Friday, June 19, 2015

A Meme of 15 (Directors)

John Carpenter
As my friend J.D. (over at RADIATOR HEAVEN) recently wrote about a particular meme that has arisen in the ether:
"This 15 Directors meme originally started on Facebook and has now found a life of its own in the blogosphere."
J.D. put together one pretty fantastic list in his 15 Directors Meme post of today. As usual, this blogger never fails to inspire. So, I'll be partaking (natch). We share some directors in our own lists, including the one headlining this post. No surprise in that this blogger had an extraordinarily successful John Carpenter Week blogathon of his own a short while back.

Here then are the simple rules for anyone who'd like to join in:
  • List off the first 15 directors that come to your head that have shaped the way you look at movies. You know, the ones that will always stick with you.
  • Don't take too long to think about it.
The rest of my list that came pretty quickly into my head (and in no particular order):

This post has been updated and moved to my current blog, which can be found here.

29 comments:

  1. A fantastic list!  I just checked out J.D.'s and you've both created beautiful and interesting catalogues here that provide tantalizing insight into your individual psyches.  Very intriguing...

    best,
    John

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  2. See, this is what I love about these things - the incredible pictures (the Howard Hawks one is awesome) and seeing which directors just slipped my mind (how could I have forgotten Sergio Leone!).  A fantastic list, and based on the few posts I saw below it, a blog I'm going to have to come to and read more!

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  3. Ah, Tim Burton and Ridley Scott! I knew I had forgotten those guys and it took your excellent selection to remind me. I also forgot Sidney Lumet, another fave of mine. Thanks for the kind words, sir!

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  4. You bring up a great point as how this meme is an insightful method into a individual's psyche. Thanks very much, John.

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  5. Great to have to stop by, Chris. I very much enjoyed your list, as well. Thanks much for the kind words and comment.

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  6. Ah, yes... Sidney Lumet. I very much associate him with best films that incorporate New York City through the decades. You put together a great list directors, J.D. Thanks.

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  7. Being a visual guy Leopard13, loved your unified look on the images.  Beautiful! Loved your choics

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  8. I hit submit by accident.  I was curious about William Wyler. I don't know him.  Take care. SFF.

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  9. Yeah, tried for a certain look in the images. Thanks very much, SFF.

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  10. William Wyler was the director for such film as Ben-Hur, The Big Country (a very majestic western), Friendly Persuasion, The Westerner, Wuthering Heights, and Roman Holiday. He even did the original Memphis Belle Flying Fortress documentary during WWII. Thanks, SFF.

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  11. BTW, I'd love to see the 15 directors that shaped the way you look at films, SFF.

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  12. Interesting list there. Mine, in no particular order bar the first few, would probably be:

    John Ford
    Orson Welles
    Billy Wilder
    Fritz Lang
    Alfred Hitchcock

    Sergio Leone
    Howard Hawks
    William Wellman
    Preston Sturges
    Robert Siodmak

    Steven Spielberg
    Michael Mann
    Anthony Mann
    Martin Scorsese
    F W Murnau

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  13. When I saw you were going to list yours, I thought about John Ford. It's good to see his name appear in one of these lists, Colin. Also great to see Preston Sturges in there, too. Thanks my friend for adding to this with a fine list of your own.

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  14. Actually I'd have loved to squeeze Peckinpah and James Whale in there too - but rules is rules.

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  15. I hear you, Colin. After putting mine down, there were so many I'd have loved to also put there. Thanks.

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  16. Not sure I know 15 directors' names. But here's my list:
    Hitchcock
    Michael Curtiz
    Howard Hawks
    Spielberg
    Michael Mann
    Orson Welles
    George Cukor
    George Roy Hill
    Martin Scorsese

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  17. Whether or not you have 15, that's a mighty impressive list of directors, Naomi. It's also great to see George Roy Hill making it on to someone's roll. Thanks so much for joining in on this.

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  18. Here's mine:

    Michael Bay
    Brett Ratner

    Oh, wait, this isn't the worst directors list? 

    OK, for real now. Not only do I fall way short of 15, I'm going to steal from everyone else:

    Hitchcock
    Hawks
    Wilder
    Wyler
    Spielberg
    Nolan

    And add:

    John Woo
    Ang Lee
    George Lucas

    Yes, I know Lucas made a mess of the prequels but the original Star Wars and American Graffiti left indelible impressions on me.

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  19. I love Ratner... oh, wait. That's me if George Bailey never existed. Sorry.

    I love your list, Elyse (and not because we share some of these selections). Woo and Lee are inspired picks, as well. And I definitely see your point about Lucas (especially in his earlier variant). He made an impression on me, too. Thanks for joining in!

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  20. Great list, leopard. Carpenter, Hitchcock, Tarantino, Hawks, DePalma, Leone and Kurosawa would definitely make mine. And each of the other choices have directed at least one film, and in most cases multiple films, that would be in my personal cannon of favorites.

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  21. ps I noticed you are listening to the audio book of Sissy Spacek reading Carrie (speaking of DePalma). I never even knew that existed. How is it?

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  22. Thank you, Colonel. I love to see a full meme list of yours, my friend.

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  23. The Carrie in audiobook only came out in 2008. I only read it once decades ago so it's a bit of wonderful re-discovery. Plus, having Sissy Spacek as the narrator was a spot-on bit of casting. She's terrific, here. I recommend.

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  24. Oooh, good list!  I don't know much about judging their directing, but I know that several on your list were involved in some of my favorite films.  So that's my primary criterion.  That being said, I consistently like Ron Howard's films.

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  25. There's a lot to like in Ron Howard's filmography, Christine. Thank you for the compliment and your comment.

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  26. These posts always awe me, Michael. I don't know if I could have given you 15 directors off the top of my head. I'd have to have researched movies that affected me, then see common denominators, and then reported back. But you know all these inside and out. It's amazing to me.

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  27. Jen - I know, right?

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  28. Thank you for the very kind words, Jen.

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  29. You, too, Christine.

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