Terry Gilliam rocks! I saw Spamalot last night and was laughing my ass off. There were times where no one else was laughing, and I was crying and banging my arm on the armrest. I think I enjoyed it most out of the whole audience, or at least a few scenes.
David Lynch is probably one of the most normal people in the world; he’d probably put you to sleep if you hung out with him. He just likes to make films in which people are (a) insane or (b) in very extreme situations. I suspect he himself thinks most people are insane.
Overrated, to me, has to do with people blindly refusing to see any faults or flaws in a director — in that sense, almost everyone is overrated by someone. The only one you maybe can’t possibly overrate is Jean Vigo, but only because he made two perfect films and then died.
Kenji, I’m not sure Bresson was out to cleanse cinema of its sins. I think he was morally hard on himself, and on many of his characters; but the language he developed (like all great filmmakers, an original language) partakes of the joy and beauty and thrillingness and pathos of all of cinema. Maybe in a somewhat muted, restrained way at times — but not always. I don’t agree with David Thomson’s assertion that to admire Bresson too much is to surrender to anticinema; there are so many moments in Bresson that make my heart leap up, my hair stand on end, my flesh crawl. He just doesn’t film them the way most other directors would, or do. Imo.
woody allen … i dont think he is THAT good
Steven …wait for it… SODERBERGH
Yeah I don’t get the statement, “Terry Gilliam’s films are poorly written.” David Webb Peoples, who wrote a brilliant screenplay with 12 Monkeys, is one of the best writers in the business (Unforgiven, Blade Runner).
Brian DePalma
Fincher’s Zodiac is unbelievable! I true gem…tough question because every director no matter how great their previous films hold up always have bombs…
I would say a tie between Todd Solandz and Wes Anderson simply because they just don’t make enough films…you’re only as good as your last films and both kind of missed the boat with me on their previous efforts.
Spike Lee. He’s too rigid.
Spike Lee is a good one as is LATE DePalma…both of those bowed out of their gold material years ago!
I have to admit, I’ve never laughed once at a Woody Allen film.
But the most overrated director, for me, is John Ford.
I guess I’m mostly thinking of Brothers Grimm and Tideland. Maybe “nonsensical” and “poorly written” weren’t what I meant to say (it was very late when I wrote that, after all). I just feel like his movies go off in all directions but never get anywhere. It’s like somebody making a bunch of bizarre gestures that you think are some sort of ritual, and he asks, “What would you say if I did this?” And all you can say is, “Okay.” And what at first seems like it must mean something in the end feels meaningless, and if you don’t get it, you’re made to feel like some sort of idiot. His pretentiousness worms into his work and produces what I feel are worthless films.
And while David Webb Peoples has been involved in great movies, I honestly thought the script for Unforgiven was extremely blah until about twenty minutes in. And Blade Runner didn’t have much of a script (though what was there was wonderful). Basically, I don’t think 12 Monkeys was his best.
Finally, I can’t count any Python film as being Gilliam’s work. Those movies are such collaborative efforts amongst the players, and very much focused on the writing over any particular directing decisions. I leave those completely out of the discussion when talking about Terry Gilliam.
Also, did my first comment on this thread seriously get moderated?
I’ve come to regret adding Godard to this bunch. I nominate David Fincher.
I can’t believe all the hate for truffaut, lee and…i think someone mentioned hitchcock. whaaat???
Ha-ha! Four posts in and someone says Spielberg, I’d have expected it sooner.
He’s not a favorite of mine yet, but I don’t mind him.
I don’t think Spielberg is overrated, however not all his film’s are masterpieces and I don’t know why he would attach his name to anything Micheal Bay does (Transformers).
As for overrated directors…………Micheal Mann seems to get high praise. Collateral was a decent film and I hear Public Enemies is lackluster. Though I haven’t seen his two most popular Heat and The Insider.
Akira Bergman
I think Spielberg gets so much flak from film buffs and critics that he’s ‘almost’ becoming gasp underrated. He’s definitely on an interesting streak at the moment. Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan, and Munich [from what I’ve seen] show an evolution in style.
I don’t know if I’d say Mann’s overrated, I’ve only seen two films of his [Miami Vice and Public Enemies] which I thought were both pretty decent, they had their good and bad qualities but were enjoyable for me overall. PE is about 50/50 critically, but among the public alot of people make it sound much worse than it is, imo.
The prolific Alan Smithee.
That’s easy, the pop monster twins, Michael Bay and Tyler Perry
Wes Anderson. Every film he has ever made has been a cinematic farce featuring either one or both of the Wilson brothers. A one-trick pony.
Oliver Stone. Hands down.
Lars von Trier. Show a cute little rabbit in scene 1, slaughter it to pieces in scene 2, and then believe you have shown something about humanity or raised an interesting question. The guy bores me to death.
Darren Aronofsky. I saw PI when it was first released on VHS. I saw his drug movie on dvd and hated it. I refused to see THE FOUNTAIN. I watched THE WRESTLER for Rourke’s performance and ended up enjoying the realism of the depicted pro-wrestling world. Yet some of the dialogue throughout is unbelievably bad — notice Marisa Tomei wince a few times during line delivery. Over-rated director.
For me the ones who manage to irritate me every-time are as follows: Tarantino, Wes Anderson,Sofia Coppola, Luc Besson (I’m really sorry but he’s very uneven and pretentious. He also wrote mindless junk like District B13, and terribly adapted Joan of Arc. I know that must have pissed a few but really), Francis Ford Coppola (This hurts I know), Noah Bambauch (maybe he’s not that popular but he aggravates me) and I’ll have to conclude with Clint Eastwood. These are all my opinions and nothing more.
And Ozu is a genius. It may take a lifetime to appreciate his work but almost ever filmmaker is influenced by him in some way (maybe these universal themes of family don’t connect with you?). Aki Kaurismaki, Stanley Kwan, Paul Schrader, Lindsay Anderson, Wim Wenders and Hou Hsiao Hsien are some dir. who worship him. Kiarostami does as well.
Wet Anderson for sure. John Ford is overrated and was an irritating crusty old fart at that, and ‘The Searchers’ felt like an eternity. Coppola is talented and great but is living off of his talents from 30 years ago. The guy isn’t good at picking material. I know nerds love Gilliam but PLEASE!
Abel Ferrara
Somebody said Mel Gibson. Is he even over or under-rated? I know his movies, but not really many knows he has even directed movies. But I would give him a high score for the risks he took in doing — Passion for Christ and Apocalypto. For me, my overr-rated directors are my former idols. I liked the young Martin Scorsese up to Good Fellas; the young Coppola from the Godfather movies up to The Conversation..
House of Leaves
Wow. I couldn’t disagree more about Terry Gilliam. Despite his background in Python, I seriously defy you to defend your “nonsensical” claim (although I would like to leave Jabberwocky out of the discussion—I might give you that one).
Holy Grail is absurdist brilliance, but also a satirical take on Arthurian romances (many layers there that aren’t readily apparent) and English society.
Time Bandits is poorly written? 12 Monkeys? Munchausen? Let’s talk, man, cause I don’t get your viewpoint at all.