Top 10 American Directors

[Parklife]

MSNBC Film Critic John Hartle came out with his top 10 american film diretors:

http://www.msnbc.com/news/992307.asp?0dm=C1AWL

“THESE 10 FILMMAKERS have established turf that’s decidedly their own. Each uses his own, persuasively personal filter to view a wide range of subjects.”

WOODY ALLEN

ROBERT ALTMAN

JOEL COEN

FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA

CLINT EASTWOOD

DAVID LYNCH

TERRENCE MALICK

JOHN SAYLES

MARTIN SCORSESE

STEVEN SPIELBERG
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The actual article spells out some of the highlights for each of them. Pretty good list as far as I'm concerned but I'd swith out Terrence Malick and John Sayles and toss in Tim Burton and Terry Gilliam. The work of those two easily surpasses Malick and Sayles in my mind.

 

[gauchecritic]

Terry Gilliam outdoes them all. Maybe he's too 'British'.

Gauche

 

[Guest]

Easy, but good catch, Gauche.

Now what irks me is the use of "American" here. America is not the U.S. alone, but I see no Mexican, Argentinian, Bolivian, Canadian, etc. directors on that list.

Xarumphtl, Perdita

 

[Seattle Zack]

John Hartl used to be the film critic for one of the Seattle papers (the Pee-Eye, I think), and I never liked his reviews, the guy's kind of a nitwit.

On his list I'd drop Malick (only three films), Sayles (just never got into his stuff) and Spielburg (his dramatic stuff is overplayed, I think).

Other directors with a more unique voice, such as Tim Burton, John Waters or Quentin Tarantino would be on my list.

Then there's the horror movie directors ...

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

Uh, I don't suppose you high-tone cinema lovers would consider Roger Corman or the Mitchell Brothers as top ten directors, would ya?

I didn't think so.

Rumple

 

[DarkrSide]

And since he's my favorite director, I have to throw the name out there too. Kevin Smith.

 

[Parklife]

it's one thing to say that non-us directors are ignored...

it's another to open our eyes to some we have yet to discover..

I must admit, my own mexican director knowledge are limited to the guy that directed "like water for chocolate" (he also had a role in "The Three Amigos") and Alfonso Cuaron (whom I believe to be a great director yet only has a few movies under his belt)...

And admittedly, my knowledge of actors of similar american backing is equally destitute.... (As well as grant that the author of this article probably only thought of US directors, as did I... but if any other director can match the above, i'd love to find him/her)

But, i'm willing to listen and learn.

Kevin Smith... I've enjoyed his movies but wouldn't have him replace any of the one's mentioned above.

Tarantino... Just never been a big fan of (and he lacks the breadth as well. Hasn't he only directed 4 movies so far?)

Speilberg... I think he makes the list just because of the contribution he's made in the the last 30 years of the last century (Jaws, Indiana Jones, ET, Close Encounters)

and Rumple... you're right on those two... hell, i'm not sure i've ever even heard of them

one director I love that would just miss out on a top 10 for me is Richard Linklater...

Park~

 

[Linbido]

Can't find the info: Is Walter Salles some kind of american perchance?

 

[Colleen Thomas]

Uh, I don't suppose you high-tone cinema lovers would consider Roger Corman or the Mitchell Brothers as top ten directors, would ya?

I didn't think so.

Rumple

Being pop culture illiterate I'd vote for the mitchell Bros. with you Rumple

At least I know who they are and hve visted their theatre

I think Ron Howard should be considered too.

-Colly