So I'm watching Woody Allen's Manhattan, which I now realize is one of the ten greatest films I've ever seen, and there's a scene where Woody's character, Isaac, has just met his friend Yale's new girlfriend, Mary (Diane Keaton). Mary is a pretentious, obnoxious intellectual, and after she critisizes Ingmar Bergman, Isaac is quick to say "Bergman, I think, is the only genius working in cinema today."

Which got me thinking; do we have any certifiable geniuses working in cinema today? (I guess you could still technically say Bergman...but let's not go there). What makes a 'genius?' I don't know, but two come to mind.

Woody Allen's been a bit off his game lately (although a lesser Allen like Curse of the Jade Scorpion is still wonderful....Melinda and Melinda not so much), but he's still a genius. Match Point was no masterpiece, but it was a dynamite little picture.

Same goes for the Coen Brothers. They're certainly the most original filmmakers to come down the pike in years, although the comedies owe a lot to Preston Sturges. Unfortunately, the last two, Intolerable Creulty and the Ladykillers, were good comedies but nothing more. Nonetheless, the Coen's have made enough genuine classics (Blood Simple, Raising Arizona, Miller's Crossing, Barton Fink, Hudsucker Proxy, Fargo, Lebowski, O Brother Where Art Thou?....jesus, they didn't miss a beat) to qualify. I hope their next film, that western whose name escapes me, brings them back into the big time.

After those two...I just don't know. There are some filmmakers I love who I nevertheless feel reluctant to label 'genius'...Curtis Hanson, Ang Lee, Wes Anderson, Michael Mann. Hanson's a great craftsman, but I'm not sure he's a great filmmaker. Ang Lee made Hulk.

I realize 'genius' is a difficult term to define, but is there anyone else out there that you think deserves the label?

As I think about it...I think Werner Herzog qualifies as a genius.

I'd label David Fincher a genius, but it is a bit too early. I will wait for Zodiac to see if I'm right.

Charlie Kaufman might not be a director, but he is a screenwriting genius. I'd say the same for Allen. I don't see him as a directing genius, but certainly one of the best screenwriters ever.

I'd add Tim Burton too.

Spielberg...well, that is obvious.

I'd rank Burton and Spielberg in the genius category. As well as the Coens, despite their last three films being vastly mediocre.

Also, either on the genius scale or close are David Lynch, John Lasseter, Tarantino, Baz Luhrmann, Miyazaki... Brad Bird... Jean Pierre Jeunet... um... Terry Gilliam.

I'm out.

Snurb hits quite a few, though I'm hesitant about listing Tarantino. The more familiar I become with his career, the more obvious it is that he grabs quite a bit of his material from old sources. I was watching Badlands the other day and couldn't help but think of True Romance - in a bad way. As fun as Kill Bill is, it too is pretty much duplication of vintage film. Stylistically he's great, but his characters never interest me enough to be considered genius. That, and the "inspiration" by older flicks. It makes me wonder how original he truly is.

I think Woody's directing skills often get underappreciated because of the somewhat simplistic visual nature of his films. Watch Play It Again, Sam (a good movie that never quite comes to life) to see how a non-Woody director can muck up his screenplay.

Snrub, I'd agree with Gilliam and Lynch. I can't believe I didn't think of Gilliam. Robert Altman also qualifies, I think.

Steve-O

filmmaking is a collaborative medium, and in general I think directors are given too much credit.

But, playing along, if I was forced to make such a list today, I'd be sure to add Jean-Pierre Jeunet.

I'd say Lynch and the Coens, for sure.

I'm not sure about Burton. Earlier in his career, I'd say yes. But he hasn't made a good film in six years.

Despite having only made 1 film... Zach Braff.

Ang Lee is a genius... The Hulk was a great film and so are the rest of his films.

I'm not going to say Peter Jackson... yet... but he is damn close if not there yet.

Michael Mann... I love most of his stuff

And of course Spielberg and Burton

Zack Braff's a genius and peter Jackson isn't? Huh?

PT Anderson

Pauly Shore

Zach Braff? The guy from Scrubs? lmao

Yes

Almodovar.

score.

Also: Half of the acclaimed directors out there get most of their presteige from one particular film. Many of them have a lot of mediocre films.

James Cameron. Aliens, T1-T2, The Abyss and Titanic are all great works, of which parts are borderline genius. Too bad he has sat on his ass the past ten years.

Zach Braff... the guy who wrote/directed/starred in the BEST film of 2004

Garden State

And since he's only done one movie... and it was genius... he is a genius.

Now Peter Jackson... I have seen 4 of his movies... so I can't judge whether he is or not. In the 4 of the movies I have seen he is a genius, but I have no knowledge of his previous films

I see whiffs of genius in colllabrative troupe stuff.. Much of it is improv... A MIghty Wind... Bob Balaban, ELevy...

This statement could apply to some directors (people like Brett Ratner and other "director for hire" types), but there are most definitely directors out there that are completely worthy of the credit they get. David Lynch, Woody Allen, Steven Spielberg, Tim Burton, PT Anderson, Wes Anderson, etc... they all have total and complete artistic control over their films.

I agree with that.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Egoyan yet.

And just so that people are even more sick of me, I'll bring up Sembene, once again...two years of plugging him and I'm still going strong!

Tim Burton? I'll wait on calling him a genius until he learns how to tell a story. All the "gothic" sets and zany costumes in the world doesn't make you a genius.

I'd agree with Spielberg. His most mediocre efforts are still very well-made, and at his very best, there's very few who can top him. Charlie Kaufman is another who I'd say is deserving of the title, and DEFINITLEY Richard Linklater. The Coen Bros, Miyazaki, perhaps Gilliam (assuming The Brothers Grimm was completely mangled by the studio as he claims), and Peter Jackson are all also ones I'd give the title to. And just try telling me that Spike Jonze and Michel Gondry aren't visual geniuses after you've seen the DVDs of their smaller works (and that's not even mentioning what they've done with Kaufman.)

Ugh, I STILL need to rent Xala, which has been on my queue list since I saw the BRILLIANT Moolaade a year ago. :gainsrespectofdolce:

i agree with lynch and woody, coen bros, pt anderson and...miyazaki. lars von trier would probably qualify. linklater and wkw are batting 1000. not a fan of van Sant (yet), but wouldnt disagree with any who listed him.