Filmmakers whose first, or last film was their greatest work.
05-12-13, 01:00 AM
#1
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Thread Starter
Filmmakers whose first, or last film was their greatest work.
I'll kick it off by stating the obvious.
Orson Welles-Citizen Kane
Orson Welles-Citizen Kane
05-12-13, 02:06 AM
#2
Re: Filmmakers whose first, or last film was their greatest work.
From what I've seen of his work:
Guy Ritchie - Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, although I flip flop between that and Snatch
Guy Ritchie - Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, although I flip flop between that and Snatch
05-12-13, 02:31 AM
#3
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Filmmakers whose first, or last film was their greatest work.
Tobe Hooper- The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Eggshells doesn't count 
)
George Romero- Night of the Living Dead
Dennis Hopper- Easy Rider
Frank Darabont- The Shawshank Redemption
)George Romero- Night of the Living Dead
Dennis Hopper- Easy Rider
Frank Darabont- The Shawshank Redemption
05-12-13, 05:45 AM
#6
Re: Filmmakers whose first, or last film was their greatest work.
I still say John Huston's best film was his first, THE MALTESE FALCON (1941).
I'm damned if I can think of anybody whose last film was their best. The closest I can come is Kinji Fukasaku whose last film was BATTLE ROYALE (2000), but I can't honestly say BATTLE ROYALE is better than THE YAKUZA PAPERS or some of his samurai films.
I'm damned if I can think of anybody whose last film was their best. The closest I can come is Kinji Fukasaku whose last film was BATTLE ROYALE (2000), but I can't honestly say BATTLE ROYALE is better than THE YAKUZA PAPERS or some of his samurai films.
Last edited by Ash Ketchum; 05-12-13 at 05:51 AM.
05-12-13, 06:19 AM
#7
Banned
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Formerly known as "Solid Snake PAC"/Denton, Tx
Posts: 39,239
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes
on
4 Posts
Re: Filmmakers whose first, or last film was their greatest work.
I might be inclined to agree on Huston. Maybe it is just the narrative, I don't know. I think he was a better director in a later film but I think that was his best film as well.
05-12-13, 07:07 AM
#9
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Filmmakers whose first, or last film was their greatest work.
Robert Redford - Ordinary People. (I'm one of the minority who thinks he deserved his Academy Award over Scorcese's Raging Bull.) He hasn't come close since.
05-12-13, 07:09 AM
#10
DVD Talk Legend & 2021 TOTY Winner
Re: Filmmakers whose first, or last film was their greatest work.
Kevin Smith - Clerks
05-12-13, 08:44 AM
#12
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Filmmakers whose first, or last film was their greatest work.
Tom Hooper - Les Miserables. Of course it won't be his last film ever.
05-12-13, 08:58 AM
#13
Senior Member
Re: Filmmakers whose first, or last film was their greatest work.
Charles Laughton for The Night of the Hunter (1955). His best, because it was the only film he ever directed.
The previous reference to Steve Gordon (Arthur-1981) has the same distinction: it was the only movie he directed. Gordon died from a heart attack in 1982.
The previous reference to Steve Gordon (Arthur-1981) has the same distinction: it was the only movie he directed. Gordon died from a heart attack in 1982.
05-12-13, 09:41 AM
#15
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,134
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Filmmakers whose first, or last film was their greatest work.
I love Citizen Kane, but my #1 Welles is The Magnificent Ambersons.
Oddly enough, I have been going back and forth on Huston as the director whose last film is his best, but ultimately The Dead places 2nd to The Treasure of the Sierra Madre for me.
If Sidney Lumet didn't have such an illustrious career, he is a director, like Huston that always comes to mind as one that finished strong, but other than Laughton (my initial thought at seeing the thread title), I'm drawing a blank here.
I still say John Huston's best film was his first, THE MALTESE FALCON (1941).
I'm damned if I can think of anybody whose last film was their best. The closest I can come is Kinji Fukasaku whose last film was BATTLE ROYALE (2000), but I can't honestly say BATTLE ROYALE is better than THE YAKUZA PAPERS or some of his samurai films.
I'm damned if I can think of anybody whose last film was their best. The closest I can come is Kinji Fukasaku whose last film was BATTLE ROYALE (2000), but I can't honestly say BATTLE ROYALE is better than THE YAKUZA PAPERS or some of his samurai films.
If Sidney Lumet didn't have such an illustrious career, he is a director, like Huston that always comes to mind as one that finished strong, but other than Laughton (my initial thought at seeing the thread title), I'm drawing a blank here.
05-12-13, 09:47 AM
#16
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Filmmakers whose first, or last film was their greatest work.
last films were their best:
Michael Reeves - Witchfinder General
Jean Vigo - L'Atalante
Michael Reeves - Witchfinder General
Jean Vigo - L'Atalante
05-12-13, 12:14 PM
#18
Re: Filmmakers whose first, or last film was their greatest work.
Best first film :
Francois Truffaut - The 400 Blows
Rob Riener - This is Spinal Tap
Alex Cox - Repo Man
Paul Schrader - Blue Collar
Francois Truffaut - The 400 Blows
Rob Riener - This is Spinal Tap
Alex Cox - Repo Man
Paul Schrader - Blue Collar
05-12-13, 12:49 PM
#19
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Filmmakers whose first, or last film was their greatest work.
I agree with your first three.
My personal favorite of Schrader's would be Auto Focus, but Blue Collar was an incredibly strong debut.
05-12-13, 03:34 PM
#22
Re: Filmmakers whose first, or last film was their greatest work.
Jean-Claude Lauzon - Leolo being his second and final movie after dying in a plane crash.
05-12-13, 04:23 PM
#23
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Thread Starter
Re: Filmmakers whose first, or last film was their greatest work.
As far as last films being the greatest, I'll say:
Three Colours: Red -Krzysztof Kieslowski
05-12-13, 05:09 PM
#25
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.
Oh, here's one:
William Beaudine's last two films were:
BILLY THE KID VS. DRACULA (1966)
JESSE JAMES MEETS FRANKENSTEIN'S DAUGHTER (1966)
Okay, here's a serious one:
Douglas Sirk: IMITATION OF LIFE (1959) - his last movie and, arguably, his most popular and considered by many to be his best.
Oh, here's one:
William Beaudine's last two films were:
BILLY THE KID VS. DRACULA (1966)
JESSE JAMES MEETS FRANKENSTEIN'S DAUGHTER (1966)
Okay, here's a serious one:
Douglas Sirk: IMITATION OF LIFE (1959) - his last movie and, arguably, his most popular and considered by many to be his best.
Last edited by Ash Ketchum; 05-12-13 at 05:17 PM.