Killer Film’s Top 25 Directors

The role of the director has been closely related to cinema and if a film is good or bad, more so than any other member of he family that helped make a film. How does one access who’s better than who? I’m sure Film School students will have a say that will clash with the fanboys, and their favorites will not see eye-to-eye with an average movie goer.

It’s a tough cookie to crack, no doubt, yet here at Killer Film, we try to put our say into the endless discussion. So sit back, and enjoy what Donny Broussard and Jon Peters have to say in Killer Film’s Top 25 Directors. Shall we begin?

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Jon says: Christopher Nolan - His filmography is just beginning to expand, yet I feel what he has given us, these great genre films, are endlessly watchable, solid story arcs, and display pitch-perfect craftsmanship. In time, he should ascend this ladder. His best film? The Dark Knight.

Donny says: Jody Hill – A newcomer with only a few films under his belt, Hill’s dry style hit my funny bone in the right places. I can’t wait to see what he does next. His best Flick? Observe and Report.

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Jon says: The Coen Brothers - They have dabbled into almost every genre, and while they have had a few duds in the late 1990s to early 2000s, they’re have always remained true to their sensibilities and style. People associate them with violence due to the events in Fargo and No Country for Old Men, but little talk is given to how hilarious they are. Dark humor for sure, but Burn After Reading and A Serious Man will cause you to laugh, no at the silliness, because there is none, but laugh with the characters and the environment. Their best film? No Country for Old Men.

Donny says: Edgar Wright - His sense of humor mixed with his ability to write lovable characters that are easy to identity with, make him one of my favorite new directors. His best flick? Shaun of the Dead.

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Jon says: Ramin Bahrani - Young, talented, and perhaps America’s next best director, he is every bit worthy of a spot here, despite only three films into a career. He captures American values, real-life people working in a now America, crafting time capsules of our culture as told through foreign characters. Simple approach, use of non-actors, and a true independent spirit, get ready to know more about him throughout his career. His best film? Chop Shop.

Donny says: Adam Green – The man is responsible for bringing good old fashioned horror back into the mainstream. He writes characters that are easy to relate to and has great taste in music.  His best Flick? Hatchet.

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Jon says: John Hughes –  How can he not be on here? His films from the 1980s were not only funny, but defined a generation. So many great characters, one-liners, scenes, perhaps one of the best comedic film makers of all-time? Yes. His best film? The Breakfast Club.

Donny says: David Gordon Green – I’ve been a fan of David Gordon Green ever since I saw his amazing film George Washington. He’s not afraid to take chances and jump from genre to genre. His best flick? Undertow

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Jon says: Park Chan-wook – Some call him the South Korean answer to David Fincher since they both are extreme perfectionists and visually gifted. Park’s Vengeance Trilogy might be the most be-all-end-all on the subject of violence and revenge ever told. But he’s not a one trick pony. Each film, especially the non-Vengeance Trilogy films, have their own flavor and style. The Thirst is his most visual yet, but he never skimps on the human aspect of a film. His best film? Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance.

Donny says: Fred Dekker – I’m probably going to get a lot of flack for this one, but the man directed two classics that I watch every year, Night of the Creeps and Monster Squad. I have faith that he’ll return to form in the next few years and deliver another classic! His best flick? Monster Squad.

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Jon says: Hayao Miyazaki – The only animator to appear on my list, and that’s because of his wonderful sense of the medium used to tell stories that are timeless. Anime seems to be a fanboy/girl type of genre and it immediately repels most away, but give a Miyazaki film a shot if I just described you. He’s a very thematic director and a true artist, something of a rarity now days. His best film? Spirited Away.

Donny says: David Lynch – A director with passion that is not afraid to change the rules of the game. Even when I don’t exactly understand what he’s saying, I love every minute of it. His best flick? Mulholland Dr.

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Jon says: Steven Soderberg – I think Soderbergh is what one thinks of when someone says, “define a director?” He has this ability to do studio fare like Ocean’s 11, and then completely go in the opposite direction like in Bubble. No matter the budget or the stars, Soderbergh just wants to tell a story, and I am there no matter what he does. Personally, I’m a fan of his HD Net work. His best film? Che.

Donny says: Harold Ramis – An accomplished writer, producer, and director, Ramis is responsible for some of the most memorable comedies to grace the silver screen. Caddyshack, Groundhog Day, and Vacation are testaments to his skill and understanding of what works and what doesn’t when it comes to comedy. His best flick? Caddyshack.

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Jon says: Michael Curtiz – Arguably one of the first best director of the sound era, Curtiz gave us some many classics, that on that fact alone he should be higher. Where it was action like with Errol Flynn in Captain Blood, dramas like Casablanca, musicals like Yankee Doodle Dandy, what couldn’t he do? Film school friends, study up on him. His best film? The Adventures of Robin Hood.

Donny says: Gus Van Sant – The type of director that is able to surprise even his most loyal fan. He makes personal films that speak to generations and leaps in and out of the Hollywood game like a ninja. His best flick? Milk.

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Jon says: Sam Fuller – War and racism was his deal, analyzing those psychological issues would make up his career, yet it seemed like he never repeated himself. He had his B-movie sensibility with A-list attitude, often caused controversy, and always delivered a superb film. His best film? Steel Helmet.

Donny says: Joe Dante – Films like Piranha, Gremlins, Explorers, and The ‘burbs cemented Dante’s spot on my list. The man has a solid track record, plain and simple. His best flick? Gremlins

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Jon says: Sidney Lumet – One of our most prolific directors working today, he has had the knack of getting top actors into his films, and telling extraordinary stories. His stage background helps him in getting great performances, yet his film making knowledge gives us years of studying material. His best film? Dog Day Afternoon.

Donny says: Clint Eastwood - He’s not only one of the greatest actors of our time, he’s one of the finest directors to ever stand behind a camera, old school solid. His best flick? Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

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Jon says: George A. Romero – Really? Yes, really. Romero is an ideal subject when discussing how to survive as an indie film maker. No matter the time or budget limit, his films hold up. Say what you will about his latter films-I think they’re good-he has given us three masterpieces of the horror genre, three mind you, something we need to be grateful for. He might slap on the heavy social commentary, but he gives us subtext to his films, and the key reason why we remember his work. His best film? Dawn of the Dead.

Donny says: Greg Mottola - I picked this director because I have a thing for bald directors, plus the man rocks the visual medium with style. Superbad changed the way I looked at comedy, and he brought that magic back with his best flick, Adventureland.

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Jon says: Ridley Scott – No matter the genre, the results are the same. We take for granted how hard it is to make a good film, yet making a good film year in and year out, in a variety of genres. Scott’s done in time and time again. A visual director to be sure, but don’t look down upon his story telling abilities, all made great by his sense of proper pacing. His best film? Alien.

Donny says: Kevin Smith – I struggled with my decision to put Mr. Smith on this list. He’s definitely one of my favorite writers, but it’s no secret that he doesn’t make the most beautiful flicks. Either way, the man’s characters live and breath, and his first movie got me into film making. His best flick? Chasing Amy

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Jon says: David Cronenberg – Canada’s best film maker is always interesting. We lump him into horror, yet recently he’s proven he can tell stories in any genre as seen in Eastern Promises and History of Violence. Biology has always been a common theme for him, yet so has aging. Look at his short film, Camera. Cronenberg is an old master that isn’t brought up in these circles enough. His best film? Videodrome.

Donny says: David Cronenberg – What Jon said. His best film? A History of Violence.

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Jon says: David Lynch – He’s one weird cookie, but I’m sure there’s something that appeals to us within his films. He can go off the mark at times, but he is always exploring and taking chances. Not too many directors do that in every film. I personally love his short films. His best film? The Elephant Man.

Donny says: Stanley Kubrick – When it comes to style it’s hard to beat Kubrick. He challenged the notion of what is thought of as a Hollywood blockbuster and pushed the the medium of film to its limits. Pure genius. His best flick? Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.

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Jon says: Dario Argento – Let’s remember he was once called the Italian Hitchcock, and there’s a good reason for that. Besides Hitch, crafting murder and suspense the next best is Argento. His camera work is bar none some of the most innovative ever put to screen. His one flaw is lack of a solid story, and most will balk at my choice here for his recent output, but The Stendhal Syndrome, Jenifer, and Sleepless proves he still got what he had in the giallo heydays. His best film? Bird with the Crystal Plummage.

Donny says: Woody Allen – The man writes dialogue that buries itself in your soul. No list would be complete without him on it. His best flick? Annie Hall

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Jon says: Darren Aronofsky – He is only four films in, but Aronofsky more than any other working director, has films that hit you in the gut, and for all completely different reasons. He has the theological punch in Pi, the downward spiral of life in Requiem for a Dream, the true meaning of love punch in The Fountain, and the redemption punch in The Wrestler. What will he do next, I don’t know, but I’m excited. His films have a deep personal effect on me. His best film? The Fountain.

Donny says: Richard Linklater – A director that captures the important moments that make life worth living. I never get tired of watching his movies. His best flick? Before Sunrise.

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Jon says: John Ford – While he’s known for his westerns, and he has done a ton of them, he took one genre and played it different each and every time. He never repeated himself. so many great films, but one could argue his best work was the discovery of John Wayne, and what, my American friends, is better than The Duke? His best film? The Searchers.

Donny says: Cameron Crowe – A writers director, Crowe knows how to visually tell a story that plays like a novel. His best flick? Say Anything…

8 -

Jon says: Orson Welles – Okay, I know it’s cliched to say Citizen Kane is one of cinema’s best films, so I won’t talk about that. His work was scatter shot as a director, but even when cast as an actor he almost seemed to direct that picture. I’m attracted to his larger than life personality, and his rise and fall in Hollywood is an interesting subject. Always crafty, and dare I say genius? Look at his documentary F for Fake, one of his last films before he died. His most inventive work. An editing Bible. Plus, how can we not love him for The Third Man and Touch of Evil? His best film? Citizen Kane.

Donny says: Quentin Tarantino – The director that changed the game when he made a bank heist flick without showing the heist. Memorable dialogue, characters that can be described  as bad-ass, and a love of all things awesome make Tarantino one of the most important directors on my list. His best flick? Jackie Brown.

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Jon says: Steven Spielberg – He might not be on our tongues like he once was, but the man did start the summer movie season with Jaws, and has created numerous films that are now timeless. Cinema, for me, would have not been the same without Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T., Jurassic Park, and others. Ever want to be a kid again? Watch a Spielberg movie. His best film? Schindler’s List.

Donny says: Judd Apatow – A skilled writer, producer, director that changed comedy forever. It’s hard to find a comedy put out in the last few years that Apatow didn’t have his hands in, and that’s not a bad thing. His best flick? Funny People.

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Jon says: Stanley Kubrick – Cold and calculating, Kubrick is cinema, if not the definition of it. His best film? 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Donny says: Blake Edwards - A prolific writer/director that understood physical comedy. I can watch his movies over and over again. His best flick? The Pink Panther (not the remake)

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Jon says: David Fincher - Seven arguably started the modern horror film, Fight Club defined my generation, and Zodiac is a masterpiece, not celebrated by the Academy. Nobody tells stories visually like Fincher, and while substance trumps style, his style makes run-of-the-mill films like Panic Room or the Game, vastly more interesting. His best film? Zodiac.

Donny says: Steven Soderbergh – A director that plays with film like a kid plays with Legos. He changes the game every time he gets behind the camera. Truly inspiring. His best flick? Sex, Lies, and Videotape.

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Jon says: John Carpenter – A B-movie John Ford, Carpenter’s body of work has some many genre classics and great film, proving he is more than a fanboy favorite, he’s a damn fine director. One of the first directors I’ve studied, Carpenter is a guru of suspense, by staging it and building it. His best film? The Thing.

Donny says: Alfred Hitchcock – A real master of the medium, Hitchcock crafted films that are timeless. His best flick? Rear Window.

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Jon says: Alfred Hitchcock - In his Oscar winning speech, the famous director finally achieved that pinnacle of success, and all he said was: “Thank you.” Indeed, Mr. Hitchcock, thank you. His best film? North by Northwest.

Donny says: John Carpenter – One of the true great directors, Carpenter’s flicks capture the imagination like on other in the field. His best flick? The Thing.

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Jon says: Martin Scorsese - Those big, bushy eyebrows have given us some of the best crafted film this past century, through innovative camerawork. But Scorsese isn’t all about being visual, he infuses some great characters and themes in his work, it’s no wonder why he’s so beloved in film circles. His best film? Raging Bull.

Donny says: John Hughes – No one before or after has captured youth the way John Hughes did. His films shaped my childhood. His best flick? The Breakfast Club.

Drum roll, please…here’s Killer Film’s Top Directors:

1 –

Jon says: Akira Kurosawa – Cinema begins and ends with him. He’s so good, some of our favorite films would not have happened if not for those directors copying them. All the directors below on this list, owe Kurosawa. Can’t afford film school? Buy one of his films and study it. His best film? Throne of Blood.

Donny says: Steven Spielberg – While I love all of Spielberg’s movies he’s at the top of my list because he directed the greatest movie of all time, Jaws. Let me say it again, his best flick is Jaws.

There you have it. Agree? Disagree? Were we too film school? Too fanboy? Did we miss someone? Comment below! Then look out for our Killer Film’s Top 10 Over-rated Directors. Let’s discuss!