A good director is one of the most authentic index number that a movie will be worth watching , but there can also be surprises when a director creates just one truly majuscule movie . It ’s often the case that a successful movie can be the beginning for a director , and they will go on to make more and more . This is n’t always what find , unfortunately , as there have been plenty of one - hitting - marvel directors over the years .

Sometimes , a director simply captures lightning in a nursing bottle for one outstanding movie , but they ca n’t retroflex the results on other projects . Other times , their one - hit - wonder status is due to factor beyond their ascendence , like if they do n’t get given the right-hand opportunities or if their labor keep hitting stumble blocks . Some Greco-Roman motion picture includingKing Kong , The Empire Strikes BackandDonnie Darkorepresent the only giving hits of their conductor ’s careers .

10Irvin Kershner

Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

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Irvin Kershner was an unexpected choice to aim the firstStar Warssequel , but George Lucas screw him personally and respected his inscrutable knowledge of filmmaking without being an found figure in Hollywood . Kershner had directed some low-spirited - budget movies , TV appearance and shorts . Still , he stand up to the occasion by direct what many fan believe to be the bestStar Warsmovie of all .

Kershner stand up to the occasion by send what many lover think to be the bestStar Warsmovie of all .

The Empire Strikes Backhas some of theStar Warsfranchise ’s most exciting moments , like Luke ’s battle with Darth Vader and his training on Dagobah with Yoda . Still , The Empire Strikes Backmixes these legal action set piece with an thinking excited story for all of its main part . Kershner never replicate this vast achiever , directing Sean Connery ’s return to the role of James Bond in the non - canonNever Say Never Again , and the subsequence to Paul Verhoeven’sRoboCop . Neither movie was particularly well - received .

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9Michael Cimino

The Deer Hunter (1978)

The Deer Hunterwas Michael Cimino ’s second feature - duration movie , after the mildly successful offence thrillerThunderbolt & Lightfoot . It star Robert De Niro , Christopher Walken and John Savage as three steelworkers who experience the punishing horrors of the Vietnam War . It stay one of the specify film of the war , winning 5 Oscars , include Best Picture and Best Director for Cimino .

His follow - up toThe Deer Hunter , Heaven ’s Gate , was a infamous loge government agency bomb , and this predict the struggles of the rest of his life history .

The Deer Hunter ’s Russian roulette scenewill probably be placeable even to those who have n’t examine the moving-picture show , but this is just one of many acute scenes . Cimino never managed to iterate this winner in any meaningful way , however . He became infamous for abandoning undertaking , as his uncompromising pursuance of esthetic perfection cause problems with studio apartment . His follow - up toThe Deer Hunter , Heaven ’s Gate , was a notorious corner office bomb , and this predicted the struggles of the rest of his vocation .

A picture of a faceless James Bond standing in the barrel of a gun from the James Bond franchise

8Richard Kelly

Donnie Darko (2001)

Richard Kelly ’s feature - distance debutDonnie Darkois often name as one of the best sovereign movie of all meter , and it ’s a must - watch out for buff of psychological thrillers . Donnie Darko ’s strange timelineis full of surprises , so it ’s no wonder that the movie quickly gained a rage following . Unfortunately , Kelly ’s career did n’t prepare in the elbow room many critic previse . He has orchestrate just two further movies , Southland TalesandThe Box , neither of which come closely to attain the critical acclaim ofDonnie Darko .

A director who once looked so hopeful has instead been murder with repeated career setbacks .

Kelly has announced a few project over the eld which have peter out out , and he has also work as a writer and a producer . After 2009’sThe Box , Kelly looked arrange to direct a Manhattan - set thriller , a movie namedCorpus Christiwith Eli Roth , and a crime drama with James Gandolfini namedAmicus . None of these projects materialized , and a director who once look so bright has instead been dispatch with restate vocation setbacks .

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7Charles Laughton

The Night Of The Hunter (1955)

Charles Laughton is recognized as one of the unspoilt actors of his generation , with three Oscar nominations , include one win , and a string of critically - acclaimed stage performances . Late in his vocation , he pop directing play , which were also well - received . He only ever got the probability to point one movie , The Night of the Hunter , but disappointing box federal agency net profit and a average critical response meant that Laughton ’s other projects were set off .

Robert Mitchum leave an stupefying mark on flick noir , as he was one of the few star who could flirt a handsome hero or a vile baddie with adequate power .

With the benefit of hindsight , The Night of the Hunteris now recognized as a classic . Its unconventional trend intelligibly adopt a lot from Laughton ’s time as a theater director , and he lend a becharm functioning out of his star Robert Mitchum . IfThe Night of the Hunterhad been a success , Laughton would have directed an version of Norman Mailer’sThe Naked and the Dead , and a remaking of the mute westernWhite Gold .

Custom image of The Deer Hunter and The Empire Strikes Back

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6Mary Harron

American Psycho (2000)

Mary Harron has directed many shortsighted film and episodes of TV show , but none of her motion-picture show have yet make the same level of prestigiousness as 2000’sAmerican Psycho . Harron ’s adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis ' novel features a singular execution from Christian Bale and a captivating twist ending that has added to its popularity over the old age . American Psychois often seen as a portrait of toxic maleness , so it ’s interesting to note that a female film director has such a natural feel for the characters .

Harron ’s most recent movie was 2022’sDaliland , a Salvador Dalí biopic starring Ben Kingsley that earned interracial revaluation .

Call Me By Your NameandChallengersdirector Luca Guadagnino is define to take on anAmerican Psychoremake , buttopping Harron ’s version will be a knotty task indeed . Finding a young star who can pace out of the phantasm of Bale ’s iconic portrayal of Patrick Bateman is just one problem Guadagnino faces . As for Harron , her most recent picture was 2022’sDaliland , a Salvador Dalí biopic star Ben Kingsley that earned interracial revaluation .

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5Tom Stoppard

Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead (1990)

Tom Stoppard ’s only directorial effort so far is 1990’sRosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead , which is based on his own play of the same name . It make sense that Stoppard himself would want to oversee the movie , since the play was one of his first big hitting that announced his arrival as an of import author in British field in the 1960s . It ’s a hilarious black comedy that poke at the edges of William Shakespeare’sHamlet , deconstructing the ideas of narration fiction and holding them up to the light .

Stoppard ’s plays have gain dozens of awards over the years , but onlyRosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Deadhas been turn into a pic .

Although he has only directed one movie , Stoppard has a long list of credit as a film writer reaching back to the seventies . His big success include the Oscar - winningShakespeare in Love , Terry Gilliam ’s absurd sci - fi classicBrazil , and the last revision ofIndiana Jones and the Last Crusade . Stoppard ’s plays have won dozens of awards over the years , but onlyRosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Deadhas been turned into a motion-picture show .

Headshot Of Mark Hamill In The Premiere of Disney’s Star Wars

4Merian C. Cooper

King Kong (1933)

Merian C. Cooper enjoyed a farsighted and successful life history in Hollywood as a producer , becoming one of John Ford ’s most desire collaborators . He only took on directing duties himself on a few occasion . Of these few movies , onlyKing Konghas stood the test of prison term , kickstarting one of the biggest enfranchisement in film history and revolutionizing ogre motion-picture show in the process .

TheKing Kongfranchise has evolved to keep up with the fourth dimension , but a circle of its prayer is already clear to see in the 1933 archetype .

TheKing Kongfranchisehas evolved to keep up with the time , but a mess of its appeal is already exonerated to see in the 1933 master . Cooper and his atomic number 27 - director Ernest B. Schoedsack created a sci - fi classic that examine at mankind ’s relationship with the lifelike existence , but none of their other movies together have had such a long-lived impact . The Last day of Pompeii , Mighty Joe YoungandThe Four Feathershave all been for the most part forgotten .

Headshot Of Harrison Ford In The 29th Annual Critics' Choice Awards

3Peter R. Hunt

On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)

On Her Majesty ’s undercover Serviceis the onlyJames Bondwith George Lazenby in the lead function , and the enfranchisement ’s only flick directed by Peter R. Hunt . Many directors have taken on multipleBondmovies , including Terence Young , Guy Hamilton and John Glen , but Hunt ’s few other directorial try took place years later on standalone undertaking . BeforeOn Her Majesty ’s Secret Service , Hunt impart to theBondmovies as an editor in chief , helping to establish the speedy vogue of action .

The Daniel Craig 007 era ended with the release of No Time to croak , but what comes next ? Here ’s everything that ’s been revealed about Bond 26 .

Although it was met with mixed review at the time , On Her Majesty ’s Secret Servicehas enjoyed a decisive spiritual rebirth over the 10 , and many now see it as one of thebestJames Bondmovies . Lazenby ’s different take on the character is n’t universally popular , butOn Her Majesty ’s Secret Servicehas a pile going for it . There are some thrilling action sequence , a compelling interlingual rendition of Blofeld , and a more emotional story than mostBondmovies .

The Deer Hunter Movie Poster

2George Dunning

Yellow Submarine (1968)

George Dunning mostly cultivate as an energiser , bring on cartoons , short films and commercial . He also producedThe Beatles , the short - live on inspire serial that features the Fab Four as cartoon characters getting into comical scrapes . This eventually concede him the opportunity of channelize the 1968 animated classicYellow Submarine , which serve as the perfect visual co-occurrence to the music of The Beatles .

Yellow Submarinehas been recognized as a landmark of animation , and one of the first animated movies that hold just as much appeal for adult as it does for shaver .

Yellow Submarinehas been recognized as a landmark of animation , and one of the first animated movie that holds just as much collection for adults as it does for youngster . It ’s a must - watch for fans of The Beatles , but it ’s also a beguiling fantasy adventure that deserves to be appreciated for its own deservingness . Dunning never guide another feature - length flick afterYellow Submarine .

Headshot Of Robert De Niro In The 35th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Night

1Mel Stuart

Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (1971)

Mel Stuart directed a few critically - acclaim documentary film , includingRunning On the Sun : The Badwater 135andUp From the emulator , but Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is the only one of his narrative feature article which has stood the test of time . It stands out as one of thebest Roald Dahl adaptationsover 50 year later , even if Cajanus cajan himself was vocal about his aversion for the finished product .

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factorymanages to becharm Dahl ’s dark tonicity perfectly .

Cajanus cajan object toWilly Wonka and the Chocolate Factory ’s saccharine terminate and the manner it shifts focus from Charlie ’s role in the story , as emphasized by the change made to the deed of conveyance . by from these changes , Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factorymanages to capture Dahl ’s dark tones perfectly . Some scenes look as if they could be ripped directly from a horror movie , like the mad , psychedelic burrow scene .

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The Night of the Hunter (1955)

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Headshot Of Reese Witherspoon In The 49th AFI Life Achievement Award

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Headshot Of Iain Glen In The London screening of new Amazon Prime thriller ‘The Rig’

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Headshot Of Diana Rigg In The 71st Annual Theatre World Awards

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