Who do you think the greatest director of all time is and why?

[Laurence Maher]

Just thought it would be fun to shoot the bull. I'm really not sure who I'd pick, as there are the ones that "defined current movie language" earlier on in filmmaking (Like Orson Welles), and then there's the ones that "redifined it to what it is currently" like Steven Spielberg. I personally think this . . . .

Greatest Special FX pioneer goes to George Lucas

Greatest "the first time this has ever been done in cinematography" goes to split decision of Orson Welles and Akira Kurisawa.

Best in "showman" storytelling goes to Speilberg.

Best in I'm not sure what, but, he has to be in here somewhere . . . I guess in building suspense? . . . Is Alfred Hitchcock.

How about you guys?

[Marco Leavitt]

If you base it solely on total volume of classic movies, Hitchcock wins. Nobody can touch him. Best though? That has to be a subjective. For me: Woody Allen.

[K. Forman]

Kevin Smith, he's one of us... one of us... one of us...


:)

[David Tamés]

I'll cast two votes for "not-as-well-know" but brilliant directors working in the contemporary cinema:

Wong Kar-wai (2046, In the Mood for Love, Happy Together, Fallen Angels, Chungking Express, Days of Being Wild, As Tears Go By), style and substance in beautiful balance. In terms of sensuality and lushness, In the Mood for Love is one of the most beautiful love stories ever made in which the environment is as much a character as the actors.

Atom Egoyan (Speaking Parts, Next of Kin, Family Viewing, Exotica, Ararat, The Sweet Hereafter, Calendar), his films have a fascinating structure and style weaving narrative threads with layers of experimental essays that reveal new insights on multiple viewings. A filmmaker's filmmaker, Wim Wenders was so impressed with Egoyan that he gave his prize money won at the Toronto film festival one year to help Egoyan make Speaking Parts.

It's hard to narrow it down but I decided to limit myself two two.

[Keith Loh]

I hear what you're saying on Wong Kar Wai. "In the Mood for Love", "2046", "Ashes of Time" and "Chunking Express" all belong in a filmmaker's library. But Egoyan has fallen down recently. "The Sweet Hereafter", "Exotica" all show a deft touch and good storytelling. But I can't remember the last one after that that I liked.

For me it has to be Akira Kurosawa. He excelled in so many areas from storytelling, dynamic direction, bringing out performances to the varying scope of his productions. In his career he did everything from commercials to industrial films from psychological stories to film noir to comedy to adventure and huge battles. He not only directed films that mattered only to a select few but he made crowd pleasers. He was an auteur who didn't just keep to one genre but branched out and built bridges between cultures. Let me reel off a few classics of his: "High and Low", "Stray Dog", "The Seven Samurai", "Rashomon", "Ikuru", "Ran", "Throne of Blood", "Derzu Uzala", "Yojimbo", "Sanshiro Sugata".

I will suggest another filmmaker who I think lives in Kurosawa's shadow. That is China's great director Zhang Yimou. Zhang Yimou may be trying to establish himself as a martial arts director ("Hero", "House of Flying Daggers") now but prior to that he made three masterpieces in the late 80s and 90s that still evoke awe in terms of composition and metaphor. "Red Sorghum", "Ju Duo" and "Raise the Red Lantern". Totally gorgeous films.

[Joe Carney]

For me the 2 greatest would be
Stanley Kubrick and Akira Kurosawa. There are many other great ones, but for me, those 2 are the best. I like Hitchcock, but felt he was rather formulaic at times.

[Marco Leavitt]

Yeah, Hitchcock made the same movie over and over. But it was a real good movie!

[Duane Smith]

For me, top honors would go to Stanley Kubric...but I'd have to put Akira Kurosawa and Ridley Scott up there in my list of favorites as well. I'm also quite partial to Francis Ford Coppola's work and, dare I say it, Mike Figgis...but neither approach quite the same level of greatness as Kubric/Kurosawa/Scott.

[Emre Safak]

I disagree! I think nobody tops Coppola for a straight-up drama.

I am heartened to see many of you share my idols.

[Dylan Couper]

According to my mom, it is me.

However, I'm partial to Stanley Kubric and Akira Kurosawa, who both seem to be popular choices.

[Marco Leavitt]

Coppola has had kind of a weird career. The first two Godfathers and "The Conversation" are among my all-time favorite movies. "Apocalypse Now" is great too, but not something I personally would watch over and over. But nothing he's made since even comes close to those movies. It's not that his current work is bad. His movies just don't seem to have the same impact. Interesting nobody has said Scorcese. He's been a lot more consistent over his entire career.

[Emre Safak]

You have to pretend Coppola retired in 1979.

[Mathieu Ghekiere]

For me it's Steven Spielberg.
I love others too (Lars Von Trier, Sergio Leone, Stanley Kubrick, Wong Kar Wai, ...), but he's my all time favorite. The man has many classic masterpieces on his name, and you really feel he breathes film.
He seems to have a natural connection with film language, he knows how to tell a story, how to put you right in the middle of it, and get you to feel what he wants you to feel.

[Hornady Setiawan]

agree with most of you...
Spielberg, Ridley Scott, Kurosawa, etc...

however, i'd like to mention Wachowski bros. Altho their filmography is very short, i think they're good for groundbreaking VFX and very deep philosophical story...(too deep not many people understand the story tho..)

also James Cameron, Night Shyamalan, Wolfgang Petersen, etc.

i think most box office stands for good direction.

[Stu Holmes]

A vote for Ridley Scott and also prob Kubrick.

and it's difficult to argue with James Cameron's consistent success and skill - although i agree that doesn't necessarily make him 'the best'.

Steve Soderbergh i think also is highly talented and makes some great movies.