Missed the cut: Sidney Lumet (way too inconsistent), Johnathan Demme (made some great quirky films, but aside from Something Wild nothing too great), Pedro Almodovar (lot of interesting films were made early in his career, some good ones too)
Honorable mentions: David Lynch (Elephant Man and Blue Velvet are two of the greatest films of the '80s but Dune was a failure of epic proportions... I love you, Lynch, but you're just shy of making this list) , Barry Levinson (made some enjoyable films like Diner and Tin Men, some great films such as The Natural, Good Morning Vietnam, and Rain Man but my top 10 is so strong that there are eleven directors on this list so something had to give.)
1. Martin Scorsese
Films: Raging Bull, King of Comedy, After Hours, Color of Money, Last Temptation of Christ
I feel as if Martin Scorsese's output throughout the '80s is pretty underrated considering his legendary status as a filmmaker. But, let's face it, Raging Bull is a masterpiece. Last Temptation of Christ is an epic achievement, albeit, not 100% perfect. Color of Money is a solid studio film and sequel to The Hustler. King of Comedy and After Hours are brilliant and highly underrated. In fact, After Hours succeeds perfectly in what it tries to do. The 1980s was the Scorsese decade.
2. Woody Allen
Films: Stardust Memories, A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy, Zelig, Broadway Danny Rose, Purple Rose of Cairo, Hannah and Her Sisters, Radio Days, September, Another Woman, Crimes and Misdemeanors
Woody Allen makes a lot of films, practically a film a year. In fact, of recent years, he DOES make one film per year. In the '80s, he was a lot more consistent then he was now. In fact, all four movies from Broadway Danny Rose to Radio Days are great movies. Then he ended the decade with possibly his greatest film, Crimes and Misdemeanors. Actually, Hannah and Her Sisters is right up there with Crimes and Misdemeanors. I'd consider both films to be up in there among the greatest films in the '80s. He established himself in the '70s, but his brilliance in the '80s is the reason why he basically gets a free pass to make a movie every year (unfortunately, he's forced to make them in Europe, but nonetheless).
3. Terry Gilliam
Films: Time Bandits, Brazil, The Adventures of Baron Manchausen
Terry Gilliam's creative peak was in the '80s, for sure. The '90s showed just how well he could do with other people's material, but the '80s showed just what a great, if not, warped mind he has. The endless imagination displayed on Time Bandits, Brazil, and Manchausen is just breathtaking. Brazil also happens to be one of my favorite movies of all-time. Gilliam's endless problems with production and the studios has sort of propelled him into this mythic figure. Someone who is constantly plagued with problems when he makes a new movie and the final product of his movie, while initially dismissed and misunderstood, winds up gaining cult status. In fact, I'd say about half of Gilliam's films are cult films. It's amazing the effect his films have on people, how his distinctive artistic touches initially frustrate viewers. But eventually, people start coming around and they see what Gilliam had been getting at all along. He's known for being that kind of director and yet we always react the same way whenever his next film comes out. Anyway, the '80s were Gilliam at his undeniable best.
4. Stanley Kubrick
Films: The Shining and Full Metal Jacket
Kubrick made two films in the '80s, seven years apart from each other. And yet, they both bring so much to the table whether it'd be redefining the horror genre or simply adding that Kubrick touch to Vietnam war films. Like Gilliam, Kubrick's films also divided people at first. His films are so dense they are impossible to evaluate on the surface and need multiple viewings for complete full appreciation. I recall Steven Spielberg saying how he didn't quite understand The Shining when it first came out, but since then, it's become one of his favorite films. While guys like Scorsese and Woody Allen were continuing to add to their legacy in the '80s, Kubrick was already considered one of the masters of cinema. His two films in the '80s only continued to elevate his legendary status.
5. Wim Wenders
Films: Hammett, The State of Things, Paris,Texas; Wings of Desire
While Hammett and The State of Things were very interesting films, it's really Paris and Wings of Desire that places him at the number five position on this list. They are brilliantly made films for different reasons. And Wenders was one of the most original directors of the '80s.
6. John Hughes
Films: Sixteen Candles, Breakfast Club, Weird Science, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Planes, Trains, & Automobiles, She's Having a Baby, Uncle Buck
Well John Hughes here is pretty much a no-brainer. It's pretty intimating to look at the films he made in the '80s, realizing that it's basically one classic after another. And while I don't hold all these movie to quite a high artistic regard which is why he's not higher than six on this list, The Breakfast Club and Planes, Trains, & Automobiles are brilliant films.
7. Steven Spielberg
Films: Indiana Jones trilogy, ET, Color Purple, Empire of the Sun, Always
Easily Hollywood's most bankable director at the time, it seemed like Spielberg could do no wrong at this point. And while he managed to thrill and entertain audiences with ET and the Indiana Jones trilogy, it's interesting films like Color Purple and Empire of the Sun that truly makes him one of the best directors of the '80s. It's great to see how a man who could pretty much make popcorn movie after popcorn movie insists on taking chances with these other movies that allow him to show off a little artistic flare. With every great popcorn flick Spielberg makes, there's an equally great film by him that works on many more levels.
8. Brian De Palma
Films: Dressed to Kill, Blow Out, Scarface, Body Double, Wise Guys, The Untouchables, Casualties of War
After watching a few De Palma movies, especially Body Double, Blow Out, and Scarface... you can see where Tarantino gets his inspiration from. I consider De Palma, along with Scorsese, to be among the first directors that thrive in the cinematic qualities of film. It's the combination of their masterful use of the camera with their strong sense of the language of cinema whether it's their obvious references to their own creative influences or just a wide, encyclopedic knowledge on how a film gets made. The films of De Palma, especially in the '80s, brilliantly demonstrate a true master at work.
I gotta make these next few short because I wanna go to bed.
9. John Carpenter
Films: The Fog, Escape From New York, The Thing, Christine, Starman, Big Trouble in Little China, Prince of Darkness, They Live
Simply put, for a genre director, John Carpenter's string of films between The Fog and They Live would be any other director's dream. Carpenter in the '80s was pretty much a guarantee for an entertaining film.
tie: 10. David Cronenberg
Films: Scanners, Videodrome, The Dead Zone, The Fly, Dead Ringers
Another genre director, at least at this time, who also made a bunch of great films of the '80s. All those five films listed under Cronenberg are great in their own ways. He's probably a bit more nuanced than John Carpenter and his films require a little more brain activity. And that's what makes his films that much better during this decade.
Jim Jarmusch
Films: Permanent Vacation, Stranger in Paradise, Down By Law, Mystery Train
I had to include Jim Jarmusch in this list, but I couldn't take out Carpenter or Cronenberg and the top seven are just plain solid. But to not include Jarmusch would be stupid. Jarmusch played a huge role in the upcoming wave of independent films that would come out during the '90s and up to today. He's pretty much the father of American independent cinema (and John Cassavettes is the godfather). And he had a string of great films to show for it, which is most important. A true American original.
No comments:
Post a Comment