Directors' favourites/least favourites of their films

[lesco]

I read a Stephen King interview where he said his favourite among his own novels was "Lisey's Story" and the one he liked the least was "The Tommyknockers". It got me thinking that I rarely hear directors talking about their favourites (or least liked) of their own work.

Sometimes you might hear a comment from them on an audio commentary or a podcast. In an interview they usually have to be asked something like "What movie do you want to be most remembered for?" because if they're asked outright "What's your favourite?" they'll say something like "Well, it's like asking who's your favourite child".

Anybody know?

[lesco]

I'll kick off with:

Joe Dante - his least favourite: "Explorers" (he didn't even like the poster for it!)

[Mikezilla3k]

I believe David Lynch hated his adaption of Dune.

[BamaDullard]

Stanley Kubrick basically disowned Spartacus.

[Cremildo]

Paul Thomas Anderson's favorite film of his own is The Master.

[DanTheMan]

Originally Posted by BamaDullard

Stanley Kubrick basically disowned Spartacus.

That’s a bummer. Really liked that one. He should’ve gone with Dr. Strangelove.

Originally Posted by Cremildo

Paul Thomas Anderson's favorite film of his own is The Master.

Excellent choice by PTA.

[Chaotic]

Spielberg- Hook

[1blufan]

Originally Posted by Chaotic

Spielberg- Hook

I hope that's his least favorite, because it sure is mine from his directorial portfolio.

[Chaotic]

I would put a few below Hook like The BFG, Lost World, The Terminal, Indy 4, etc.

[Mikezilla3k]

Originally Posted by Chaotic

I would put a few below Hook like The BFG, Lost World, The Terminal, Indy 4, etc.

The BFG was ****ing painful. I was waiting for something to happen, but it never did. One of the few movies where I had a headache at the end.

[UltraMario9]

No surprise but Tarantino considers Death Proof as his worst.

[wonderer99]

I thought the BFG was great. Never have understood the dislike for it. Anyway, there is something quite sad about a director saying they dislike any of theirs movies, especially so if its a film you really enjoy.

[Jim Pez]

Sidney Lumet Did not like the Wiz

[Todd Tomorrow]

Hitchcock’s favourite of his own films was Shadow of a Doubt.
He felt Rope was an experiment that didn’t work out.

[JEDGAR1000]

Andrei Tarkovsky said he considered Solaris an artistic failure.

[BamaDullard]

Orson Welles said: "Say what you like, but The Trial is the best film I have ever made."

[lesco]

Ken Russell said his favourite of his own work was "Savage Messiah"

He also said his least favourite was "Valentino". He noticed it showing in a cinema once and went in to watch it for the first time in years, but walked out halfway through saying "This is terrible!"

[Ruemorgue10]

"The Conversation" is Francis Ford Coppola's personal favorite of his films.

[Bolo Seagull]

Brian De Palma hated everything about 'Mission to Mars'. He hated working with CGI, found it tedious. He didn't like the resulting film and neither did anybody else. I think it depends on the day, but he mostly comes across as thinking 'The Untouchables' is his favourite of his own work.

I recently revisited 'Maelstrom'. Denis Villeneuve was so unhappy with it that it caused him to leave filmmaking for almost ten years and only return when he felt he had a film worth making. I reckon he was a bit harsh on himself.

[lesco]

William Friedkin has said "SORCERER is my favourite out of all my films".