Welcome to Scribeing Cinema with Shane! What do cinephiles love to do most? Rank all things movies and that is what we will do in this series. Favorite actors… filmmakers… genres… narratives… you got it here! Time to highlight my classic directors you should explore…
1. Akira Kurosawa
How many directors can say that they have defined an entire genre? Kurosawa defined what a samurai is and what it can be. He took classic Shakespeare tales and turned them on end. He injected plenty of genres into his films as well. There is plenty of action in his films, but you also get murder mysteries, bits of horror, and plenty of societal themes that dig deep. His filmmaking is next level, and his influences reach far including being a major influence of Star Wars. His filmography is diverse and his work specifically with Toshiro Mifune is worth exploring.
2. Sergio Leone
Has a director made more of an impact with a small catalog than Sergio Leone? This Italian director has three incredible masterpieces (as long as you watch his cut of Once Upon a Time in America) and two other bona fide classics. He only has a few other films. That track record and manageable filmography makes him an ideal choice to explore his work. He revolutionized the western genre with his Spaghetti Westerns adding in blood and flashy style. There are few westerns with the level of craft that Leone delivered. His collaborations with composer Ennio Morricone created some of the greatest film scores in history. This man is a legend of the silver screen, and his epic films are must see.
3. Andrei Tarkovsky
Are you ready to get heavy and dense? Few directors made such an impact with as deeply somber and dense films as Tarkovsky. He created two of the greatest science fiction films of all time which did not pull punches in the stark reality they present or in the ways they challenge the audience. Do not expect it to be easy watching when you start a Tarkovsky film. You must be prepared to navigate and dissect impressively dense and poignant films with challenging themes and ideas. There is a darkness and beauty to Tarkovsky’s brand of Russian cinema which is just awe-inspiring. His films will take you on a journey to find the boundaries of cinema. If you can handle the weight of this auteur’s works, they are perspective changing and worth the undertaking.
4. John Ford
Who is one of the true pioneers of modern cinema? John Ford was a man who made films from the 1910’s all the way to the 1970’s. How is that even possible? This man blazed a trail with his expert filmmaking which makes 1920’s films feel like they were made just 20 years ago. The framing, the action, and the performances all deliver to bring the most out of some simple stories. He set the bar for the western genre which Leone would later raise. His sprawling vistas and larger-than-life heroes are a piece of the iconography of film society. His films have helped build the world of cinema and his immense filmography is worth exploring.
5. Fritz Lang
Who was the biggest name in the German Expressionist game? That would be Fritz Lang. This German director made a huge name for himself pre-WWII with his impressive work with such films like Metropolis. This might be one of the most important science fiction films of all time with its epic scale, expressionist choices, and its deeply impactful themes. M made audiences look deep into themselves in a way that is still relevant today. Lang’s complexities and head-of-his-time perspectives helped create his special place in the world of cinema. His films are deep and expertly crafted and should be experienced immediately.
6. Charles Chaplin
Who is the most recognizable icon of the silent film era? Mr. Charles Chaplin himself. His character of “The Tramp” is a legendary character that is more significant than many actual people who contributed to films. Chaplin was a master at all things film related from directing to acting to composing and more. His impressive filmography is filled with hit-after-hit. These silent (and few talkie) gems helped redefine what film was and what it could be. His films are still hilarious and should be taught in every film class there. Chaplin has so many different films that it is a delight to experience them all.
7. Georges Melies
Did you know about Georges Melies before watching Hugo? I certainly didn’t and now I feel silly for not. Melies was one of the original pioneers of the world of cinema. He was one of two filmmakers (the other to come next) who defined film in its infancy. Melies was all flair and imagination. His work as a magician brought magic to the screen with revolutionary special effects that are still impressive today. Melies used a mix of art direction, fantastical tales, and his magic abilities to set the tone for fantasy and science fiction for the rest of time. A Trip to the Moon and so many of his films are purely iconic and helped build cinema from the beginning. Melies should be remembered for the rest of time.
8. Edwin S. Porter
Did I mention two filmmakers? Edwin S. Porter is the opposite of Melies but equally important to the early shaping of film. Porter was the filmmaker who created nature films. The production design was real, and the stories were deeply relatable. Under the umbrella of Thomas Edison, he had everything he needed to become successful. The Great Train Robbery is one of the most famous films ever created, even today. Porter blazes the trail for all naturalistic filmmakers who brought deeply human tales to life. He might be all natural and realistic, but he still brought movie magic in his own way. His films are certainly worth experiencing.
9. Billy Wilder
Who is one of the funniest creators of all time? Long before the SNL era which has provided a steady supply of comics to the entertainment industry, Billy Wilder took his own path to creating some of the greatest comedies of all time. But don’t sell this man short! He made plenty of great films beyond that genre as well. Some Like It Hot just might be one of the greatest rom coms of all time. The Apartment made such an impression as well back in 1960. He even knocked Hollywood down a few pegs with his masterpieces Sunset Boulevard. His work resonates so well today that it is hard to believe his films were created all those decades ago.
10. David Lean
Do you want to see an epic? Nothing is quite as epic as the incredible film, Lawrence of Arabia. This film elevated British director David Lean to a whole new stratosphere. He delivered some of the most beautiful and sprawling films of all time over the course of three decades or so. He tackled war and all its dangers and spoils. He looked at love in some of the biggest and broadest scales he could create on screen. His works of cinema are truly legends to this day. There are a few directors whose films made quite an impact and made the most of the silver screen. He has tackled some of the most challenging periods in human history with sprawling scale but always finds the complex human stories within them. Those are certainly stories worth experiencing.
