Every year, the most prestigious film academy’s hand out awards to the great talents of the cinema industry, and the greatest directors in the world have earned more than one prize for their work. From thrillers to dramas, epic fantasy to comedy and sci-fi, every impressive director has his preferred genre, although some occasionally like to colour outside of the box. However, we can all agree that when it comes to these cinematic masterminds, they certainly know how to execute their vision of a script, making sure every detail is on point.
In fact, sometimes being a great director translates into being a multitasker, taking on the tasks of producer, editor, cinematographer, camera man, and more. If you pay close attention, you’ll notice that many of the best movie soundtracks ever, which we recounted in a previous article, were created by the directors themselves. So, let’s take a look at the greatest directors in the world and what their talent has to say for them.
5. Martin Scorsese
Anyone who has been going to the movies since the 70’s has surely seen at least a couple of Martin Scorsese flicks. Do The Wolf of Wall Street, Goodfellas, The Departed, Taxi Driver, Casino, or The Aviator sound like familiar titles? Well, that’s probably because they are all epic and all came from the hand of Scorsese. His style is one of the most defined in all of Hollywood, featuring rawness in every way, be it regarding violence, aggression, sex, or drama. Except for Hugo, which is for children and therefore, delightful.
4. David Fincher
Some movie buffs say that this director is the closest modern cinema has gotten to Stanley Kubrik’s visual style, given Fincher’s tendency towards dark, intelligent, and witty psycho-thrillers. However, Fincher’s talent was somewhat overlooked by the Academy Awards until his work in The Social Network (2010), in spite having created several incredible box office hits before that, including Fight Club (1999) and Seven (1995). His American adaptation of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, nevertheless, was critically acclaimed by Hollywood’s elite and fans alike, and today it’s clear that he’s one of the greatest directors in the world.
3. John Lasseter
In the midst of Hollywood’s great masterpieces, it’s easy to forget that the children’s genre presents a whole series of directing challenges that differ from other genres. And here’s where we would like to point out John Lasseter’s fantastic achievements as a director: not only was he in charge of creating both Toy Story movies (which – let’s face it – we all loved), but he also directed Ratatouille, Wall-E, and Finding Nemo. Considering that he pretty much introduced us to the world of computer animated movies with adorable characters and on-spot storylines, he counts as one of the greats.
2. Quentin Tarantino
If you think cult movies of the past two decades, you’re probably recalling at least one of Quentin Tarantino’s creations. Bloody, extremely violent, musically superb, and enticing is a good way to describe this mastermind’s movies, which include Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill, and Inglourious Basterds. However, what characterizes Tarantino’s films is his way of merging high-strung characters with obscure themes and electric action scenes, all tied together with a stylized visual composition.
1. Christopher Nolan
Once you’ve indulged in a Christopher Nolan film, I’m sure you’ll recognize that he’s one of the most talented people in Hollywood. Whether he’s taking on the massive Batman franchise, exploring amnesia in Memento, or delving into the human mind with Inception, the British director, screen writer, and producer likes a challenge. And most of all, he likes to challenge his audience, introducing oftentimes critical and dark aspects of human nature into his characters. In fact, he might just be the first director to unite action packed flicks with a deeper philosophical meaning. He’s therefore considered to be one of the greatest directors in the world.
