Suggested Filmography: The Sterile Cuckoo (1969), Klute (1971), The Parallax View (1974), All the President's Men (1976), Comes a Horseman (1978), Starting Over (1979), Rollover (1981), Sophie's Choice (1982), Orphans (1987), See You In the Morning (1989), Presumed Innocent (1990), Consenting Adults (1992), The Pelican Brief (1993), The Devil's Own (1997).

ALAN PARKER 1944-2020
English Director of Effective Expository Stories

Suggested Filmography: Bugsy Malone (1976), Midnight Express (1978), Fame (1980), Pink Floyd: The Wall (1982), Shoot the Moon (1982), Birdy (1984), Angel Heart (1987), Mississippi Burning (1988), Come See the Paradise (1990), The Commitments (1991), The Road to Wellville (1994), Evita (1996), Angela's Ashes (1999), The Life of David Gayle (2003).

GORDON PARKS 1912-2006
Photojournalist and Hollywood's First African-American Director/Producer of a Major Film

Suggested Filmography: The Learning Tree (1969), Shaft (1971), Shaft's Big Score! (1972), The Super Cops (1974), Leadbelly (1976).

ALEXANDER PAYNE 1961-
Literate, Humanizing Filmmaker Often with Films About Individualistic Characters Seeking Self-Fulfillment

Suggested Filmography: Citizen Ruth (1996), Election (1999), About Schmidt (2002), Sideways (2004), The Descendants (2011), Nebraska (2013), Downsizing (2017).

MICHAEL RADFORD 1946-
English-born Director

Suggested Filmography: Another Time, Another Place (1983), Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984), White Mischief (1987), Il Postino (1994), B. Monkey (1998), Dancing at the Blue Iguana (2000), The Merchant of Venice (2004), Flawless (2007), The Mule (2013), Elsa & Fred (2014), The Music of Silence (2017).

HAROLD RAMIS 1944-2014
Actor/Writer/Director/Producer of Offbeat, Witty, and Subtly Intelligent Comedies

Suggested Filmography: National Lampoon's Animal House (1978) (writer), Meatballs (1979) (writer), Caddyshack (1980), Stripes (1981) (writer), National Lampoon's Vacation (1983), Ghostbusters (1984) (writer), Back to School (1986) (writer), Groundhog Day (1993), Stuart Saves His Family (1995), Multiplicity (1996), Analyze This (1999), Bedazzled (2000), Analyze That (2002), The Ice Harvest (2005), Year One (2009).

ROBERT REDFORD 1937-
Actor Turned Director, Influential Force in Independent Film-Making

Suggested Filmography: Ordinary People (1980), The Milagro Beanfield War (1988), A River Runs Through It (1992), Quiz Show (1994), The Horse Whisperer (1997), The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000), Lions for Lambs (2007), The Conspirator (2010), The Company You Keep (2012).

CAROL REED 1906-1976
British Director

Suggested Filmography: It Happened in Paris (1935), The Stars Look Down (1939), Night Train to Munich (1940), The Way Ahead/The Immortal Battalion (1944), The True Glory (1945), Odd Man Out (1947), The Fallen Idol (1948), The Third Man (1949), Trapeze (1956), Our Man in Havana (1959), The Agony and the Ecstasy (1965), Oliver! (1968), Follow Me (The Public Eye) (1972).

CARL REINER 1922-2020
Television/Film Comedian Turned Director, Noted for Light, Whimsical Comedies; Father of Director Rob Reiner

Suggested Filmography: Enter Laughing (1967), The Comic (1969), Where's Poppa? (1970), Oh, God! (1977), The One and Only (1978), The Jerk (1979), Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (1982), The Man with Two Brains (1983), All of Me (1984), Summer Rental (1985), Summer School (1987), Bert Rigby, You're a Fool (1989), Sibling Rivalry (1990), Fatal Instinct (1993), That Old Feeling (1997).

ROB REINER 1945-
Comic Actor Turned Feature Director

Suggested Filmography: This is Spinal Tap (1984), The Sure Thing (1985), Stand By Me (1986), The Princess Bride (1987), When Harry Met Sally... (1989), Misery (1990), A Few Good Men (1992), North (1994), The American President (1995), Ghosts of Mississippi (1996), The Story of Us (1999), Alex and Emma (2003), Rumor Has It... (2005), The Bucket List (2007), Flipped (2010), The Magic of Belle Isle (2012), And So It Goes (2014), Being Charlie (2015), LBJ (2016), Shock and Awe (2017).

IVAN REITMAN 1946-2022
Canadian-American Director/Producer

Suggested Filmography: Foxy Lady (1971), Meatballs (1979), Stripes (1981), Ghostbusters (1984), Legal Eagles (1986), Twins (1988), Ghostbusters II (1989), Kindergarten Cop (1990), Dave (1993), Junior (1994), Six Days, Seven Nights (1998), Evolution (2001), My Super Ex-Girlfriend (2006), No Strings Attached (2011), Draft Day (2014).

TONY RICHARDSON 1928-1991
British Director, Known for "Angry Young Men" Films

Suggested Filmography: Look Back in Anger (1958), The Entertainer (1960), A Taste of Honey (1961), The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (1962), Tom Jones (1963), The Loved One (1965), The Charge of the Light Brigade (1968), Hamlet (1969), Ned Kelly (1970), A Delicate Balance (1973), Joseph Andrews (1977), The Border (1982), The Hotel New Hampshire (1984).

MARTIN RITT 1914-1990
Talented, First-Rate, Meticulous Director of Weighty-Themed Films

Suggested Filmography: The Edge of the City (1957), The Long, Hot Summer (1958), Paris Blues (1961), Hud (1963), The Outrage (1964), The Spy Who Came In From the Cold (1965), Hombre (1967), The Brotherhood (1968), The Great White Hope (1970), The Molly Maguires (1970), Pete 'n' Tillie (1972), Sounder (1972), Conrack (1974), The Front (1976), Norma Rae (1979), Back Roads (1981), Cross Creek (1983), Murphy's Romance (1985), The Slugger's Wife (1985), Nuts (1987), Stanley & Iris (1990).

NICOLAS ROEG 1928-2018
Visionary British Director/Cinematographer of Visually-Fragmented, Idiosyncratic, Intriguing Films

Suggested Filmography: Performance (1970), Walkabout (1971), Don't Look Now (1973), The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976), Bad Timing: A Sensual Obsession (1980), Eureka (1983), Insignificance (1985), Castaway (1987), Track 29 (1988), The Witches (1990), Cold Heaven (1991), Two Deaths (1995).

GEORGE ROMERO 1940-2017
Innovative Director and Zombie Film Auteur Known for Modern, Visceral Horror Films

Suggested Filmography: Night of the Living Dead (1968), Season of the Witch (1972), The Crazies (1973), Martin (1978), Dawn of the Dead (1978), Knightriders (1981), Creepshow (1982), Day of the Dead (1985), Monkey Shines (1988), Two Evil Eyes (1990), The Dark Half (1993), Land of the Dead (2005), Diary of the Dead (2007), Survival of the Dead (2009), The Amusement Park (2019).

STUART ROSENBERG 1927-2007
50s TV Director Turned Feature Film Director

Suggested Filmography: Cool Hand Luke (1967), The April Fools (1969), WUSA (1970), Pocket Money (1972), The Laughing Policeman (1973), The Drowning Pool (1975), Voyage of the Damned (1976), The Amityville Horror (1979), Brubaker (1980), The Pope of Greenwich Village (1984), Let's Get Harry (1986), My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys (1991).

HERBERT ROSS 1927-2001
American Director of Light Comedies, Dance Pictures; Notable for Collaborations with Playwright Neil Simon

Suggested Filmography: Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969), The Owl and the Pussycat (1970), T.R. Baskin (1971), Play It Again, Sam (1972), Funny Lady (1975), The Sunshine Boys (1975), The Seven-Per-Cent Solution (1976), The Turning Point (1977), The Goodbye Girl (1977), California Suite (1978), Nijinsky (1980), Pennies From Heaven (1981), I Ought to Be In Pictures (1982), Max Dugan Returns (1983), Footloose (1984), The Secret of My Succe$s (1987), Steel Magnolias (1989), My Blue Heaven (1990), True Colors (1991), Undercover Blues (1993), Boys on the Side (1995).

ROBERT ROSSEN 1908-1966
Powerful, Socially-Concerned Director

Suggested Filmography: Body and Soul (1947), All The King's Men (1949), The Brave Bulls (1951), Alexander the Great (1956), The Hustler (1961), Lilith (1964).

ALAN RUDOLPH 1943-
Eccentric, Independent Film Director, Mentored by Robert Altman

Suggested Filmography: Premonition (1972), Nightmare Circus (1973), Welcome to L.A. (1976), Remember My Name (1978), Roadie (1980), Endangered Species (1982), Choose Me (1984), Trouble in Mind (1985), Made in Heaven (1987), The Moderns (1988), Love at Large (1990), Mortal Thoughts (1991), Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle (1994), Afterglow (1997), Breakfast of Champions (1999), Trixie (2000), The Secret Lives of Dentists (2002), Ray Meets Helen (2017).

DAVID O. RUSSELL 1958-
Producer and Filmmaking Director Known for Ensemble Casting, and Directing Many Stars to Oscar Nominations/Wins

Suggested Filmography: Spanking the Monkey (1994), Flirting With Disaster (1996), Three Kings (1999), I Heart Huckabees (2004), The Fighter (2010), Silver Linings Playbook (2012), American Hustle (2013), Accidental Love (2015), Joy (2015).

MARK SANDRICH 1900-1945
Best-Known for Directing Five Astaire/Rogers Musicals at RKO

Suggested Filmography: The Gay Divorcee (1934), Top Hat (1935), Follow the Fleet (1936), Shall We Dance? (1937), Carefree (1938), Holiday Inn (1942), So Proudly We Hail! (1943).

JOHN SAYLES 1950-
Independent Filmmaker of Intensely-Personal Ensemble Films Outside of the Hollywood Mainstream

Suggested Filmography: Return of the Secaucus 7 (1980), Baby, It's You (1983), Lianna (1983), The Brother From Another Planet (1984), Matewan (1987), Eight Men Out (1988), City of Hope (1991), Passion Fish (1992), The Secret of Roan Inish (1994), Lone Star (1996), Men With Guns (1997), Limbo (1999), Sunshine State (2002), Casa de los Babys (2003), Silver City (2004), Honeydripper (2007), Amigo (2010), Go for Sisters (2013).

FRANKLIN J. SCHAFFNER 1920-1989
Capable Director of Varied Films

Suggested Filmography: The Best Man (1964), The War Lord (1965), Planet of the Apes (1968), Patton (1970), Nicholas and Alexandra (1971), Papillon (1973), Islands in the Stream (1977), The Boys From Brazil (1978), Sphinx (1981), Yes, Giorgio (1982), Lionheart (1987).

PAUL SCHRADER 1946-
Screenwriter/Director of Films Examining Sin and Redemption

Suggested Filmography: Taxi Driver (1976) (screenwriter), Blue Collar (1978), Hardcore (1979), American Gigolo (1980), Raging Bull (1980) (screenwriter), Cat People (1982), Mishima (1985), The Mosquito Coast (1986) (screenwriter), Light of Day (1987), The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) (screenwriter), Patty Hearst (1988), The Comfort of Strangers (1990), Havana (1990) (screenwriter), Light Sleeper (1991), City Hall (1996) (screenwriter), Touch (1997), Affliction (1997), Bringing Out the Dead (1999) (screenwriter), Forever Mine (1999), Auto Focus (2002), Dominion (2005), The Walker (2007), Adam Resurrected (2008), The Canyons (2013), Dying of the Light (2014), Dog Eat Dog (2016), First Reformed (2017), Dark (2017).

JOEL SCHUMACHER 1939-2020
Versatile Director of Youth Flicks, Early Julia Roberts Films, and Two Batman Segments

Suggested Filmography: St. Elmo's Fire (1985), The Lost Boys (1987), Cousins (1989), Flatliners (1990), Dying Young (1991), Falling Down (1993), The Client (1994), Batman Forever (1995), A Time to Kill (1996), Batman & Robin (1997), 8MM (1999), Flawless (1999), Tigerland (2000), Bad Company (2002), Phone Booth (2003), Veronica Guerin (2003), The Phantom of the Opera (2004), The Number 23 (2007), Blood Creek (2009), Twelve (2010), Trespass (2011).

GEORGE SIDNEY 1916-2002
Leading Director of Musicals During the 40s-60s

Suggested Filmography: Bathing Beauty (1944), Anchors Aweigh (1945), The Harvey Girls (1946), Ziegfeld Follies (1946), Cass Timberlane (1947), The Three Musketeers (1948), Annie Get Your Gun (1950), Show Boat (1951), Scaramouche (1952), Kiss Me Kate (1953), Jupiter's Darling (1955), The Eddie Duchin Story (1956), Jeanne Eagels (1957), Pal Joey (1957), Pepe (1960), Bye Bye Birdie (1963), Viva Las Vegas (1964).

JOHN SINGLETON 1968-2019
Young American Director Nominated for Academy Award for Debut Film at 24 Years of Age

Suggested Filmography: Boyz N the Hood (1991), Poetic Justice (1993), Higher Learning (1995), Rosewood (1997), Shaft (2000), 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003), Four Brothers (2005), Abduction (2011).

ROBERT SIODMAK 1900-1973
Master Craftsman of Suspense and Crime Films Most Noted For 40s Noirs and Thrillers

Suggested Filmography: Son of Dracula (1943), Cobra Woman (1944), Christmas Holiday (1944), Phantom Lady (1944), The Suspect (1944), The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry (1945), The Dark Mirror (1946), The Killers (1946), The Spiral Staircase (1946), Cry of the City (1948), Criss Cross (1949), The File on Thelma Jordon (1950), The Crimson Pirate (1952), Custer of the West (1967).

VICTOR SJOSTROM 1879-1960
Pioneering Swedish Director and Screenwriter, known as "The Father of Swedish Cinema"

Suggested Filmography (US): He Who Gets Slapped (1924), Name the Man (1924), Confessions of a Queen (1925), The Tower of Lies (1925), The Scarlet Letter (1926) (writer, director, producer), The Divine Woman (1928), The Masks of the Devil (1928), The Wind (1928), A Lady to Love (1930) (director, producer), Under the Red Robe (1937).

KEVIN SMITH 1970-
Former Comic Book Writer Turned Idiosyncratic Director

Suggested Filmography: Clerks (1994), Mallrats (1995), Chasing Amy (1997), Dogma (1999), Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001), Jersey Girl (2004), Clerks II (2006), Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008), Cop Out (2010), Red State (2011), Tusk (2014), Yoga Hosers (2016), Holidays (segment "Halloween") (2016), Jay and Silent Bob Reboot (2019).

STEVEN SODERBERGH 1963-
Sensational and Talented Young Director

Suggested Filmography: sex, lies and videotape (1989), Kafka (1991), King of the Hill (1993), The Underneath (1995), Gray's Anatomy (1996), Schizopolis (1996), Out of Sight (1998), The Limey (1999), Erin Brockovich (2000), Traffic (2000), Ocean's Eleven (2001), Full Frontal (2002), Solaris (2002), Ocean's Twelve (2004), The Good German (2006), Ocean's Thirteen (2007), Che: Part One and Part Two (2008), The Girlfriend Experience (2009), The Informant! (2009), Contagion (2011), Haywire (2011), Magic Mike (2012), Side Effects (2013), Behind The Candelabra (2013), Logan Lucky (2017), Unsane (2018), High Flying Bird (2019), The Laundromat (2019), Let Them All Talk (2020).

JOHN STURGES 1911-1992
Vigorous, Reliable Director of the 50s and 60s

Suggested Filmography: Mystery Street (1950), Escape from Fort Bravo (1953), Bad Day at Black Rock (1955), Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957), The Old Man and the Sea (1958), Never So Few (1959), Last Train From Gun Hill (1959), The Magnificent Seven (1960), Sergeants 3 (1962), The Great Escape (1963), The Satan Bug (1965), The Hallelujah Trail (1965), Hour of the Gun (1967), Ice Station Zebra (1968), Marooned (1969), Joe Kidd (1972), McQ (1974), The Eagle Has Landed (1976).

ANDREI TARKOVSKY 1932-1986
Modern-Day, Influential Soviet Film-maker

Suggested Filmography: Ivanovo detstvo (1962) (aka My Name is Ivan, or Ivan's Childhood), Andrei Rublev (1966), Solaris (1972), Zerkalo (1975) (aka The Mirror), Stalker (1979), Nostalghia (1983), Offret (1986) (aka The Sacrifice).

FRANK TASHLIN 1913-1972
Successful Screenwriter/Director of the 50s and 60s Films, Often with Jerry Lewis

Suggested Filmography: Son of Paleface (1952), Artists and Models (1955), The Girl Can't Help It (1956), Hollywood or Bust (1956), Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? (1957), The Geisha Boy (1958), Rock-a-Bye Baby (1958), Cinderfella (1960), It's Only Money (1962), The Disorderly Orderly (1964), The Glass Bottom Boat (1966), Caprice (1967).

JACQUES TOURNEUR 1904-1977
French Master of Macabre Suspense, Famous for 40s B-Movie Horror

Suggested Filmography: Cat People (1942), I Walked With a Zombie (1943), The Leopard Man (1943), Days of Glory (1944), Experiment Perilous (1944), Canyon Passage (1946), Out of the Past (1947), Berlin Express (1948), Stars in My Crown (1950), The Flame and the Arrow (1950), Wichita (1955), Nightfall (1956), Night of the Demon (1957), The Comedy of Terrors (1963), City Under the Sea (1965).

EDGAR G. ULMER 1904-1972
Visionary Austrian-born American, and German Expressionistic Director of Cult Classics (Influenced by Serving as Asst. Director to F.W. Murnau)

Suggested Filmography: The Black Cat (1934), Moon Over Harlem (1939), Goodbye, Mr. Germ (1940), Girls in Chains (1943), Isle of Forgotten Sins/Monsoon (1943), Jive Junction (1943), Bluebeard (1944), Detour (1945), Strange Illusion (1945), The Man From Planet X (1951), St. Benny the Dip (1951), Murder Is My Beat (1955), The Naked Dawn (1955), The Amazing Transparent Man (1960), Beyond the Time Barrier (1960), The Cavern (1964).

W. S. VAN DYKE II 1889-1943
Popular, Reliable MGM Director of the Swiftly-Made 30s Films

Suggested Filmography: White Shadows in the South Seas (1928), Trader Horn (1931), Tarzan the Ape Man (1932), Manhattan Melodrama (1934), The Thin Man (1934), Forsaking All Others (1934), Naughty Marietta (1935), Rose Marie (1936), Love On The Run (1936), After the Thin Man (1936), San Francisco (1936), Sweethearts (1938), Marie Antoinette (1938), Another Thin Man (1939), It's a Wonderful World (1939), I Love You Again (1940), Bitter Sweet (1940), New Moon (1940), Shadow of the Thin Man (1941), Journey For Margaret (1942).

GUS VAN SANT 1952-
Successful Film Director, Often Paired with Matt Dillon and Matt Damon

Suggested Filmography: Drugstore Cowboy (1989), My Own Private Idaho (1991), Even Cowgirls Get the Blues (1993), To Die For (1995), Good Will Hunting (1997), Psycho (1998), Finding Forrester (2000), Gerry (2002), Elephant (2003), Last Days (2005), Paris, Je T'Aime (2006), Paranoid Park (2007), Milk (2008), Restless (2011), Promised Land (2012), The Sea of Trees (2015), Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot (2018).

GORE VERBINSKI 1965-
Visually-Stylish Newcomer Director of "The Ring" and Disney's Lucrative "Pirates of the Caribbean Trilogy"

Suggested Filmography: The Ritual (1996), Mouse Hunt (1997), The Mexican (2001), The Ring (2002), Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), The Weather Man (2004), Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006), Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007), Rango (2011), The Lone Ranger (2013), A Cure for Wellness (2016).

PAUL VERHOEVEN 1938-
Dutch-born Director of Dutch and American Films Often Marked by Sex

Suggested Filmography: Soldier of Fortune (1979), Spetters (1980), The Fourth Man (1983), Flesh & Blood (1985), Robocop (1987), Total Recall (1990), Basic Instinct (1992), Showgirls (1995), Starship Troopers (1997), Hollow Man (2000), Black Book (2006), Tricked (2012), Elle (2016).

CHARLES VIDOR 1900-1959
Famous for Rita Hayworth Films

Suggested Filmography: Blind Alley (1939), Cover Girl (1944), A Song to Remember (1945), Gilda (1946), The Loves of Carmen (1948), Hans Christian Andersen (1952), Rhapsody (1954), Love Me or Leave Me (1955), The Swan (1956), The Joker Is Wild (1957), A Farewell to Arms (1957).

JOHN WATERS 1946-
Famous for Repellent, Grotesque, Offensive, Iconoclastic Black Comedies and Midnight Movies

Suggested Filmography: Mondo Trasho (1969), Multiple Maniacs (1970), Pink Flamingos (1972), Female Trouble (1974), Desperate Living (1977), Polyester (1981), Hairspray (1988), Cry-Baby (1990), Serial Mom (1994), Pecker (1998), Cecil B. Demented (2000), A Dirty Shame (2004).

LINA WERTMULLER 1926-2021
Italian Writer-Director, First Woman Ever Nominated for Academy Award for Best Director

Suggested Filmography: The Seduction of Mimi (1972), Love & Anarchy (1973), Swept Away (1974), Seven Beauties (1975), Ciao, Professore! (1992), The Nymph (1996), The Blue Collar Worker and the Hairdresser in a Whirl of Sex and Politics (1996), Ferdinando e Carolina (1999), Too Much Romance... It's Time for Stuffed Peppers (2004).

JAMES WHALE 1889-1957
Director of Classic Horror Films, Universal Studios' Most Prestigious Director of the 30s

Suggested Filmography: Frankenstein (1931), The Old Dark House (1932), The Invisible Man (1933), Bride of Frankenstein (1935), Remember Last Night? (1935), Show Boat (1936), The Man in the Iron Mask (1939), Green Hell (1940).

ED WOOD 1924-1978
Infamously Reknowned as the "Worst" Director for His Cult Status Films

Suggested Filmography: Glen or Glenda?/I Changed My Sex (1953), Jail Bait (1954), Bride of the Monster (1955), The Violent Years (1956) (screenwriter), Night of the Ghouls (1959), Plan 9 From Outer Space (1959), The Sinister Urge (1961), Orgy of the Dead (1965) (screenwriter).

FRANCO ZEFFIRELLI 1923-2019
Italian-Born Director Best Known for Extravagant and Lavish Film Adaptations of Shakespearean Plays

Suggested Filmography: The Taming of the Shrew (1967), Romeo and Juliet (1968), Brother Sun, Sister Moon (1973), The Champ (1979), Endless Love (1981), La Traviata (1982), Otello (1986), Hamlet (1990), Jane Eyre (1996), Tea With Mussolini (1999), Callas Forever (2002).

JERRY ZUCKER 1950-
Known for Directing Wacky Comedies

Suggested Filmography: Airplane! (1980), Top Secret! (1984), Ruthless People (1986), Ghost (1990), First Knight (1995), Rat Race (2001).

EDWARD ZWICK 1952-
Noted for Directing Expansive Drama Films

Suggested Filmography: About Last Night...(1986), Glory (1989), Leaving Normal (1992), Legends of the Fall (1994), Courage Under Fire (1996), The Siege (1998), The Last Samurai (2003), Blood Diamond (2006), Defiance (2008), Love & Other Drugs (2010), Pawn Sacrifice (2014), Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (2016), Trial by Fire (2018).