The Great Directors' Masterpieces -- These Were Left Off Studiobinder's List?!?

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Disclaimer: All reasonable comments are welcome, including reasoned disagreements. You will be banned for foolish talk, harassment, and hate speech on sight; it's a tremendous waste of life. I believe in freedom of association and, by extension, freedom of dissociation from you.

[@r.t.h.k.o]

Rest In Peace, Godard

[@noname-bk7bc]

Thank you, I was tearing my hair that these guys weren't on the list

[@robertrwatson]

Varda and Rohmer are two of my absolute favorites that are missing. Also, there are no Chinese directors mentioned. Films by Yimou and Kaige are just stunningly beautiful. Love your videos, by the way.

[@OirichEntertainment]

My favorites from the ones I’ve seen: Lubitsch-To Be Or Not To Be Curtiz-Yankee Doodle Dandee Huston-The Maltese Falcon (favorite noir) Hawks-Bringing Up Baby (favorite comedy) Kazan-On The Waterfront Tati-Playtime Sica-Bicycle Thieves Leone-The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly Keaton-Sherlock Jr.

[@JishnuShaj00]

I knew they skipped a lot of great directors. But Whoa!! This much ? I think they just went for mostly popular / contemporary American cinema . And great additions by you ,Doc😃

[@evenorahpausetdaviod4368]

I totally agree with you ! I have nothing to add because I completely agree, and on the choice of films by these directors too. all seen when I was a teenager. thank you so much for this "reminder shot", in french : piqûre de rappel ! rip Jean-Luc Godard

[@curiousworld7912]

Some of the directors left off the Studio Binder list are surprising. John Huston? Werner Herzog? Wow...

[@ringringlingling]

Leaving out Kieslowksi was a huge oversight on their part.

[@chanceotter8121]

Of the directors you mentioned that I care about- Curtiz-The Breaking Point Huston-Fat City Hawks-Rio Bravo Kazan-Wild River Herzog-Hearts of Glass Forman-The Fireman’s Ball Tati-Playtime Antonioni- La Notte Renoir-Rules of the Game Bresson-L’Argent Dreyer-Ordet Truffaut-The Soft Skin deSica-Bicycle Thieves Mizoguchi is the one, along with Renoir, that was the most ridiculous exclusion-The Story of the Last Chrysanthemums Leone-Once upon a Time in the West There are many Hollywood directors left off-Wyler, Zinnemann, Wellman, Borzage, King Vidor, Walsh, Sirk; and American and British directors of the 60s and 70s that have masterpieces-Lumet, Altman, Penn, Fosse, Boorman. Roeg, Schlesinger to name a few that come to mind. And Sir Carol Reed is missing. As is Alain Resnais! Oh, well.

[@dominichemphill]

definitely anticipated the Jacques Tati addition coming from you, still makes me extremely happy nonetheless! He’s probably my favourite filmmaker of all time, and I would have to agree, I think PlayTime is his best work.

[@drdavid1963]

Others left off Studio Binder list and their masterpieces Luis Bunuel - Los Olvidados, The Exterminating Angel, Viridiana Jean Renoir - too many to mention but Grand Illusion and Rules of The Game to start Nicholas Ray - Johnny Guitar, They Live By Night, Bigger Than Life, In A Lonely Place Roberto Rossellini - The Story of Louis XIV, Journey To Italy, Rome Open City, Europa 51 Sam Peckinpah - Wild Bunch, Ride The High Country Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid Jacques Tourneur - Cat people, I Walked With A Zombie, Night of the Demon, Out of The Past Vicente Minnelli - Meet Me in St Louis, Some Came Running George Cukor - Holiday, The Philadelphia Story William Wyler - The Best Years of Our Lives, Roman Holiday Luscino Visconti - La Terra Trema, The Leopard Zhang Yimou - To Live, House of Flying Daggers, Hero, Raise The Red Lantern, Ju Dou Robert Altman - Nashville, Short Cuts, McCabe and Mrs Miller Nicholas Roeg - The Man Who Fell To Earth, Don't Look Now, Performance Oliver Stone - Platoon, JFK Richard Linklater - Before Sunset, Boyhood Michael Haneke - The Piano Teacher, The White Ribbon, Funny Games, Hidden Steven Soderbergh - Sex Lies and Videotape, Erin Brokovich, Traffic Kenji Mizoguchi - Story of Late Crysanthemums, Osaka Elegy, Sansho The Bailiff, Life of Oharu, Ugetsu Sidney Lumet - Network, Dog Day Afternoon, Twelve Angry Men Ken Loach - Kes, My Name is Joe, The Wind That Shakes The Barley, I, Daniel Blake

[@jackrobins1149]

Awesome seeing Kobayashi on here. My favorite slept on director.

[@TheNovaFiends]

The Passion of Joan of Arc was probably one of the first silent films I saw. I still havent delved heavily into that area, but that movie is one of the few that I would give to an alien species to try and explain humanity. High art at its highest. Edit: Glad to hear you mention the Japanese directors. I forgot about Kwaidan; probably I would have said Samurai Rebellion or The Human Condition, but now I am not so sure. When you are hitting artist of that strata it is very hard to rank.

[@LearningaboutMovies]

I love Samurai Rebellion! Video coming out on this channel on that movie next year.

[@richardmcleod1930]

The Masterpiece of Ernst Lubitsch is "Trouble In Paradise" with Kay Francis, Miriam Hopkins and Herbert Marshall. The great Billy Wilder had a sign above the door in his office stating, "How would Lubitsch have done it?". I think you get the point. Sadly, as time goes by, the people of today have forgotten the great Director's of the early years and I doubt many have seen any of their films, even D. W. Griffith.

[@LearningaboutMovies]

thank you.

[@griffinhamill761]

Carl Theodor Dreyer is my favorite director. You have to see Ordet. That is my favorite film of all time. The Passion of Joan of Arc is a close second of his best films. Other masterworks include Day of Wrath, Gertrud, Master of the House (somewhat a comedy), The Parson’s Widow (influenced by Sjöström) and Vampyr.

[@brahms83xxx]

I'd like to add chronologically: - Robert Wiene (Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari) - Luis Buñuel (El ángel exterminador) - Luchino Visconti (Il Gattopardo) - Pier Paolo Pasolini (Teorema) - Éric Rohmer (Ma nuit chez Maud) - Michael Mann (Heat) - Michael Haneke (Die Klavierspielerin) - Mel Gibson (Apocalypto) - Paolo Sorrentino (La grande bellezza) - Jordan Peele (Us)

[@LearningaboutMovies]

thank you.

[@patrickkelly5004]

Agreed on all, Josh, but... Herzog, I might go with Fitzcarraldo, which was quirky, but endearing. Missing? I don't recall if Terence Mallick was on one of the lists, but he should be, and I'll go with Days of Heaven.

[@LearningaboutMovies]

Yeah, most people like/love Fitzcarraldo. I don't. I'm in the minority which should be known up front. Man, Herzog has a lot of great movies though. Days of Heaven is an excellent choice.

[@arthurfieldone4397]

Really glad to see some love for M. Kobayashi ! Have you seen the Human Condition trilogy ? If yes what did you think of it ?

[@LearningaboutMovies]

great and profound, if not a bit long. Worth watching for sure. I am surprised that more anti-war/anti-state people don't mention it as necessary to watch, although the films go beyond those positions.

[@edkiely2712]

'Human Condition' is a tour de force in film! Nakadai was superb in manifesting Kaji's evolution from naive government tool to hardened and disillusioned soldier!

[@sanidhyasingh227]

There is a British Filmmaker Ken Loach - Tes certainly is his masterpiece. James Ivory - Remains of The Day Peter Weir- Picnic at Hanging Rock( I don't remember if his name was mentioned) Terrance Davis and Rainier Werner Fassbinder are also very popular although I am not so well versed with their films.

[@LearningaboutMovies]

thank you.

[@rodrigomatosopecanha1035]

I also prefer To Be or Not To Be to Trouble in Paradise. Saw The Adventures of Robin Hood last week, very entertaining! Antonioni is one of my favorites, Blow-up made a big impression on me. My favorite Bresson so far is L'Argent. I also prefer Red! So mysterious, suggestive, I love the play with coincidences there.

[@willieluncheonette5843]

For Lubitsch it's The Shop Around the Corner for me. Hawks has so many great films...Yes, hard to pick his best. Scarface The Big Sleep, Red River, Rio Bravo are a few.. For Bresson either Pickpocket or Au Hazard Balthazar For Truffaut my fav is Shoot the Piano Player but 400 Blows is GREAT Jacques Demy's Lola is one of my 12 all time favorite films.

[@ohen]

It's not for everyone but the 4.5 hour director's cut of Once Upon a Time in America is an absolute masterpiece and for me, Leone's best work. I don't think I saw DePalma, Michael Mann or Gus Van Sant on that initial top 55 list. My favorite DePalma work is Blow Out (you already mentioned the Antonioni film Blowup on which it's based). The Insider and Heat are absolute masterpieces by Mann. And, Elephant by Van Sant even though it is not an easy watch for everyone. A few more names I didn't see on that list were Edward Yang, Wong Kar Wai, Peter Weir and Henri-Georges Clouzot--each of them auteurs with multiple great films, in my opinion.

[@LearningaboutMovies]

thank you.

[@user-ju7nu6mq5x]

Definitely agree with Once upon a time in the west. My favorite Western also. Not often that I hear someone prefer it over the good the bad and the ugly and the wild bunch 😂

[@LearningaboutMovies]

thank you.

[@edkiely2712]

Hey Josh! Like many YT content creators, you probably don't reply to responses to responses you make to other people's comments. I made the Farhadi suggestion last week and you indicated you teach a class on him? I replied asking if there was a way you could send me the syllabus to the Farhadi class you teach?

[@LearningaboutMovies]

I meant that I have taught A Separation in a basic/general film class. No Farhadi class, though that would be fun. btw, you are right I don't look up at follow-ups to replies. Part of that is the display back here in KZbin Studio does not allow me to see those with any ease -- I'd have to actively hunt them down. Right now, our Discord server is nice and small, so it's easy to followup for me there, if you want to have a more extended discussion.

[@sodajoke348]

Great vid! One person I’d be curious about from you is Michael Haneke, who I find to be one of the most brilliant and understated directors out there right now. He has so many great and celebrated films, The Piano Teacher might be the obvious choice, but I might honestly pick Caché to be his best if we’re looking past the “filmmaking” and technicality aspects and looking just at the density and intelligence of the ideas being shared. Would love to know your take!

[@iakona23]

I just perused that Studio Binder list. It’s dreadful. You’ve identified some good directors left off the list but of course you missed many more. But I like your pick of Kieslowski especially. I’m going to make a list of the best directors still not mentioned by you or by the top 55 list. But here is the first guy that springs to mind: William Wyler! He has some incredible masterpieces (Ben-Hur, Roman Holiday, The Big Country, Mrs. Minever, The Best Years of Our Lives, Dodsworth, etc. etc.)

[@LearningaboutMovies]

thank you.

[@iakona23]

@@LearningaboutMovies I think that William Wyler’s masterpiece would be The Best Years of our Lives. I’m especially fond of Ben-Hur though, and The Big Country might be my favorite Western and Roman Holiday might be my favorite screwball comedy.

[@Horror-Man]

My favorites from 4 of your directors: Ernst Lubitsch - Heaven Can Wait (1943) Milos Forman - Loves of A Blonde (1965) Howard Hawks - Twentieth Century (1934) John Huston - Prizzi's Honor (1985) All 4 films are great and underrated comedies more people should see.

[@LearningaboutMovies]

thank you.

[@chrisboerger465]

I love Casablanca, but for me it's not a slam dunk. I would actually go with Mildred Pierce by a hair for Curtiz. Glad you mentioned Mizoguchi, but with all due respect he should have been on the list. Sansho the Bailiff baby! Also Mikio Naruse and When a Woman Ascends the Stairs. No Nicholas Ray? In a Lonely Place, one of the greatest film noirs, also the greatest Hollywood film about Hollywood. One of my top ten films of all time, and one of my favorite directors. Great video, though.

[@siberiansnow-sausage4915]

Ashby - The Last Detail.

[@m.d.b.6318]

Been watching flim noir for a bit btw and hoping to branch out. Naked Alibi 1954 was good!

[@edkiely2712]

So Josh, you just taught a class on the specific movie 'A Separation'- correct? Did you have any supplemental reading/video materials that you could point me towards that you included with the lectures? I find Farhadi fascinating! Just watched 'A Salesman' and will watch the rest of his film works that are available over the next few weeks. Didn't know you set up a Discord; is it titled 'Learning About Movies?' I would love to jump in my friend!👍

[@LearningaboutMovies]

No, I used "A Separation" in class that had several other films. Boy would that be hard but fun to spend an entire semester on one film! Here's the Discord server: discord.gg/Jn2e3KCU I admit I have no idea what Discord servers should be, so it's going to be a work in progress for a long while.

[@chrisboerger465]

Also, was Robert Altman an oversight? The Player is his best, but there are several contenders.

[@beageler]

I never realy can seperate Herzog from Kinski. I know that both worked without each other, but my first instinct is always to think of them together. Lubitsch was german... and in the same token, Einstein was swiss. That is a curious US custom. i wonder if it comes from the US's disdain (easy, disdain is not absolute hate and neither do I call you, the reader, personally disdainful) for the rest of the world and if someone from the rest of the world is well liked and lived in the States he's made out to be from the US.

[@Martinmd12-zt7vu]

I would have put Sidney Lumet on there with 12 Angry Men.

[@LearningaboutMovies]

yes, that was an oversight by me. Good catch. I might put Network or Dog Day Afternoon or Prince of the City.

[@andreasesser4641]

William Wyler is a huge omission. I'd say The Best Years of Our Lives is his best. Also I disagree on Herzog to be in Top 50. Apart from Aguirre and a subpar Nosferatu remake he is mostly known for his documentaries, and if those count you need to also include people like Alex Gibney on here. If you need to pick a German I'd say Fassbinder, but then you'd also have to include Douglas Sirk I guess. In my personal Top 50 I'd put Sam Peckinpah (Straw Dogs) and Paul Verhoeven (hard to pick one, for me its between Black Book and Starship Troopers). Paul Verhoeven is very important and influential because he managed to have a very big career inside and outside the Hollywood system, and made great movies wherever he went. I suppose his biting satirical edge is not for everyone, but I'd pick him over Herzog any day of the week. I like Herzog, he is a great storyteller with a great voice. But his movies are overrated, because of surrounding circumstances (wow, he really went into the jungle, water sprinkling on the camera, Kinski being a maniac and all that panache).

[@rpg7287]

I think you forgot that Godard was on the list.

[@LearningaboutMovies]

thanks,.

[@salinimuthirackal8947]

Why does everyone forget robert altman?

[@LearningaboutMovies]

I do not prefer his work.

[@nobodyaskedbut]

Zhang Yimou is the greatest living director and ranks with Huston, Fellini, Fleming, Kubrick & De Sica. His 1994 "To Live" might be the greatest film ever made.

[@edkiely2712]

I remember the first Yimou film I watched-'To Live'-; it was completely a random selection on my part and I was absolutely awestruck by what I was witnessing! There are still a few of his films I've yet to watch, but he is definitely in my personal Top 10 Director's list! The man is simply a giant when it comes to filmmaking, and I hope he's got 1 or 2 beauties left in him before he leaves us!

[@Progger11]

Seijun Suzuki - The Taisho Trilogy Shuji Terayama - Pastoral: To Die in the Country Akio Jissoji - This Transient Life Kiju Yoshida - Eros + Massacre Wong Kar Wai: In the Mood for Love Bong Joon-Ho: Parasite Park Chan-Wook: The Handmaiden Carl T. Dreyer: Passion of Joan of Arc Panos Cosmatos: Beyond the Black Rainbow Yorgos Lanthimos: The Favourite Nicholas Winding Refn: The Neon Demon Hayao Miyazaki: Spirited Away Reiner Werner Fassbinder: World on a Wire Krzysztof Kieslowski: The Dekalog Sidney Lumet: 12 Angry Men Michael Curtiz: Casablanca Victor Fleming: Wizard of Oz Howard Hawks: The Big Sleep John Huston: The Maltese Falcon Ang Lee: Lust, Caution Jim Jarmusch: Paterson James Whale: The Invisible Man Elia Kazan: East of Eden Satoshi Kon: Perfect Blue Mohsen Makhmalbaf: Gabbeh Kenji Mizoguchi: Sansho the Bailiff Vittorio De Sica: Bicycle Thieves Abel Gance: I Accuse Mamoru Oshii: Angel's Egg Werner Herzog: Aguirre, the Wrath of God Max Ophuls: Madame de... Jean Cocteau: Orpheus Trilogy Maya Deren: Meshes of the Afternoon

[@LearningaboutMovies]

thank you, great contributions.

[@LarsPop-Tartus]

Ugetsu

[@kusamarampling]

Grizzly Man, not Fitzcaraldo?

[@LearningaboutMovies]

I have a whole Herzog video about what I prefer in his films. Fitzcarraldo is less interesting to me than a lot of his films, even though the steamboat scene is remarkable. It is just preference I suppose. Yes, I got a lot more out of Grizzly Man -- huge numbers of questions for what it means to be human in the modern world.

[@Acrocanthosaurus]

People who do not worship His Girl Friday leave me clammy.

[@m.d.b.6318]

⭐️You helped me up my game on dinner party conversations! TFS⭐️

[@LearningaboutMovies]

enjoy your increased social status!

[@ottobord]

Cecile B Demille?

[@LearningaboutMovies]

yes, missing from mine and the original. The Ten Commandments? I am not remembering his movies at the moment though.