John Ford. “The Searchers” stands up to anything Europe can offer.
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You want to get depressed, go see one of his films. Don’t go if you’re contemplating suicide or not; let friends know where you are.
I would probably think the greatest was Hitchcock.
The guy who made “Gone With The Wind” also had a bunch of good ones.
What is that one of his taking place right after WW2? The German backgrounds are stunning including pictures of the Autobahn.
Then of course you have the Seventh Seal with a young Max Von Sydow.
Greatest parody of Bergman ever. It helps to have seen Wild Strawberries and the Seventh Seal.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3JEIQk4mZQ
"The Holy Ghost was working through me on ... - Mel Gibson.
George Eastman?
Well, yeah, he had to have lived! Who is the greatest director who never lived? That is the question we otter be asking.
I don’t care about “Great.”
Give me a Sergio Leone movie with an Ennio Morricone soundtrack.
Howard Hawkes directed probably the best Western ever: “Red River”.
John Ford, Frank Capra, John Houston, Howard Hawks
Hitchcock, with too many masterpieces to mention.
All a joy to watch.
A long article about Bergman being the greatest filmmaker, that never mentions what Bergman did that makes him the greatest filmmaker. It talks about themes and motivations, but a crappy director can cover those same topics. They don’t make a director great. What made Bergman great? Won’t learn it from reading this.
No problem “understanding” Bergman. He was interested in the dark side of the moon.
The last leg of the marathon film-watching enterprise was significantly less edifying. To me, everything from Cries and Whispers onward seemed absurdly depressing and monotonous; in many cases I found myself literally cringing in the presence of autumnal work by a once-great director who had simply lost his way and was not going to find it again. It probably didn't help matters that I watched Bergman's complete works in the dead of winter, a decision my wife viewed with great apprehension and, on a few nights, abject terror. From the moment Bergman hooked up with David Carradine in his absurd 1977 Weimar costume drama The Serpent's Egg to the moment four years ago when he shot Saraband - More Scenes From the Same Horrible Marriage - Bergman made no films that were even vaguely in the same weight class as Persona, The Virgin Spring, Smiles of a Summer Night, or Wild Strawberries. By the time I dragged myself into the TV room to watch Autumn Sonata, the 38th film in the canon, I couldn't wait for the project to be over. Bergman had long since run out of gas as a screenwriter and auteur, and no matter how good the films may have looked, thanks to Nykvist's breathtaking work, the director's voice sounded like a broken record. Enough with the busted marriages. Enough with the ill-advised abortions. Enough with the whining and moping. Enough with Liv Ullman.I emphasized Nykvist: for anyone who likes Bergman type films, try to watch Tarkovsky's The Sacrfice (also filmed by Nykvist).
Bonus tip: Bille August directs Best Intensions, written by Bergman.
Bergman doesn’t even belong in the top 10. Lauded only by folks who consider themselves intellectuals who want to impress other folks that consider themselves intellectual.
Clint Eastwood
In no particular order:
Riefenstahl
D. W. Griffith
Hitchcock
Mel Brooks
Clint Eastwood
Richard Attenborough
George Lucas
David Lean
John Farrow
Kubrick
Has anyone mentioned Orson Wells? He did have some good ones.
He once said the best actor he ever knew was Ray Collins (Lt. Tragg on Perry Mason).
Collins was getting a bit feeble by the last few seasons but he always gave it his best. He died before the final season.