Astonishing Directors

1. John Landis

John Landis began his career in the mail room of 20th Century-Fox. A high-school dropout, 18-year-old Landis made his way to Yugoslavia to work as a production assistant on Kelly's Heroes (1970). Remaining in Europe, Landis found work as an actor, extra and stuntman in many of the Spanish/Italian "...

A master of comedy, he has such a skill that most don't have, though he has had many duds his successes overall overshadow those cock-ups of his. Notable works incl. Blues Brothers, Animal House and An American Werewolf in New York

2. John G. Avildsen

Director | Rocky

John G. Avildsen was born on December 21, 1935 in Oak Park, Illinois, USA. He was a director and editor, known for Rocky (1976), The Karate Kid Part III (1989) and Rocky V (1990). He was married to Tracy Brooks Swope and Marie Olga Maturevich. He died on June 16, 2017 in Los Angeles, California, ...

Basically, he's fantastic. His work on the movie Rocky influenced Stanley Kubrick's technique on the film The Shining. Notable works incl. Rocky, Lean on Me and The Karate Kid.

3. Roman Polanski

Director | Chinatown

Roman Polanski is a Polish film director, producer, writer and actor. Having made films in Poland, Britain, France and the USA, he is considered one of the few truly international filmmakers. Roman Polanski was born in Paris in 1933.

His parents returned to Poland from France in 1936, three years ...

Controversial as he is - He's still brilliant. A brilliant director that is, I wouldn't give him a hand for paedophilistic tendencies. Notable works incl. The Apartment Trilogy, Chinatown and The Pianist

4. Walter Hill

Writer | 48 Hrs.

Hill was born in Long Beach, California and educated at Mexico City College and Michigan State University. He worked in oil drilling and construction in the 60s before becoming a 2nd assistant director in 1967. He has written and co-written screenplays, including several uncredited works. He has ...

What he did for movies in the 80s was extraordinary, he entertained people and was great at it. Notable works incl. The Warriors, 48 Hrs and Red Heat

5. Michael Mann

Producer | The Insider

As a director, screenwriter, and producer, four-time Academy Award nominee Michael Mann has established himself as one of the most innovative and influential filmmakers in American cinema. After writing and directing the Primetime Emmy Award-winning television movie The Jericho Mile (1979), Mann ...

Here we have a director that is just perfect, he has not stopped making good movies since the 80s. Notable works incl. Heat, Thief and The Last of the Mohicans

6. Oliver Stone

Director | JFK

Oliver Stone has become known as a master of controversial subjects and a legendary film maker. His films are filled with a variety of film angles and styles, he pushes his actors to give Oscar-worthy performances, and despite his failures, has always returned to success.

William Oliver Stone was ...

Controversial and political and full of himself. What's not to like? Apart from him being full of himself... anyway he's great Notable works incl. The Doors, Natural Born Killers and JFK

7. Edward Zwick

Producer | Thirtysomething

Zwick moves deftly between the roles of writer, director and producer. He was nominated for a Golden Globe for his direction of the 1989 critically acclaimed Civil War drama, Glory. He received his second Golden Globe nomination as a director for Legends of the Fall. Zwick received an Academy Award...

Ah Edward If only you weren't paired with an averagey screenplay most of the time. Notable works incl. Glory, About Last Night, Blood Diamond

8. Frank Oz

Actor | The Muppet Show

Frank Richard Oznowicz was born in Hereford, England to puppeteers Frances and Isidore Oznowicz. His family moved to Montana in 1951, eventually settling in Oakland, California. As a teenager, he worked as an apprentice puppeteer at Children's Fairyland amusement park. He is one of the primary ...

As brilliant a director as he is voicing Yoda. Notable works incl. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, What About Bob?, Death at a Funeral

9. John Hughes

Writer | Planes, Trains & Automobiles

John Hughes was an American film director, film producer, and screenwriter. He was credited for creating some of the most memorable comedy films of the 1980s and the 1990s, when he was at the height of his career. He had a talent for writing coming-of-age stories, and for depicting fairly realistic...

A legend who brought us many classics wish they'd stop making Home Alone's as they're tainting his name, but oh well. Notable works incl. The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Curly Sue

10. Steven Spielberg

Producer | Schindler's List

One of the most influential personalities in the history of cinema, Steven Spielberg is Hollywood's best known director and one of the wealthiest filmmakers in the world. He has an extraordinary number of commercially successful and critically acclaimed credits to his name, either as a director, ...

Great director, bit overrated, but most are. Notable works incl. Saving Private Ryan, Jaws and 1984

11. Miguel Ángel Vivas

Director | Extinction

Miguel Ángel Vivas is known for Extinction (2015), Kidnapped (2010) and Your Son (2018).

What a film 'Kidnapped' is. I'm waiting for more.

12. Cameron Crowe

Writer | Almost Famous

Certainly idiosyncratic as a writer, Cameron Crowe has created a series of scripts that, while liked by the critics, were considered offbeat and difficult to market.

Cameron Bruce Crowe was born in Palm Springs, California, to Alice Marie Crowe (née George), a teacher and activist, and James A. ...

He is too amazing, he went undercover to write the film 'Fast Times at Ridgemont High' talk about commitment. Notable films incl. Say Anything, Almost Famous and Vanilla Sky

13. Paul Schrader

Writer | First Reformed

Although his name is often linked to that of the "movie brat" generation (Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, George Lucas, Brian De Palma, etc.) Paul Schrader's background couldn't have been more different than theirs. His strict Calvinist parents refused to allow him to see a...

Not as good as he is a writer, but nonetheless brilliant. Notable works incl. American Gigolo, Mishima and The Comfort of Strangers

14. William Friedkin

Director | To Live and Die in L.A.

Friedkin's mother was an operating room nurse. His father was a merchant seaman, semi-pro softball player and ultimately sold clothes in a men's discount chain. Ultimately, his father never earned more than $50/week in his whole life and died indigent. Eventually young Will became infatuated with ...

He has scared and thrilled people for years, he is an insanely good director. Notable works incl. The Exorcist, The French Connection and The Hunted

15. Luciano Tovoli

Cinematographer | Professione: reporter

Luciano Tovoli was born on October 30, 1936 in Massa Marittima, Grosseto, Italy. He is a cinematographer, known for The Passenger (1975), The General of the Dead Army (1983) and Tenebrae (1982).

Mainly known for his cinematography. His one fairly well known direction is extremely brilliant. Check it out it's called 'The General of the Dead Army' or 'Il generale dell'armata morta' in Italian.

16. Walter Salles

Director | Central do Brasil

Walter Salles was born on April 12, 1956 in Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He is a director and producer, known for Central Station (1998), The Motorcycle Diaries (2004) and Terra Estrangeira (1995). He is married to Maria Klabin. They have one child.

Here we have an exceptionally good director that is just getting better over the course of his career. Notable works incl. The Motorcycle Diaries, Behind the Sun and On the Road

17. François Truffaut

Writer | La nuit américaine

French director François Truffaut began to assiduously go to the movies at age seven. He was also a great reader but not a good pupil. He left school at 14 and started working. In 1947, aged 15, he founded a film club and met André Bazin, a French critic, who became his protector. Bazin helped the ...

Such an excellent director. I honestly wish he were still alive. Notable works incl. Confidentially Yours, The 400 Blows and Jules and Jim

18. Tony Scott

Producer | Domino

Tony Scott was a British-born film director and producer. He was the youngest of three brothers, one of whom is fellow film director Ridley Scott. He was born in North Shields, Northumberland, England to parents Jean and Colonel Francis Percy Scott. As a result of his father's career in the British...

What can I say? I love him, though it was very unfortunate he switched to action movies after his two arty films 'Loving Memory' and 'The Hunger' they were brilliant. Notable works incl. Top Gun, True Romance and Enemy of the State

19. Barry Levinson

Director | Rain Man

Barry Lee Levinson was born in Baltimore, Maryland, to Violet (Krichinsky) and Irvin Levinson, who worked in furniture and appliance. He is of Russian Jewish descent. Levinson graduated from high school in 1960, attended college at American University in Washington, DC. He did well, but decided he ...

Fantastic director, though he has had many duds. Notable works incl. Sleepers, Wag the Dog and Diner

20. Woo-sang Park

Director | American Chinatown

Woo-sang Park was born on January 2, 1943 in Gwangju, Gyeonggi, South Korea. He was a director and writer, known for American Chinatown (1995), Miami Connection (1987) and Gang Justice (1991). He died on April 11, 2006 in Seoul, Korea.

A guilty pleasure... He really isn't all that great, but watching his films and laughing at the bloody action, great fun. Notable works incl. Miami Connection, Los Angeles Streetfighter

21. David Schwimmer

Actor | Friends

Born in New York and raised in Los Angeles, Schwimmer was encouraged by a high school instructor to attend a summer program in acting at Northwestern University. Inspired by that experience, he returned to Northwestern where he received a bachelor's degree in speech/theater. In 1988, along with ...

Hope to see more from him... 'Trust' was insanely good and Run Fat Boy Run wasn't bad.

22. Brad Anderson

Director | Session 9

Brad Anderson was born in 1964 in Madison, Connecticut, USA. He is a director and producer, known for Session 9 (2001), The Machinist (2004) and Transsiberian (2008).

Amazing director and very interesting if you've watched his films. Notable works incl. The Machinist, Session 9 and Vanishing on 7th Street

23. Paolo Sorrentino

Writer | È stata la mano di Dio

Director and screenwriter Paolo Sorrentino was born in Naples in 1970, and and became an orphan when he lost both of his parents at the age of 16. At the age of 25, after studying for a few years at the Faculty of Economics and Business in University of Naples Federico II, he decided to work in the...

Amazing director, very happy I have come to know of him. Notable works incl. Il divo, This Must Be The Place and the Consequences of Love

24. Robert Allan Ackerman

Director | Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows

Robert Allan Ackerman was born on June 30, 1944 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. He was a director and producer, known for Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows (2001), My House in Umbria (2003) and The Ramen Girl (2008). He died on January 10, 2022 in Los Angeles, California, USA.

No one really talks about this director - they should. Notable works incl. Life with Judy Garland, The Ramen Girl and The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone

25. Gary Fleder

Director | Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead

Gary Fleder was born on December 19, 1965 in Norfolk, Virginia, USA. He is a producer and director, known for Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead (1995), Impostor (2001) and Runaway Jury (2003).

A great director, nice technique. Notable works incl. The Express, Runaway Jury and Things to do in Denver when you're Dead

26. John Curran

Director | Chappaquiddick

John Curran was born on September 11, 1960 in New York City, New York, USA. He is a director and writer, known for Chappaquiddick (2017).

A very good director that should get some more recognition (not that he doesn't have enough atm) Notable works incl. Praise, The Painted Veil and Stone

27. Harmony Korine

Director | Gummo

Harmony Korine was born in 1973 in Bolinas, California. His family moved to the east coast of the United States when he was five, and he spent his early years in Nashville, Tennessee, and New York. At the age of nineteen, he wrote the critically acclaimed screenplay Kids (1995) for director Larry ...

Controversial, but incredibly entertaining. Notable works incl. Gummo, Spring Breakers and Mister Lonely

28. Joss Whedon

Producer | Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Joss Whedon is the middle of five brothers - his younger brothers are Jed Whedon and Zack Whedon. Both his father, Tom Whedon and his grandfather, John Whedon were successful television writers. Joss' mother, Lee Stearns, was a history teacher and she also wrote novels as Lee Whedon. Whedon was ...

A great director/producer/writer. Mainly writer. Notable works incl. Firefly, Dr Horrible's Sing-Along Blog and Avengers Assemble

29. Aaron Schneider

Director | Greyhound

Aaron Schneider is known for Greyhound (2020), Get Low (2009) and Supernatural (2005).

'Get Low' was very, very, very good. Please do something else.

30. David Yates

Director | Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

David Yates was born on October 8, 1963 in St. Helens, Merseyside, England, UK. He is a director and producer, known for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007), The Legend of Tarzan (2016) and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011).

British director that never fails to deliver. Notable works incl. Sex Traffic, State of Play and Harry Potter

31. Tony Gatlif

Director | Vengo

Tony Gatlif was born on September 10, 1948 in Algiers, Alger, France [now Algeria]. He is a director and writer, known for Vengo (2000), Freedom (2009) and The Crazy Stranger (1997).

Brilliant guy. Notable works incl. Exiles, Korkoro and The Crazy Stranger

32. Xavier Beauvois

Writer | Des hommes et des dieux

Xavier Beauvois was born on March 20, 1967 in Auchel, Pas-de-Calais, France. He is an actor and writer, known for Of Gods and Men (2010), North (1991) and Don't Forget You're Going to Die (1995).

Not all frenchies are horrible. Notable works incl. Of Gods and Men, The Young Lieutenant

33. Gilles Paquet-Brenner

Director | Crooked House

Gilles Paquet-Brenner was born on September 14, 1974 in Paris, France. He is a director and writer, known for Crooked House (2017), Sarah's Key (2010) and Dark Places (2015).

Interesting works, but not all of them good. Notable works incl. Sarah's Key, Pretty Things

34. Maïwenn

Actress | Polisse

Maïwenn (sometimes credited as Maïwenn Besco or her birth name Maïwenn Le Besco, born 17 April 1976) is a French actress, film director and screenwriter.

Maïwenn Le Besco was born in Les Lilas, Seine-Saint-Denis, France, a suburban area east of Paris. Maïwenn is of mixed Breton, Vietnamese, French, ...

Shockingly great. Notable works incl. Polisse, The Actress' Ball

35. Xavier Giannoli

Writer | Marguerite

Xavier Giannoli was born on March 7, 1970 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, Hauts-de-Seine, France. He is a writer and director, known for Marguerite (2015), Lost Illusions (2021) and L'interview (1998).

He needs more. Notable works incl. In the Beginning, Quand j'étais chanteur

36. Milcho Manchevski

Director | Pred dozhdot

Milcho Manchevski's acclaimed Before the Rain is considered "one of the greatest debut feature films in the history of cinema" (Annette Insdorf) and "one of the most important films of the decade" (Ann Kibbey). The New York Times included it on its list "Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made". It won the ...

A director and a half, bloody Yugoslavs. Notable works incl. Before the Rain, Shadows and Dust

37. Harold Ramis

Writer | Ghostbusters

Born on November 21, 1944 in Chicago, Illinois, Harold Allen Ramis got his start in comedy as Playboy magazine's joke editor and reviewer. In 1969, he joined Chicago's Second City's Improvisational Theatre Troupe before moving to New York to help write and perform in "The National Lampoon Show" ...

Extremely funny, nothing else but what you'd expect from a past SNL member. Notable works incl. Groundhog Day, Analyse This and Caddyshack

38. Sidney Lumet

Director | 12 Angry Men

Sidney Lumet was a master of cinema, best known for his technical knowledge and his skill at getting first-rate performances from his actors -- and for shooting most of his films in his beloved New York. He made over 40 movies, often complex and emotional, but seldom overly sentimental. Although ...

Classic director. Was still making brilliant films till his death which could be said less about a few others, not to mention any names (Stanley Kubrick) eyes wide shut my arse. Notable works incl. Dog Day Afternoon, Running on Empty, The Pawnbroker

39. Lasse Hallström

Director | What's Eating Gilbert Grape

Lasse Hallström inherited his enthusiasm for film from his father, who was an amateur filmmaker. In high school he made his first short film, which was released on Swedish television. Hallström then began working as a director, cameraman and editor for Swedish television. He also made music videos ...

A great director that has made many duds. Notable works incl. The Cider House Rules, What's Eating Gilbert Grape and The Shipping News

40. Davis Guggenheim

Producer | Training Day

Davis Guggenheim was born on November 3, 1963 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. He is a producer and director, known for Training Day (2001), Waiting for Superman (2010) and An Inconvenient Truth (2006). He has been married to Elisabeth Shue since August 1994. They have three children.

Honestly I was amazed when I saw his films. Notable works incl. Gossip, Gracie and It Might Get Loud

41. Neil Jordan

Writer | The Crying Game

Neil Jordan was born on February 25, 1950 in Sligo, Ireland. He is a writer and producer, known for The Crying Game (1992), Greta (2018) and Breakfast on Pluto (2005). He has been married to Brenda Rawn since June 30, 2004. They have two children. He was previously married to Vivienne Shields.

My sorta guy, the type that most likely loves cross-dressing. Notable works incl. Breakfast on Pluto, We're No Angels and The Crying Game (I hope he really isn't a cross dresser would ruin his already *beep* image)

42. Nicolas Winding Refn

Writer | The Neon Demon

Writer, director, and producer Nicolas Winding Refn was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1970, to Anders Refn, a film director and editor, and Vibeke Winding (née Tuxen), a cinematographer. Just before he turned 11, in 1981, he moved to New York with his parents, where he lived out his teen years. ...

Though he looks a bit like a warped JJ Abrahms he is still a better director. Notable works incl. Bronson, Drive and Pusher

43. Niels Arden Oplev

Director | Män som hatar kvinnor

Niels Arden Oplev was born on March 26, 1961 in Denmark. He is a director and producer, known for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2009), Drømmen (2006) and Held for Ransom (2019).

Here we have a director, and a good one at that. Notable works incl. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Worlds Apart and Dead Man Down

44. Michael Caton-Jones

Director | Memphis Belle

Michael Caton-Jones was born on October 15, 1957 in Broxburn, West Lothian, Scotland, UK. He is a director and producer, known for Memphis Belle (1990), Basic Instinct 2 (2006) and City by the Sea (2002).

Cool films, but doesn't seem a very cool guy. Notable works incl. This Boy's Life, Shooting Dogs and City by the Sea

45. James Cameron

Writer | Avatar: The Way of Water

James Francis Cameron was born on August 16, 1954 in Kapuskasing, Ontario, Canada. He moved to the United States in 1971. The son of an engineer, he majored in physics at California State University before switching to English, and eventually dropping out. He then drove a truck to support his ...

After Titanic he became the lost soul of a director. Notable works incl. True Lies, Terminator and The Abyss.

46. Kevin Smith

Producer | Clerks

Kevin Patrick Smith was born in Red Bank but grew up in Highlands, New Jersey, the son of Grace (Schultz) and Donald E. Smith, a postal worker. He is very proud of his native state; this fact can be seen in all of his movies. Kevin is of mostly German, with some Irish and English, ancestry.

His ...

One of the funniest fat guys alive and not only for being fat Notable works incl. Clerks, Jay and Silent Bob and Chasing Amy

47. Randall Miller

Director | Bottle Shock

Miller is a member of the DGA, SAG and the WGA. He began his career as a struggling actor appearing in TV commercials, theater and a few stints in television shows and movies. After USC Film School he went to the AFI. His thesis film at the AFI launched his career as a director working in ...

I'm just really happy he keeps casting Eliza Dushku. God how I wish for a night with her. Notable works incl. Bottle Shock, Nobel Son and Houseguest

48. Karel Reisz

Director | The French Lieutenant's Woman

Karel Reisz was born on July 21, 1926 in Ostrava, Czechoslovakia [now Czech Republic]. He was a director and producer, known for The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981), Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (1960) and Morgan! (1966). He was married to Betsy Blair and Julia Coppard. He died on November 25...

Sadly not here anymore, but if he was... He'd still be smashing it. Notable works incl. Morgan, The French Lieutenant's Woman and Saturday Night and Sunday Morning.

49. Aleksandar Petrovic

Director | Skupljaci perja

One of the most acclaimed and successful Yugoslav directors, born in 1929. in Paris. Studied film directing at the prestigious Academy of Performing Arts (FAMU) in Prague (1947/48). His studies remained unfinished due to the political aggravation between Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia at the time ...

Really, really, really good director. I must see more of his films. Notable works incl. Happy Gypsies, Tri and The Master and Margaret

50. Lewis Gilbert

Director | Alfie

Lewis Gilbert was a British film director, producer and screenwriter best known for Alfie (1966), as well as three James Bond films: You Only Live Twice (1967), The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) and Moonraker (1979).

He also directed Reach for the Sky (1956), Sink the Bismarck! (1960), Educating Rita (...

A bloody hit and miss director. Notable works incl. Alfie, The Adventurers and Educating Rita

51. Burt Kennedy

Director | The War Wagon

American screenwriter and director--particularly of westerns--Burt Kennedy was the son of performers. He was part of their act, "The Dancing Kennedys", from infancy. He served in World War II as a cavalry officer and was highly decorated. After the war he joined the Pasadena Community Playhouse, ...

Here was a man who knew his western movie. Notable works incl. The Deserter, The War Wagon and Support Your Local Sheriff!

52. Mauro Bolognini

Director | Madamigella di Maupin

Mauro Bolognini was born on February 28, 1922 in Pistoia, Tuscany, Italy. He was a director and writer, known for Madamigella di Maupin (1966), Mosca addio (1987) and Careless (1962). He died on May 14, 2001 in Rome, Lazio, Italy.

An Italian genius. Notable works incl. Libera, amore mio, The Murri Affair and The Inheritance

53. Cyril Frankel

Director | Man of Africa

Cyril Frankel was born on December 28, 1921 in Stoke Newington, London, England, UK. He was a director and writer, known for Man of Africa (1953), Department S (1969) and The Avengers (1961). He died on June 7, 2017 in England, UK.

Brilliant I crave more from this director. Notable works incl. Never Take Sweets from a Stranger, The Witches and The Executioner

54. Tinto Brass

Writer | La vacanza

Giovanni Brass was born on 26 March 1933 into the family of a famous artist, Italico Brass, who was his grandfather. Italico gave his grandson a nickname "Tintoretto," which Giovanni later adapted into his cinematic name, Tinto Brass.

Tinto inherited his grandfather's artistic skills, but he applied...

Though very controversial and sometimes his films are quite bad (Caligula especially) he still is a solid director. Notable works incl. Salon Kitty, Trasgredire and Frivolous Lola

55. Giorgio Stegani

Writer | Cannibal Holocaust

Giorgio Stegani was born on October 13, 1928 in Milan, Lombardy, Italy. He was a writer and director, known for Cannibal Holocaust (1980), Ypotron - Final Countdown (1966) and Golden Chameleon (1967). He died on February 20, 2020 in Rome, Italy.

These spaghetti westerns always get to me. Notable works incl. Beyond the Law or Al di là della legge, Adiós gringo and Ready for Anything.

56. John Frankenheimer

Director | The Manchurian Candidate

Born in New York and raised in Queens, John Frankenheimer wanted to become a professional tennis player. He loved movies and his favorite actor was Robert Mitchum. He decided he wanted to be an actor but then he applied for and was accepted in the Motion Picture Squadron of the Air Force where he ...

A bloody brilliant director apart from that bloody Dr Morreau film, jesus christ. Notable works incl. Seconds, Black Sunday and The Burning Season

57. Goran Markovic

Director | Sabirni centar

The son of actors Rade Markovic and Olivera Markovic, between 1965 and 1970 he studied film directing in Prague and then started working for television, directing documentaries and about fifty tv movies. His first theatrical feature was the critically acclaimed and financially successful Special ...

Bloody Serbians. Notable works incl. Tito and Me and Special Education

58. Federico Fellini

Writer | Le notti di Cabiria

The women who both attracted and frightened him and an Italy dominated in his youth by Mussolini and Pope Pius XII - inspired the dreams that Fellini started recording in notebooks in the 1960s. Life and dreams were raw material for his films. His native Rimini and characters like Saraghina (the ...

One of the greatest Italians. I could watch 8 1/2 a 1000 and a half more times. Notable works incl. 8 1/2, La Dolce Vita and La Strada

59. Franco Rossi

Director | Amici per la pelle

Franco Rossi was born on April 28, 1919 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy. He was a director and writer, known for The Woman in the Painting (1955), Nude Odyssey (1961) and Smog (1962). He died on June 5, 2000 in Rome, Lazio, Italy.

Good director, he makes some pretty films. Notable works incl. L'Odyssey, A Baby Called Jesus and Quo Vadis?

60. Ken Annakin

Director | The Longest Day

A former salesman and journalist, Ken Annakin got into the film industry making documentary shorts. His feature debut, Holiday Camp (1947), was a comedy about a Cockney family on vacation. It was made for the Rank Organization and was a modest success, spawning three sequels, all of which he ...

Sometimes great and sometimes extremely shocking, but I still love the guy. Notable works incl. Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 hours 11 minutes, The Longest Day and Swiss Family Robinson

61. Claude Autant-Lara

Director | Le diable au corps

Claude Autant-Lara was born on August 5, 1901 in Luzarches, Val-d'Oise, France. He was a director and writer, known for Devil in the Flesh (1947), The Crossing of Paris (1956) and The Red and the Black (1954). He was married to Ghislaine Autant-Lara. He died on February 5, 2000 in Antibes, ...

Another Frenchy, a good one at that. Notable works incl. Pig Across Paris, Le comte de Monte Cristo and Tu ne tueras point

62. Robert Wiene

Director | Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari

Robert Wiene was born on April 24, 1873 in Breslau, Silesia, Germany [now Wroclaw, Dolnoslaskie, Poland]. He was a writer and director, known for The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920), Das wandernde Licht (1916) and The Knight of the Rose (1925). He died on July 17, 1938 in Paris, France.

Brilliant director, but sadly he has so many lost films with so many interesting actors in them... Notable works incl. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and Raskolnikow

63. Paul Wegener

Actor | Der Golem

Paul Wegener was born in Arnoldsdorf, West Prussia, part of the German Empire. His birthplace is currently part of Poland, under the name "Jarantowice". Wegener's family included a number of scientists, the most notable being his cousin Alfred Wegener (1880-1930). Alfred is remembered as the ...

A silent but brilliant director. Notable works incl. The Student of Prague and The Golem

64. Gary Ross

Writer | The Hunger Games

Gary Ross is an American writer, director and actor born November 3rd, 1956 in Los Angeles, California. His father was screenwriter Arthur A. Ross (1920 - 2008). After writing for television series The Hitchhiker (1983) in 1986, Ross broke through by penning the Tom Hanks hit Big (1988), his first ...

A director of few, but of great. Well apart from the averagey Hunger Games. Notable works incl. Pleasantville, Seabiscuit and Hunger Games.

65. John Dahl

Director | The Last Seduction

John Dahl was born on June 15, 1956 in Billings, Montana, USA. He is a director and writer, known for The Last Seduction (1994), Kill Me Again (1989) and Rounders (1998). He is married to Beth Jana Friedberg. They have four children.

Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. Notable works incl. Kill me Again, The Last Seduction, Red Rock West, Roadkill and Rounders

66. John Singleton

Writer | Boyz n the Hood

Son of Danny Singleton, a mortgage broker, and Sheila Ward, a pharmaceutical company sales executive, and raised in separate households by his unmarried parents, John Singleton attended the Film Writing Program at USC, after graduating from high school in 1986. While studying there, he won three ...

This guy started off immensely well. Notable works incl. Boyz n the Hood, Baby Boy and Higher Learning.

67. Richard Donner

Director | Superman

Richard Donner was born on April 24, 1930 in The Bronx, New York City, New York, USA. He was a director and producer, known for Superman (1978), Ladyhawke (1985) and Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut (1980). He was married to Lauren Shuler Donner. He died on July 5, 2021 in Los Angeles, ...

The Man who brought us Lethal Weapon (though the film would've been a bit bland without Shane Black) Notable works incl. Lethal Weapon, The Omen and Superman

68. Shane Black

Actor | Predator

Considered one of the pioneer screenwriters of the action genre, Black made his mark with his Lethal Weapon (1987) screenplay. He also collaborated on the story of the sequel, Lethal Weapon 2 (1989). Each successive script he turned in had a higher price attached it, from The Last Boy Scout (1991) ...

Brilliant writer (and director evident from Kiss Kiss Bang Bang) At the moment has only directed Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and is finishing up Iron Man 3. He is also set to direct an American version of Death Note.

69. Wayne Kramer

Writer | The Cooler

Wayne Kramer was born in South Africa, where he graduated from the Johannesburg School for Art, Drama and Music. His feature film debut came in 2003 with "The Cooler," a romantic drama set in Las Vegas and starring William H. Macy as a professional casino jinx and Maria Bello as the cocktail ...

His noir technique is astonishing. Notable works incl. The Cooler and Running Scared

70. Clint Eastwood

Actor | Million Dollar Baby

Clint Eastwood was born May 31, 1930 in San Francisco, to Clinton Eastwood Sr., a bond salesman and later manufacturing executive for Georgia-Pacific Corporation, and Ruth Wood (née Margret Ruth Runner), a housewife turned IBM clerk. He grew up in nearby Piedmont. At school Clint took interest in ...

He makes a much better director. Though still fine acting comes from this man. Notable works incl. Mystic River, A Perfect World and Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

71. Marcel Carné

Director | Le quai des brumes

Marcel Carné, the son of a cabinet maker, entered the movies as the assistant of Jacques Feyder. At the age of 25 he directed his first movie Jenny (1936). Colaborating with the writer Jacques Prévert, the decorator Alexandre Trauner, the musician and composer Maurice Jaubert and the actor Jean ...

Wonderfully visionary, this guy. Notable works incl. Children of Paradise, Three Rooms in Manhattan and Port of Shadows

72. Luc Besson

Writer | Le Cinquième Élément

Luc Besson spent the first years of his life following his parents, scuba diving instructors, around the world. His early life was entirely aquatic. He already showed amazing creativity as a youth, writing early drafts of The Big Blue (1988) and The Fifth Element (1997), as an adolescent bored in ...

A director that just makes his films always look beautiful. Notable works incl. The Fifth Element, Leon The Last Battle and Big Blue

73. Brian De Palma

Director | Body Double

Brian De Palma is one of the well-known directors who spear-headed the new movement in Hollywood during the 1970s. He is known for his many films that go from violent pictures, to Hitchcock-like thrillers. Born on September 11, 1940, De Palma was born in Newark, New Jersey in an Italian-American ...

Some of the best have been made by this man. Notable works incl. Carrie, Scarface and Carlito's Way

74. Roger Corman

Actor | The Silence of the Lambs

Roger William Corman was born April 5, 1926, in Detroit, Michigan. Initially following in his father's footsteps, Corman studied engineering at Stanford University but while in school, he began to lose interest in the profession and developed a growing passion for film. Upon graduation, he worked a...

An amazing man, made some of the greatest b-movies and launched the careers of many great actors. Notable works incl. The Raven, The Terror, Bloody Mama, The Trip and Little Shop of Horrors

75. Milos Forman

Director | One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Milos Forman was born Jan Tomas Forman in Caslav, Czechoslovakia, to Anna (Svabova), who ran a summer hotel, and Rudolf Forman, a professor. During World War II, his parents were taken away by the Nazis, after being accused of participating in the underground resistance. His father died in ...

Brilliant. Notable works incl. One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, Loves of a Blonde and Amadeus

76. Martin Scorsese

Producer | Killers of the Flower Moon

Martin Charles Scorsese was born on November 17, 1942 in Queens, New York City, to Catherine Scorsese (née Cappa) and Charles Scorsese, who both worked in Manhattan's garment district, and whose families both came from Palermo, Sicily. He was raised in the neighborhood of Little Italy, which later ...

One of the greatest directors ever. Notable works incl. Taxi Driver, After Hours, Goodfellas and Cape Fear

77. Francis Ford Coppola

Producer | Apocalypse Now

Francis Ford Coppola was born in 1939 in Detroit, Michigan, but grew up in a New York suburb in a creative, supportive Italian-American family. His father, Carmine Coppola, was a composer and musician. His mother, Italia Coppola (née Pennino), had been an actress. Francis Ford Coppola graduated ...

He has missed so much, but his hits are so amazing. Notable works incl. The Godfather Trilogy, Apocalypse Now, Rumble Fish and The Outsiders

78. Bernardo Bertolucci

Writer | Il conformista

Bernardo Bertolucci, the Italian director whose films were known for their colorful visual style, was born in Parma, Italy. He attended Rome University and became famous as a poet. He served as assistant director for Pier Paolo Pasolini in the film Accattone (1961) and directed The Grim Reaper (...

Here we have a true Italian master of cinema. Notable works incl. The Last Emperor, Last Tango in Paris and 1900

79. Elia Kazan

Director | On the Waterfront

Known for his creative stage direction, Elia Kazan was born Elias Kazantzoglou on September 7, 1909 in Constantinople, Ottoman Empire (now Istanbul, Turkey). Noted for drawing out the best dramatic performances from his actors, he directed 21 actors to Oscar nominations, resulting in nine wins. He ...

A director of utmost importance in Cinema. Notable works incl. On the Waterfront, Viva Zapata!, A Streetcar Named Desire and The Last Tycoon.

80. Sergio Leone

Writer | Once Upon a Time in America

Sergio Leone was virtually born into the cinema - he was the son of Roberto Roberti (A.K.A. Vincenzo Leone), one of Italy's cinema pioneers, and actress Bice Valerian. Leone entered films in his late teens, working as an assistant director to both Italian directors and U.S. directors working in ...

The master of the spaghetti western. The Dollars Trilogy, Once Upon a Time in America and Duck, You Sucker

81. Terry Gilliam

Writer | Brazil

Terry Gilliam was born near Medicine Lake, Minnesota. When he was 12 his family moved to Los Angeles where he became a fan of MAD magazine. In his early twenties he was often stopped by the police who suspected him of being a drug addict and Gilliam had to explain that he worked in advertising. In ...

Brilliant director and member of the pythons, excellent. Notable works incl. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Twelve Monkeys, The Fisher King, Brazil and Time Bandits

82. Roland Joffé

Director | The Mission

Roland Joffé was born on November 17, 1945 in London, England, UK. He is a producer and director, known for The Mission (1986), The Killing Fields (1984) and The Great Hunger.

Created some of the most realistic films out there. Notable works incl. The Killing Fields, The Mission and Fat Man and Little Boy

83. Alan Parker

Director | Evita

The son of Elsie Ellen, a dressmaker, and William Leslie Parker, a house painter, Alan Parker was a London advertising copywriter in the 1960s and early 1970s with Collett Dickenson Pearce (CDP), an ad agency. He formed a partnership with David Puttnam as his producer (Puttnam had been a ...

Brilliant brit. Notable works incl. Fame, Angel Heart, The Wall, The Commitments and Midnight Express

84. Martin Brest

Director | Scent of a Woman

Martin Brest was born on August 8, 1951 in The Bronx, New York City, New York, USA. He is a director and writer, known for Scent of a Woman (1992), Midnight Run (1988) and Beverly Hills Cop (1984).

Sometimes criticised, but I love him. Notable works incl. Meet Joe Black, Beverly Hills Cop and Scent of a Woman

85. Ousmane Sembene

Writer | Moolaadé

The first film director from an African country to achieve international recognition, Ousmane Sembene remains the major figure in the rise of an independent post-colonial African cinema. Sembene's roots were not, as might be expected, in the educated élite. After working as a mechanic and ...

Very, very good director. Notable works incl. Xala, Moolaade and Black Girl

86. Martin Ritt

Director | Hud

Martin Ritt, one of the best and most sensitive American filmmakers of all time, was a director, actor and playwright who worked in both film and theater. He was born in New York City. His films reflect, like almost none other, a profound and intimate humane vision of his characters.

He originally ...

Great director, too bad he's dead. Notable works incl. The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, The Black Orchid and Cross Creek

87. Irwin Winkler

Producer | Life as a House

Irwin Winkler's career as a producer, director and writer encompasses popular and influential movies that have impacted contemporary culture. With a passion for big, bold, meaningful stories, his films include an array of true screen classics, garnering among them 12 Academy Awards and 52 Oscar ...

Very little, but very big. Notable works incl. Life as a House, De-Lovely and At First Sight.

88. John McNaughton

Director | Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer

John McNaughton was born on January 13, 1950 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He is a director and writer, known for Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986), Wild Things (1998) and The Borrower (1991).

Very interesting, but great director. Notable works incl. Henry, Wild Things and Mad Dog and Glory

89. Robert De Niro

Actor | Cape Fear

One of the greatest actors of all time, Robert De Niro was born on August 17, 1943 in Manhattan, New York City, to artists Virginia (Admiral) and Robert De Niro Sr. His paternal grandfather was of Italian descent, and his other ancestry is Irish, English, Dutch, German, and French. He was trained ...

Interesting transition, I hope to see more. Notable works incl. A Bronx Tale and The Good Shepherd

90. Kenneth Branagh

Actor | Henry V

Kenneth Charles Branagh was born on December 10, 1960, in Belfast, Northern Ireland, to parents William Branagh, a plumber and carpenter, and Frances (Harper), both born in 1930. He has two siblings, William Branagh, Jr. (born 1955) and Joyce Branagh (born 1970). When he was nine, his family ...

Sometimes misses, but a cool guy nonetheless. Notable works incl. Henry V, Hamlet and Frankenstein

91. James Mangold

Producer | Logan

James Mangold is an American film and television director, screenwriter and producer. Films he has directed include Girl, Interrupted (1999), Walk the Line (2005), which he also co-wrote, the 2007 remake 3:10 to Yuma (2007), The Wolverine (2013), and Logan (2017).

Mangold also wrote and directed Cop...

Very good director, can't wait for Wolverine. Notable works incl. Walk the Line, Girl Interrupted and Cop Land

92. Quentin Tarantino

Writer | Reservoir Dogs

Quentin Jerome Tarantino was born in Knoxville, Tennessee. His father, Tony Tarantino, is an Italian-American actor and musician from New York, and his mother, Connie (McHugh), is a nurse from Tennessee. Quentin moved with his mother to Torrance, California, when he was four years old.

In January of...

Not the best, but a good director. Notable works incl. Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown and Reservoir Dogs

93. Alfonso Cuarón

Producer | Gravity

Alfonso Cuarón Orozco was born on November 28th 1961 in Mexico City, Mexico. From an early age, he yearned to be either a film director or an astronaut. However, he did not want to enter the army, so he settled for directing. He didn't receive his first camera until his twelfth birthday, and then ...

Great director, directed the best Harry Potter film. Notable works incl. Y Tu Mama Tambien, Children of Men and Great Expectations

94. Joel Schumacher

Director | The Phantom of the Opera

Joel Schumacher was an American film director, film producer, screenwriter and fashion designer from New York City. He rose to fame in the 1980s for directing the coming-of-age drama "St. Elmo's Fire" (1985), and the vampire-themed horror film "The Lost Boys" (1987). In the 1990s, he worked on two ...

No idea why people dislike, I find him very stylish. It's probably just cause of Batman & Robin. Notable works incl. The Number 23, Tigerland, Falling Down, Phonebooth and A Time to Kill

95. Judd Apatow

Producer | Girls

Judd Apatow is an American film director, screenwriter, producer and comedian. He directed The 40-Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up, This is 40, Funny People, Trainwreck and The King of Staten Island. He also developed the television shows Freaks and Geeks, Undeclared, Girls, Love and Crashing. He is ...

Funny guy. Notable works incl. The 40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up and Funny People

96. Kirk Jones

Director | Waking Ned

Kirk Jones was born on October 31, 1964 in Bristol, England, UK. He is a director and writer, known for Waking Ned Devine (1998), Everybody's Fine (2009) and What to Expect When You're Expecting (2012).

What I've seen is really good, apart from Nanny McPhee which is slightly average. Notable works incl. Waking Ned and Everybody's Fine

97. Robert Rodriguez

Producer | El mariachi

Robert Anthony Rodriguez was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, USA, to Rebecca (Villegas), a nurse, and Cecilio G. Rodríguez, a salesman. His family is of Mexican descent.

Of all the people to be amazed by the images of John Carpenter's 1981 sci-fi parable, Escape from New York (1981), none ...

Amazing director Notable works incl. Sin City, The Faculty, El mariachi trilogy and From Dusk till Dawn.

98. Neil Burger

Director | Divergent

Neil Burger is an American film and television director, writer, and producer. Most recently, he wrote and directed Voyagers (2021), starring Colin Farrell, Tye Sheridan, and Lily-Rose Depp. He is also known for The Upside (2017), Divergent (2014), Limitless (2011), and The Illusionist (2006). For ...

Very interesting director. Notable works incl. Limitless, The Illusionist and The Lucky Ones

99. David O. Russell

Director | American Hustle

David Owen Russell is an American film writer, director, and producer, known for a cinema of intense, tragi-comedic characters whose love of life can surpass dark circumstances faced in very specific worlds. His films address such themes as mental illness as stigma or hope; invention of self and ...

He's making a name for himself, a good name it is. Notable works incl. I Heart Huckabees, Three Kings and Silver Linings Playbook

100. Tim Roth

Actor | Rob Roy

Often mistaken for an American because of his skill at imitating accents, actor Tim Roth was born Timothy Simon Roth on May 14, 1961 in Lambeth, London, England. His mother, Ann, was a teacher and landscape painter. His father, Ernie, was a journalist who had changed the family name from "Smith" to ...

Please Tim Roth make a new film. The War Zone is his only film.