Top 30 Directors of All Time: Part 1

In the lull between end of summer/Emmy season, and the beginning of the fall/Oscar season, I decided to take on a similar project to the one I did early in the summer. This time I am naming my 30 favorite directors of all time. I hope you enjoy the list!

30. James Cameron – While it had been almost twelve years since he has made a major motion picture, we can all agree that we still have “My Heart Will Go On” ringing in our years. Not only did he create the highest grossing movie of all time, but he gave us an epic in Titanic, that has not been matched since. To the rest of the world this is his greatest accomplishment, but to those of us who love sci-fi movies, Cameron is genius and a legend. His creations including: Aliens, The Abyss, The Terminator, and Terminator 2: Judgment Day rank among the best in the industry. With Avatar coming up, we will soon see where his sci-fi streak can stay firmly intact.

29. Roman Polanski – While shunned from the United States, because of sex offender charges (and recently arrested), Roman Polanski has still managed to create some of the most interesting and infamous movies of our time. Way back in 1968 he brought us one of the most disturbing, and classic horror movies of our time in the form of Rosemary’s Baby. Since that time, he has become one of the most recognized directors in American cinema. His creations including the romantic Tess, the incomparable Chinatown, the underrated The Ninth Gate, and the film that gave him his Oscar, The Pianist. Through these works, we have seen a variety of portrayals that all have his signature style attached to them.

28. Wes Craven – While his inclusion on the list might make some laugh, everyone can agree that no one has done more for the horror industry, with the exception of Hitchcock of course, than Wes Craven. His movies have spawned sequels and remakes, including The Last House on The Left and The Hills Have Eyes. On top of that, his more recent efforts such as Scream, have not only given the genre a boost, but they have even made fun of themselves in an ironic, and stylish way. Other entries such as the underrated Red Eye, and the surprising Meryl Streep music-inspired Music of the Heart, have only added the mystery and range of Craven’s abilities. Love or hate him, you’ve gotta respect him.

27. Tim Burton – The fact that Tim Burton has never been nominated for an Oscar for directing is a shame only matched by the fact that Robert Altman never won one. Burton is so strange, and quirky that many people are turned off by his movies. But if you accept the mind-bending effects, and the psychedelic worlds of his mind, you can grow to appreciate his style, and talent, and realize that there is no one else like him. From his Batman movies, which are in their own right great movies, to his strange character dissections such as Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood, Beetlejuice, Big Fish, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, add a musical (Sweeney Todd), and you have collection so unique, even Burton himself would probably be surprised. Plus his upcoming Alice in Wonderland film looks incredibly cool.

26. Oliver Stone – While some can’t stand Stone for his ultra-liberal views on life, everyone can admit that there is something endearing about his vision and his movies. From his Presidential musings (JFK, Nixon, and W.), to his heartfelt military endeavors such has the Best Picture winning Platoon, and the Tom Cruise led Born on the Fourth of July, Stone has given us an endearing body of work, with his signature liberal style written all over it. I also personally like some of his more underrated films such as Any Given Sunday, Talk Radio, and World Trade Center.