Director Smack Down!

[Jeff Koenig]

How this thread works:

Step 1: Give your opinion on all of the Smack Downs! above your post.

Step 2: Choose two feature film directors and list up to five of each of their films, separating the two directors and their work with "VS."

You may use directors that have already been mentioned in this thread, but you may NOT repeat an exact match-up that has previously been posted.

To keep things on track and interesting, the following directors may NOT be used in this game: Spielberg, Hitchcock, Scorsese, Coppola (F.F., that is, Sofia is fair game), Lucas, Ford, Huston. Also, Ewe Bol, but for entirely different reasons.

I'll get things started...

FIRST MATCH-UP:

John McTiernan
Die Hard
Predator
The Hunt for Red October
The 13th Warrior
Medicine Man

VS.

Curtis Hanson
Wonder Boys
8 Mile
The Hand that Rocks the Cradle
L.A. Confidential
The River Wild

GO!

 

[Jeff Koenig]

Just a couple clarifications on my intentions for starting this game:

It's primarily meant as a learning exercise. I actually didn't know The Hunt for Red October and Predator were both made by the guy that directed Die Hard until I made this post. IMDB is a wonderful thing. Relatively obscure directors will make the game more fun. Just because Ridley Scott and James Cameron aren't on the "no-no list" doesn't mean there aren't more constructive directors to choose from.

Also, when comparing directors for a Smack Down!, it's about their skill as a director, not really whether or not you like their films. With Curtis Hanson, for example, it doesn't matter whether you loved or hated 8 Mile, the question is do you feel it was well directed?

Hopefully we can all have some fun with this and learn something at the same time.

 

[Dingos8mybaby]

JM vs. CH? That's a toughie, but I'd have to go with the guy who could stand working with Sean Connery. Twice. Plus Die Hard! C'mon...

Now for an HBO Fight Night:

Street Brawl-style Lightweight Bout:

Gus van Sant
Drugstore Cowboy
My Own Private Idaho
Good Will Hunting
Milk

VS.

Danny Boyle
Slumdog Millionaire
Sunshine
28 Days Later
Trainspotting

Rocky-style Welterweight Title Bout:

David Fincher
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Zodiac
Fight Club
Se7en

VS.

Chris Nolan
Memento
Batman Begins
The Prestige
The Dark Knight

Heavyweight Championship of the World:

Ron Howard
Backdraft
Apollo 13
A Beautiful Mind
Frost/Nixon

VS.

Clint Eastwood
Unforgiven
Mystic River
Flags of Our Fathers
Gran Torino

Feel free to bash away.

 

[Jeff Koenig]

Wow, straight to a Royal Rumble. Ok...

1. McTiernan, though L.A. Confidential is excellent.
2. Van Sant, but give Boyle another film or two and that will change
3. Fincher, Nolan's body of work is still too brief
4. Eastwood, Howard's choices of story are too safe

Next Match-Up:

Battle of the Intentionally Weird Davids

David Cronenberg
The Fly
Eastern Promises
Naked Lunch
Scanners
Crash

VS.

David Lynch
The Elephant Man
Mulholland Dr.
Blue Velvet
Wild at Heart
The Straight Story