Movie Directors Top Films - Page 17

Criteria: The movies were ranked according to their influence, their initial and lasting popularity, as well as their initial and lasting acclaim. Most lists rank the director's ten greatest films, while some directors with a particularly small filmography only have five films listed. Feature films, TV films, documentaries, short films, experimental films, essay films, TV miniseries and TV series that were created mainly by the director in question were all eligible.

Norman Jewison
1926 - 2024
  1. In the Heat of the Night (1967)
  2. Fiddler on the Roof (1971)
  3. Moonstruck (1987)
  4. ...And Justice for All (1979)
  5. Jesus Christ Superstar (1973)
  6. The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming (1966)
  7. The Hurricane (1999)
  8. The Thomas Crown Affair (1968)
  9. A Soldier's Story (1984)
10. The Cincinnati Kid (1965)
Jia Zhangke
1970 -
  1. Platform (2000)
  2. Still Life (2006)
  3. The World (2004)
  4. A Touch of Sin (2013)
  5. The Pickpocket (1997)
  6. Unknown Pleasures (2002)
  7. Ash Is Purest White (2018)
  8. Caught by the Tides (2024)
  9. 24 City (2008)
10. Mountains May Depart (2015)
Alejandro Jodorowsky
1929 -
  1. El Topo (1970)
  2. The Holy Mountain (1973)
  3. Santa sangre (1989)
  4. The Dance of Reality (2013)
  5. Endless Poetry (2016)
  6. Fando and Lis (1968)
  7. La cravate [with Saul Gilbert & Ruth Michelly] (1957)
  8. The Rainbow Thief (1990)
  9. Psychomagic, a Healing Art (2019)
10. Tusk (1980)
Roland Joffé
1945 -
  1. The Killing Fields (1984)
  2. The Mission (1986)
  3. The Spongers [Play for Today episode] (1978)
  4. Vatel (2000)
  5. United Kingdom [Play for Today episode] (1981)
  6. Fat Man and Little Boy (1989)
  7. Sun Records (2017)
  8. City of Joy (1992)
  9. There Be Dragons (2011)
10. Goodbye Lover (1998)
Rian Johnson
1973 -
  1. Ozymandias [Breaking Bad episode] (2013)
  2. Knives Out (2019)
  3. Looper (2012)
  4. Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)
  5. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)
  6. Poker Face (2023-)
  7. Brick (2005)
  8. Fifty-One [Breaking Bad episode] (2012)
  9. Fly [Breaking Bad episode] (2010)
10. The Brothers Bloom (2008)
Joe Johnston
1950 -
  1. Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
  2. Jumanji (1995)
  3. October Sky (1999)
  4. Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989)
  5. The Rocketeer (1991)
  6. Hidalgo (2004)
  7. Jurassic Park III (2001)
  8. The Wolfman (2010)
  9. The Pagemaster [with Pixote Hunt] (1994)
10. The Nutcracker and the Four Realms [with Lasse Hallström] (2018)
Chuck Jones
1912 - 2002
  1. Duck Amuck (1953)
  2. How the Grinch Stole Christmas! [with Ben Washam] (1966)
  3. What's Opera, Doc? (1957)
  4. One Froggy Evening (1955)
  5. Duck Dodgers in the 24½th Century (1953)
  6. Rabbit of Seville (1950)
  7. Feed the Kitty (1952)
  8. Rabbit Seasoning (1952)
  9. Rabbit Fire (1951)
10. The Scarlet Pumpernickel (1950)
Terry Jones
1942 - 2020
  1. Monty Python and the Holy Grail [with Terry Gilliam] (1975)
  2. Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979)
  3. Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (1983)
  4. The Wind in the Willows (1996)
  5. Erik the Viking (1989)
Spike Jonze
1969 -
  1. Being John Malkovich (1999)
  2. Her (2013)
  3. Adaptation. (2002)
  4. Beastie Boys: Sabotage (1994)
  5. Weezer: Buddy Holly (1994)
  6. Fatboy Slim: Weapon of Choice(2001)   7. Where the Wild Things Are (2009)
  8. Fatboy Slim: Praise You (1999)
  9. Björk: It's Oh So Quiet(1995)
10. Beastie Boys Story (2020)
Neil Jordan
1950 -
  1. The Crying Game (1992)
  2. Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994)
  3. Mona Lisa (1986)
  4. The Borgias (2011-2013)
  5. The Company of Wolves (1984)
  6. Michael Collins (1996)
  7. The Butcher Boy (1997)
  8. The End of the Affair (1999)
  9. Byzantium (2012)
10. Breakfast on Pluto (2005)
Mikhail Kalatozov
1903 - 1973
  1. The Cranes Are Flying (1957)
  2. I Am Cuba (1964)
  3. Letter Never Sent (1959)
  4. Salt for Svanetia (1930)
  5. True Friends (1954)
  6. The Red Tent (1969)
  7. Nail in the Boot (1931)
  8. Valery Chkalov (1941)
  9. The First Echelon (1956)
10. Hostile Whirlwinds (1953)
Raj Kapoor
1924 - 1988
  1. Awaara (1951)
  2. Shree 420 (1955)
  3. Mera Naam Joker (1970)
  4. Bobby (1973)
  5. Sangam (1964)
  6. Ram Teri Ganga Maili (1985)
  7. Barsaat (1949)
  8. Prem Rog (1982)
  9. Satyam Shivam Sundaram (1978)
10. Aag (1948)
Phil Karlson
1908 - 1985
  1. Kansas City Confidential (1952)
  2. The Silencers (1966)
  3. Walking Tall (1973)
  4. The Phenix City Story (1955)
  5. Scandal Sheet (1952)
  6. 99 River Street (1953)
  7. Gunman's Walk (1958)
  8. Tight Spot (1955)
  9. Kid Galahad (1962)
10. Hell to Eternity (1960)
Lawrence Kasdan
1949 -
  1. The Big Chill (1983)
  2. Body Heat (1981)
  3. The Accidental Tourist (1988)
  4. Silverado (1985)
  5. Grand Canyon (1991)
  6. French Kiss (1995)
  7. Mumford (1999)
  8. I Love You to Death (1990)
  9. Wyatt Earp (1994)
10. Dreamcatcher (2003)
Matti Kassila
1924 - 2018
  1. Inspector Palmu's Error (1960)
  2. Gas, Inspector Palmu! (1961)
  3. The Harvest Month (1956)
  4. The Stars Will Tell, Inspector Palmu (1962)
  5. Radio tekee murron (1951)
  6. Blue Week (1954)
  7. The Scarlet Dove (1961)
  8. Hilmanpäivät (1954)
  9. Red Line (1959)
10. The Glory and Misery of Human Life (1988)
Philip Kaufman
1936 -
  1. The Right Stuff (1983)
  2. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
  3. The Unbearable Lightness of Being (1988)
  4. The Wanderers (1979)
  5. Quills (2000)
  6. Henry & June (1990)
  7. Rising Sun (1993)
  8. Hemingway & Gellhorn (2012)
  9. The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid (1972)
10. Goldstein [with Benjamin Manaster] (1964)
Aki Kaurismäki
1957 -
  1. The Man Without a Past (2002)
  2. Le Havre (2011)
  3. Fallen Leaves (2023)
  4. The Match Factory Girl (1990)
  5. The Other Side of Hope (2017)
  6. Drifting Clouds (1996)
  7. La vie de bohème (1992)
  8. Ariel (1988)
  9. Leningrad Cowboys Go America (1989)
10. I Hired a Contract Killer (1990)
Jerzy Kawalerowicz
1922 - 2007
  1. Mother Joan of the Angels (1961)
  2. Night Train (1959)
  3. Pharaoh (1966)
  4. Death of a President (1977)
  5. Shadow (1956)
  6. Austeria (1982)
  7. Quo vadis (2001)
  8. The Real End of the Great War (1957)
  9. Cellulose (1954)
10. Maddalena (1971)
Elia Kazan
1909 - 2003
  1. On The Waterfront (1954)
  2. A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
  3. East of Eden (1955)
  4. Splendor in the Grass (1961)
  5. A Face in the Crowd (1957)
  6. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945)
  7. Gentleman's Agreement (1947)
  8. Baby Doll (1956)
  9. Viva Zapata! (1952)
10. Wild River (1960)
Buster Keaton
1895 - 1966
  1. The General [with Clyde Bruckman] (1926)
  2. Sherlock, Jr. (1924)
  3. Our Hospitality [with John G. Blystone] (1923)
  4. The Cameraman [with Edward Sedgwick] (1928)
  5. Steamboat Bill, Jr. [with Charles Reisner] (1928)
  6. The Navigator [with Donald Crisp] (1924)
  7. Seven Chances (1925)
  8. One Week [with Edward F. Cline] (1920)
  9. Cops [with Edward F. Cline] (1922)
10. The Playhouse [with Edward F. Cline] (1921)
Abdellatif Kechiche
1960 -
  1. Blue Is the Warmest Colour (2013)
  2. The Secret of the Grain (2007)
  3. Mektoub, My Love: Canto Uno (2017)
  4. Games of Love and Chance (2003)
  5. Black Venus (2010)
William Keighley
1889 - 1984
  1. The Adventures of Robin Hood [with Michael Curtiz] (1938)
  2. The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942)
  3. G Men (1935)
  4. The Green Pastures [with Marc Connelly] (1936)
  5. Each Dawn I Die (1939)
  6. The Prince and the Pauper (1937)
  7. Bullets or Ballots (1936)
  8. The Fighting 69th (1940)
  9. The Street with No Name (1948)
10. The Bride Came C.O.D. (1941)

Edited By: pauldrach, Deany, PBR Streetgang, Sodacake, AgentAJD, erikk, Tim
Last Updated: 2025-06-15