Keir Dullea in 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
STANLEY KUBRICK
Character isolation, long shots, introductory voice over, satire/black humour, bathroom scenes, POV shots, classical music.
◄ IMDb Polls
Poll: Director Trademarks
These talented auteurs all exhibit a near instantly recognizable style in their films - so recognizable in fact, that it doesn't take their viewers long to know whose film they are watching upon beginning. This could mean recurring themes, special effects or a general tone with which we've come to associate these directors.
Rather than asking which director is your favorite, which of these director's trademarks do you find MOST RECOGNIZABLE?
Source: http://www.cinelinx.com/topics/director-trademarks.html
After voting, you may discuss the poll here.
Make Your Choice
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Grace Kelly and James Stewart in Rear Window (1954)
ALFRED HITCHCOCKCameo appearance, suspenseful music, dark atmosphere, leading blonde, mistaken identity, ordinary people entangled in event.
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Gerard Butler in 300 (2006)
ZACH SNYDERTimeline ramping, action zooms, over the top violence, foreshadowing, slow-mo face punches, particles, a montage introduction.
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Henry Thomas and Pat Welsh in E.T. (1982)
STEVEN SPIELBERGEpic John Williams score, glowing lights in dark scenes, parent issues, reflection shots, that bewildered 'Spielberg' face.
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Owen Wilson, Larry Pine, and Tony Revolori in The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
WES ANDERSONSymmetrical framing, vibrant/bright colors, wide angle shots, slow motion, trio of siblings, fast-paced comedy marked by seriousness.
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Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter in Corpse Bride (2005)
TIM BURTONGothic visuals, dark tone, flashback storytelling, blend of fantasy and horror elements, eccentric/misunderstood outcasts.
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Woody Allen in Annie Hall (1977)
WOODY ALLENThe anti-nihilistic, romantically self-destructive male protagonist (usually played by himself), set in NYC, bathos, heavy use of dialogue, traditional jazz soundtrack, a spring-autumn romance.
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Henry Fonda, Martin Balsam, Jack Klugman, Ed Begley, Edward Binns, John Fiedler, E.G. Marshall, Joseph Sweeney, George Voskovec, Jack Warden, and Robert Webber in 12 Angry Men (1957)
SIDNEY LUMETSet in one location, the little guy who summons the courage to challenge the system, social justice, unobtrusive camera.
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Laura Harring and Naomi Watts in Mulholland Drive (2001)
DAVID LYNCHUse of dreams/imagery, surreal visuals, deformity, moving object close ups, fade transitions, ambient noises, dark passages.
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Setsuko Hara and Chishû Ryû in Tokyo Story (1953)
YASUJIRŌ OZUStatic shots, views at objects as a transition between scenes, family dramas, recurring teakettle, camera point of view at low height.
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Bruce Willis in The Sixth Sense (1999)
M. NIGHT SHYAMALANCameo appearance, Pennsylvania setting, color symbolism, poor looking CGI, twist ending.
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Max von Sydow and Bengt Ekerot in The Seventh Seal (1957)
INGMAR BERGMANBlack-and-white, characters filmed in shadows, pillow shots, brainstorming over life, god and mortality, closeups on clocks.
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Klaus Kinski in Aguirre, the Wrath of God (1972)
WERNER HERZOGProtagonists who are social outsiders and/or descent into madness, voice-over narration, distortion or rejection of reality, struggles against indifferent nature, hypnosis.
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#14
TAKESHI KITANOKitano himself as a stoic protagonist, very long scenes without action, Joe Hisaishi scores, peaceful beach scenes, quick outbursts of violence.
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Zoe Saldana and Sam Worthington in Avatar (2009)
JAMES CAMERONPioneering visual effects, strong female leads, machines vs. humans, camera monitoring the situation, the phrase "Lets go!"
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Frances McDormand in Fargo (1996)
THE COEN BROTHERSA crime gone wrong, black comedy, screaming characters, foolish characters, car tension, rustic with yellow tones.
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Lily James and Ansel Elgort in Baby Driver (2017)
EDGAR WRIGHTQuick action montage, stylistic visuals, bar/pub plot element, fence jump fail, repeated dialog.
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Seven Samurai (1954)
AKIRA KUROSAWAMaster-deciple relationship, heavy rain, heroic champion, nature vs. human nature, non-linear storytelling, landscape shots.
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#19
RIDLEY SCOTTStrong female characters, sweeping landscapes or backdrops, bright lights through steam or fog, sketch master, plodding plots.
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#20
FRANK CAPRAJimmy the Raven, montage of newspaper headlines, story of a simple man who tries to fight corruption of a society.
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Hugo Weaving in Transformers (2007)
MICHAEL BAYEXPLOSIONS, military/navy, American flag, product placement, slow motion 360 degrees shots, helicopters at sunrise.
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Jonathan Pryce and Michael Palin in Brazil (1985)
TERRY GILLIAMThe double-whammy twist at the end, surreal visuals, the wide angle lens, admiration for history, medieval backdrops, same first/last shot.
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Daniel Brühl and Chris Hemsworth in Rush (2013)
RON HOWARDMan and machine theme, multiple genres, retelling historic events, water everywhere, casts within family.
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Anton Yelchin in Star Trek (2009)
J.J. ABRAMSLens flares, sparks, the death of a parent, children driving cars, paying homage to past films/plot elements.
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Keanu Reeves as Thomas
THE WACHOWSKISCreative transitions, martial arts, male/female dynamic duo, slow motion shots, gravity defying stunts.
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Dev Patel in Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
DANNY BOYLEVoiceovers, focuses on the passage of time, subtle blends of reality and imagination, bright color palette, camera in impossible places.
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Brad Pitt, Jason Flemyng, Michael Hughes, and Liam McMahon in Snatch (2000)
GUY RITCHIEHigh octane action, quick jump cut sequences, circular and interconnected plots, colorful characters, filtered overlays.
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Clint Eastwood in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
SERGIO LEONEExtreme close-ups or long shots, Ennio Morricone music, cynical antiheroes, very long scenes without action then very quick action scenes.
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Doug Jones and Ivana Baquero in Pan's Labyrinth (2006)
GUILLERMO DEL TORODetailed creature costumes and makeup, Catholicism and related religious imagery, amber hue, intricate clockwork or insect imagery.
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Brad Pitt in Fight Club (1999)
DAVID FINCHERDark/neo-noir style of lighting, tracking shots that go through walls/objects, voiceover/narration, single frame insertion.
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Al Pacino in Scarface (1983)
BRIAN DE PALMALong tracking shots, variations of Hitchcock movies, split screens, 360-degree camera pan, over-the-top acting, graphic violence.
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Peter Falk and Gena Rowlands in A Woman Under the Influence (1974)
JOHN CASSAVATESImprovised dialogue, intimate portrayals of existential crises, pivotal scenes shot in stairs, harrowing hand-held directing.
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Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, and Joe Pesci in Goodfellas (1990)
MARTIN SCORSESEProfane language, tracking shots, rapid editing, domestic violence, voice over/narration, set in New York City.
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#34
QUENTIN TARANTINOPop culture references, excessive/graphic violence, foot fetish, scenes of 10 mins plus of dialogue, eclectic soundtrack.
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Marvin Campbell and Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Inception (2010)
CHRISTOPHER NOLANNon-linear storytelling, mind-bending visuals, epic Hans Zimmer score, hero turned anti-hero, compression of time, emotional monologues.
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