Directors Who Forgot How to Direct List

[78deluxe]

Originally Posted by sawdustandtinsel

Sadly I think the answer here is Jonathan Demme. When you think about it he was the canary in the coal mine for the current state of film culture/discourse. For anybody who was too young, he was accused of making a homophobic movie in The Silence of the Lambs and he spent the rest of his life and career apologizing for it. Somebody should write a book on his career as he clearly lost his edge as a director after that.

The problem with the argument placed here is the idea that he was involved in a number of pictures before that one, all of which were mediocre at best.

If he had a number of winners and then when down hill after tSotL I'd agree. But from my perspective that was his one hit wonder and therefore isn't really a contestant in the competition.

It should also be noted that a number of the interesting "directing" ideas actually came from other people (including Jody Foster). Of course we can give JD credit for not getting in the way of "better" ideas.

[cheez avenger]

Originally Posted by Synchg

stop trolling.

who said walter hill? he was never a decent director.

age kicks your ass. at some point, you just start doing it for the paycheck

He was a great genre filmmaker. I think Last Man Standing was his last great piece, but I'm in the minority when it comes to that film. It bombed when it was first release and most didn't even know it was a remake of Yojimbo.

[Hazel Motes]

Originally Posted by toddly6666

Francis Ford Coppola

Youth Without Youth and Twixt were both very good. Tetro was a near masterpiece.

Saying FFC lost it is such a tired, predictable statement.

He's made excellent films in every decade since his debut.

[Cinemania1984]

I'm going to say Steven Spielberg, he's still great but a shadow of his early self. Every movie from Jaws to Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade was a masterpiece to me. But then he just wasn't making anything i was interesting in anymore. His movies got too serious in tone and i missed his more whimsical early years that fill you with child like awe.

Ready Player One was a somewhat return to form and i hope he makes more like that again in the future

[Bobbyjoe766]

Originally Posted by Cinemania1984

I'm going to say Steven Spielberg, he's still great but a shadow of his early self. Every movie from Jaws to Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade was a masterpiece to me. But then he just wasn't making anything i was interesting in anymore. His movies got too serious in tone and i missed his more whimsical early years that fill you with child like awe.

Ready Player One was a somewhat return to form and i hope he makes more like that again in the future

1941 is a bloated mess.

[Martoto]

Originally Posted by Cinemania1984

I'm going to say Steven Spielberg, he's still great but a shadow of his early self. Every movie from Jaws to Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade was a masterpiece to me. But then he just wasn't making anything i was interesting in anymore. His movies got too serious in tone and i missed his more whimsical early years that fill you with child like awe.

Ready Player One was a somewhat return to form and i hope he makes more like that again in the future

Funny you should say that because I was not overly eager to watch Lincoln because, well, who doesn't know about Lincoln? Who needs to endure over two hours of a history lesson already learned and to which the movie doesn't promise to provide previously untold legends? What more proof do we need that it's a worthy story from history?

When I did watch it though, I was like "Oh, yeah. This guy knows what he's doing. He knows how to direct. And that's why we watch his movies."

[drush9999]

Spielberg still makes great films alongside not so great stuff.

Out of his last two movies, Ready Player One is fantastic and deserves more attention. The Post on the other hand was very dull.

[Cinemania1984]

Originally Posted by Martoto

Funny you should say that because I was not overly eager to watch Lincoln because, well, who doesn't know about Lincoln? Who needs to endure over two hours of a history lesson already learned and to which the movie doesn't promise to provide previously untold legends? What more proof do we need that it's a worthy story from history?

When I did watch it though, I was like "Oh, yeah. This guy knows what he's doing. He knows how to direct. And that's why we watch his movies."

Being a Brit i didn't know that much about Lincoln at all apart from passing some important legislation and being assassinated during a theatre show. So i was interested but it felt like a middle act of a three part movie. I would have liked to have seen his rise to being president and until the very end. So i was left a little disappointed despite being an extremely well made movie.

[Spider-Fan]

If this question is simply about directors who lost their edge or who's recent work pales in comparison to their earlier filmography, I would add Tim Burton to this list.

[Martoto]

Originally Posted by Cinemania1984

Being a Brit i didn't know that much about Lincoln at all apart from passing some important legislation and being assassinated during a theatre show. So i was interested but it felt like a middle act of a three part movie. I would have liked to have seen his rise to being president and until the very end. So i was left a little disappointed despite being an extremely well made movie.

That's really what makes a director great. I don't judge the quality of a director on whether or not the story's he or she elects to tell are ones that I want to see, no matter how well they're told.

[BluBonnet]

Originally Posted by Cinemania1984

Being a Brit i didn't know that much about Lincoln at all apart from passing some important legislation and being assassinated during a theatre show. So i was interested but it felt like a middle act of a three part movie. I would have liked to have seen his rise to being president and until the very end. So i was left a little disappointed despite being an extremely well made movie.

Spielberg deliberately chose a period of Lincoln's life that hadn't received much attention from filmmakers previously. If you want to watch the early part of his life, look for John Ford's "Young Mr Lincoln" or "Abe Lincoln in Illinois," with a superb performance by Raymond Massey.

[RedHarvest]

I'd probably say Mark L. Lester. He crafted some awesome, well-executed action films in his prime. Now he does a lot of filler.

[UltraMario9]

Taylor Hackford and Robert Rodriguez have been on a losing streak for over decade now. I like A Dame To Kill For more than most and haven't seen Alita (seems more like a Cameron vehicle, I'm probably wrong though) but man, what happened?

Originally Posted by RedHarvest

I'd probably say Mark L. Lester. He crafted some awesome, well-executed action films in his prime. Now he does a lot of filler.

Just looked at a list of his recent stuff...


...wow

[MorgolKing]

George Lucas
Peter Jackson
Steven Spielberg

All brilliant directors who over time or recently have just seemed to have lost their touch.

With George and Peter - I think they worked hard in their early endeavors and felt the stress of needing to make good movies. Then success came and they were able to make whatever they felt like without that stress and without anyone who could tell them "no" to bad ideas.

[BluBonnet]

Originally Posted by MorgolKing

With George and Peter - I think they worked hard in their early endeavors and felt the stress of needing to make good movies. Then success came and they were able to make whatever they felt like without that stress and without anyone who could tell them "no" to bad ideas.

That certainly doesn't sound like George to me. As for Peter, I didn't much care for the Hobbit trilogy but his WW1 documentary was aces!

[Hoke Moseley]

This thread is a disaster.

[Greenboom98]

Confuse on this thread but I'll post mine.
Director of Beauty & the Beast [Live Action]. All I saw on that film was mostly copy and paste minus few differences. This film has me wondering if there was even a director.

[RedHarvest]

Originally Posted by UltraMario9

Taylor Hackford and Robert Rodriguez have been on a losing streak for over decade now. I like A Dame To Kill For more than most and haven't seen Alita (seems more like a Cameron vehicle, I'm probably wrong though) but man, what happened?



Just looked at a list of his recent stuff...


...wow

I pretty much agree with your picks. Rodriguez seems to have lost his renegade touch. He hasn't impressed me since Planet Terror. At one time, all his films had an incredible sense of fun. Not so much now. And Taylor Hackford, who once was a serious craftsman, hasn't made a memorable film since Devil's Advocate.

[RedHarvest]

Spielberg in the 80s was untouchable. I wouldn't say he's lost his touch, because Ready Player One proved he can still make a fun, entertaining film with visual surprises. But you can tell his priorities have changed. I struggled to stay awake during Bridge of Spies, the Post, and Lincoln.

[sawdustandtinsel]

Originally Posted by 78deluxe

The problem with the argument placed here is the idea that he was involved in a number of pictures before that one, all of which were mediocre at best.

If he had a number of winners and then when down hill after tSotL I'd agree. But from my perspective that was his one hit wonder and therefore isn't really a contestant in the competition.

Mediocre at best? Stop Making Sense is considered to be one of the best concert films ever made. Something Wild, Melvin and Howard, and Married to the Mob are all highly acclaimed that influenced the likes of PTA, Wes Anderson, Alexander Payne, etc. I think you're selling him way short there. By the way, I noticed you conveniently ignored my actual argument about the public's reaction to The Silence of the Lambs which is well encapsulated here.

Originally Posted by 78deluxe

It should also be noted that a number of the interesting "directing" ideas actually came from other people (including Jody Foster). Of course we can give JD credit for not getting in the way of "better" ideas.

Like what?