Shut up, Derek.
>>Just checked my copy of Mata Hari, it does indeed say “A George Fitzmaurice Production” on the opening title card, but I’m not quite sure that that can equate to a director’s credit, even in that era.
My original source was IMDB, which has reputable information, and there he is listed as being uncredited. I would be interested to know if you have any information regarding the “so-and-so production” credit and whether that was interchangeable with a director credit, I’ve never heard that argument, but would love to be brought up to speed if that’s the case.<<
Hey, RUS, just caught up with your post (I’m at the mercy of topics floating back up to the top like dead goldfish).
During that period most studios wanted to be perceived as the producers of the films so the producer’s credit was usually not included in the titles; thus the “A George Fitzmaurice Production” doesn’t indicate he produced it. You’ll notice on most James Whale films (at least from INVISIBLE MAN on) “A James Whale Production” although Whale directed not produced the films (E. M. Asher is the likely suspect on that score); of course Whale does get an additional card for directing – it’s odd that Fitzmaurice doesn’t.
Another curious credit from about the same time is one I spotted for Meriam C. Cooper and Ernest Shoedsack — it may be on KING KONG, I’m not certain — though the two unquestionably directed, their credit reads “personally supervised by …”
I would disagree that Arther Penn is mediocre.
I happen to think that both “Zodiac” and “Che” are both masterpieces, but I still haven’t drank the Kent Jones/ Amy Taubin/ Film Comment/ Film Society of Lincoln Center Kool-Aid about David Fincher and Steven Soderberg being “masters.”
I thought that both “The Girlfriend Experience” and “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” are rather discouraging follow-ups, so I don’t think they discovered mastery all of the sudden. I think they rather stumbled upon it rather unexpectedly and I wouldn’t expect it to happen again.
First of all, P.T. Anderson, Q.T., and David Fincher are certainly not mediocre directors. Second of all, many of these films listed are not even close to masterpieces, so hence void in light of the thread topic. That said, here’s my list:
Das Boot – Wolfgang Petersen — duly agree with the OP and others on this.
La Haine – Mathieu Kassovitz — really hasn’t come within miles of this brilliant films since.
The Last Picture Show – Peter Bogdonavich
Midnight Cowboy – John Schlesinger — really surprised no one has mentioned this one.
The Ox Bow Incident – William Wellman – Little seen film. Astonishing, especially considering the era of Hollywood it came out of.
To Kill a Mockingbird – Robert Mulligan — again, seconded.
I would completely disagree with John Schlesinger being a mediocre director. In fact, I’ll take Marathon Man over Midnight Cowboy any day of the week.
How about Herk Harvey? I love Carnival of Souls!
Well, I highly disagree with Sir Poopbutt in regards to Bogdonavich (seriously, we all know that Paper Moon is his classic) and Wellman (just watch the TCM Forbidden Hollywood Volume 3 boxset – any one of those films directed by Wellman are on par or (dare I say it) better than Ox-Bow.
Cool hand luke – Stuart Rosenberg
(::Shut up, Derek::)
Woah, you’re here too?!?!
…….
Derek: I signed up the first or second day it launched!
But I just returned recently due to RT’s absence probably. And I’m not gonna start posting at the replacement one and lose my life again heh.
There’s a lot of nonsense in this thread and I intend to add to it.
My honest answer is Hostel II. After I saw it, I sent a note to a friend suggesting that someone else must have kidnapped Roth and kept in seclusion for the duration of the shooting, and then brought in some unheralded genius who understood exactly how to make a darkly funny and mean-spirited movie, without falling into the film-nerd suck up traits of Roth’s Cabin Fever and his remake of Eurotrip, Hostel I.
oh wow someone is being bold asserting Tarantino is a mediocre director
Masterpieces by Mediocre Directors:
Empire of the Sun, 1941 and A.I. by Steven Spielberg.
Masterpieces by Atrocious Directors:
Back to the Future by Robert Zemeckis
Aaron- Spot on!
Wouldn’t you think that if Spielberg has 3 masterpieces, he’s probably not mediocre???
Saving Private Ryan, Munich and Kingdom of the Crystal Skull make me feel less inclind about him again, and how he remasters Star Wars and Indie EVERY SINGLE FUCKING YEAR with the even worse George Lucas get to me way too much. And besides, AI’s genius was mostly Kubrick’s doing.
@ Foutah – either you agree with me or you’re one sarcastic bastard. I can’t really say…
Saving Private Ryan, Munich and Kingdom of the Crystal Skull make me feel less inclind about him again, and how he remasters Star Wars and Indie EVERY SINGLE FUCKING YEAR with the even worse George Lucas get to me way too much. And besides, AI’s genius was mostly Kubrick’s doing.
@ Foutah – either you agree with me or you’re one sarcastic bastard. I can’t really say…
“Wouldn’t you think that if Spielberg has 3 masterpieces, he’s probably not mediocre???”
If Aaron adds a few more to his list, he can compete for the Jolt Cola Hyper Bowl.
For the record, I think Spielberg is an excellent craftsman who makes much crap.
AI and Raiders are terrific. War of the Worlds is a masterpiece of cinematography and suspense. Minority Report rocks.
I also like his earlier stuff like Duel and Sugarland Express. The rest…too schmaltzy, too Hollywood, too bland.
Stop making “important” films please.
Choose Me by Alan Rudolph is a treat not touched by anything else he did.
>"First two that popped into my head was Casablanca by Michael Curtiz and Cinema Paradiso by Giuseppe Tornatore"<
I loved Legend of 1900.
for people who think DePalma is mediocre,let them watch Sisters,Carrie and Dressed to Kill (and why not Obsessed) and then let them recount their thoughts on why fuckin’ Scarface should fuckin’ deserve something other than being a fuckin’ remake.(i won’t apologize for cursing..)
Do the Right Thing
I agree with Fredo on Herk Harvey. Carnival of Souls was unprecedented, and God knows how many people ripped it off. I can recall specifically the Twilight Zone episode with the woman killed in the car wreck who keeps seeing the hitchhiker on the side of the road. Creeeeepy! I remember that keeping me awake at night as a kid.
American Beauty, the debut of Sam Mendes. Mendes’ subsequent films have been mediocre.
Clearly some good eggs comes from bad chickens and vice versa
The Seventh Victim – Mark Robson
“Freddy Got Fingered” (Tom Green)
I say this in complete seriousness.
Spielberg is in no way a mediocre director. He may have made some below par films but the guy can direct and he has far too many films more people than not can agree are great films.
I think a mediocre director would be one who just about EVERYONE can agree is mediocre and yet they put out a great film at some point.
So I’m thinking:
Joel Schumacher who made Tigerland and Falling Down
Adrian Lyne who made Jacob’s Ladder
Antoine Fuqua who made Training Day
In no way masterpieces but better than they usually put out.
Otherwise maybe:
Peter Bogdonovich with Last Picture Show.
James Toback with Fingers
Michael Cimino and The Deer Hunter [although I personally don’t much like the film].
Richard Rush with The Stunt Man
I haven’t seen a whole lot of Preminger but besides Laura, Bunny Lake Is Missing, Advise & Consent, Bonjour tristesse and Daisy Kenyon are not made by a mediocre filmmaker.
Derek is a Derek
This thread has failed, terribly.
A good answer would have to be Detour (1945) from Edgar G Ulmer, although calling Ulmer “mediocre” is not giving the guy enough credit, so scratch that.
I would love to use the example of Colin Eggleston and his masterpiece “Long Weekend”, but to tell you the truth I haven’t seen any of his other films, so that example didn’t work either.
Hmmm…. Nope, got nothing. Ignore this post plz.