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Greatest American Director

Posted on 8/6/09 at 7:48 pm
Posted by Freauxzen
Washington
Member since Feb 2006
38528 posts
Posted on 8/6/09 at 7:48 pm
Mostly, these conversations would come down to Kubrick, Hitchcock, Kurosawa, Lean, etc. All non-Americans.

So maybe as a preface to the forthcoming (2010?) Best director list, let's talk about American directors.

I'll listen for now, post my thoughts tomorrow.

Who do you think and why?
Posted by DanMullenIsOurMan
Miss. State - 41 Ole Miss - 27
Member since May 2009
4677 posts
Posted on 8/6/09 at 7:52 pm to
Steven Spielberg
Posted by 9Fiddy
19th Hole
Member since Jan 2007
66673 posts
Posted on 8/6/09 at 8:00 pm to
You can probably throw Eastwood in that conversation too.
This post was edited on 8/6/09 at 8:01 pm
Posted by Charles Bronson
WINNING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Member since Nov 2007
11677 posts
Posted on 8/6/09 at 8:02 pm to
(no message)
This post was edited on 8/6/09 at 8:32 pm
Posted by Freauxzen
Washington
Member since Feb 2006
38528 posts
Posted on 8/6/09 at 8:06 pm to
quote:

Christopher Nolan.


I love Nolan but...

quote:

30 July 1970, London, England, UK
Posted by Freauxzen
Washington
Member since Feb 2006
38528 posts
Posted on 8/6/09 at 8:06 pm to
quote:

Eastwood


Agree, he should be considered so let's hear the reasoning.
This post was edited on 8/7/09 at 12:31 pm
Posted by PJinAtl
Atlanta
Member since Nov 2007
14149 posts
Posted on 8/6/09 at 8:09 pm to
John Ford: He defined what we now think of as the "Western" movie with the wide shots showing the vastness and desolation of the landscape. He won four Oscars for Best Director (a record).

Victor Fleming: Two films say it all - The Wizard of Oz and Gone With the Wind. True he was not the first shoice of director on either, but still, to have a hand in two of the most well known movies of all time has to put him up there somewhere.
Posted by Keys Open Doors
In hiding with Tupac & XXXTentacion
Member since Dec 2008
32813 posts
Posted on 8/6/09 at 8:10 pm to
I'm confused. How is Nolan considered American and Kubrick a non-American?

As for the greatest American directors, I think that the two on the top of the list have to be Kubrick and Scorsese. After those two, maybe Billy Wilder, Spielberg, and Terry Gilliam.
Posted by PBeard
DC
Member since Oct 2007
5920 posts
Posted on 8/6/09 at 8:18 pm to
Coen Bros
Posted by Charles Bronson
WINNING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Member since Nov 2007
11677 posts
Posted on 8/6/09 at 8:28 pm to
quote:

30 July 1970, London, England, UK

Damn. I forgot about that.

:embarrassed:
Posted by constant cough
Lafayette
Member since Jun 2007
44788 posts
Posted on 8/6/09 at 9:10 pm to
I can only speak for myself and I'm going with Nicholas Ray. As Jean-Luc Godard once stated, “Cinema is Nicholas Ray” Directed 5 movies which I consider to be great and are favorites of mine. As well as several other pretty good films.


In a Lonely Place
On Dangerous Ground
The Lusty Men
Johnny Guitar
Rebel Without a Cause


Movies all deal with loneliness, isolated characters living on the outside of society. His movies really strike a cord with me and touch me on an very emotional level.



This post was edited on 8/6/09 at 9:12 pm
Posted by Homeboy
Member since Aug 2007
10867 posts
Posted on 8/6/09 at 10:16 pm to

Preston Sturges and Billy Wilder (though technically Wilder born outside of the US) are two of my favorite directors.

Capra was born in Italy.

Hmmm. John Ford. Very much an American and a great director.

Buster Keaton's a comic genius from the silent era.

D.W. Griffith is probably the most influential American director ever.

Anthony Mann directed some great noir films and westerns.

Tons of great American directors. Take your pick.







Posted by Homeboy
Member since Aug 2007
10867 posts
Posted on 8/6/09 at 10:18 pm to
Coppola

Scorsese

Cassavetes

Ed Wood
Posted by constant cough
Lafayette
Member since Jun 2007
44788 posts
Posted on 8/6/09 at 10:47 pm to
quote:

Anthony Mann directed some great noir films and westerns.



He's another favorite of mine.

More American Born Directors not yet mentioned:

Howard Hawks
Sam Fuller
Robert Altman
Budd Boetticher
Joseph H. Lewis
Sidney Lumet
John Huston
David Lynch
Jules Dassin
Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Vincente Minnelli
Don Siegel
George Stevens
King Vidor
Raoul Walsh
Orson Welles
Robert Wise
William Wyler
This post was edited on 8/7/09 at 12:50 pm
Posted by F machine
Member since Jun 2009
11886 posts
Posted on 8/6/09 at 10:51 pm to
quote:

Mostly, these conversations would come down to Kubrick, Hitchcock, Kurosawa, Lean, etc. All non-Americans.


Kubrick was born and grew up in America...how's he not American? I know he lived in England for a while, but he still was born and grew up in America
Posted by Freauxzen
Washington
Member since Feb 2006
38528 posts
Posted on 8/7/09 at 7:46 am to
quote:

Kubrick was born and grew up in America...how's he not American? I know he lived in England for a while, but he still was born and grew up in America


True, but all of his great films were made in the UK. Kind of like Hitchcock, except the other way around.
This post was edited on 8/7/09 at 9:19 am
Posted by Baloo
Formerly MDGeaux
Member since Sep 2003
49645 posts
Posted on 8/7/09 at 8:37 am to
Scorcese, Coen, Ford, Spielberg, Lynch
Posted by constant cough
Lafayette
Member since Jun 2007
44788 posts
Posted on 8/7/09 at 8:40 am to
The thing I like about Scorsese is he's not just a great director he's also a student of film. The man knows his stuff get a hold of 'A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies' if you can I think it's on netflix.

I like reading his movie reviews on directv.com

Scorsese is a big Nicholas Ray fan.
This post was edited on 8/7/09 at 8:43 am
Posted by BhamTigah
Lurker since Jan 2003
Member since Jan 2007
17426 posts
Posted on 8/7/09 at 8:50 am to
I'm personally not a big fan, but a bit surprised I haven't seen Woody Allen yet.
Posted by BhamTigah
Lurker since Jan 2003
Member since Jan 2007
17426 posts
Posted on 8/7/09 at 8:53 am to
He doesn't have the overall body of work of some of the others, but I think Quentin Tarantino is well on his way to becoming one of the greatest American directors. He's already one of my favorites.

Plus, he's a good ole southern boy.

ETA: Weren't Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs in the top 10 of our best movies poll? Hitchcock's probably the only guy with more than that. I don't really remember the top 10, so just guessing.
This post was edited on 8/7/09 at 8:56 am
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