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Comparing The 25 Greatest Working Directors With the 25 Most Profitable Working Directors

By Dustin Rowles | Posted Under Seriously Random Lists | Comments (37)

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Entertainment Weekly came out with its list of the 25 Greatest Working Directors this week, and while I might have a few small quibbles with it, I thought the more interesting aspect here is the comparison of that list to the list of Most Profitable Working Directors, an opportunity to redundantly demonstrate how infrequently commerce and quality intersect. Indeed, of the 25 Greatest Working Directors, only five are also among the Most Profitable. The comparison is also a testament to those five directors’ abilities to merge the commercial and critical.

Entertainment Weekly’s List of the 25 Greatest Working Directors

25. Wes Anderson

24. Mike Leigh

23. Brad Bird

22. J.J. Abrams

21. Spike Lee

20. Edgar Wright

19. Peter Jackson

18. James Cameron

17. David Lynch

16. David O. Russell

15. Kathryn Bigelow

14. Danny Boyle

13. Roman Polanski

12. Guillermo del Toro

11. Paul Thomas Anderson

10. Pedro Almodóvar

9. Clint Eastwood

8. Terrence Malick

7. Quentin Tarantino

6. Joel & Ethan Coen

5. Darren Aronofsky

4. Martin Scorsese

3. Steven Spielberg

2. Christopher Nolan

1. David Fincher


Box Office Mojo’s List of the 25 Most Profitable Working Directors

25. Garry Marshall

24. Joel Schumacher

23. M. Night Shyamalan

22. Brett Ratner

21. Jay Roach

20. Ivan Reitman

19. Tony Scott

18. Roland Emmerich

17. Ridley Scott

16. Richard Donner

15. Andrew Adamson

14. Christopher Nolan

13. Lee Unrich

12. Clint Eastwood

11. Sam Raimi

10. Gore Verbinski

9. Peter Jackson

8. Michael Bay

7. Tim Burton

6. Chris Columbus

5. George Lucas

4. Ron Howard

3. James Cameron

2. Robert Zemeckis

1. Steven Spielberg










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Comments

"Great" is such a big word, and is not really applicable to a few on this list. Like I love Edgar Wright's work, but I wouldn't categorize him among "the greatest." The same with Bigelow (who unfortunately is the only woman on the list). Her filmography just isn't that impressive even though she won the Oscar.

Posted by: sars at February 23, 2011 12:41 PM

Terrence Malick??? How is he in the top ten? He did The Thin Red Line, The New World, and ....? The Thin Red Line is decent, but how does that qualify him for the top 10?

Posted by: elenaran at February 23, 2011 12:43 PM

James Cameron's inclusion in the greatest working directors made me bristle. And vomit a little in my mouth. And I even like Aliens, and Terminator 1 and 2.

Posted by: linny at February 23, 2011 12:51 PM

Very interesting list Rowles, as always Spielberg, Scorsese and Cameron seem to rule the roost. As far as Lucas goes, he’s still sucking on that Star Wars tit. Can’t blame him though, the guy is a billionaire and when he releases Star Wars on blu-ray later this year he’ll make another boatload of money. I think Nolan has the ability to be among the greatest.

Posted by: Pookie at February 23, 2011 12:55 PM

Bong Joon-Ho, goddamnit.

Posted by: sars at February 23, 2011 1:04 PM

Wong Kar-Wai's absence invalidates the list for me.

Posted by: Todd at February 23, 2011 1:17 PM

Elenaran; because he also did Badlands and Days of Heaven (albeit quite a long time ago), either one of which on its own would qualify him for a place on this list.

Posted by: scarecrowprophet at February 23, 2011 1:22 PM

Asian directors in general are notably absent from this list.

Posted by: Phaeolus at February 23, 2011 1:46 PM

J.J. Abrams? Are they fucking kidding?

Posted by: Cindy at February 23, 2011 2:04 PM

I've never been much of a Jean-Luc Godard fan, but - for the record - the guy is still alive and making films. Entertainment Weekly also might want to check their records for evidence of a couple minor directors who go by the names of Francis Ford Coppola and Woody Allen. I'm not saying those three guys are at their highest level, but the strength of their resumes and the fact that they are still making art warrants consideration for them over at least of those chosen names.

Posted by: DarthCorleone at February 23, 2011 2:05 PM

You could easily argue that Ron Howard, Tim Burton and Ridley Scott should be on the Greatest 25 list, which then undercuts the premise a bit.

Posted by: James S at February 23, 2011 2:09 PM

park chan-woook should be on that list, I think.

Posted by: sailboat at February 23, 2011 2:09 PM

Was there some disclaimer that the list was limited to directors who release major English-language pictures in the USA? Because it seems to be a list of "The Greatest American or British Directors (with a Spaniard and a Mexican thrown in for good measure)." In addition to Bong Joon-Ho and Wong Kar-Wai, who have already been mentioned, there are dozens of other foreign directors who at least merit consideration (Noe, Jeunet, Haneke, Kiarostami, Panahi, Miyazaki, etc., etc.).

Even within the confines of American & British directors, I'm kind of shocked to see Soderbergh and Cronenberg left off.

And Terence Malick gets grandfathered in for Days of Heaven alone.

Posted by: the_gardenhead at February 23, 2011 2:17 PM

Though upon further thought, Panahi isn't really a "working director" since he's sitting in an Iranian jail somewhere.

Posted by: the_gardenhead at February 23, 2011 2:21 PM

You know what this list needs? More dudes!

Posted by: Nate at February 23, 2011 2:46 PM

Are you trying to make me cry?

Posted by: Jerry at February 23, 2011 4:06 PM

jj abrams has only directed 2 movies, both action sequels. i understand that lists are fun because they generate debate, but really?

i would have tossed in terry gilliam, even though his films don't always work. he is visionary.

i'm glad Del Toro made the list, even if he makes those silly movies about the grumpy demon with the twitchy fish sidekick.

and to invalidate myself in everyone's eyes, i would shift shyamalan from the second list to the first. do his movies make money?

Posted by: idleprimate at February 23, 2011 4:36 PM

Where the fuck is Gus Van Sant? Hes got more talent in his shits, than Cameron has in his entire body.

Posted by: Illuminatus at February 23, 2011 5:52 PM

I figured Cameron was going to be on it, so I was prepared to see his name. But J.J. Abrams? Edgar Wright? Did they make movies I don't know about in some alternate timeline? Alexander Payne kicks the shit out of both these guys, and I'm not even sure he should be on the list.

I agree that Woody Allen and Francis Ford Coppola were needlessly left off.

Posted by: Three-nineteen at February 23, 2011 5:52 PM

Oh, pop culture lists... You always succeed in making me laugh hard and shake my head in disbelief...

Even more, two lists. And then the comparison. Got me a whiplash.

Posted by: godzilla_foil at February 23, 2011 6:07 PM

When I look at this list, all I can see is penis.

Posted by: Crankle at February 23, 2011 6:31 PM

That Great Directors list has way more pleasant surprises than I expected. Seriously, go David Fincher and Edgar Wright! But come on, let's be adults here: No way is Martin Scorsese is not #1.

While we're at it, let's swap Eastwood and Paul Thomas Anderson, and why not throw Alfonso Cuaron in Malick's slot, and give Michel Gondry fucking James Cameron's place, and-

Oh no, I've gone made with imaginary power.

I'll leave this list alone forever now.

Posted by: ChristianH at February 23, 2011 7:04 PM

OH WAIT I just saw that Gus Van Sant isn't on here, or Woody Allen, or Francis Ford Coppola, and all of those blow my fucking mind.

Posted by: ChristianH at February 23, 2011 7:15 PM

J.J. Abrams???? HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

Posted by: Uriah Creep at February 23, 2011 10:33 PM

Oh, hey Entertainment Weekly. No Alfonso Cuaron? Yeah, your list is dead to me.

Also, Crankle: and how.

Posted by: sheshakes at February 23, 2011 11:48 PM

At least they didn't put Sophia Coppola on that list. Ugh.

Posted by: figgy at February 24, 2011 12:01 AM

Rian Johnson

Posted by: June Velcro at February 24, 2011 1:29 AM

i understand that bigelow probably got on there because she's the first female director to win an oscar and that is all the research entertainment weekly felt necessary, but as a girl who goes to the movies a lot who does try to seek out talented female directors and follow their careers, i think that's pretty weak. yes hurt locker is a great movie and point break is fun, but what about claire denis? sally potter? moufida tlatli? catherine hardwicke? ann hui? that's just off the top of my head! and has already been pointed out, that EW list is pretty overwhelmingly white and english-speaking. i'm just saying, also? male.

blergh. sorry. /rant

Posted by: me at February 24, 2011 2:09 AM

Folks, remember that the "greatest" list comes from Entertainment fucking Weekly, a publication that embraces this kind of math:
big box office = good

I'd rather see a Pajiba-inspired top 25 list and the ensuing comments any day. So, get started on that, would you please, Mr. Rowles?

And, I agree with @Phaeolus, there is a conspicuous absence of Asian directors from this list.

Posted by: mike10009 at February 24, 2011 10:29 AM

Word, figgy.

I have so much love for The Iron Giant that when I saw Brad Bird's name, my brain did like a mental swoony sigh.

I will always have great love for J.J. Abrams because of Alias. But even that didn't mean I was going to put down money to watch his "films."

Posted by: denesteak at February 24, 2011 11:46 AM

The word "great" should be followed by the words "Alfonso Cuaron".

Also, I think the world of Eastwood, but his Oscar bait stuff is far from great. He hasn't made a *great* movie since Unforgiven. Good or interesting or fun, sure, but not great.

Posted by: Eli at February 24, 2011 12:50 PM

I second whoever questioned Bigelow's presence on the list.

Posted by: SB at February 26, 2011 5:00 PM

I think Ang Lee needs to be up there. He's been consistently making great films since the beginning of the 1990s.

He's so versatile and lacks an obvious trademark so that might count against him as an auteur.

But I don't think there's any director who can direct love and longing like he can.

Posted by: Chris JL at February 27, 2011 5:48 AM

If they are putting Kathryn Bigelow up they really should have listed Ben Affleck, too. He may not have done much yet, but The Town and Gone Baby Gone were both pretty exceptional. Also leaving Cuaron off the list was a huge oversight. Jon Favreau is getting dissed, too, as is dropping Ridley Scott on the EW list. Blade Runner, Kingdom Of Heaven (directors cut), Alien, Black Hawk Down, the guy deserves to be on that list. Also, Matthew Vaughn. Layer Cake, Stardust, Kick Ass, and he may very well be rescuing X-Men from mediocrity.

Posted by: TylerDFC at February 27, 2011 9:40 AM

Guy Maddin.

Posted by: Kali Yuga at February 27, 2011 3:37 PM

@TylerDFC: Matthew Vaughn has made one good movie, called Layer Cake. He also made two other movies, called poorly paced pieces of shit with oversold, underwritten jokes and banal protagonists.

Posted by: Robin at February 28, 2011 2:38 PM

The definition of some really good audio players for kids? My cousin is 5 yoa and for christmas I want to buy her a music, she loves my nano but I think it becomes difficult for her to make use of it. Are there a bit of good ones for kids?

Posted by: MP3 players for kids at March 18, 2011 6:59 PM