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Who is the greatest living filmmaker?

Started by Monsieur Verdoux, June 27, 2017, 02:35:16 PM

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Who is the greatest living filmmaker?

In my opinion, it's Jean-Luc Godard, for still trying to break the limits of the medium and trying to find new avenues of expression even though he could have packed it up and started resting on his laurels ages ago. But it might be a toss up between him and David Lynch, whose work has consistently been fucking mind-expandingly excellent for about 40 years now. Lynch is one of the very few directors where I'm desperately excited for every new thing he does.

What about for you? Use any criteria you want, personal favourite, historical importance, artistic achievement, etc.

Cerys


Shit Good Nose

I would have to say either Werner Herzog or Terrence Malick, even though in the latter's case I'm only basing it on less than half of the films he's made.

Ken Loach is probs way up there too.

Glebe

[tag]The Dogs (2015) director enters thread feeling optimistic.[/tag]

Mini

David Cronenberg. He may not have the finesse of say Paul Thomas Anderson but what he has is vision, and again I look forward to everything he does because it always has his point of view and its one I find endlessly fascinating.

newbridge

I would still say the Coen Brothers, even though they've had a few misses for me (such as Hail Caesar)


Keebleman

It's me.

Granted, I haven't actually made any films yet, apart from a short about a mate of mine which was shown to five people nine years ago in Cardiff, but I am the best.

Give me ten million pounds and I'll prove it.

zomgmouse

I second very many of these (Lynch, Coens, Herzog, Cronenberg, Gilliam, Lee) and would like to add:

Kaurismäki
Wenders
Waters
Scorsese
Leigh
Varda

Shit Good Nose

Even though I'm not a fan in the least, Danny Boyle deserves recognition for the sheer breadth of his films.  I can't think of another director who is so versatile in a huge variety of genres.  I think slapstick is about the only thing he's not done yet.

Sin Agog

*checks if Jan Svankmajer is still alive*

Jan Svankmajer.

greenman

Quote from: newbridge on June 27, 2017, 03:09:30 PM
I would still say the Coen Brothers, even though they've had a few misses for me (such as Hail Caesar)

The merely passable comedies they sandwich inbetween actually highlight just how long they've retained the ability to put out quality films, each time you think they must have lost it they come back with something of real quality.

Dr Syntax Head

Quote from: Glebe on June 27, 2017, 02:58:30 PM
[tag]The Dogs (2015) director enters thread feeling optimistic.[/tag]

As many invisible Karma as I'm allowed to give. Brilliant!

Dr Syntax Head


Dr Syntax Head

Quote from: Mini on June 27, 2017, 03:00:17 PM
David Cronenberg. He may not have the finesse of say Paul Thomas Anderson but what he has is vision, and again I look forward to everything he does because it always has his point of view and its one I find endlessly fascinating.

Cronenberg is my go to when I'm not in the mood for Lynch but want some serious creepy dread. Crash, Existenz and Videodrome are stone cold classics.

Love PTA too, even that Adam Sandler film (fucking hate Sadler usually). Boogie Nights is just a blast from start to finish. Fun, Dark, Upsetting, stylish, sexy, hilarious (the recording studio scene especially) all at the same time. And I could watch Cruise in Magnolia all day. That film makes me cry at the Fiona Apple song around the part with the falling frogs every time.

Its Roger Corman, not only for his huge body of work, but the influence he has on others, and he did it all on super tight budgets and almost always made a profit. Also has made films in most genres including, Creatue Features, Westons, Biker movies, Gangster Movies, Drug Movies, Edgar Allen Poe adaptations, Car Chase movies. Credited with directing 55 movies and producing 385 offcially. Still prodcuing b-movies for Sy-Fi at the age of 91. Directed his first movie in 1955.

biggytitbo

It's Martin Scorsese or Steven Spielberg, hard to choose between them as their films are mostly quite different.

But Martin Scorsese owes his start in Film making to Roger Corman.


slapasoldier

Obviously Mr Awhyte Mayall. How could it be anyone else!

Mr Banlon


Small Man Big Horse

It's Lynch for me as well, closely followed by Hayao Miyazaki, with Jaco Van Dormael trailing a little behind, if only because he hasn't made many films.

biggytitbo

Martin Scorsese for me, his filmography is untouchable - Boxcar Bertha, New York New York, The Aviator etc.

Quote from: biggytitbo on June 27, 2017, 08:35:16 PM
Martin Scorsese for me, his filmography is untouchable - Boxcar Bertha, New York New York, The Aviator etc.

The latter two are absolutely fantastic films imo.

Blumf


Funcrusher

Godard is probably the last of the real giants left, so he's it I suppose. Scorsese has been rubbish for decades now in my opinion, and has really tarnished his standing, but that's just me. Never been fussed about Lynch. I think at one point Kiarostami was maybe the best director working, but he's now no longer with us, and Wong Kar Wai was at one point, but he's fallen off a bit. Hou Hsiao-hsien is a contender. Herzog as well, although he hasn't been quite so consistent of late.

He's indulgent and surrounded by yes men these days, but Tarantino has done some great, if unoriginal stuff. The Noel Gallagher of directors, perhaps.

asids

Is Albert Pyun still kicking about? Absolute legend, he should be in the discussion.

In all seriousness, any suggestion of Tarantino being the *greatest* living filmmaker is just nonsense. I mean, he's not bad, but come on.

Small Man Big Horse

I think Park Chan-wook's got to be up there, he had a minor mis-steps with Stoker (and to a lesser extent Thirst) but I love all of his other work.

I'm with Funcrusher when it comes to Scorsese, if he'd quit after Goodfellas he'd be in with a shout but some of his most recent fare is pretty shocking.

hewantstolurkatad

So people who have been consistently good and don't really show signs that they'll go to the dogs??

Here are some names that haven't been mentioned:
Frederick Wiseman
Bela Tarr (retired)
Hirokazu Koreeda
Hayoa Miyazaki (retired?)
Lee Chang Dong
Andrey Zvyagintsev
Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Mike Leigh
Steven Soderbergh (more a quantity*quality case here rather than pure quality, also retired?)
Charlie Kaufman