Which of these 2 "waves" of directors was better?

[Coenskubrick]

I noticed 2 big waves of new filmmaking talent that arrived within about a 10 year or so period each and thought they could be worth comparing. What is better?

The wave of American directors in the late 60's / early 70's or the wave that were in the late 80's / early 90's?

The 70's wave includes
Steven Spielberg
George Lucas
Martin Scorsese
Brian De Palma
Francis Ford Coppola
William Friedkin
Roman Polanski
Robert Altman (arguably, as he did a lot of TV and documentary stuff before)

The 90's wave includes
The Coen Brothers
Wes Anderson
Paul Thomas Anderson
Quentin Tarantino
Tim Burton
Richard Linklater
David Fincher
Christopher Nolan (arguably a bit late)

[dgoswald]

My heart says 90's, but my head says 70's. There's a few films from both camps that are some of my favourites of all time, but the 70's edges it.

[Foggy]

For me, my heart is torn between the two, but my head definetly says the 70's.

[Gizz]

70s

[imsounoriginal]

70s by far. Frankly I'm not the biggest fan of Burton and Linklater, and Wes Anderson is usually "love or dislike" for me. The 70s directors are across-the-board hall-of-famers.

[Jaymole]

I would say the 70's easily

Some other notable directors in the 70's wave:

Woody Allen
Peter Bogdanovich
Hal Ashby
Bob Rafelson
Terrence Malick
Clint Eastwood
Walter Hill
Alan J. Pakula
Michael Cimino

[zorbonaut]

Well it looks like I'm the first for the 90's!

They are obviously both great groups of directors.

For me it would be the 90's wave hands down. PTA, Coens, Fincher, and Nolan not to mention the rest.

I love and respect the 70's generation of filmmakers as I grew up with their films in the 70's and 80's. I just prefer the 90's filmmakers when it comes down to style and content.

[BluLamp]

It's a draw for me. I'm lukewarm toward Scorsese and Coppola, and I flat out dislike most of the work from P.T. Anderson and Nolan. While both Friedkin and Burton have been pretty up and down. I pretty much totally love the rest though, with perhaps a single film or two being an exception.

[AKORIS]

no contest.... the 70's

[DragonOfTheBlackPool]

Another one for the 70's. Was also the beginning of John Carpenter's career....Dark Star, Assault on Precinct 13, Someone's Watching Me, Halloween, and Elvis.

[demonknight]

Pen me in for 90s. Love Rodriguez, Tarantino, Smith, Linklater, Anderson, and early Burton (pre-2005).

[Batmon77]

Alot of the 90s dudes are very referential to the 70s directors.
Tarantino is a melting pot of 70's film....he's damn good at it.

But ill go w/ the originals over the copies.

[TheLaughingMann]

Originally Posted by Coenskubrick

I noticed 2 big waves of new filmmaking talent that arrived within about a 10 year or so period each and thought they could be worth comparing. What is better?

The wave of American directors in the late 60's / early 70's or the wave that were in the late 80's / early 90's?

The 70's wave includes
Steven Spielberg
George Lucas
Martin Scorsese
Brian De Palma
Francis Ford Coppola
William Friedkin
Roman Polanski
Robert Altman (arguably, as he did a lot of TV and documentary stuff before)

The 90's wave includes
The Coen Brothers
Wes Anderson
Paul Thomas Anderson
Quentin Tarantino
Tim Burton
Richard Linklater
David Fincher
Christopher Nolan (arguably a bit late)

It really depends on context.
-70s had the Godfather duology, Chinatown, Star Wars, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, 1941, Jaws, The Sugarland Express, Taxi Driver, Carrie, The French Connection, the Exorcist...

-90s had Miller's Crossing, Barton Fink, Hudsucker Proxy, Fargo, Big Lebowski, Rushmore, Boogie Nights, Magnolia, Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, Edward Scissorhands, Batman Returns, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Mars Attacks!, Dazed and Confused, the Newton Boys, Se7en, The Game, Fight Club, and Following (the late out the gate Nolan flick)

To me, the 70s had movies that were considered very artful, dramatic, and was during a time where filmmaking was still working its ass off to reach new heights, and even then, the use of practical effects was still in its prime and felt so real.

However, since I was born in the 80s, I had a better chance to grow up on movies that were more recent. I think the 90s films definitely had more entertainment woven into them and not so much art. By this time, I feel like the idea of cinema as an art form was transitioning into both, and I felt that the 80s before was one for entertainment. Heck, even into the 90s, some men like Scorsese, Spielberg, and De Palma were still making hit movies and they also had embraced this balance in a nice way to give us a few great 90s movies. So I'd say with a fair balance of art and entertainment, I'd give it to the 90s. I'd watch the 70s movies above for the art form and their brilliance, but not so much for the sheer entertainment.

[Mandalorian]

Between these two waves, more of my favorites probably come from the 90's because I was born in the 90's, but 70's all the way in terms of trend setting, medium defining cinema.

[Batmon77]

Originally Posted by TheLaughingMann

However, since I was born in the 80s, I had a better chance to grow up on movies that were more recent. I think the 90s films definitely had more entertainment woven into them and not so much art. By this time, I feel like the idea of cinema as an art form was transitioning into both, and I felt that the 80s before was one for entertainment. Heck, even into the 90s, some men like Scorsese, Spielberg, and De Palma were still making hit movies and they also had embraced this balance in a nice way to give us a few great 90s movies. So I'd say with a fair balance of art and entertainment, I'd give it to the 90s. I'd watch the 70s movies above for the art form and their brilliance, but not so much for the sheer entertainment.

Didnt the 70's usher in "sheer entertainment" with Jaws, Star Wars,Grease, Saturday Night Fever, The Exorcist, etc.... the Blockbuster "genre"?

[dallywhitty]

The New Hollywood phase ranging from the late sixties up to about 1980. This is the period that gave us films like Easy Rider, Straw Dogs and Taxi Driver. Tarantino can shove it.

[bruce_campbells_chin]

70's

Other than the Coen Bros, Fincher and a few Tim Burton films I don't care for the rest. I really can't stand Wes Anderson and Nolan.

[grape_jelly]

90's all day, dudes.



Just for a more direct comparison...

Steven Spielberg < The Coen Brothers
George Lucas < Wes Anderson
Martin Scorsese > Paul Thomas Anderson
Brian De Palma > Quentin Tarantino
Francis Ford Coppola < Tim Burton
William Friedkin < Richard Linklater
Roman Polanski < David Fincher
Robert Altman < Christopher Nolan

De Palma is the best of the bunch, however. Based De Palma.

[dvdmike]

Nolan, lol everyone has to try and squeeze Nolan into something

[Batmon77]

Originally Posted by grape_jelly

Francis Ford Coppola < Tim Burton.