Filmmakers whose first, or last film was their greatest work.
05-12-13, 07:48 PM
#27
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Filmmakers whose first, or last film was their greatest work.
Many stellar selections so far. I'll add my own. Only feature-length films count in my list. I have purposely omitted short films and TV series (but not TV movies). We should keep in mind that many/most of the directors we are all choosing are still alive and active, so a few of them might still have aces up their sleeves (though I doubt it).
Spielberg - Duel (1971)
Donald Shebib - Goin' Down the Road (1970)
Adam Simon - Brain Dead (1989)
Godfrey Reggio - Koyaanisqatsi (1983)
Barbara Loden - Wanda (1970)
Frank Cole - Life Without Death (2000)
Steve De Jarnatt - Miracle Mile (1988)
Alain Jessua - Life Upside Down (1964)
Fax Bahr, George Hickenlooper - Hearts of Darkness (1991)
Ken & Jim Wheat - Lies (1983)
Philip Haas - Music of Chance (1993)
Mark Blair - Confessions of a Serial Killer (1987)
Ira Wohl - Best Boy (1979)
Fred Walton - When a Stranger Calls (1979)
Vincenzo Natali - Cube (1997)
Agustin Villaronga - In a Glass Cage (1986)
Larry Cohen - Bone (a.k.a. Housewife)(1972)
Peter McCarthy - Floundering (1994)
Luigi Bazzoni - La Donna Del Lago (1965)
Sam Raimi - Evil Dead (1983)
Carroll Ballard - The Black Stallion (1979)(really a toss-up with Never Cry Wolf
)Keith Gordon - The Chocolate War (1988)
Terrence Malick - Badlands (1973)
Konstantin Lopushansky - Letters from a Dead Man (1986)
Lindsey Vickers - The Appointment (1981)
Nils Gaup - Pathfinder (1987)
Ian Merrick - The Black Panther (1977)
Helene Angel - Skin of Man, Heart of Beast (1999)
William Phillips - Treed Murray (2001)
Nikolas Refn - Pusher (1996)
Marina De Van - In My Skin (2002)
David O. Russell - Spanking the Monkey (1994)
Bustillo, Maury - À l'intérieur (2007)
Buddy Giovinazzo - Combat Shock (1986)
Don Owen - Nobody Waved Goodbye (1965)
Ben Younger - Boiler Room (2000)
Aldo Lado - Short Night of Glass Dolls (1971)
Jonathan Karsh - My Flesh and Blood (2004)
Tim McCann - Desolation Angels (1995)
Ramon Menendez - Stand and Deliver (1987)
David Seltzer - Lucas (1986)
Rockne O'Bannon - Fear (1990)
John Kozak - Hell Bent (1994)(first and last credit to date)
Larry Clark - Kids (1995)
Kiefer Sutherland - Last Light (1993)
Willard Huyck - Messiah of Evil (1973)
Pierre Salvadori - Wild Target (1993)
Darren Aronofsky - Pi (1998)
Mario Bava - Rabid Dogs (1974)
Brian Damude - Sudden Fury (1975)
Dwayne Beaver - The Rhino Brothers (2002)
Arnold Shapiro - Scared Straight (1978)
Gerald Kargl - Angst (1983)
Susan Seidelman - Smithereens (1982)
Phil Joanou - Three O'Clock High (1987)
Takeshi Kitano - Violent Cop (1989)
Jim Muro - Street Trash (1987)
Last edited by Norm de Plume; 05-13-13 at 11:30 AM. Reason: Removed "Phantasm". Not his first.
05-12-13, 07:56 PM
#28
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Thread Starter
Re: Filmmakers whose first, or last film was their greatest work.
Harmony Korine-Gummo
Vincent Gallo-Buffalo 66
Vincent Gallo-Buffalo 66
05-12-13, 08:07 PM
#29
Re: Filmmakers whose first, or last film was their greatest work.
I agree.
Many stellar selections so far. I'll add my own. Only feature-length films count in my list. I have purposely omitted short films and TV series (but not TV movies). We should keep in mind that many/most of the directors we are all choosing are still alive and active, so a few of them might still have aces up their sleeves (though I doubt it).
Spielberg - Duel (1971)
Donald Shebib - Goin' Down the Road (1970)
Adam Simon - Brain Dead (1989)
Godfrey Reggio - Koyaanisqatsi (1983)
Barbara Loden - Wanda (1970)
Frank Cole - Life Without Death (2000)
Steve De Jarnatt - Miracle Mile (1988)
Alain Jessua - Life Upside Down (1964)
Fax Bahr, George Hickenlooper - Hearts of Darkness (1991)
Ken & Jim Wheat - Lies (1983)
Philip Haas - Music of Chance (1993)
Mark Blair - Confessions of a Serial Killer (1987)
Ira Wohl - Best Boy (1979)
Fred Walton - When a Stranger Calls (1979)
Vincenzo Natali - Cube (1997)
Agustin Villaronga - In a Glass Cage (1986)
Larry Cohen - Bone (a.k.a. Housewife)(1972)
Peter McCarthy - Floundering (1994)
Luigi Bazzoni - La Donna Del Lago (1965)
Sam Raimi - Evil Dead (1983)
Carroll Ballard - The Black Stallion (1979)(really a toss-up with Never Cry Wolf)
Keith Gordon - The Chocolate War (1988)
Terrence Malick - Badlands (1973)
Konstantin Lopushansky - Letters from a Dead Man (1986)
Lindsey Vickers - The Appointment (1981)
Nils Gaup - Pathfinder (1987)
Ian Merrick - The Black Panther (1977)
Helene Angel - Skin of Man, Heart of Beast (1999)
William Phillips - Treed Murray (2001)
Nikolas Refn - Pusher (1996)
Marina De Van - In My Skin (2002)
David O. Russell - Spanking the Monkey (1994)
Bustillo, Maury - À l'intérieur (2007)
Buddy Giovinazzo - Combat Shock (1986)
Don Owen - Nobody Waved Goodbye (1965)
Ben Younger - Boiler Room (2000)
Aldo Lado - Short Night of Glass Dolls (1971)
Jonathan Karsh - My Flesh and Blood (2004)
Tim McCann - Desolation Angels (1995)
Ramon Menendez - Stand and Deliver (1987)
David Seltzer - Lucas (1986)
Rockne O'Bannon - Fear (1990)
John Kozak - Hell Bent (1994)(first and last credit to date)
Larry Clark - Kids (1995)
Kiefer Sutherland - Last Light (1993)
Willard Huyck - Messiah of Evil (1973)
Pierre Salvadori - Wild Target (1993)
Darren Aronofsky - Pi (1998)
Don Coscarelli - Phantasm (1979)
Mario Bava - Rabid Dogs (1974)
Brian Damude - Sudden Fury (1975)
Dwayne Beaver - The Rhino Brothers (2002)
Arnold Shapiro - Scared Straight (1978)
Gerald Kargl - Angst (1983)
Susan Seidelman - Smithereens (1982)
Phil Joanou - Three O'Clock High (1987)
Takeshi Kitano - Violent Cop (1989)
Jim Muro - Street Trash (1987)
Many stellar selections so far. I'll add my own. Only feature-length films count in my list. I have purposely omitted short films and TV series (but not TV movies). We should keep in mind that many/most of the directors we are all choosing are still alive and active, so a few of them might still have aces up their sleeves (though I doubt it).
Spielberg - Duel (1971)
Donald Shebib - Goin' Down the Road (1970)
Adam Simon - Brain Dead (1989)
Godfrey Reggio - Koyaanisqatsi (1983)
Barbara Loden - Wanda (1970)
Frank Cole - Life Without Death (2000)
Steve De Jarnatt - Miracle Mile (1988)
Alain Jessua - Life Upside Down (1964)
Fax Bahr, George Hickenlooper - Hearts of Darkness (1991)
Ken & Jim Wheat - Lies (1983)
Philip Haas - Music of Chance (1993)
Mark Blair - Confessions of a Serial Killer (1987)
Ira Wohl - Best Boy (1979)
Fred Walton - When a Stranger Calls (1979)
Vincenzo Natali - Cube (1997)
Agustin Villaronga - In a Glass Cage (1986)
Larry Cohen - Bone (a.k.a. Housewife)(1972)
Peter McCarthy - Floundering (1994)
Luigi Bazzoni - La Donna Del Lago (1965)
Sam Raimi - Evil Dead (1983)
Carroll Ballard - The Black Stallion (1979)(really a toss-up with Never Cry Wolf
)Keith Gordon - The Chocolate War (1988)
Terrence Malick - Badlands (1973)
Konstantin Lopushansky - Letters from a Dead Man (1986)
Lindsey Vickers - The Appointment (1981)
Nils Gaup - Pathfinder (1987)
Ian Merrick - The Black Panther (1977)
Helene Angel - Skin of Man, Heart of Beast (1999)
William Phillips - Treed Murray (2001)
Nikolas Refn - Pusher (1996)
Marina De Van - In My Skin (2002)
David O. Russell - Spanking the Monkey (1994)
Bustillo, Maury - À l'intérieur (2007)
Buddy Giovinazzo - Combat Shock (1986)
Don Owen - Nobody Waved Goodbye (1965)
Ben Younger - Boiler Room (2000)
Aldo Lado - Short Night of Glass Dolls (1971)
Jonathan Karsh - My Flesh and Blood (2004)
Tim McCann - Desolation Angels (1995)
Ramon Menendez - Stand and Deliver (1987)
David Seltzer - Lucas (1986)
Rockne O'Bannon - Fear (1990)
John Kozak - Hell Bent (1994)(first and last credit to date)
Larry Clark - Kids (1995)
Kiefer Sutherland - Last Light (1993)
Willard Huyck - Messiah of Evil (1973)
Pierre Salvadori - Wild Target (1993)
Darren Aronofsky - Pi (1998)
Don Coscarelli - Phantasm (1979)
Mario Bava - Rabid Dogs (1974)
Brian Damude - Sudden Fury (1975)
Dwayne Beaver - The Rhino Brothers (2002)
Arnold Shapiro - Scared Straight (1978)
Gerald Kargl - Angst (1983)
Susan Seidelman - Smithereens (1982)
Phil Joanou - Three O'Clock High (1987)
Takeshi Kitano - Violent Cop (1989)
Jim Muro - Street Trash (1987)
05-12-13, 08:18 PM
#30
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Filmmakers whose first, or last film was their greatest work.
Have to second Kevin Smith with "Clerks." That's the film that he is, and probably will be, remembered for.
05-12-13, 09:30 PM
#31
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Filmmakers whose first, or last film was their greatest work.
Are you choosing directors who had really good debuts or do you actually believe your choices were their best films. The reason I ask is because some of your choices IMO are disputable. As an example I would argue that Sonatine and Fireworks are better Takeshi Kitano films than Violent Cop. Or that State of Grace was a better Joanou film than 3:00 High. This is all my opinion of course.
05-12-13, 09:42 PM
#32
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Filmmakers whose first, or last film was their greatest work.
05-13-13, 01:17 AM
#36
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Re: Filmmakers whose first, or last film was their greatest work.
05-13-13, 01:25 AM
#37
Re: Filmmakers whose first, or last film was their greatest work.
Kenji Misumi, who directed films in the Zatoichi and Lone Wolf and Cub series, went out with a splash with THE LAST SAMURAI (1974). I haven't seen it in a long time so I can't say for certain that it's his best or not, but it does have a good rep and it was his last film.
05-13-13, 10:03 AM
#39
DVD Talk Legend
05-13-13, 10:36 AM
#40
05-13-13, 11:29 AM
#42
DVD Talk Legend
05-13-13, 01:35 PM
#43
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Re: Filmmakers whose first, or last film was their greatest work.
I feel that neither Maltese Falcon nor The Dead are his best film however.
05-13-13, 05:33 PM
#46
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Thread Starter
Re: Filmmakers whose first, or last film was their greatest work.
I agree.
Many stellar selections so far. I'll add my own. Only feature-length films count in my list. I have purposely omitted short films and TV series (but not TV movies). We should keep in mind that many/most of the directors we are all choosing are still alive and active, so a few of them might still have aces up their sleeves (though I doubt it).
Spielberg - Duel (1971)
Donald Shebib - Goin' Down the Road (1970)
Adam Simon - Brain Dead (1989)
Godfrey Reggio - Koyaanisqatsi (1983)
Barbara Loden - Wanda (1970)
Frank Cole - Life Without Death (2000)
Steve De Jarnatt - Miracle Mile (1988)
Alain Jessua - Life Upside Down (1964)
Fax Bahr, George Hickenlooper - Hearts of Darkness (1991)
Ken & Jim Wheat - Lies (1983)
Philip Haas - Music of Chance (1993)
Mark Blair - Confessions of a Serial Killer (1987)
Ira Wohl - Best Boy (1979)
Fred Walton - When a Stranger Calls (1979)
Vincenzo Natali - Cube (1997)
Agustin Villaronga - In a Glass Cage (1986)
Larry Cohen - Bone (a.k.a. Housewife)(1972)
Peter McCarthy - Floundering (1994)
Luigi Bazzoni - La Donna Del Lago (1965)
Sam Raimi - Evil Dead (1983)
Carroll Ballard - The Black Stallion (1979)(really a toss-up with Never Cry Wolf)
Keith Gordon - The Chocolate War (1988)
Terrence Malick - Badlands (1973)
Konstantin Lopushansky - Letters from a Dead Man (1986)
Lindsey Vickers - The Appointment (1981)
Nils Gaup - Pathfinder (1987)
Ian Merrick - The Black Panther (1977)
Helene Angel - Skin of Man, Heart of Beast (1999)
William Phillips - Treed Murray (2001)
Nikolas Refn - Pusher (1996)
Marina De Van - In My Skin (2002)
David O. Russell - Spanking the Monkey (1994)
Bustillo, Maury - À l'intérieur (2007)
Buddy Giovinazzo - Combat Shock (1986)
Don Owen - Nobody Waved Goodbye (1965)
Ben Younger - Boiler Room (2000)
Aldo Lado - Short Night of Glass Dolls (1971)
Jonathan Karsh - My Flesh and Blood (2004)
Tim McCann - Desolation Angels (1995)
Ramon Menendez - Stand and Deliver (1987)
David Seltzer - Lucas (1986)
Rockne O'Bannon - Fear (1990)
John Kozak - Hell Bent (1994)(first and last credit to date)
Larry Clark - Kids (1995)
Kiefer Sutherland - Last Light (1993)
Willard Huyck - Messiah of Evil (1973)
Pierre Salvadori - Wild Target (1993)
Darren Aronofsky - Pi (1998)
Mario Bava - Rabid Dogs (1974)
Brian Damude - Sudden Fury (1975)
Dwayne Beaver - The Rhino Brothers (2002)
Arnold Shapiro - Scared Straight (1978)
Gerald Kargl - Angst (1983)
Susan Seidelman - Smithereens (1982)
Phil Joanou - Three O'Clock High (1987)
Takeshi Kitano - Violent Cop (1989)
Jim Muro - Street Trash (1987)
Many stellar selections so far. I'll add my own. Only feature-length films count in my list. I have purposely omitted short films and TV series (but not TV movies). We should keep in mind that many/most of the directors we are all choosing are still alive and active, so a few of them might still have aces up their sleeves (though I doubt it).
Spielberg - Duel (1971)
Donald Shebib - Goin' Down the Road (1970)
Adam Simon - Brain Dead (1989)
Godfrey Reggio - Koyaanisqatsi (1983)
Barbara Loden - Wanda (1970)
Frank Cole - Life Without Death (2000)
Steve De Jarnatt - Miracle Mile (1988)
Alain Jessua - Life Upside Down (1964)
Fax Bahr, George Hickenlooper - Hearts of Darkness (1991)
Ken & Jim Wheat - Lies (1983)
Philip Haas - Music of Chance (1993)
Mark Blair - Confessions of a Serial Killer (1987)
Ira Wohl - Best Boy (1979)
Fred Walton - When a Stranger Calls (1979)
Vincenzo Natali - Cube (1997)
Agustin Villaronga - In a Glass Cage (1986)
Larry Cohen - Bone (a.k.a. Housewife)(1972)
Peter McCarthy - Floundering (1994)
Luigi Bazzoni - La Donna Del Lago (1965)
Sam Raimi - Evil Dead (1983)
Carroll Ballard - The Black Stallion (1979)(really a toss-up with Never Cry Wolf
)Keith Gordon - The Chocolate War (1988)
Terrence Malick - Badlands (1973)
Konstantin Lopushansky - Letters from a Dead Man (1986)
Lindsey Vickers - The Appointment (1981)
Nils Gaup - Pathfinder (1987)
Ian Merrick - The Black Panther (1977)
Helene Angel - Skin of Man, Heart of Beast (1999)
William Phillips - Treed Murray (2001)
Nikolas Refn - Pusher (1996)
Marina De Van - In My Skin (2002)
David O. Russell - Spanking the Monkey (1994)
Bustillo, Maury - À l'intérieur (2007)
Buddy Giovinazzo - Combat Shock (1986)
Don Owen - Nobody Waved Goodbye (1965)
Ben Younger - Boiler Room (2000)
Aldo Lado - Short Night of Glass Dolls (1971)
Jonathan Karsh - My Flesh and Blood (2004)
Tim McCann - Desolation Angels (1995)
Ramon Menendez - Stand and Deliver (1987)
David Seltzer - Lucas (1986)
Rockne O'Bannon - Fear (1990)
John Kozak - Hell Bent (1994)(first and last credit to date)
Larry Clark - Kids (1995)
Kiefer Sutherland - Last Light (1993)
Willard Huyck - Messiah of Evil (1973)
Pierre Salvadori - Wild Target (1993)
Darren Aronofsky - Pi (1998)
Mario Bava - Rabid Dogs (1974)
Brian Damude - Sudden Fury (1975)
Dwayne Beaver - The Rhino Brothers (2002)
Arnold Shapiro - Scared Straight (1978)
Gerald Kargl - Angst (1983)
Susan Seidelman - Smithereens (1982)
Phil Joanou - Three O'Clock High (1987)
Takeshi Kitano - Violent Cop (1989)
Jim Muro - Street Trash (1987)
05-13-13, 05:51 PM
#47
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Filmmakers whose first, or last film was their greatest work.
Final film: Cecil B. DeMille - THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
First film: Johnathan Frakes - STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT
First film: Johnathan Frakes - STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT
Last edited by Shannon Nutt; 05-13-13 at 05:59 PM.
05-13-13, 06:48 PM
#48
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Filmmakers whose first, or last film was their greatest work.
Actually, I have to qualify a couple of them: Bazzoni's The Fifth Cord is the equal of La Donna Del Lago, and Giovinazzo's No Way Home can't be considered inferior to Combat Shock, though comparing the two is apples and oranges.
Last edited by Norm de Plume; 05-13-13 at 06:52 PM. Reason: Addition
05-13-13, 07:35 PM
#49
