Great movies by middling filmmakers

[Monterey Jack]

Sometimes, even the most workaday, journeyman filmmaker can -- if blessed with just the right combination of screenplay and cast -- make a film that's an absolute classic, even if it turns out to be an anomaly in their overall filmography. For example:

-Irvin Kershner, The Empire Strikes Back

-Roger Spotiswoode, Under Fire

-Curtis Hanson, L.A. Confidential

Any others?

[Buscemi]

I imagine a lot will say James McTeigue's V for Vendetta. It's hard to believe that was made by the same guy who ended up making Ninja Assassin and Survivor (and produced by the people who later did Speed Racer and Jupiter Ascending).

Personally, I'm going with Catherine Hardwicke's Thirteen. Great production designer (she did films such as Tapeheads, Freaked, and Tombstone) and a hell of a debut but she hasn't ever lived up to that one (The Nativity Story was decent though and I'd read Miss You Already isn't too bad).

From your list, I'd say Hanson's made a number of good ones. Sure, not at the level of L.A. Confidential but he can make some enjoyable thrillers and I remember liking his last two (Lucky You and Chasing Mavericks, both in the drama genre).

[Monterey Jack]

Originally Posted by Buscemi

I imagine a lot will say James McTeigue's V for Vendetta. It's hard to believe that was made by the same guy who ended up making Ninja Assassin and Survivor.

Great choice.

From your list, I'd say Hanson's made a number of good ones. Sure, not at the level of L.A. Confidential but he can make some enjoyable thrillers and I remember liking his last two (Lucky You and Chasing Mavericks).

I liked Wonder Boys, but after that, Hanson's career tailed off FAST....Lucky You sat on a shelf so long that the poker craze it was created to cash in on had already crested and receded, and Chasing Mavericks was him finishing someone else's movie (or was it vice-versa?). And before L.A. Confidential he was best known for studio hackwork like The Hand That Rocks The Cradle and The River Wild. But, somehow, L.A. Confidential is this brilliantly assured piece of impeccable filmmaking.

[Buscemi]

Hanson started Chasing Mavericks, Michael Apted (probably one of the most underrated directors) finished it after Hanson was having health issues.

And I wouldn't exactly call The Hand That Rocks the Cradle and The River Wild hack work. They were reasonably-budgeted (and financially successful) thrillers that did exactly what they were designed to do: entertain. Also, The River Wild had a great cast while the writer of The Hand That Rocks the Cradle is also one of the writers behind the current Planet of the Apes series.

Hack work in my opinion is something like Hot Pursuit or Unfinished Business: marginal fare made for the sole purpose of filling out a yearly slate.

[stvn1974]

Hopefully JJ Abrams is an answer after The Force Awakens.

[Kevin Holly]

The Silence of the Lambs - I know they're've been some Jonathan Demme apologists arund here lately, but, quite frankly, if not for SotL I doubt I would have ever heard of him

Backdraft - I don't know if there's still people who view Ron Howard as anything other than a hatchet man, but I'm not one of them

Horrible Bosses

The Other Guys - mindblowing. A Ferrell/McKay film I don't just like but love? Flabberghasting. Although it looks like The Big Short might be another gem.

Cruel Intentions - yeah, may as well start your mediocre career off with a legend.

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by Kevin Holly

The Silence of the Lambs - I know they're've been some Jonathan Demme apologists arund here lately, but, quite frankly, if not for SotL I doubt I would have ever heard of him

Oh come on.

Something Wild? Philadelphia? Married to the Mob? Melvin and Howard?

Demme's made some quality pictures other SotL.

[Kevin Holly]

Originally Posted by AaronJ

Oh come on.

Something Wild? Philadelphia? Married to the Mob? Melvin and Howard?

Demme's made some quality pictures other SotL.

Middling at best. And unlikely to ever be checked out if not for "From the Director of The Silence of the Lambs" on the DVD.

[octagon]

Three Days of the Condor

Sydney Pollack is too good to call middling but he is a middle-of-the-pack kind of guy. And he overperforms just frequently enough to make you feel bad about not putting him that next tier.

Three Days of the Condor is pretty solidly fantastic though.

He's done some other really good things but that's the one I would call great.

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by Kevin Holly

Middling at best. And unlikely to ever be checked out if not for "From the Director of The Silence of the Lambs" on the DVD.

Well, I never said he was Kubrick or Wilder or Bergman or something. But those are legitimately good films, and I'd call Melvin and Howard a near-classic.

[spanky87]

Richard Kelly (Donnie Darko)

Michael Lehmann (Heathers)

[Kevin Holly]

Originally Posted by AaronJ

Well, I never said he was Kubrick or Wilder or Bergman or something. But those are legitimately good films, and I'd call Melvin and Howard a near-classic.

Fair enough. I guess I just meant that he is a middle-of-the-pack kind of guy. octagon's description of Pollack is literally exactly how I feel about Demme.

And I wasn't kidding. I doubt I personally would have seen any other Demme films if not for the SotL connection but maybe that's just me.

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by Kevin Holly

Fair enough. I guess I just meant that he is a middle-of-the-pack kind of guy. octagon's description of Pollack is literally exactly how I feel about Demme.

And I wasn't kidding. I doubt I personally would have seen any other Demme films if not for the SotL connection but maybe that's just me.

I can see that. When I saw The Silence of the Lambs I had already seen Something Wild and Melvin and Howard. But I didn't realize they were directed by the same person -- I wasn't following the people behind the camera back so much then, really.

Still remember seeing The Silence of the Lambs for the first time though. That's an experience you don't forget. Weirdly enough, my friend Annie and I were almost the only ones in the theater that day. Made it all the more creepy.

[Packerfan75]

I had never heard of Anthony and Joe Russo before but they knocked it out of the park with The Winter Soldier. It's my favorite Marvel film and I believe it's also the most realistic and polished. Civil War looks like it's going to be great too.

[Coenskubrick]

I don't mean middling in the sense of general view, but these are examples of films I loved from filmmakers who didn't make anything else I love that I've seen.

The Fly.

Eraserhead.

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by Coenskubrick

I don't mean middling in the sense of general view, but these are examples of films I loved from filmmakers who didn't make anything else I love that I've seen.

The Fly.

Eraserhead.

Ouch. You don't even have any affection for Mulholland Drive?

As for Cronenberg, I didn't enjoy most his newer stuff until I checked out Easten Promises, which led me to check out all his older B-movie stuff, now I'm a huge fan of the guy. I think Crash is genuinely underrated and could do with a Criterion release.

I think throw Joel Schumacher into the mix, The Lost Boys is a lot of fun, but Falling Down is genuinely great, I love the way the tone of the films twists more and more sinisterly as it goes ahead. From strange wish fulfilment fantasy to "actually, you're cheering on a maniac and he just went on a massacre".

[Coenskubrick]

Originally Posted by Foggy

Ouch. You don't even have any affection for Mulholland Drive?

I actually didn't enjoy that at all. I find David Lynch films mostly just strange, but not appealing to any emotions in me. Eraserhead is the exception, hence why I like it a lot. Although from what I hear about it I bet I might like Blue Velvet.

I did like Scanners a fair bit, but the main actor and a few other things really bring it down. Existenz was weird and not really in a good way to me. The Dead Zone was kind of dull. There was some interesting philosophical stuff in Cosmopolis but it was very on the nose and repetitive and I never finished it. I need to watch Dead Ringers.

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by Coenskubrick

I actually didn't enjoy that at all. I find David Lynch films mostly just strange, but not appealing to any emotions in me. Eraserhead is the exception, hence why I like it a lot. Although from what I hear about it I bet I might like Blue Velvet.

I did like Scanners a fair bit, but the main actor and a few other things really bring it down. Existenz was weird and not really in a good way to me. The Dead Zone was kind of dull. There was some interesting philosophical stuff in Cosmopolis but it was very on the nose and repetitive and I never finished it. I need to watch Dead Ringers.

Blue Velvet's good, it's probably his most straight forward film outside The Elephant Man and, well, The Straight Story.

And I agree about EXistenZ and The Dead Zone, didn't enjoy those ones. But Shivers, The Brood and especially Videodrome, all great flicks.

[levcore]

Originally Posted by Monterey Jack

Great choice.



I liked Wonder Boys, but after that, Hanson's career tailed off FAST....Lucky You sat on a shelf so long that the poker craze it was created to cash in on had already crested and receded, and Chasing Mavericks was him finishing someone else's movie (or was it vice-versa?). And before L.A. Confidential he was best known for studio hackwork like The Hand That Rocks The Cradle and The River Wild. But, somehow, L.A. Confidential is this brilliantly assured piece of impeccable filmmaking.

The River Wild is a fantastic movie too, a brilliantly crafted thriller with pitch perfect performances and superb direction.

[Ben_UK]

Red Dragon - Brett Ratner