Chaplin. Chaplin’s filmography suggests a much better fate than where I’ve got him at here– sitting at #80. . I’m lower on most of his films than the TSPDT consensus so that’s one thing. Even
Eastwood. Eastwood’s filmography is stronger than he is as a stylistic director. Still—at slot #79 here—we have a director with 4 films in the top 500 with similarities in the visual design and persistent narrative
Another major feather in Tarantino’s capThere’s so much to praise here, the Leone-esque Chapter 1, the trademark dialogue, but chief amongst them is the cinema as metaphor reading of the film—there’s so much to unpack
Cameron. Cameron is a tricky one for me because he only has 7 archiveable films and doesn’t have a big glaring heavyweight masterpiece. Usually someone like that wouldn’t make my top 100 director list. However,
Nicholas Ray. “The cinema is Nicholas Ray” is Godard’s famous, fabulously superior statement. It has been met with a good deal of ridicule over the years, for good reason. He’s not one of the best
A messy film—weak in some areas (narrative, casting issues, throwaway songs) but there is much to praise as wellThe opening freeze-frame (in 1969 with Butch Cassidy- a big year for freeze-frame)—beautiful with the color-tinting changesShot
Cassavetes. Cassavetes not only has 2 top 500 films but is rightly known as grand forerunner of independent American cinema. His films have a definite atmosphere and authenticity about them that isn’t just a stagey
Von Stroheim. Before I get going- I love that he added his own “von” to his name to make himself sound more distinguished and aristocratic. Haha. For a silent director, von Stroheim had a limited
It doesn’t have the haunting claustrophobia of Das Boot but it’s a superb thrillerStrong Tom Clancy source material – the plot actually rides pretty closely to Dr. Strangelove without the comedy of course It’s better
Zwick is a gifted photographer—he’s made some well-photographed epics (Legends of the Fall, Blood Diamond, Courage Under Fire)—this is no different and Zwick benefits from selecting James Horner for the score (very moving) and strong
Flawed but some very notable peaks as well here to make this one archiveable like the previous three filmsIt’s largely a love story (and a good one) between Tom Hanks’ Woody and Annie Potts’ Bo
It’s not auteur cinema but a remarkable combination of elements: Harper Lee’s genius source material of course, Gregory Peck’s Oscar-winning lead performance (sadly at the cost of the slightly more deserving Peter O’Toole in Lawrence
