Pasolini. I’ll be the first to admit that there is work to be done here on my end regarding Pasolini. I’ve seen six Pasolini films, once a piece, between the years 2004-2006. That certainly doesn’t make me an expert (hoping to dig in further soon). As far as his resume, the 1 film in the top 500 of all-time isn’t the problem—it’s the 1 film in the top 100 of the decade that hurts his case (though Salo is very close). The strength of Pasolini’s case is level of authorship in his films. Accattone has hinds of neorealism, as

Carné. All three of Carné’s archiveable films land in the top 100 of their respective decade. There isn’t much beyond that as far as resume. I’ll get to it below but the disconnect I have with the critical consensus on Children of Paradise is reason why Carné has fallen to the #132 slot here. Best film:  Children of Paradise. Immaculately curated production design—Carné successfully builds the world of 19th century Paris. total archiveable films: 3 top 100 films:  0 top 500 films:  1 (Children of Paradise) Children of Paradise. Immaculately curated production design—Carné successfully builds the world of 19th

Romero. Genre diehards will hate that’s it has taken me this long to get to Romero and vice-versa for those who view horror as some sort of lower art-form (which it isn’t—in the hands of the right auteur). Romero is a style-minus director, I don’t think that can be argued- the visuals just aren’t overly remarkable and it’s not the framing or the editing. But there’s a consistency in his work (beyond working mostly in the same genre, and sub-genre (zombie horror). There’s the strong black protagonists. There’s a razor sharp social commentary that is a little different for

Cimino. Cimino is probably as well known for killing the fertile artistic period of American cinema of the 1970’s with expensive economic (but certainly not artistic) failure of Heaven’s Gate as he is for his 1978’s best picture winning Deer Hunter. Cimino only has three archiveable films and although I think Thunderbolt and Lightfoot is a fine film—it doesn’t sniff the top 10 of 1974 so his case really rests on The Deer Hunter and Heaven’s Gate. That is a remarkable 1-2 though--- and they are certainly clear companions (long films, immaculate visuals, sagas/opuses/portraits) and look at the compositions

Donen. Donen has a unique case here. He has one bright shining star of a film (Singin’ in the Rain- just missing my top 100 by an eyelash) that he wouldn’t be here without. The resume is a little light after that in some respects. He does not have another top 500 film of all-time or a top 100 film the decade in fact. However, he has a trademark look (vibrant use of color) and genre (usually musicals—6 of the 9 archiveable movies) – so there is an undeniable trademark and consistency there. Best film:  Singin’ in the Rain.

Minghella. Minghella is a classical British auteur who died too early (at age 54) and made literary adaptation epics: The English Patient, The Talented Mr. Ripley and Cold Mountain. His strength, for the purposes of this list, is that he’s the only director left with two top 500 of all-time films (English Patient, Mr. Ripley). There is no misidentifying his work either—they all have radiant David Lean-like photography. His weaknesses are apparent as well. Even at director #128 on this list four films in the archives, and two films in the top 100 of their respective decade is a

Clair. For a very small window of time Clair was the greatest director in the world along with von Sternberg. From 1930 to 1931 he made three of the best 1000 films, and three of the best 100 films of the decade—Under the Roofs of Paris, Le Million, and - À nous la liberté.  He would add a few solid Hollywood films to his resume in the 1940’s but it’s really the basis of these three films that he’s here at #127 above others. They all bare the stamp of his unique visual style. Best film:  Le Million. I