Most famous bond director?

Jarvio · May 2017

Who would you say is the most famous director that has directed a bond film?

The recent Christopher Nolan talk got me thinking that if he does direct a bond film, it would definitely be him that's the most famous. Or would it?

Matt S · May 2017

Surely it's Sam Mendes. Michael Apted is also a very well-known director.

Christopher Nolan could possibly beat Mendes in that department.

Barbel · May 2017

In his day Lewis Gilbert was well-known- he'd done "Alfie" not long before YOLT, among others. Of course, these days he's pretty much forgotten about and Nolan and Mendes are far better known.

Wadsy · May 2017

Pretty much what Matt said. Sam Mendes is the most famous, though he is not my favourite.

Gassy Man · May 2017

None are particularly famous, but as. Barbel suggests, Gilbert was riding g a wave of international acclaim for Alfie. Back in those days, though, moviegoers were barely interested except for a few big names. Nowadays, studios promote anything they can to sell tickets, even the unremarkable directors, of which Mendes is a prime example.

philpog · May 2017

Jarvio wrote:

Who would you say is the most famous director that has directed a bond film?

John Huston.

MilleniumForce · May 2017

Sam Mendes, but I would also say Martin Campbell is fairly well known as a Bond director, probably because he directed two of the most popular Bond films in, essentially, two different eras. I think with Bond, the directors aren't really made a big deal out of; with franchises like Batman, where everybody can immediately identify the directors and which film they did, most people can't really do that with Bond. Take The Dark Knight to someone and ask them who directed it, they'll instantly say Christopher Nolan. But if you was to take a Bond film as famous to Goldfinger, do you think the average cinema goer would immediately say Guy Hamilton? In fact, I think the average cinema goer would struggle to name any Bond directors, with the exception of Sam Mendes.

heartbroken_mr_drax · May 2017

Mendes. Mostly because of American Beauty and then his relationship with Kate Winslet.

Gassy Man · May 2017

MilleniumForce wrote:

Sam Mendes, but I would also say Martin Campbell is fairly well known as a Bond director, probably because he directed two of the most popular Bond films in, essentially, two different eras. I think with Bond, the directors aren't really made a big deal out of; with franchises like Batman, where everybody can immediately identify the directors and which film they did, most people can't really do that with Bond. Take The Dark Knight to someone and ask them who directed it, they'll instantly say Christopher Nolan. But if you was to take a Bond film as famous to Goldfinger, do you think the average cinema goer would immediately say Guy Hamilton? In fact, I think the average cinema goer would struggle to name any Bond directors, with the exception of Sam Mendes.

That's got more to do with currency and marketing today. Interestingly, I just read an interview with Stephen King where he summarily dismissed Nolan while praising Von Trier -- famd depends, too, on the circles traveled in.

superado · May 2017

Just looked at Terence Young's credentials on IMDB and though the majority of his movies were not ones that were among the most immediately recognizable in the years they were released, most of them featured A-listers (Alain Delon, Charles Bronson), Oscar Winners (Laurence Olivier, Audrey Hepburn) and just plain popular stars (Victor Mature, David Carradine). IMO, bragging rights of directors would of course be based on the acclaim of their work, as well as the list of pedigreed talent whom they've had the privilege to direct, particularly those outside the Bond series. Whether that translates to "the most famous" is a different story because Young's movies were not auteur movies recognizable as "Terence Young Films" but were known for their stars.

EDIT: Here's a list I compiled of the more famous talents directed by Terence Young, limited to the top 3 billed for each movie, so surely there are others I didn't include:

Alan Arkin, Senta Berger, Jacqueline Bisset, Charles Bronson, Yul Brynner, Richard Burton, Michael Caine, Martine Carol, David Carradine, Cyd Charisse, James Coburn, Richard Crenna, Olivia de Havilland, Alain Delon, Catherine Deneuve, Angie Dickinson, Anita Ekberg, Henry Fonda, Vittorio Gassman, Ben Gazzara, Susan George, Stewart Granger, Laurence Harvey, Jack Hawkins, Rita Hayworth, Audrey Hepburn, William Holden, Trevor Howard, Lauren Hutton, Jill Ireland, Van Johnson, Grace Kelly, Alan Ladd, Virna Lisi, Jayne Mansfield, E.G. Marshall, Lee Marvin, James Mason, Marcello Mastroianni, Victor Mature, Toshirô Mifune, Kim Novak, Laurence Olivier, Christopher Plummer, Anthony Quayle, Anthony Quinn, Charlotte Rampling, Robert Ryan, Romy Schneider, Paul Scofield, George Segal, Omar Sharif, Henry Silva, Anthony Steel, Liv Ullmann and Eli Wallach.

Napoleon Plural · May 2017

That's a hell of an answer superado, v well researched {[]

Kudos to philpog for his John Huston response too.

I might offer up Irvin Kershner, simply because having directed Empire Strikes Back, he's going to be very well known. Though how he got that gig I don't know, sequel to biggest movie ever and not sure what he'd done before.

As a rule, the producers don't go for A-listers, more journeymen. Latterly they've gone for directors with a certain cachet, however, and who are often not associated with action. And who are British or from the Commonwealth, narrowing it down a bit.

superado · May 2017

Thank you, NP! {[]

Napoleon Plural wrote:

That's a hell of an answer superado, v well researched {[]

Kudos to philpog for his John Huston response too.

I might offer up Irvin Kershner, simply because having directed Empire Strikes Back, he's going to be very well known. Though how he got that gig I don't know, sequel to biggest movie ever and not sure what he'd done before.

As a rule, the producers don't go for A-listers, more journeymen. Latterly they've gone for directors with a certain cachet, however, and who are often not associated with action. And who are British or from the Commonwealth, narrowing it down a bit.

Matt S · May 2017

Napoleon Plural wrote:

That's a hell of an answer superado, v well researched {[]

Kudos to philpog for his John Huston response too.

I might offer up Irvin Kershner, simply because having directed Empire Strikes Back, he's going to be very well known. Though how he got that gig I don't know, sequel to biggest movie ever and not sure what he'd done before.

As a rule, the producers don't go for A-listers, more journeymen. Latterly they've gone for directors with a certain cachet, however, and who are often not associated with action. And who are British or from the Commonwealth, narrowing it down a bit.

I forgot about Irvin Kirshner, and that he directed what might be considered a Bond film!

philpog · May 2017

Napoleon Plural wrote:

I might offer up Irvin Kershner, simply because having directed Empire Strikes Back, he's going to be very well known. Though how he got that gig I don't know, sequel to biggest movie ever and not sure what he'd done before.

Kershner had been one of George Lucas's film teachers at the University of Southern California.

Matt S · May 2017

philpog wrote:

Napoleon Plural wrote:

I might offer up Irvin Kershner, simply because having directed Empire Strikes Back, he's going to be very well known. Though how he got that gig I don't know, sequel to biggest movie ever and not sure what he'd done before.

Kershner had been one of George Lucas's film teachers at the University of Southern California.

I didn't know that! I wonder if Lucas ever said to Kershner, "We meet again, at last. The circle is now complete. When I left you, I was but the learner. Now, I am the master."

Most famous bond director?

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