The Top 10 "Modern-Era" Directors
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Written by: Doug Kelker
The life of a film director must be a stressful one! He or she is responsible for every aspect of a production, from the general level of acting to the use of shadow and light. If a given director manages to finish a film without going bonkers, critical (dis)approval affects the film's success and possibly the director's reputation in the industry. Making a single successful film is a challenge in itself, but it would be a shot in a million for individual directors to rise above the sea of obscurity and make a reputation for themselves, not only among other filmmakers, but also to filmgoers. The following is a list of the best directors from recent decades who have emerged from the above oversimplified career track. They are chosen on the basis of their innovation behind the camera, the number of significant films under their belts, awards won, and other factors. They are listed alphabetically. |
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| 1. |
Francis Ford Coppola
The 1970s were big years for Coppola. He directed the first two Oscar-winning chapters of The Godfather trilogy in '72 and '74. At the end of the decade, he directed Apocalypse Now, one of the darkest war movies. Unfortunately, Coppola did not yield many memorable movies from the 1980s to the present, but the strength of these three classics earns him a place on this list.Other career highlights: The Conversation, The Outsiders and The Godfather: Part III |
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| 2. |
Cameron Crowe
Since his directorial debut with 1989's Say Anything, Crowe has not made a bad film, according to popular opinion. Most of his movies have been sophisticated comedies containing memorable scenes or elements. From the mere mention of a boom box playing Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes," "Show me the money," and "band-aids," you should have instantly recalled three of Crowe's best films.Other career highlights: Singles, Jerry Maguire, and Almost Famous |
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| 3. |
Milos Forman
This name should mean, if anything, one thing to you: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. In all of his films, Forman uses music to maximize emotion during appropriate scenes, which increases the scene's emotion and also my eagerness to watch anything with his name attached to it. Most recently, Forman has been providing filmgoers with biopics showing balanced portrayals of the infamous celebrities Larry Flynt and Andy Kaufman.Other career highlights: Amadeus, The People vs. Larry Flynt, and Man on the Moon |
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| 4. |
Stanley Kubrick
Not one to be typecast, Kubrick has made several different types of movies. Most of those films have become memorable representatives of their respective genre (i.e Full Metal Jacket). A perfectionist by reputation, Kubrick extracted some realistic performances from his casts, regardless of the number of takes. Kubrick will be forever known as one of the most daring film directors in Hollywood history.Other career highlights: Dr. Strangelove, A Clockwork Orange, and The Shining |
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| 5. |
Roman Polanski
Although Polanski's '80s and ''90s output was unimpressive (Frantic and The Ninth Gate), he redeemed himself big-time with The Pianist. At his peak, Polanksi was a master of suspense (i.e. Rosemary's Baby).Other career highlights: Chinatown, Macbeth, and Death and the Maiden |
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| 6. |
Martin Scorsese
Scorcese's films are often brutally violent, unforgettable, long and significant. He specializes in films that center on unstable characters. The 1990s were generally low-profile years for Scorcese (discounting Goodfellas), but Gangs of New York reminded filmgoers of his talent.Other career highlights: Taxi Driver, Goodfellas and Cape Fear |
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| 7. |
Ridley Scott
One of the lesser-known directors on this list, but his movies are memorable in themselves. If you have seen Alien, then you should be able to recall the taste of your own fingernails. Whadoyasay, can we finally forgive him for Hannibal?Other career highlights: Blade Runner, Gladiator and Black Hawk Down | |
| 8. |
Steven Spielberg
Speilberg is certainly the most successful director of all time. Nearly all of his movies are highly profitable blockbusters or award-worthy think pieces. Like Kubrick, Speilberg is a jack-of-all-trades, having made excellent films in the horror, science fiction, historical drama, biopic, war, and comedy genres.Career highlights: The creme-de-la-creme can be found in the Top Ten Speilberg Films article. |
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| 9. |
Oliver Stone
If there is one word to describe Stone's films, it's "unique." He seems to be more interested in making the audience think than to entertain it. Nevertheless, Stone's films are among the boldest in the business. Career highlights: Platoon, Wall Street, and JFK |
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| 10. |
Robert Zemeckis
Zemeckis' title should be "film engineer;" the title "director" is an understatement. His talent with special effects is unparalleled. For example, in Forrest Gump, he seamlessly inserted Tom Hanks into archive footage and introduced a novel way of movie storytelling.Other career highlights: The Back to the Future trilogy, Who Framed Roger Rabbit and HBO's "Tales from the Crypt" Other notable directors: 1. Spike Lee -- a master commentator of urban life and race relations. 2. James Cameron -- He can make any big-budget project into a success. 3. Quentin Tarantino -- Two of his three films insofar are cult classics. Check out our related list of the Top 10 Directors Under 35... Did we overlook your favorite modern-day director? Drop us a line and tell us which selections you agreed with, and which young directors you think we missed. For buying info on any of the Top 10's "Essential Films" (see below), click on the director head shots above or on the movie names below: 1) Francis Ford Coppola: The Godfather. 2) Cameron Crowe: Say Anything. 3) Milos Forman: One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest. 4) Stanley Kubrick: A Clockwork Orange. 5) Roman Polanski: Chinatown. 6) Martin Scorsese: Taxi Driver. 7) Ridley Scott: Alien. 8) Steven Spielberg: Jaws. 9) Oliver Stone: Platoon. 10) Robert Zemeckis: Forrest Gump. All director head shots are courtesy of the Internet Movie Database, where you can read director bios and filmographies. |
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