Best Creative Writer/Director

Do you know my poetry?

08-02-05

Originally Posted by Holden Pike

It is the best Criterion package ever assembled.

Well, The Battle of Algiers 3-disc set and the Fanny & Alexander 5-disc set aren't too bad either...

But yeah, the DVD of Brazil is amazing, and the supplements are some of the best Criterion has put out to a film.

blibblobblib

Lets put a smile on that block

08-02-05

Ok i'm sure this has been asked before, and i maybe a fool, but what exactly is Criterion that you guys keep banging on about? Iv'e never seen them over here in the UK. But then again i havn't kept an eye out for them.

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Holden Pike

One Ornery Sumbitch

08-02-05

Originally Posted by blibblobblib

That's because they don't have them in the U.K., they are a Region 1 company only. If you're curious, check 'em out at www.criteriondvd.com.

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blibblobblib

Lets put a smile on that block

08-02-05

Cheers Holds, i shall peruse them immediatly, i got meself one o' those multi-region dvd players anyway so if i see something i like...i'll have to wait as i'm skint and unemployed.

Iroquois

Welcome to the human race...

08-04-05

I think there is one writer-director who is pretty creative .... Kevin Smith. His first few movies have many inspired moments, especially Dogma.

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Tbj

Registered User

08-04-05

Uhm.. the poll is full of good screenwriters (who thinks they aren't is a criminal..

)

But what about ESOTSM's screenwriter, Kaufman right ?

Holden Pike

One Ornery Sumbitch

08-04-05

Originally Posted by Tbj

Uhm.. the poll is full of good screenwriters (who thinks they aren't is a criminal..

)

But what about ESOTSM's screenwriter, Kaufman right ?

Because the thread is looking for those who do the double duty of screenwriting and directing. Thus far anyway, Chuck Kaufman has not attempted to direct a movie. His scripts have been brought to life by Spike Jonze (Being John Malkovich and Adaptation), Michel Gondry (HUman Nature and Eternal Sunshine fo the Spotless Mind) and George Clooney (Confessions of a Dangerous Mind).

dolarhydecb

Movie Forums Member

08-04-05

Originally Posted by Holden Pike

some OTHERs conspiculously absent...

Joel & Ethan Coen
Woody Allen
John Sayles
Kenneth Branagh
Pedro Almodovar
Jim Jarmusch
Albert Brooks

and the dead, since you included Kubrick for some reason...
John Huston
Preston Sturges
Orson Welles
Billy Wilder
John Cassavetes

Yea sorry bout that, and the mispelling of Mar't'in. I was just trying to think of people that write really creatively in my mind. Maybe I shouldn't have put up a poll because it's limited to only 10.

Lets see, the Coen have had their share of good writing, particularly Miller's Crossing. I definitely could have put them up there, o well.

Woody Allen and Mel Brooks for that matter were also possibilities, but I guess I just wasn't thinking comedy.

John Sayles, what? I was thinking the Howling, but that was a novel. Can't really think of what he's wrote...

Kenneth Branagh, umm... shakespeare buff, good at bringing him to the movies, no more, no less.

Pedro Almodovar, no idead.

Jim Jarmusch - this guy is legit and definitely could be up there, I just forgot, o well.

Albert Brooks, I have to say no to this one, unless you think that he has some sort of writing masterpiece that I don't know about.

John Huston, ok good call, definitely forgot and if Kubrick than Huston, maybe, maybe not. I myself am not even sure why I put Kubrick up there, maybe it was because Kubrick wrote 2001 and Dr. Stranglove.

I don't even want to talk about Preston Sturges, Orson Welles, or Billy Wilder, I'm afraid I might piss someone off and we don't need that. Let me just say they are, well in a different league I think.

And for John Cassavetes, I think of Shadows and then I think of Shadows again...

Well that's all I have to say about that. I know I missed a bunch of names, but this is my input on those.

Sedai

A system of cells interlinked

08-04-05

2001 was my man Arthur C!!!

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Holden Pike

One Ornery Sumbitch

08-04-05

Originally Posted by dolarhydecb

John Sayles, what? I was thinking the Howling, but that was a novel. Can't really think of what he's wrote...

Kenneth Branagh, umm... shakespeare buff, good at bringing him to the movies, no more, no less.

Ummm, spoken like somebody who has never written a screenplay. The art of adaptation is a tricky one, including bringing Bill Shakespeare to the screen. But yes, cearly his accomplishments are nothing compared to Chris Nolan and the three movies he has directed and been involved in the script process on.

Pedro Almodovar, no idea.

No shock here. But he is very well respected and, outside of the American multiplex, extremely well-known.

Albert Brooks, I have to say no to this one, unless you think that he has some sort of writing masterpiece that I don't know about.

A few actually: Modern Romance, Lost in America and Defending Your Life. Please to see THIS thread.

John Huston, ok good call, definitely forgot and if Kubrick than Huston, maybe, maybe not. I myself am not even sure why I put Kubrick up there, maybe it was because Kubrick wrote 2001 and Dr. Stranglove.

Yes, Stanley Kubrick was involved in the writing process of all his major films, and credited on quite a few of them. But like Scorsese, who outside of a few films never takes a credit, being involved at the script stage is part of their being great directors. You won't find a bigger fan of Kubrick or Scorsese than me, but I wouldn't be quick to put them in the ranks of the writer/director hybrid. Neither would they, when asked. Director or filmmaker, but I don't think either would label themselves a screenwriter. But that's really neither here or there, so I can see including them on such a list.

I don't even want to talk about Preston Sturges, Orson Welles, or Billy Wilder, I'm afraid I might piss someone off and we don't need that. Let me just say they are, well in a different league I think.

I don't think you'd piss anybody off so much as show the range, or rather lack of range, of your film knowledge and appreciation. And yes, Preston Sturges and Billy Wilder are most definitely in a different league than David Lynch and Quentin Tarantino. No argument here.

And for John Cassavetes, I think of Shadows and then I think of Shadows again...

Right. You should also think of A Woman Under the Influence, Husbands, Faces, The Killing of a Chinese Bookie, Opening Night...but then who wants to bother with thinking?

Well that's all I have to say about that. I know I missed a bunch of names, but this is my input on those.

Indeed.

dolarhydecb

Movie Forums Member

08-04-05

Originally Posted by Holden Pike

The IMDb is a tool. Like any tool it can be used correctly or incorrectly. John Sayles started his career with Roger Corman and made a living writing some genre junk for a while. But first of all, he didn't direct Piranha, Alligator, Battle Beyond the Stars or The Howling. And after those assigments he did become one of the finest writer/directors of the past twenty-five years. Some of his many career highlights include Passion Fish, Lone Star, Eight Men Out, Limbo, Men with Guns, The Secret of Roan Inish and Matewan. That you don't have any idea who he is is sad and very much reflected in the choices you did add to your poll.

Ummm, spoken like somebody who has never written a screenplay. The art of adaptation is a tricky one, including bringing Bill Shakespeare to the screen. But yes, cearly his accomplishments are nothing compared to Chris Nolan and the three movies he has directed and been involved in the script process on.

No shock here. But he is very well respected and, outside of the American multiplex, extremely well-known.

A few actually: Modern Romance, Lost in America and Defending Your Life. Please to see THIS thread.

Yes, Stanley Kubrick was involved in the writing process of all his major films, and credited on quite a few of them. But like Scorsese, who outside of a few films never takes a credit, being involved at the script stage is part of their being great directors. You won't find a bigger fan of Kubrick or Scorsese than me, but I wouldn't be quick to put them in the ranks of the writer/director hybrid. Neither would they, when asked. Director or filmmaker, but I don't think either would label themselves a screenwriter. But that's really neither here or there, so I can see including them on such a list.

I don't think you'd piss anybody off so much as show the range, or rather lack of range, of your film knowledge and appreciation. And yes, Preston Sturges and Billy Wilder are most definitely in a different league than David Lynch and Quentin Tarantino. No argument here.

Right. You should also think of A Woman Under the Influence, Husbands, Faces, The Killing of a Chinese Bookie, Opening Night...but then who wants to bother with thinking?
Indeed.

Ha, first off, I was just pointing off that the only work that I�ve heard of dealing with John Sayles is The Howling. I was under the impression he wrote and directed it, being that his name was listed, but I guess I guessed wrong. I have, in fact, heard of Lone Star, but have not seen it so in that case I would feel ignorant to comment.

Kenneth Branagh does not follow the trend of a writer/director. I never said this was a bad thing I was just pointing out he doesn�t fit. He brings Shakespeare to the movies and from what I�ve seen he has done a good job. I just don�t feel people identify him as a writer. I would personally identify him as an actor before a writer or director, but he is an excellent director. As for Nolan, I was just trying to put a range into the poll. I guess Nolan wasn�t appropriate, but he did write everything for the following and from what I have seen he knows what he is doing. And for the comment that I have never wrote a screenplay, I would have to say that is probably the worst arguments I have ever heard determining someone�s credentials. For one thing, I don�t think anyone in here has written a successful screenplay. Another thing is that I am only 19 years old and am actually working to become a writer, so from my point of view I feel that I can at least offer my criticism on someone�s writing abilities in comparison to someone else�s. The problem is I would NEVER compare Nolan and Branagh, but maybe that�s just me.

For the whole Spanish writer/director, I�ll look into him, but again I don�t want to make an ignorant comment on something I know nothing about.

As for Albert Brooks, interestingly enough I messed up there. The thing is when I heard his name I thought of The Muse, which was a great script, but I just wasn�t thinking comedy writers. The other film, which I think is his best work is Lost in America, but I just didn�t think about it, sorry.

I guess Scorsese should not have been up there and I good have put Huston instead. However, I do feel Kubrick should be, simply for A Clockwork Orange, which like Cronenberg�s Naked Lunch just pulls a novel to screen perfectly. I guess that you could be right with taking him out, but o�well.

As for my lack of knowledge concerning Sturges, Welles, and Wilder� I would just say that I think I know plenty considering my age and I don�t really feel like defending myself on it, the fact is that they are like legends in my eyes so it�s hard for me to make a comment about there writing or directing at all.

For Cassavetes I thought Shadows was a great piece of writing, I just couldn�t think of anything else except that I think he acted in Rosemary�s Baby, not sure about that one. I�ll check out the other ones.

All in all, I probably should have left the poll out of this thread and just left it as a discussion because there are way more than 10 great writer/directors, I was just trying to make a range and for personal purposes I wanted to learn of other directors with similar styles to the 10 that I listed. Thanks for the input Holden.

linespalsy

style over substance

08-04-05

I put "Other"

My pick (for living directors) is certainly John Sayles. If you haven't seen his movies, ya really otter start. I recommend any and all of them, but my personal faves are Limbo, Men With Guns, and Lone Star, with Passion Fish, Eight Men Out, and Sunshine State all coming pretty close to those.

A couple others I'd like to see on such a poll would be Hal Hartley and Peter Greenaway.

dolarhydecb

Movie Forums Member

08-05-05

Originally Posted by linespalsy

Interesting... I just bought and saw Limbo being that it was the first one on your list and I must say it was amazing and Sayles should definitely be up there. His writing is just amazing, I can't believe I haven't seen this yet, but thanks guys for the input.

Holden Pike

One Ornery Sumbitch

08-05-05

Originally Posted by dolarhydecb

Yay! Another convert.

"When I was really young I didn't know that there was
such a thing as a screenwriter. I wrote stories. I figured
somebody wrote a story who had a typewriter and I
thought that movies were made by the cowboys and
that they just said, "Okay, you fall off the horse this
time." But once I discovered that there was such a thing
as a screenwriter and a director and all that, it stayed in
my head as a possibility. I certainly grew up seeing more
movies and television than I read books, but when it came
time to do the thing itself you don't have to hire a lot of
people; you don't have to have locations or catering or any
of those things to sit down and write a book, so that was
the story-telling medium that was available to me. So I
always felt like, okay, I'm going to try to tell stories what-
ever way I can and it would be cool to make a movie, and
tell a story that way."
- John Sayles

Misirlou