Who is the Most Overrated Director?
This is hardly an easy task...
In search of an idea for another top ten list I got to thinking about directors. Who is the best director? Who is the worst director? Those two questions require some serious research and I just don't think I am learned enough to say one way or another. Then I got to thinking about who may be the most overrated director? The best thing about this question is that it eliminates the likes of Uwe Boll from the conversation and I don't need to regurgitate what so many others have said concerning the directors that have gone down in history as great. I don't have to worry about telling you how great Alfred Hitchcock is and why. It's fantastic. However I did a little online searching and it isn't as if this is a question that hasn't been asked before. However, it appears there are already a few stock answers.
Searching the Net it seems the most popular answers are the following:
Those three names seem to be the first three whenever the conversation is started. Oliver Stone appears to be around fourth place. Fifth and sixth seem to be interchangeable between Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. Brian De Palma, the Coen brothers and Ron Howard seem to be the overall choices for seven, eight and nine. Tenth place isn't as easy but I saw a lot of Martin Scorsese and Wes Anderson so take your pick and the job appears to be done for me. That is, if I were a conventional bandwagoner, which I'm not. Woo hoo!
Before I go making any drastic claims I need to take a look at those I have already mentioned.
Shyamalan takes so much shit for even existing to call him overrated at this point is a bit redundant. I imagine the same people calling him overrated would be the same people calling him awful. I like Shyamalan, but I don't think anyone has him ranked high enough anymore to call him overrated outside of his rabid fan base. It was a legitimate argument back in 1999, but now it is just annoying.
Kevin Smith isn't considered to be anything more than a dick and fart joke director with a fantastic ability to write great dialogue. Smith even refers to himself as a dick and fart joke director and he is out to service his fan base. He jokes about making Jersey Girl and his follow-up was a return to form in Clerks II featuring a bit of donkey-on-human sex. Zack and Miri Make a Porno looks to be some more of the same.Hard to fault a guy for feeding a genre with films the intended audience loves.
Maybe I just enjoy Smith too much, but in my opinion he is something of an independent film maverick. Clerks encouraged filmmakers from every corner, showing them you didn't need millions of dollars to make a movie and should it turn out for the best you may be able to make a career out of movies filled with dick and fart jokes. What's so overrated about that? Inspiring maybe, but not overrated.
Personally I love Quentin Tarantino, but I can see how people may consider him overrated even if I don't. Oliver Stone is a tough call, I haven't liked a lot of his films but he has made some damn good ones at the same time and good or bad they all seem to stir up conversation, which I think is a definite sign of a director that is not overrated.
Lucas, De Palma and Howard have definitely had their ups and downs, but Lucas has never been much more than the guy that invented Star Wars and is never really thought of as a director of any consequence. Anyone thinking Ron Howard is overrated is likely to forget that in an instant should Frost/Nixon end up as good as it looks. As for Brian De Palma, he is tougher to defend. I love Scarface but a lot of people believe that film is overrated. I am not a huge fan of The Untouchables, but other people love it. Carlito's Way is pretty good and I think Mission: Impossible is great. However, he also brought us Mission to Mars, Snake Eyes and The Black Dahlia. Those three films on top of the fact that he doesn't appear to have anything left in the tank may mean he is an overrated director. It's certainly a close call.
Finally, Wes Anderson, like Kevin Smith, services an audience and to call the Coen brothers or Martin Scorsese overrated is just asinine. Out of our original list that leaves us with Steven Spielberg, who I don't think is overrated as much as I think he has just made a few bad films recently. Does a director that seems a bit off his game make him overrated when he brought us such films as Jaws, Close Encounters, the Indy films, E.T., The Color Purple and Schindler's List? I pray he makes Lincoln next because I think that could be the film that Munich was supposed to be.
Of course, when considering best, worst and overrated it is all a matter of opinion. Maybe the 11 directors listed above are the names most people consider overrated, but I would much rather see a movie by the majority of the names above before I ever saw another film from Paul Haggis. Tony Scott seems to be a one trick pony as of late. Robert Zemeckis and his series of mo-cap films don't interest me. Terry Gilliam has gotten too weird for his own good and Tim Burton is also starting to wear on me even though I loved Sweeney Todd.
Unfortunately any criticism over the directors named directly above goes away as soon as they make a new film. Outside of Haggis I will line-up for a new flick from any one of them because I know there is always potential for greatness from any one of them.
In recent years I felt Clint Eastwood was overrated as it seemed anything he made was going to be loved by one and all regardless of quality and entertainment value. I am sorry, but Flags of Our Fathers is boring as sin and Letters from Iwo Jima is just a'ight. I loathed Mystic River and yet two of those films were nominated for Best Picture and together they won three. Based on that I guess you could say I think Eastwood is overrated, but I am dying to see Changeling and Gran Torino because I think Eastwood is a great filmmaker, which throws that overrated argument out the window.
Paul Haggis is really the only one I can think of to call overrated, but the guy has only made two films and he is hardly on the tip of anyone's tongue when it comes to great directors, which means he doesn't really even have a rating and therefore can't be overrated.
Unfortunately, that means I can't even answer my own question posed in the headline. In my opinion there isn't an overrated director. There are definitely good directors, bad directors and mediocre directors, but like I said before I haven't seen enough films to list a top ten great directors yet, no one wants to read a list of top ten mediocre directors because that is just stupid and to make a list of the ten worst directors would be cliché and annoying.
Every director has his notch in film history. Michael Bay blows shit up and loves himself for it. Uwe Boll makes videogame adaptations and everyone hates him for it. Stephen Sommers makes corny CGI films. Tyler Perry makes films with his name in the title. Spike Lee has a tendency to make films centered on African Americans. Guy Ritchie makes English gangster flicks and shitty romances with his wife. Love 'em or hate 'em, they fill a void. It is their duty to the society of film. Without Uwe Boll who would you call the worst director? Without Spike Lee what high profile director would carry the racial torch? Without Oliver Stone who would revisit Vietnam over and over and over again?
Should I give you a few names on top of those already mentioned to consider? How about David Lynch, Jon Favreau, Jonathan Mostow, David Mamet, Michel Gondry, Peter Jackson, Francis Ford Coppola, Garry Marshall, Cameron Crowe, James Cameron or Paul Thomas Anderson? Maybe there is a name in there you believe gets more credit than he deserves. Just to be fair to the opposite sex, how about Sofia Coppola and Nancy Meyers?
As for me, well I have to get back to watching Bachelor Party directed and co-written by Neal Israel who proved he wasn't overrated in 2002 when he directed the made-for-TV film The Brady Bunch in the White House. Natch.
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While I agree with most of the editorial…I'll disagree on Spielberg. I think he was once a great director, who has lost his nerve, his guts, and his vision. All of the films you mentioned by Stevie were GREAT films…Jaws, Close Encounters, the Indy films, E.T., The Color Purple and Schindler's List…but they were all made YEARS ago.
I've tried to love Indy IV, really I did…but it's not a good movie…especially if you compare it to Raiders or Last Crusade. The last "good" movie he did was 6 years ago with "Minority Report" and "Catch Me If You Can." Then we've got "Saving Private Ryan" 10 years ago, which I enjoyed but it wasn't "GREAT." His last "GREAT" movie was "Schindler's List", 15 YEARS AGO.
When he was young, he was a visionary and absolutely BRILLIANT. But, he's lost his brilliance…maybe it'll come back, but as of right now…I won't be standing in any lines for a Spielberg flick.
If he were to re-make Jaws today…the shark would live! (And probably be taken to an alien planet where it could eat all day, and never harm anyone…)
I really can't think of any director that gets more credit than they deserve. Maybe David Zucker. He sucks. The Farelly Brothers? They suck now too. But I don't know. Tough question. I'll definitely be thinking about it all day now. I'll come up with a name. I'll ask around.
Bret Ratner! Mothafuck him!
Ill probably come under fire for this, but I personally think Peter Jackson is extremely overrated…
I would stand up and scream at you for having Wes Anderson on this list if it were not for The Darjeeling Limited. That movie was awful compared to his other 3. M. Night Shyamalan is a completley over rated writer but I love his directing. If he would drop the writing and directing both in a movie his career would probably be alot more prosperous. I would have to say George Lucas is the most over-rated.
Lucas is not overrated. Everybody knows he sucks.
Wow! Truly, how do you really pick an over-rated director? Who I think sucks could be someone else's all-time favorite. Which Director(s) would prompt you to stand in line to see their movie without knowing what the movie was even about? If they don't make that list, but are still considered to be great – then wouldn't they be over-rated? Or, would it be the complete opposite? Is it someone that keeps putting out flicks – gets raving critical reviews – and some of the movies are flops? Or is it someone that consistently puts out flops and still has somewhat of a fanbase?
Ultimately, I do basically agree with your article. I couldn't possibly rank the directors, and I could see how George Lucas and Michael Bay would end up on the list, but the difficult part is, I generally like all their movies.
I guess this would be one of those lists that I would wait for others to weigh in on, before I put together my version of a definitive list.
Boy did I sidestep this one….:D
He was rated hot at one time, but, like most, he sank like a stone–
Renny Harlin.
It is an easy sidestep though, because once you get to a point someone may be overrated they actually aren't rated high enough. :)
Here's are my Most Overrated (Top 5 only)
1. M. Night Shyamalan
2. Peter Jackson
3. David Lynch
4. Tim Burton
5. Oliver Stone
And Uwe Boll is definitely the WORST director of them ALL!!!
OK, Your latest article has prompted me for another try.
Success!!
Qualifications for this, should be when your reaction to their name, is "I don't know what all the fuss is about"
TARENTINO is by far the most overated. His movies are nothing more than bold self promotion of his values or lack thereof. He especially is the most overated in his own mind.
I have a simple grading system for movies. Does it entertain me?? Yes or No?? Only two Tarentino film have, Reservoir Dogs & Pulp Fiction. The last Tarentino film that I will ever watch, was Kill Bill 2.
His movies are one dimentional borefests, which I will not waste my time on anymore.
Tim Burton is a good pick.
M. Night Shymalan is just trying too hard, although, I have yet to see The Happening yet, but will. He simply set the bar sooo high with the Sixth Sense. Signs was great.
So here is your Tarentino vote. Sorry I couldn't get it in sooner.
Ha, a little nudge and ya hook 'em. :)
I knew there had to be at least one person reading this site that isn't a Tarantino fan if not plenty more. Personally I love his films, the only film of his I don't like and will never watch again is Jackie Brown.
I am not sure if I would say Shyamalan is trying too hard as much as I would say he isn't trying enough. By this I mean I think he needs to get out of his comfortable zone. I think Last Airbender may be that film, btu I am not sure if that is going to be a film for the same audience that loved The Sixth Sense or for the Nickelodeon audience that loves Last Airbender.
Nice to have your first post on the site Gonzo!
I can't believe that nobody has mentioned Bryan Singer.
He comes out with "The Usual Suspects", which was brilliantly written with superb performances by the cast, but nothing special in the directing.
Then he proceeds to destroy the XMen twice (to rave reviews) before tossing it aside to make a surefire hit like Superman into one of the dullest wastes of my life I've sat through in a long time.
He's chosen movies with fanbases already built in to guarantee financial success and since they're mostly comic book adaptations, the movie critics applaud his complete disregard for the source material.
A terrible director with critically acclaimed movies that make big bucks is, in my mind, the most overrated director today.
Gotta admit, Singer would be a good choice especially if Valkyrie ends up tanking. However, I disagree with you on X2, I really liked that flick.
I'm telling you there is nothing more anoying than a snot nosed idiot like singer trying to direct a comic book movie not only did he do a crap job on superman returns but the dick isnt even coming back to finish what he started instead he has bailed out on it lets just hope somebody else comes to do a least a good job on something that should have been so easy.
out
Im surprised no one has said Robert Rodriguez… Common… that guy is terrible. Ill watch a Tarentino film any day over Rodriguez.
Something tells me the worst directors shouldn't be the one that everyone knows. I look at this list and these are some of my favorite directors. We might as well as Scorsese, F.F. Coppola, Jean Junet, Fellini, and PTA to that list.
But I do agree that Ron Howard is definitely in the top 5 worst!
To be consider overrated, a director would have to be highly rated by either the critics, the public or their peers. By that criteria, I would have to say that Martin Scorcese is, by far, the most overrated director of all time. I would put Spielberg at #2.
Spielberg is far more influential than Scorcese, but he wasn't taken seriously before Schindler's List. That means over half of his CV was not highly rated by critics.
Scorcese, meanwhile, has been a critic's darling almost from the very get go. It's easy to understand why he is overrated. He has a distinctive voice and his movies are very cinematic with his almost masturbatory use of camera movement. Unfortunately, he has poor story sense and couldn't put together a good movie if both Orson Welles and Alfred Hitchcock mentored him on set.
The few tolerable works of Scorcese (Raging Bull, Taxi Driver) work in spite of Scorcese, not because of him. Scorcese is someone who needs a great script from a writer with a strong voice to make a mediocre movie.
Yet the critics love him. Why? I can only imagine because many critics and cinephiles have little understanding about the medium they love. They focus so much on the cinematic aspects of a movie that they lose sight of the bigger picture. And over time, the myth of Scorcese has grown and he can now do no wrong despite over 30 years of going over budget and over schedule to make awful dreck. His lack of storytelling finesse and "look at me, ma, I'm directing!" style is perfect for music videos which probably explains why the best thing on his CV is the music video for Michael Jackson's song "Bad".
As for Tarantino, yes, he's overrated but he's not prolific enough to be as overrated as Scorcese or Spielberg. He also doesn't make the pretense of making "serious" films or "art films". The critics may label his derivative brand of filmmaking "art", but it's "pop art" and lacks the bombastic attitude of filmmakers like Spielberg and Scorcese.
I posted a list of who I think the 5 most overrated directors here:
http://cinemoose.com/5-most-overrated-directors/
I think Brian de Palma is far too underrated..
Look into all of his films, they all convey deep thought about the media of film itself, he applies some of the most amazing camerawork to movies, and over-all.. Well, he plays with film like no-one else..
Having seen all of his work, I think Wise Guys may be he is worst/only bad movie..
Everyone should really watch more De Palma :)
@Dimitri: Go watch The Black Dahlia and after you wake up from it boring you to tears let us know what you thought of it.
@Brad Brevet: Well, seeing as I think it's a great movie and you don't, maybe you should watch it again?
Maybe even one more time after that..
It's a movie that may require several viewings, but then you'll (hopefully) enjoy it as much as I do..
If you don't want to watch it again, then it's your loss I guess :)..
However, the same thing goes for many of De Palma's newer films (Mission To Mars, Snakes Eyes, Femme Fatale, etc.).. Personally I liked all of them upon first viewing, but I know alot of people who needed a re-watch before enjoying them.
Brevet,
You actually pulled the critical remarks that were posted re: your entry about Kristen Stewart on David Letterman's show last night (11/20)? Wow. You are one powerful player.
Hey, I think Bachelor Party is one of the most funny movies ever made. I still laugh, and Neal Israel did Real Genius, and created Police Academy – don't forget those great ones.
Let's have a shout out for Wes Anderson ! Hey Wes, most adults are familiar with Salinger. Oh you want your daddy? Who cares.
And you get an automatic time out for casting Ben Stiller.
So take your place with Peter Jackson. I can't believe that dildo was so full of himself that he had to do an "homage" to King Kong. Idiot.
Lucas, you're finished. Please leave.
Do his fans call him "Night"? He's finished thankfully.
Of course the worst of all is the loathsome self promoting L'il Quentin but it looks like he can't get his next project off the ground. I really hope we've heard the last of Little Mr. "F" Bomb and his boring dialogue. How did his opinion become something to be taken seriously?
All those people who think George Lucas is over-rated should go watch American Graffiti again.
I don't think that you can consider Brian De Palma or M. Night overrated directors because I don't really know anybody who would consider him a great ones.
Most overrated:
1. David Lynch (great tv show and a few good films)
2. Oliver Stone (Platoon is the only great film IMO)
it is a tricky one, i wud have to say tarintino if i had to pick one director but its only his ego that makes him overrated
dont understand the hated of snake eyes, that film is damn good
i fail to understand how peter jackson is considered on this list..? is this based solely off of lotr and king kong? watch some of his other films.
but even further, lotr were extremely well done. fellowship is one of the most well crafted films i have ever seen. but then again, i am a tolkien fan and respect peter and fran's film interpretation.
one must consider that not every film by any specific director will be great but that doesnt change their entire career. Spielberg and Scorsese may have made a few bad films but that doesnt change their impact on cinema.
also, this very concept is objectively impossible.
Answer: Martin Marcantonio Luciano Scorsese
Spielberg ? No way !! He's had a lot of good movies to his credit.
The most overrated director ever is …. Robert Altman.
So you idle egomaniacs are making lists – Martin Scorsese, Clint Eastwood and Oliver Stone overrated (LOL!) … Come on.
Make a movie or write a screenplay if you can! Just give a try.
J-.J.
"Make a movie or write a screenplay if you can! Just give a try."
I can and I have (written screenplays, I mean).
To whom do I submit them, to convince you? ;-)
Robert Altman is the most overrated director ever. His films are often so overstuffed with characters that the story isn't really about anybody, if indeed there's any story at all. He directs films like he thinks he's a videographer at a convention, rather than a storyteller making a movie. I admit I haven't seen all his work, but of the many films I've seen, only The Player was any good. I hated Short Cuts and Gosford Park, two of his best-loved films.
Apart from James Cameron (which is a given, in my eyes), only name springs to mind, immediately: PEDRO ALMODOVAR.
(Yes, I could explain it, copiously.
But I won't.)
I forgot to mention Agnieszka Holland.
She comes in third (or second, not counting the irrelevant Mr. Cameron).
I do like some of her films – or, more accurately, I like PARTS of her films. But there's a slightly pompous and somewhat naive streak there that acts like a fly in the ointment.
I am not saying she is a bad director, only that she is, in my opinion, overrated.
*ducking from the bullets that will be flying*
My list, thus far (in no particular order) – and this list can serve as an overrated writers list as well:
David Fincher
Paul Haggis
Quentin Tarantino
M. Night Shyamalan
Wes Anderson
Noah Baumbach
Judd Apatow
Steven Soderbergh
Rob Marshall
Ron Howard
The Farrelly Brothers
Martin Scorsese
I forgot, most significant of late:
JAMES CAMERON
Thank you, Pretty Polly, for the reminder!
I will be the first to say it; The Coen brothers are the most overrated. Fargo was a silly mess and was only memorable because of Frances McDormand's accent, O Brother Where Art Thou was horrifically boring, and while I enjoyed No Country For Old Men, its not something I'd want to sit through again.
Although I wouldn't necessarily consider the Coen brothers as overrated, since their films do not always garner positive reviews (in fact, their movies tend to receive mixed reviews), but it is always nice to meet someone else who does not think that "Fargo" was the second coming!
"Fargo" was on my Ten Worst List for that year! And, actually, the accents were the main reason I HATED this film.
I also agree that "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" was a boring misfire and that "No Country for Old Men" was good, but certainly not worthy of the awards bestowed upon it. "There Will Be Blood" was a much better film and, of those films that were nominated for Academy Awards, it deserved the Best Picture award more than the others.
Still, I do beleive the Coens have shown genius with films like "Millers Crossing" (their masterpiece, IMHO), "Blood Simple", "The Man Who Wasn't There" and "Burn After Reading"
There is no way scorsese is overrated, he is the greatest director of them all. Goodfellas, taxi driver, raging bull, mean streets, casino, GONY, the departed, the last temptaion of chirst and the king of comedy r masterpieces, just to name a few cuz Marty has made some other movies that r easily better than the best efforts of some pther drectors.
The most overrated definitelly Tim Burton and the so called visionary director Robert Rodriguez. Spielberg is probably a little overrated as well, he has made great movies but has also made terrible ones. Oliver Stone is a little over rated as well.
Tim Burton has made movies such as planet of the apes, the batman movies and alice in wonderland, but none of them is good enough specially when compared to other movies made about the same characters. Nola taugh him how he should have done a batman movie, Planet of the apes and alice simply ruined both franchises.
RE: Scorsese (aka Snoreseasy)- I rest my case.
Just watched The Ninth Gate. What an utter crapfest. Roman Polanski sucks. Why isn't he on this list? Chinatown was awesome but mostly because of the script. People need to stop smooching his butt.
How do you define overrated? A movie director that gets more praise than he deserves as a whole or just for certain particular movies? It's all very ambiguous. In my opinion it's someone who gets wildly overpraised, as a whole, but his movies has never been great. He (or she) might have made some good movies but has never exceeded just being good. There are directors mentioned who have never made even a good movie but no one with any brains consider them great, yes they may still have garnered praise from some but good reviews can come from people with little perspective or who have other motivations for praising a movie.
If a director has made great movies but lost his touch, I still consider him a great director. Spielberg I would consider in that category. Like authors and songwriters sometimes your great early in your career but lost something along the way and never recapture that greatness. For some greatness is intermittent but it still happens. So, in my mind Spielberg, Scorcese, et al still deserve the mantle of greatness even if there more recent work is not up to the standard of their earlier works. You might critique negatively some of their movie but that doesn't detract from their overall legacy.
There are however, directors that get elevated by many critics in the sphere of the truly great directors even when their work does not merit. Two names come mind: Spike Lee and Quenton Tarintino.
Spike Lee has never made a great movie. He's made some good ones, some stinkers and some mediocre ones, yet there are people who think he is one of the most brilliant, innovative, creative filmmakers ever. Watching Siskel and Ebert fall all over each other to worship "Do the Right Thing" was one of the most pathetic performances I ever saw those two do. They arent' the only ones who have done it though. DTRT was derivative and dull, not one of Lee's best moments but there are "legit" movie critics who think it's the greatest thing since Gone With the Wind. The overpraising is mostly due to the Great Black Hope syndrome and a way of posing and posturing as noble anti racists whenever Spike Lee makes one of his heavy handed "statements". One the other hand there are people who think he stinks as a filmmaker. I suspect there may be some racial bias in the people who think he stinks because the man has made some good movies and is a capable filmmaker, but not a great one.
Quenton Tarantino also receives the same kind of exaggerated hyperbole that doesn't really reflect the quality of what he does. By all accounts he is a smart guy but to me, lacks the artistic flair and creativity that sets apart truly great filmmakers. Pulp Fiction was one of the most overpraised but dull movies I've ever seen. The aforementioned Sikel/Ebert were so effusive in their praise of this piece of crap it was actually nauseating. Not that all his movies stink, Kill Bill 1 & 2 were good but overall his movies are leaden, derivative and highly overrated by critics and the public.
Based on your analysis, I could consider removing Scorsese from my list, if only for his best films ("Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore"; "The King of Comedy" and "The Last Temptation of Christ"), but his latter day films have been, at best, good, and, at worst, unwatchable; hence, it is difficult for me to reconcile his downward plunge with his past achievements.
I don't consider someone "great" unless they are consistently "great" (momentarily "great" just doesn't cut it in my book). A director can make several great films; that doesn't necessarily make him great.
I do, however, wholeheartedly agree with you on both Spike Lee and Quentin Tarantino. I did not, however, include Spike Lee in my list, because his movies tend to get mixed reviews. Sure, some are overpraised by several critics but, generally speaking, Lee is not – and never really was – a highly praised filmmaker (controversial, yes, but not overly praised). I do think his best film was "Malcolm X". "Do the Right Thing" was mediocre, at best.
As for Tarantino, "Pulp Fiction" was one of the WORST films of 1994, and it earned its position on my Ten Worst list that year. If he were making movies in the 50s, his films would be the B or C variety shown just after the newsreeel or cartoon and before the main feature; but, today, he receives accolades and acclaim from just about everyone.