, etc. So if you're just looking at pound for pound, Kurosawas movies are at least as influential, comparably entertaining, and frankly take bigger swings, while being possibly more technically proficient.

Also it's super f***ing bizarre to have a Spielberg brag list and include Hook, Amistad, and Ready Player One on it without thinking it's a bit.

 

[DaaaaB's]

Ok and who are these directors with a filmography better than: Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, RAIDERS, ET, The Color Purple, Empire of the Sun, Hook, Schindler’s List, Jurassic Park, Amistad, Saving Private Ryan, Minority Report, Catch Me if You Can, Munich, Lincoln, and Ready Player One?

Please point me in their direction because the above are some god damn great movies. Spielberg covers a ton of genres and tones, he tells amazing human stories, his settings are all over the place, and arguably more than anyone what the experience of a movie should be.

He'd be pretty close to the top of my list. I consider Jaws, E.T., Schindler's List and Lincoln to be his truly great movies but Amistad, Saving Private Ryan and Munich are real close imo. Jurassic Park was one of my favorites for a couple years when it was released but it didn't age well for me. I would consider it a classic along with the Indiana Jones trilogy which I always liked but didn't love. I liked Minority Report as a teen but not sure I would now, didn't care for Ready Player One at all and thought Catch Me if You Can was overrated but decent. Loved Hook as a kid but haven't seen it in over 30 years. I've never seen Close Encounters, Color Purple or Empire of the Sun. There's other films he's done that I liked though especially A.I. but also The Post, Bridge of Spies and The Terminal.

Definitely a great overall body of work but even if he has the best filmography does that make him the greatest director? It's such a subjective question.

For me personally though, he's definitely in the conversation.

 

[DaaaaB's]

Kurosawa made Roshomon, Seven Samurai, High and Low, Yojimbo, Ran, Ikiru, Dreams, Ran, etc. So if you're just looking at pound for pound, Kurosawas movies are at least as influential, comparably entertaining, and frankly take bigger swings, while being possibly more technically proficient.

Also it's super f***ing bizarre to have a Spielberg brag list and include Hook, Amistad, and Ready Player One on it without thinking it's a bit.

And I'd add Kagemusha, Sanjuro, Throne of Blood, Hidden Fortress, The Bad Sleep Well and Red Beard as movies I love by Kurosawa. His body of work is right there with any director.

I do like Amistad though.

 

[x Tame Impala]

Kurosawa made Roshomon, Seven Samurai, High and Low, Yojimbo, Ran, Ikiru, Dreams, Ran, etc. So if you're just looking at pound for pound, Kurosawas movies are at least as influential, comparably entertaining, and frankly take bigger swings, while being possibly more technically proficient.

Also it's super f***ing bizarre to have a Spielberg brag list and include Hook, Amistad, and Ready Player One on it without thinking it's a bit.

Hook was a great kid’s movie, what’re you talking about?

 

[#37]

Harold Ramis: Caddyshack, Vacation, Groundhog Day, and Analyze This.

 

[The Macho King]

Hook was a great kid’s movie, what’re you talking about?

Watch more movies.

And I'd add Kagemusha, Sanjuro, Throne of Blood, Hidden Fortress, The Bad Sleep Well and Red Beard as movies I love by Kurosawa. His body of work is right there with any director.

I do like Amistad though.

Amistad and The Color Purple are both competently made but by the wrong director - discussion for another time though.

Respect Spielberg but the only point was there is no objective answer to this, and acting like there is just shows ignorance.