Top 10 best film directors of all time
Normally it's the stars in front of the camera that are singled out for mass adulation but there are a handful of directors who elicit the same response from movie fans all over the world.
These directors can not only produce blockbusters but they are geniuses of film-making and have created successive masterpieces which have become part of our cinematic history.
Today, we profile our top 10 directors of all time!
Breakthrough Film: Jaws.
Films that secured the Legacy: Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Colour Purple, E.T : The Extra-Terrestrial, Empire of the Sun, Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan, Raider’s of the Lost Ark, Amistad, Jurassic Park.
Defining Characteristics as a Director: Adaptability, his filmography is vast and varied. There is arguably no other director in the world who is as prolific, commercial and critically acclaimed as Spielberg.
Breakthrough Film: Mean Streets.
Films that secured the Legacy: Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas, The Departed, The King of Comedy, The Last Temptation of Christ, The Wolf of Wall Street.
Defining Characteristics as a Director: Atmospheric and visual flair which give his films great impact.
Breakthrough Film: The Terminator.
Films that secured the Legacy: Aliens True Lies, Titanic and Avatar.
Defining Characteristics as a Director: Although his films strive to have deeper meaning than what they first appear - often promoting feminism, alluding to fears of a nuclear holocaust and trying to understand how technological progress will affect humanity - it is still Cameron’s ability to appeal to the masses that is his defining characteristic. Even as a first-time feature film director he managed to create the colossal Terminator.
Breakthrough Film: The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog.
Films that secured the Legacy: Psycho, Vertigo, Rear Window, North by Northwest, The Man who Knew too Much, The Birds.
Defining Characteristics as a Director: Ability to create suspense and intrigue like no other. He is called the Master of Suspense.
Breakthrough Film: Spartacus.
Films that secured the Legacy: Dr Strangelove, Lolita, 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange, Full Metal Jacket, The Shining, Eyes Wide Shut.
Defining Characteristics as a Director: Perfectionism. He was regarded as a genius of cinema but his meticulous filmmaking techniques made him notorious in Hollywood.
Breakthrough Film: Annie Hall.
Films that secured the Legacy: Hannah and Her Sister, Annie Hall, Manhattan, Crimes and Misdemeanours, Sweet and Lowdown, Match Point, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Midnight in Paris.
Defining Characteristics as a Director: Fast-talking, witty dialogue and the portrayal of characters' complex feelings of inferiority coupled with narcissism.
Breakthrough Film: Reservoir Dogs.
Films that secured the Legacy: Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, Kill Bill vol. I &II, Inglorious Bastards.
Defining Characteristics as a Director: His films are known for biting dialogue and his beautifully filmed violent sequences.
Breakthrough Film: The Elephant Man.
Films that secured the Legacy: Eraserhead, Blue Velvet, Mulholland Drive.
Defining Characteristics as a Director: His films are described as dark and dream-like. Although he has amassed worldwide critical acclaim, he is still most famous for avid cult following.
Breakthrough Film: The Godfather.
Films that secured the Legacy: The Godfather II, The Conversation, Apocalypse Now.
Defining Characteristics as a Director: He tells grand stories and portrays grand themes, all through the medium of human relationships.
Breakthrough Film: Citizen Kane.
Films that secured the Legacy: Touch of Evil, The Lady from Shanghai, Chimes at Midnight.
Defining Characteristics as a Director: Ingenuity; Welles was noted for his innovative film making and forged the way for many directors to come.
