In Reply to: No Spielberg? posted by Victor Khomenko on February 5, 2010 at 12:15:58:
One can certainly make a case for Wilder, although he's not American born, not that THAT's particularly important, as Wilder certainly grasped the American ethos and qualifies as a great American director. I simply mentioned Huston as the greatest American born director but I think he's (arguably) the geatest American director period. And we musn't forget Hawks and Welles - Welles was a huge influence on filmmaking despite his small output.Spielberg is something else. He is unquestionably a gifted filmmaker.
However, I don't think anything he's ever made approaches the emotional depth and subtlety of The Dead, Wise Blood, The Misfits, Under The Volcano etc. I have famously recounted my Spielberg issues on this forum before. Just thinking about his place among his contemporaries, IMO SS comes behind Scorsese, Coppola, Lynch, the Coens and maybe a couple others.
Edits: 02/05/10
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Follow Ups
- Wilder belongs on any list of great American filmmakers. - Harmonia 13:03:58 02/05/10 (9)
- RE: Wilder belongs on any list of great American filmmakers. - patrickU 13:27:55 02/05/10 (7)
- William Wyler before Billy Wilder. I'd say, anyway..... nt - tinear 18:51:15 02/05/10 (5)
- RE: Head to head each in his own category. nt - patrickU 04:13:21 02/06/10 (0)
- I wouldn't...and didn't...but I love Wyler's... - Harmonia 19:44:34 02/05/10 (3)
- HUGE agreement on "The Big Country." Perhaps the greatest Western of all. - tinear 08:13:44 02/06/10 (1)
- RE: John Ford MADE the best Western, and nobody else. nt - patrickU 01:28:06 02/07/10 (0)
- RE: Remember we talk about the music in " The Big Country "? - patrickU 01:29:27 02/06/10 (0)
- I would love Wilder if he'd only made... - Harmonia 13:59:25 02/05/10 (0)
- I was jesting, of course! :) - Victor Khomenko 13:22:03 02/05/10 (0)