Greatest American Film Director

[monosylab1k]

plus, Lee has made some classics that were also socially relevant.

And I might have included Malick if he made more than one movie every decade.

[peewee's lovechild]

plus, Lee has made some classics that were also socially relevant.

And I might have included Malick if he made more than one movie every decade.

One Malick movie supercedes anything Lee has done.

Badlands and The Thin Red Line are over and beyond greater than any Lee product.

[leemajors]

The poll would also have been better served if Terrence Malick's name was there.

How the can you have e Lee up there and not Lucas or Malick???

lee has made 2-3 times as many good movies as lucas. no one else likes frankenheimer? manchurian candidate, seconds, birdman of alcatraz?

[peewee's lovechild]

lee has made 2-3 times as many good movies as lucas.

What movie(s) that Lee has made are better than Star Wars???

Go ahead, say it with a straight face.

[peewee's lovechild]

But, you're right about Frankenheimer.

I loved Ronin and Path To War on HBO was pretty god damned good.

[angel_luv]

Seriously, no George Lucas?

Lame.

My thought exactly.

[leemajors]

What movie(s) that Lee has made are better than Star Wars???

Go ahead, say it with a straight face.

do the right thing. star wars is highly entertaining and packs nostalgic punch, but isn't a terribly good movie. empire was WAY better, mostly because kirshner (sp?) directed it.

[Spurminator]

If it's just for one movie then Frank Darabont deserves mention too.

[peewee's lovechild]

do the right thing

Better than Star Wars???



You can stop posting on this thread now.

[leemajors]

Better than Star Wars???



You can stop posting on this thread now.

as soon as you quit insisting that lucas is a decent director.

[peewee's lovechild]

If it's just for one movie then Frank Darabont deserves mention too.

Shawshank, Green Mile . . . yeah, I'll give you that.
Plus, he's rumored to be directing Farenheit 451!!!

BUT, HE'S FRENCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[peewee's lovechild]

as soon as you quit insisting that lucas is a decent director.

Ok, whatever.

I'm still cracking up at your previous post.

[CuckingFunt]

Legitimate question: should we be looking at film makers who are American born, or makers of American films?

[leemajors]

Ok, whatever.

I'm still cracking up at your previous post.

as is everyone but angel_luv at you wanting lucas on the list.

[Spurminator]

BUT, HE'S FRENCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ehhhh, you're right.

But he came to America as an infant. So cut me some slack.

[peewee's lovechild]

Legitimate question: should we be looking at film makers who are American born, or makers of American films?

I'm assuming that it's American born because of the way the question was posed.

If we go with American films, this will be quite a lengthy thread.

[peewee's lovechild]

Ehhhh, you're right.

But he came to America as an infant. So cut me some slack.

All right, I'll give you that.

[FromWayDowntown]

Citizen Kane is great, but it's all about Touch of Evil. Any film good enough to make you not care that Charlton Heston is playing a Mexican has GOT to be awesome.

I admire Kane because it's both a captivating picture and (as I understand such things) a true revolutionary step in film making. I'm no film expert, but I understand that Welles attempted and accomplished things in Kane that had never been tried before and that are now a part of every filmmaker's vocabulary. That's not to say that Welles didn't also do fabulous directing (and acting) jobs in other films; but Kane is a landmark film for reasons that go far beyond its compelling story.

[CuckingFunt]

As for e Lee, people can (and probably should) argue the merit of his heavy handed narrative techniques, and maybe those techniques have an impact of the accessibility and enjoyability of his films, but it's hard to deny his technical skills. Even the films of his that have pissed me off have been HUGELY impressive in terms of visual/compositional elements.

[peewee's lovechild]

As for e Lee, people can (and probably should) argue the merit of his heavy handed narrative techniques, and maybe those techniques have an impact of the accessibility and enjoyability of his films, but it's hard to deny his technical skills. Even the films of his that have pissed me off have been HUGELY impressive in terms of visual/compositional elements.

But, he's still no George Lucas.

[CuckingFunt]

I admire Kane because it's both a captivating picture and (as I understand such things) a true revolutionary step in film making. I'm no film expert, but I understand that Welles attempted and accomplished things in Kane that had never been tried before and that are now a part of every filmmaker's vocabulary. That's not to say that Welles didn't also do fabulous directing (and acting) jobs in other films; but Kane is a landmark film for reasons that go far beyond its compelling story.

Oh, I agree. Kane is Wells' masterpiece, without question.

But Touch of Evil is equally impressive for its genre, and is the more enjoyable of the two films. Citizen Kane is brilliant, and both are a part of my DVD collection, but Touch of Evil is the one I reach for when I'm ready to watch a flick.

[CuckingFunt]

But, he's still no George Lucas.

No. In terms of technical skill -- and I'm talking about film techniques here, not CG and special effects -- I'd say that e Lee has Lucas beat by a considerable margin.

Lucas definitely is in the discussion when you're dealing with the whos and whys of technological advancements in film, but in general he's a much better storyteller than he is a filmmaker. Take away all the digital doodads from the prequels, for instance, and the films become quite... pedestrian.

Star Wars and American Graffiti are pure, but nothing else of his is really that impressive.

[E20]

I hate Woody Allen's sense of humor and dry comedy. It isn't funny.

[monosylab1k]

Take away all the digital doodads from the prequels, for instance, and the films become quite... pedestrian.

they're pedestrian even with all that crap in there.

special effects cease to be special when they're used in every shot of the entire movie.

[monosylab1k]

Better than Star Wars???

as far as entertainment value and in it's importance to the furthering of the craft, no, Do The Right Thing is not better than Star Wars.

as far as artistic value and social relevance and being a truly independent-minded film that sparks discussion, Do The Right Thing is far superior.