David Presley -Face of the Enemy, Lessons Lost and Rule Number One
Monte Hellman. The man made three of the best American westerns of the post-classical period, one of the greatest car movies of all time, and a really bizarre and contorted version of The Tempest and he can’t even get a theatrical release anymore. Goddamnit.
I really need to catch up with what Todd Solondz has done since Happiness, the last picture I saw from him. I would agree with Payne. His films are classical, without a lot of style for style’s sake so he doesn’t get the credit he deserves. I just saw the Soloist the other day and I think Joe Wright is rated just fine.
I would have to go with Peter Watkins. This guy is changing cinema and his name still gets left off many lists.
Polish Brothers
Neil Jordan
Keith Gordon
Curtis Hanson
Martin Brest (I know, I know…)
Ridley Scott (critically underrated)
Silvio Soldini
Bertrand Blier
Todd Solondz
The Dardenne Brothers.. they are gods in Europe but they are still relatively unknown in the US. I’m beginning to see alot of their influence in alot of American cinema.
Larry Fessenden.
I always thought Peter Weir was very under appreciated.
Terence Davies: Liverpool Trilogy
Timur Bekmambetov (Nochnoy dozor aka Nightwatch, Wanted) Martin Campbell (Casino Royale) Tony Scott (Crimson Tide, Man on Fire) and Ben Affleck hah
Scott Hicks
Kevin Reynolds
Kathryn Bigelow
Tom Tykwer
Joe Dante (in USA)
Terence Davies
Goro Miyazaki
Roger Avary
Lucrecia Martel
laurel nakadate
campbell scott
Underrated in the USA: Hsiao-hsien Hou / Abbas Kiarostami / Theo Angelopoulos / Krzysztof Kieslowski / Mike Leigh / Raoul Ruiz / Eliseo Subiela / Béla Tarr / Atom Egoyan / Apichatpong Weerasethakul / Nuri Bilge Ceylan / Mohsen Makhmalbaf / Hirokazu Kore-eda / Jafir Panahi / Jia Zhangke
I doubt Krzysztof Kieslowski is still working today. Or alive, for that matter. :(
^ He is no longer with us. Underappreciated though to be sure.
George Clooney…AS a director…his acting side will always take an unfair precidence…
Confessions of a Dangerous mind and Good night,Good Luck were both stellar…
But Leatherheads was brutal.
never seen it but that seems to be the consensus….2/3 isn’t half bad ;)
I believe he’s still working today but Alex Cox’ 80’s/90’s output is insane!! He rarely gets mentions from a lot of cinaphiles I know…A lot to love about his films.
Alex Cox. Love his stuff.
“If a Master of Cinema can’t receive proper distribution in the United States, he or she is underrated” total non sense..
@matt..agreed on Lodge…
Michael Winterbottom, few people take him very serious as he works in the mainstream field.
Sure he’s been around for years, but it’s astonishing that Mike Leigh hasn’t been looked at as one of the best directors working. Probably the most consistent director working.
Guy Maddin and Jan Svankmajer aren’t really known outside of J Hoberman or Mubi.
Not only is Chris Menges just about the finest cinematographer in the business he has also directed four superb feature films, the most recent The Lost Son back in 1999.
I am in awe of this gentleman.
Derek
Lynn Ramsay – She has the ability to weave a story and also give the audience some of the best visuals. Move Over Wong Kar Wai.
Michael Winterbottom – Code 46, Welcome Home Sarajevo, 24 Hour Party People, Mighty Heart. He Is ready to blow up big time. Just needs his Slumdog Millionaire.
Spike Lee – Like all New York Directors, there seems to be a story with their ups and downs struggle to find that next Masterpiece and an audience. 6 years ago, i was ready to count out Woody Allen that he will never again enjoy the sucess that he had enjoy in the early 1970s. Since Bamboozled, Spike has done descent films but nothing really extraordinaire. I am hoping he has something that will put his name back on the map.