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

[Joe Winchester]

And I'm suprised no one mentioned Ingmar Bergman!

[Lori Starfelt]

For me, it would probably be Kubrick who is the greatest. The stories are thought out and layered, the screenplays are perfect, the philosophy is sound, the science impeccable, the cinematography first rate, the editing first rate. He did make a couple of casting mistakes but that's the only flaw I know of in any Kubrick film. He should have never cast Sellers as Quilty, nor Ryan O'Neal as Redmund Barry. I think 2001 is the film of the 20th century - the one essential film.

I also like Fellini - Juliet of The Spirits is one of my favorite movies of all time. Boorman's Point Blank, Hope and Glory, Deliverance, The General - perfection. I even like Zardoz. And Herbert Ross - Pennies From Heaven, The Turning Point. And Ken Russell - even his failures are fun to watch, if painful. But The Devils, Women In Love - perfect and potent works of art. Sidney Lumet - has he ever made a bad film? I don't think so.

Spielberg did not appeal to me personally in the least until Minority Report. Up until that point, I had never suspended disbelief in one of his movies. I always sat there wondering why he expected us to buy his crap - but, of course, people did. With the exception of Schindler's List, I could never understand why anyone went to see his movies.

[Krystian Ramlogan]

Hmm, I don't think there could ever be a "best director" of all time. There are too many genres that some director's either never try or are just not good at. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses and many are not able to translate their natural strengths into material they are not comfortable or familiar enough with.

Judging from the great and wonderful list we've all seen so far through this thread I can say that there are many great directors, each of whom have at the very least contributed to the cinematic artform which is itself without limit.

As well, each filmmaker adds to the growing vocabulary of cinema and each breakthrough or innovation is going to spread out and inspire other filmmakers to new ideas or variations on ideas, therefore can any director really be considered the "best" if he has been inspired by the works of others? Naturally though, someone can be thought of as the best for a personal reason.

I have my favorites, many of whom have been mentioned and I don't need to reiterate any names already mentioned, but I would like to mention the following:

Ousmane Sembene - Senegal
Feroz Khan - India
Jean Renoir - France
Pedro Almodovar - Spain
Sergio Leone - Italy

I love film but unless I was able to watch each and every film ever made, regardless of origin, genre and language, I don't think I could formulate a proper opinion of who I thought was the best.

My 2c,

K.

[Hugh DiMauro]

Joe:

I forgot about Cassavetes! Add him to my post!

[Jacques Mersereau]

IMO, there is no single best director, but one not yet mentioned who I love is John Huston. "Badges, we don't need no stinkin' badges!"

I also love Kubrick and use him all the time to downplay awards as
a true indiction of achievement. Stanley never won an Oscar!!!

[Hugh DiMauro]

Jacques:

It's "Bodges". Hahahahaha!

[Andy Graham]

The question of who is the best director can only be dictated by the personal experience of the actors and crew who work under that director, actors or crew may like certain directors over others for their communication or lack there of etc etc, at the end of the day the director is there to direct cast and crew in which case the question really is which director makes the best films......and that is down to personal opinion.

If you asked a regular joe public who directed king kong or the usual suspects and asked them what other films they directed i would bet good money they would have no clue

Andy.

[Bryon Akerman]

I'm sure I'll be alone in this, but.....

I love Clint Eastwood as a Director. I'm sure acting for as many years as he did would have to have an effect on directing, but to me, the shots, feel, and look of the films he directs are incredible. Unforgiven, IMHO, is one of the best shot movies of all time. When I say shot, I am talking about, locations, camera angles, lighting, color, feel, etc.) Pretty much everything under the director's hat.

IMHO
Bryon <><

[Frank Howard]

I still have to say Luis Buñuel and second Guy Debord...

[Peter Moretti]

I have to respect Spielberg as one of the best b/c of "Munich." Flawlessly acted and Spielberg's need for at least a few minutes of heavy-handed sentimentality was absent.

I also believe that Robert Redford's directing portfoilo has exemplary work: "Ordinary People" and "A River Runs Through It."

[Victor Kellar]

Alan Smithee. Really, who else would you pick as the world's greatest director of all time?

[Yi Fong Yu]

good thread! kurosawa because he's the first internationally respected asian director =). i'm asian and i wanna be a director one of these days. thus, he's my Sensei in the truest sense.

7 sam. is my fav. film of all time and yesh i have the 3 disc criterion edition... as well as in HD >). my fav. part of his works has to do with the humanity he injects into his works.

2nd fav. director is orson welles+citizen kane. even though it was "one-hit-wonder" i really think he could have achieved the greatness yet again if it hadn't been for hearst.

[Brian Standing]

Originally Posted by Yi Fong Yu

2nd fav. director is orson welles+citizen kane. even though it was "one-hit-wonder"

I beg to differ with this characterization of Welles as a "one-hit wonder." "Touch of Evil," "The Stranger," "The Magnificent Ambersons," even "Macbeth" and "Mr. Arkadin" all came after "Citizen Kane" and all illustrate the man's genius.

Keep in mind that very few of Welles' films were released the way he wanted them, as he fought countless battles against the studio system of the day. Without Welles, I doubt there would be an independent cinema in America today, or at least it would look extremely different.

And don't forget Welles' work in live theater and radio, too, just to add to his resume'.

[Brian Standing]

Originally Posted by Victor Kellar

Alan Smithee. Really, who else would you pick as the world's greatest director of all time?

Certainly the most prolific. He's had a very long career, too. Still going strong at what... 108, 110?

[Yi Fong Yu]

that is why i said one hit wonder. i didn't really mean it in a derogatory sense. i just meant that it is the one film in which he had complete artistic control over. it's the one film that was truly his. the rest... got taken away from him. i dunno what other idioms i could use to describe that scenario.

yesh, i'm well aware of his previous achievements.

this has more info about orson welles's non-film works from The Mercury Theatre:
http://www.mercurytheatre.info/

he was also an accomplished painter, poet and writer, etc. he is truly one of the great American genius artists of our time. it's going to be very difficult to have another human being like that ever again.

Originally Posted by Brian Standing

Keep in mind that very few of Welles' films were released the way he wanted them, as he fought countless battles against the studio system of the day. Without Welles, I doubt there would be an independent cinema in America today, or at least it would look extremely different.

And don't forget Welles' work in live theater and radio, too, just to add to his resume'.