Anyone who’s ever been on a movie set knows that making a movie is a long and arduous process. There are a lot of moving parts, and it’s up to the director to literally and metaphorically keep things rolling. The best directors in Hollywood not only make things run smoothly but do so while maintaining a vision of how they are going to bring their ideas to life on screen. Some of the best directors in history have not only made one memorable movie (which is hard enough), but multiple movies that have endured for generations.
It’s also hard for movie lovers to get through everything on their never-ending lists of movies they want to watch. Whether it’s classic films you crave or the latest hits, likeIndiana Jones and the Dial of Destinythat you want to catch, sometimes it seems like there’s never enough time to see them all. So, what directors should you focus on if you want to consider yourself a cinephile? While it’s not completely comprehensive, here’s a list of influential directors to look out for to get you started.
15Steven Spielberg
It feels obvious to state at this point, butSteven Speilbergis one of the greatest directors alive. His career is vast and varied, and many of his films are considered classics. In terms of box office success, Spielberg is the most commercially successful director in the history of movies. He began directing in the early 1970s, but his breakout movieJawswas released in 1975. The film terrified audiences and made people afraid to go swimming. It was an instant hit.
From there, Spielberg has never looked back. His 1977 alien movieClose Encounters of the Third Kindpushed the envelope of what people thought was possible in the realm of science fiction. He collaborated with George Lucas on the 1981 movieRaiders of the Lost Ark, a film that introduced the world to Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford), a character who isstill around in 2023. Spielberg’s astonishing filmography also includesSchindler’s List,Jurassic Park,Amistad, and more. While he doesn’t have a cohesive style or theme that runs through all his movies, Spielberg’s mastery of directing and influence on movie-making is undeniable.
14Robert Altman
Robert Altmanis another director without a specific style that every cinephile should know. He’s got somegreat moviesin his catalog, and it all started with his 1970 dark comedy filmMAS*H.The movie was so popular that it sparked a TV series two years later that ended up running for 11 seasons. Altman then directed the noir mystery thrillerThe Long Goodbyein 1973 and the musical comedyNashvillein 1975.
Altman had a knack for creating offbeat, quirky comedies, like 1980sPopeye,featuring Robin Williams as the title character and Shelley Duvall as his wife Olive Oil. In 2001, Altman directedGosford Park, a murder mystery movie that was nominated for seven Academy Awards. Finally, Altman was behind the lens for 2006’sA Prairie Home Companion, which ended up being his final film. Altman tragically passed away from leukemia at the age of 81 in 2006.
13Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Tarantinois possibly the most eccentric director in Hollywood. He’s known for stylish and cool movies, often influenced by other forms of pop culture. Whether it’s the pulp crime novels of the 1950s that inspired 1994’sPulp Fictionor the ’60s spaghetti Westerns that guided 2012’sDjango Unchained, Tarantino always has an incredible way of paying homage to his predecessors while still making wholly unique and fascinating movies.
Tarantino’s style is unmistakable. He’s known for his gory depictions of violence on screen, and he isn’t afraid to supplement it with harsh language, scenes of drug use, and the use of overt sexuality. Most of his movies are rated R because of this. Tarantino also has the unique distinction of being one of the very few directors who enjoy consistently appearing in their own films.
RELATED:Every Quentin Tarantino Appearance in His Own Films, Ranked
12Fritz Lang
Fritz Langwas an Austrian director who was a pioneer of early sound cinema in the 1930s. After fighting and getting injured in World War I, Lang started crafting ideas for movies. He directed the German mystery movieM, one of the first movies with sound, in 1931. The film follows a man who is a child murderer as he’s attacked and brought to street justice by criminals in Berlin.
Lang directed many movies in the 1930s and 1940s, with his crime dramaThe Testament of Dr. Mabuseeven being banned by the Nazi regime in Germany in 1933 as some critics deemed it to be an anti-Nazi film. Lang helped create the anti-Nazi League in Hollywood and directed memorable movies likeFuryin 1936 andManhuntin 1941. He earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960. Lang’s films have a stark, film noir style very much in line with the German Expressionist movement in the movie industry at the time.
11James Cameron
James Cameronprides himself on making visually stunning and technically innovative movies. He started working in the industry in the late 1970s and had an idea for a script that would eventually becomeThe Terminator, which was released in 1984. He followed it up withTerminator 2: Judgment Dayin 1991 and instantly became a household name. In 1997, Cameron releasedTitanic, an epic masterpiece starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. Cameron’s research work for the film was immense. He started exploring the actual wreck of the RMS Titanic at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean in 1995.
James Cameron is known for his dedication to detail, storytelling, and unbelievable special effects. His moviesAvatarand its sequelAvatar: The Way of Waterpush the boundaries of 3D filmmaking and use CGI to the extent that no other movies in history have before. Cameron is a trailblazer for motion capture, camera, and special effects technology and his drive and vision are almost unmatched in Hollywood today.
10D.W. Griffith
D.W. Griffithis one of the innovators of very early American cinema. He’s credited with pioneering modern film editing and narrative fiction movies. His 1910 short filmIn Old Californiais a silent Western that is considered to be the first film shot in Hollywood. In 1915, Griffith directedThe Birth of a Nation, a silent movie about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the conflicts of the Civil War and Reconstruction eras. The movie was deeply divisive back then and is still considered one of the most controversial movies ever made.
Griffith didn’t have a lot of commercial success as a director after that, but he did go on to produce movies as well. He produced 1939’sOf Mice And Men, as well as 1940’sOne Million B.C.He’s also one of the most prolific creators in movie history, directing over 500 silent films by the time of his death in 1948. Not many people will know Griffith’s name these days, but he had fans in Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, and Douglas Fairbanks, to name a few.
9Sidney Lumet
Sidney Lumetwas a director who was particularly good at capturing the blue-collar, working-class vibe of New York City from the 1950s to the 1970s. Born in Pennsylvania, Lumet was a straight shooter who wanted to capture life as is - for better or for worse. He started in TV productions, crafting dozens of episodes of TV shows likeMamaandDangerfor CBS. His big move to film happened in 1975 when he directed Al Pacino in the grimy crime thrillerDog Day Afternoon.
Lumet didn’t budge when it came to achieving his vision on screen. Those close to him say he had a ton of energy and was very efficient at getting the shots he needed, often doing scenes in just a few takes. He was nominated for Best Director at the Academy Awards four times for his movies12 Angry Men(1957),Dog Day Afternoon (1975),Network(1976), andThe Verdict(1982).
RELATED:Best Sidney Lumet Movies, Ranked
8Sergio Leone
Sergio Leonewas an Italian director who popularized the Spaghetti Western genre of the early 1960s to late 1970s. It began with hisDollarstrilogy, consisting of the filmsA Fistful of Dollars(1964),For a Few Dollars More(1965), andThe Good, the Bad, and the Ugly(1966). Leone mastered the art of combining long, sweeping shots of beautiful desert landscapes with tight, close shots that showed facial expressions and human emotions.
Later, Leone directedOnce Upon a Time In Americain 1984. This ended up being Leon’s last movie. His influence in the Western genre is still felt today by directors like Quentin Tarantino and James Mangold. Leone passed away from a heart attack in Rome in 1960 but his legacy and inspiration will live on forever.
7Akira Kurosawa
Akira Kurosawawas a master of Japanese cinema. From the 1940s to the 1950s, he directed many groundbreaking samurai, action, and crime thrillers and exposed Western audiences to a new type of movie. Kurosawa’s most notable films include 1948’sDrunken Angel, a Japanese crime syndicate film starring actor Toshiro Mifune, whom Kurosawa would go on to make many more films with. Kurosawa’s breakthrough hit wasRashomon, a crime movie about various characters retelling the same incident from different viewpoints.Rashomonwon the Gold Lion, the highest honor a film can receive, at the 1951 Venice Film Festival
Kurosawa continued to work through the 1950s at an astounding pace, directing one movie a year on average. His 1954 movieSeven Samuraiis considered a classic of Japanese cinema for its writing, set design, and editing. At the time of its release,Seven Samuraiwas the most expensive Japanese film ever produced. Kurosawa’s films implore the audience to think about self-mastery, the symbolism of daily life, and the cycle of violence and its role in the rebirth of the human spirit.
6Martin Scorsese
Martin Scorsesehas made more memorable crime thrillers than any other director in Hollywood. He’s known for his gritty style, never shying away from foul language, realistic depictions of violence, and epic storytelling. In 1976, he directed Robert De Niro inTaxi Driver, a film that was nominated for four Academy Awards and is one of thebest films set in New York. As of 2023, Scorsese has directed 26 feature-length films.
Scorsese’s list of amazing movies is long, but some of the highlights include 1980’sRaging Bull, 1990’sGoodFellas, 1995’sCasino, 2002’sGangs of New York, 2004’sThe Aviator, and 2006’sThe Departed. The list goes on and on. Even at age 80, Martin Scorsese is pushing the boundaries of movie-making. His latest filmKillers of the Flower Moon is set for release in October 2023. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Jesse Plemons, and Robert De Niro in a sweeping epic about the Osage murders of the early 1900s.
