Most Underrated Director of All Time?

[LoathedVermin72]

I think I'm gonna go with Frantisek Vlacil.

[Jorge]

That is a really great choice. I think him, and the Czech new wave scene that followed, are generally pretty underrated and not often discussed.

Currently, I think the Zellner brothers are vastly underrated.

[@SkitchP]

I know this thread is going to be very international/art film centric,

but I want to throw in a (slightly) more mainstream choice.

Curtis Hanson. His portfolio is quite diverse- LA Confidential, Wonder Boys and In Her Shoes are all amazing movies, 8 mile is unique, and even Lucky You had an interesting feel.

[VinylGuy]

I have a long list..but i feel scorsese should get more love.

John Carpenter is another one.

[The Argonaut]

Outside of Daisies and Milos Forman, I will admit to a general ignorance of Czech cinema. My guy is Japanese: Masaki Kobayashi. Harakiri, Human Condition, Kwaidan. I'd rank those right up there alongside the best of Kurosawa and Ozu.
For Americans: Martin Ritt. He has a Robert Wise-like mix of genres and themes in his filmography, but there are some real gens in there, esp Edge of the City with Poitier and Cassvettes, and Hud with Paul Newman.
John Boorman for Deliverance, Point Blank, and Hell on the Pacific would be a similar pick.

[LoathedVermin72]

That is a really great choice. I think him, and the Czech new wave scene that followed, are generally pretty underrated and not often discussed.

100% agree. In addition to Vlacil's stuff, two of my all-time favorite movies came out of that wave: The Joke and A Report on the Party and Guests. And though a lot of the other movies aren't totally successful, they at least have interesting elements in them and palpable passion behind them (Valerie and Her Week of Wonders, The Cremator, Witches' Hammer, etc.).

[LoathedVermin72]

John Boorman for Deliverance, Point Blank, and Hell on the Pacific would be a similar pick.

This. Point Blank and Hell in the Pacific are (mostly) unsung masterworks. Hope and Glory is pretty great too. Even Zardoz deserves more credit than it gets.

[LoathedVermin72]

I have a long list..but i feel scorsese should get more love.

John Carpenter is another one.

Say what? Who doesn't love those guys?

[BurtReynolds]

Michael Mann

[nyquillyn]

Michael Mann

I have a ton of mixed feelings on Mann. Thief, The Insider and Collateral were excellent. But Heat (although the final shootout is killer), Ali and The Last of the Mohicans are vastly overrated. Day-Lewis was miscast in Mohicans. I actually thought Miami Vice was surprisingly decent. I kinda think he's appropriately rated.

[BurtReynolds]

Michael Mann

I have a ton of mixed feelings on Mann. Thief, The Insider and Collateral were excellent. But Heat (although the final shootout is killer), Ali and The Last of the Mohicans are vastly overrated. Day-Lewis was miscast in Mohicans. I actually thought Miami Vice was surprisingly decent. I kinda think he's appropriately rated.

i disagree! Love Mohicans and Heat.

[nyquillyn]

Michael Mann

I have a ton of mixed feelings on Mann. Thief, The Insider and Collateral were excellent. But Heat (although the final shootout is killer), Ali and The Last of the Mohicans are vastly overrated. Day-Lewis was miscast in Mohicans. I actually thought Miami Vice was surprisingly decent. I kinda think he's appropriately rated.

i disagree! Love Mohicans and Heat.

Well, fuck you then!

Spoiler: show

I disliked how melodramatic Mohicans was. The dialogue is supercheesy. And Heat was uneven as hell, but the final act is pretty decent.

[BurtReynolds]

Michael Mann

I have a ton of mixed feelings on Mann. Thief, The Insider and Collateral were excellent. But Heat (although the final shootout is killer), Ali and The Last of the Mohicans are vastly overrated. Day-Lewis was miscast in Mohicans. I actually thought Miami Vice was surprisingly decent. I kinda think he's appropriately rated.

i disagree! Love Mohicans and Heat.

Well, fuck you then!

Spoiler: show

I disliked how melodramatic Mohicans was. The dialogue is supercheesy. And Heat was uneven as hell, but the final act is pretty decent.

I think the book is as well, or so I've heard. It does get melodramatic, but I forgive it because of the things it does right. I loved the cinematography and score and the various battle scenes. It does a good job of showing the beauty and brutality of that time period.

[LoathedVermin72]

Michael Mann

I have a ton of mixed feelings on Mann. Thief, The Insider and Collateral were excellent. But Heat (although the final shootout is killer), Ali and The Last of the Mohicans are vastly overrated. Day-Lewis was miscast in Mohicans. I actually thought Miami Vice was surprisingly decent. I kinda think he's appropriately rated.

i disagree! Love Mohicans and Heat.

...And I'll throw in love for Ali. I can't imagine how anyone could call that "overrated." Does anyone ever really praise that movie? Or even talk about it anymore?

[nyquillyn]

Michael Mann

I have a ton of mixed feelings on Mann. Thief, The Insider and Collateral were excellent. But Heat (although the final shootout is killer), Ali and The Last of the Mohicans are vastly overrated. Day-Lewis was miscast in Mohicans. I actually thought Miami Vice was surprisingly decent. I kinda think he's appropriately rated.

i disagree! Love Mohicans and Heat.

Well, fuck you then!

Spoiler: show

I disliked how melodramatic Mohicans was. The dialogue is supercheesy. And Heat was uneven as hell, but the final act is pretty decent.

I think the book is as well, or so I've heard. It does get melodramatic, but I forgive it because of the things it does right. I loved the cinematography and score and the various battle scenes. It does a good job of showing the beauty and brutality of that time period.

Yes, I'll give you the score. It always reminded me of the score from The Mission, which is one of my favorite movies. De Niro and Jeremy Irons at the peak of their powers!

[BurtReynolds]

Michael Mann

I have a ton of mixed feelings on Mann. Thief, The Insider and Collateral were excellent. But Heat (although the final shootout is killer), Ali and The Last of the Mohicans are vastly overrated. Day-Lewis was miscast in Mohicans. I actually thought Miami Vice was surprisingly decent. I kinda think he's appropriately rated.

i disagree! Love Mohicans and Heat.

...And I'll throw in love for Ali. I can't imagine how anyone could call that "overrated." Does anyone ever really praise that movie? Or even talk about it anymore?

never even saw it.

[nyquillyn]

Michael Mann

I have a ton of mixed feelings on Mann. Thief, The Insider and Collateral were excellent. But Heat (although the final shootout is killer), Ali and The Last of the Mohicans are vastly overrated. Day-Lewis was miscast in Mohicans. I actually thought Miami Vice was surprisingly decent. I kinda think he's appropriately rated.

i disagree! Love Mohicans and Heat.

...And I'll throw in love for Ali. I can't imagine how anyone could call that "overrated." Does anyone ever really praise that movie? Or even talk about it anymore?

Smith's performance is/was lauded. And I think he is good in it. I just didn't care for the movie overall.

[LoathedVermin72]

Michael Mann

I have a ton of mixed feelings on Mann. Thief, The Insider and Collateral were excellent. But Heat (although the final shootout is killer), Ali and The Last of the Mohicans are vastly overrated. Day-Lewis was miscast in Mohicans. I actually thought Miami Vice was surprisingly decent. I kinda think he's appropriately rated.

i disagree! Love Mohicans and Heat.

...And I'll throw in love for Ali. I can't imagine how anyone could call that "overrated." Does anyone ever really praise that movie? Or even talk about it anymore?

Smith's performance is/was lauded. And I think he is good in it. I just didn't care for the movie overall.

That's fair. And the movie is certainly an acquired taste. But I think it's beautiful.