View Poll Results: Actors In Director Chair.

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  • Clint Eastwood

    1 20.00%
  • Woody Allen

    2 40.00%
  • Kevin Costner

    0 0%
  • Mel Gibson

    0 0%
  • Ron Howard

    2 40.00%
  • Robert Redford

    0 0%
  • Spike Lee

    1 20.00%
  • Richard Attenborough

    0 0%
Multiple Choice Poll.
Results 1 to 9 of 9
  1. #1
    Suspended Smokey's Avatar
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    Actors In Director Chair.

    Although few actors and actresses had turned up on the directing side of the camera since the history of movies begun, only few could make acting-directing seem a natural combination. Most of them tended to shy away after one tantalizing attempt.

    But few of them (in last 30 years) have excel in director’s chair and turned out some memorable movies. Who do you think is the best in directing (and not necessary stared in)?

    I am going multiple choice in this poll
    Last edited by Smokey; 05-17-2007 at 05:43 PM.

  2. #2
    Suspended PeruvianSkies's Avatar
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    Not a big fan...

    Quote Originally Posted by Smokey
    Although few actors and actresses had turned up on the directing side of the camera since the history of movies begun, only few could make acting-directing seem a natural combination. Most of them tended to shy away after one tantalizing attempt.

    But few of them (in last 30 years) have excel in director’s chair and turned out some memorable movies. Who among them is the best in directing (and not necessary stared in)?
    I personally do not think that when a Lead actor is also the director that it's not a wise idea. Directors and actors are different roles and it takes the lead of the director to move and manipulate the actors to achieve the vision of a film. It's hard to direct yourself effectively. It's hard to criticize yourself honestly and it's also a tiring ordeal. Mel Gibson would have probably made a better film had he not starred in BRAVEHEART. Most people feel that it's a great film just as it is, but upon careful inspection you can detect certain flaws in the directing. I can point them out if you really want to know, but I won't go into that here just yet.

    Orson Welles probably achieved the highest standards with CITIZEN KANE, which he directed and starred in...at the age of 26!!! Spike Lee in DO THE RIGHT THING was also good. Clint has his moments, but also has a few misses. Ron Howard is pretty inconsistent as well, although he doesn't act and direct at the same time. Woody Allen is probably the most consistent and has made the most amount of films in which he also was the lead actor, so I'd probably give my vote to him in this case. Go Woody!

  3. #3
    Suspended Smokey's Avatar
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    There are some hard choices in this poll.

    Charles Chaplin probably would have been an easy choice as the best actor/director, but narrow down to last 30 years to make it more interesting.

    Ron Howard was a hard choice to make as beyond his teenage years, he hasn’t done any serious acting, and has been exclusively doing directing. But his movies have its own signature.

    Robert Redford is also very capable director. If you seen his movie Milagro Beans Field, I think you will agree. Woody Allen is also one my favorite, but comedy seem to be more of his thing than serious themes.

    IMO Spike Lee is probably the most capable director in this group. As with Ron Howard, his movies have its own distinct signature. And thought provocative.

  4. #4
    Suspended PeruvianSkies's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Smokey
    There are some hard choices in this poll.

    Charles Chaplin probably would have been an easy choice as the best actor/director, but narrow down to last 30 years to make it more interesting.

    Ron Howard was a hard choice to make as beyond his teenage years, he hasn’t done any serious acting, and has been exclusively doing directing. But his movies have its own signature.

    Robert Redford is also very capable director. If you seen his movie Milagro Beans Field, I think you will agree. Woody Allen is also one my favorite, but comedy seem to be more of his thing than serious themes.

    IMO Spike Lee is probably the most capable director in this group. As with Ron Howard, his movies have its own distinct signature. And thought provocative.
    I have not really been that impressed with Eastwood over the past few years, but some of my favorite films that he both directed and starred in would include PLAY MISTY FOR ME, THE OUTLAW JOSEY WALES, HEARTBREAK RIDGE, and UNFORGIVEN.

  5. #5
    Suspended Smokey's Avatar
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    A Perfect World (with kevin Costner) is probably one his better one also. Eastwood seem to be a better director when he is not in it also. Mystic River is a good example where he only directed it.

  6. #6
    Close 'n Play® user Troy's Avatar
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    Woody, hands down. Though it could be argued that he's not really an actor except in his own movies. Name 3 movies by other directors he's been in. (I can think of only 2) Woody has an amazing list of films to his credit, quite a career covering everything from slapstick to serious drama.

    What has Spike Lee been in besides his own movies? And only a couple of times, right? If he belongs on this list, then so should Hitchcock, M. Night Shamalayan. Jody Foster has directed a number of films as well.

    Costner? Pfft. I watched "Dances with Wolves" recently and was stunned at how cheesy and unimginatively directed it was. Consumate Hollywood no-talent bum. Otherwise, I think he's dreamy.

    Ron Howard is only marginally better. His movies are all terribly obvious and bland. Real lowest common denominator "Lets try and please everyone" pap.

    Gibson is only good at one kind of thing- brutal historical epics. That's ALL he can do.

    I just don't like Redford's movies very much. I never seem to relate to his subject matter.

    Eastwood was never a good actor. Great scowler tho. He starred in a lot of entertaining movies, but i think his biggest mark on film has been as a director. He's my second place on this list.

    Welles would be #1 if he was included.

  7. #7
    Suspended Smokey's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Troy
    What has Spike Lee been in besides his own movies? And only a couple of times, right? If he belongs on this list, then so should Hitchcock, M. Night Shamalayan. Jody Foster has directed a number of films as well.
    As it was mentioned before, this poll was kind of hard to categorized as most actor/director tend to star in their own movies except few such as Ron Howard. And he was only a child star.

    Another good actor/director forgot mentioning was Albert Brooks. He have an impressive list of movies to his credit which he directed.

  8. #8
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    Directing Actors or Acting like a Director...

    Perhaps the orginal idea behind this poll/thread was to talk about actors who then turned into directors over the course of time. That was the way that I understood it, but the choices in the poll are a bit mixed. Someone like Woody Allen walks both lines. Spike Lee was a director, then started acting in his own films. Clint Eastwood, Kevin Costner, Mel Gibson, Robert Redford, and Ron Howard also began as actors, but then turned to directing. Usually what happens is that these individuals have more status after becoming actors to jump into the directors chair. They have been around the business long enough to pick up a few things on their own and want to try things from behind the camera lens.

    It has to be challenging to both star as the lead and also direct a film. Mel Gibson said (after BRAVEHEART) that he didn't want to go down that route again, his films after that he just wore one hat. Costner did the same with DANCES WITH WOLVES, which has some mixed results in both the directing and his acting. I am not a huge fan of the film and I think when LAST OF THE MOHICANS came out 2 years later most people forgot about DANCES WITH WOLVES, and rightfully so.

    There is also a whole different mentality when it comes to old Hollywood and new Hollywood in terms of directing and directing power. The studio system has always had tight hold of most directors and their creative freedom. Often times a films failure is not entirely the directors fault. CITIZEN KANE is a prime example of how one man (Orson Welles) went against all convention and made a film of monumental scale. He wrote, starred, and directed the film, but even more interesting is how he went up against newspaper mogul William Randolf Hearst and that story is just as entertaining as the film. Welles emboddies the truest form of an auteur.

    Also worthy of mention would be Jacques Tati and his famous character Monsieur Hulot, which he made 3 films with, starring and directing. PLAYTIME was shot in 70mm and is one of the few comedies shot this way. Charlie Chaplin is of course the pioneer and groundbreaking actor/director and is one of the reasons for the ultimate success of the film format. Another comedy director/actor is Mel Brooks.

  9. #9
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    I'll pick Kevin Smith.

    I dunno - out of that list I guess Mel Gibson, Clint Eastwood, and Spike Lee draw a 3-way tie.

    I'm waiting for the Keanu Reeves to make his directorial debut - whoaah!

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