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Martin Scorsese is the greatest living director


Martin Scorsese is simply the greatest living director and a national treasure to this fine land of mine, His films have transcended generations and inspired some of the best directors working today such as P.T. Anderson and Quentin Tarantino. From Mean Streets to The King of Comedy, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, The Departed, Hugo, Alice Doesn't Live here Anymore, New York New York, The Color of Money, The Last Waltz, The Last Temptation of Christ, Casino, George Harrison: Living in the Material World, The Age of Innocence, Kundun, Shutter Island, Cape Fear, The Aviator, Shine a Light, Gangs of New York, Boxcar Bertha, Italianamerican, and GoodFellas as well as others I didn't mention. I'm sure many on here will disagree and try to intellectualize in typed words why he is not the greatest living director and say I am wrong, that I am a fool, and so be it, because you will always know, in the back of your mind that he is the greatest director walking the earth this very moment, and when in doubt just watch one of his films and if are still are not convinced, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man.

In the coffin of ice, I sleep naked
In the tunnel of fire, I drink

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There is no question that Scorcese is an outstanding director. I was especially taken with Shutter Island. But I just can't put him at the top, any more than I can Spielberg. Not that they haven't put out great product, but neither one has made films of great poetry as the likes of David Lean, Christopher Nolan, Sergeo Leone, Guiseppe Tornatore, Luchino Visconti or Zhang Yimou have created. Ok, so some of those guys are no longer living and a couple had short periods of genius, but great living directors should compare well with past directors, particularly with respect to their choice of material and the way it is presented.

I really did think Scorcese nailed it with Shutter Island though. All the elements were there: intelligent and original material, great cinematography, brilliantly musical score, evocative and foreboding mood throughout. All the pieces were pitch perfect. If he was a bit more consistent, I'd add him to my list.

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Here are just ten better directors:
Béla Tarr
Woody Allen
Werner Herzog
Abbas Kiarostami
Guy Maddin
Kar Wai Wong
Lars von Trier
David Lynch
Terry Malick
Hayao Miyazaki

Safety.

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Scorsese is best living director - yes!

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Don't forget Spielberg though.

The man has given us more box-office hits than anyone, won two Oscars, and successfully mastered every genre from horror to drama to action to science-fiction!


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None of those directors are poetic in the slightest, are they bad directors? No, of course not,but are they poetic? Lol


Malick is poetic, Coteau is poetic, Ford is Poetic, Mizoguchi is poetic, not the above.

Once Upon a Time in the West is actually poetic though.


And the majority of the great film-makers are not poetic. Learn the definition before throwing it around please.

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I just can't put him at the top, any more than I can Spielberg. Not that they haven't put out great product, but neither one has made films of great poetry as the likes of David Lean, Christopher Nolan, Sergeo Leone, Guiseppe Tornatore, Luchino Visconti or Zhang Yimou have created.

Watcha talking about?

Jaws has literal poetry..."here lies the body of Mary Lee, died at the age of a hundred and three. For fifteen years she kept her virginity......not a bad record for this vicinity" (LOL).

Jaws has artistic poetry...The USS Indianapolis monologue, the dinner table scene with Brody and son, etc.

Spielberg's Jaws is film poetry of high standard.

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Man, why Chris Nolan? Some awesome directors, but Nolan?

Let the chips fall where they may

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"A film is never really good unless the camera is an eye in the head of a poet". Orson Welles (1915-1985)


"Everyone is ignorant, only on different subjects". Will Rogers (1879-1935)

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