Top Movie Directors of All Time

Click on an director for details and movie rankings

Directors are ranked according to overall movie critic score

1	Alfred Hitchcock	3.4839	52	1920s - 10 1930s - 13 1940s - 11 1950s - 11 1960s - 5 1970s - 2	1. Rear Window (1954) 2. Psycho (1960) 3. Vertigo (1958) 4. Shadow of a Doubt (1943) See all Alfred Hitchcock movie rankings
2	Steven Spielberg	3.4762	29	1950s - 1 1960s - 3 1970s - 3 1980s - 7 1990s - 6 2000s - 9	1. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) 2. Jaws (1975) 3. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) 4. Saving Private Ryan (1998) See all Steven Spielberg movie rankings
3	Woody Allen	3.4290	37	1960s - 1 1970s - 6 1980s - 8 1990s - 10 2000s - 12	1. Annie Hall (1977) 2. Manhattan (1979) 3. Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) 4. Radio Days (1987) See all Woody Allen movie rankings
4	Peter Jackson	3.3824	11	1970s - 1 1980s - 2 1990s - 3 2000s - 5	1. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001) 2. Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The (2003) 3. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The (2002) 4. King Kong (2005) See all Peter Jackson movie rankings
5	Martin Scorsese	3.3813	30	1950s - 1 1960s - 1 1970s - 8 1980s - 5 1990s - 7 2000s - 8	1. Taxi Driver (1976) 2. Goodfellas (1990) 3. Raging Bull (1980) 4. Departed, The (2006) See all Martin Scorsese movie rankings
6	Stanley Kubrick	3.3436	14	1950s - 6 1960s - 4 1970s - 1 1980s - 2 1990s - 1	1. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964) 2. Paths of Glory (1958) 3. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) 4. Spartacus (1960) See all Stanley Kubrick movie rankings
7	Francis Ford Coppola	3.2737	14	1960s - 2 1970s - 4 1980s - 4 1990s - 2 2000s - 2	1. Godfather, The (1972) 2. Godfather: Part II, The (1974) 3. Conversation, The (1974) 4. Apocalypse Now (1979) See all Francis Ford Coppola movie rankings
8	John Lounsbery	3.2706	46	1930s - 4 1940s - 22 1950s - 7 1960s - 7 1970s - 6	1. Lady and the Tramp (1955) 2. Mary Poppins (1964) 3. Dumbo (1941) 4. Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, The (1977) See all John Lounsbery movie rankings
9	Clint Eastwood	3.1707	28	1970s - 7 1980s - 7 1990s - 8 2000s - 6	1. Million Dollar Baby (2004) 2. Unforgiven (1992) 3. Letters From Iwo Jima (2006) 4. Mystic River (2003) See all Clint Eastwood movie rankings
10	John Ford	3.1669	73	1910s - 4 1920s - 12 1930s - 23 1940s - 14 1950s - 14 1960s - 4 1970s - 2	1. Searchers, The (1956) 2. Grapes of Wrath, The (1940) 3. Quiet Man, The (1952) 4. 3 Godfathers (1948) See all John Ford movie rankings
11	Michael Curtiz	3.1639	101	1910s - 2 1920s - 15 1930s - 40 1940s - 21 1950s - 19 1960s - 4	1. Casablanca (1942) 2. Adventures of Robin Hood, The (1938) 3. White Christmas (1954) 4. Captain Blood (1935) See all Michael Curtiz movie rankings
12	Quentin Tarantino	3.1605	6	1990s - 3 2000s - 3	1. Pulp Fiction (1994) 2. Reservoir Dogs (1992) 3. Kill Bill: Volume 2 (2004) 4. Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) See all Quentin Tarantino movie rankings
13	Joel Coen	3.1479	12	1980s - 2 1990s - 4 2000s - 6	1. No Country for Old Men (2007) 2. Blood Simple. (1984) 3. Barton Fink (1991) 4. Fargo (1996) See all Joel Coen movie rankings
14	John Carpenter	3.1302	21	1960s - 5 1970s - 3 1980s - 7 1990s - 4 2000s - 2	1. Halloween (1978) 2. Assault on Precinct 13 (1976) 3. Dark Star (1974) 4. Big Trouble in Little China (1986) See all John Carpenter movie rankings
15	Ridley Scott	3.1228	21	1960s - 1 1970s - 2 1980s - 4 1990s - 4 2000s - 10	1. Alien (1979) 2. Gladiator (2000) 3. Thelma & Louise (1991) 4. Legend (1985) See all Ridley Scott movie rankings
16	William Wyler	3.1083	59	1920s - 30 1930s - 11 1940s - 7 1950s - 7 1960s - 3 1970s - 1	1. Ben-Hur (1959) 2. Best Years of Our Lives, The (1946) 3. Funny Girl (1968) 4. Roman Holiday (1953) See all William Wyler movie rankings
17	Billy Wilder	3.0897	25	1940s - 7 1950s - 8 1960s - 5 1970s - 4 1980s - 1	1. Double Indemnity (1944) 2. Some Like It Hot (1959) 3. Sunset Blvd. (1950) 4. Witness for the Prosecution (1957) See all Billy Wilder movie rankings
18	Orson Welles	3.0883	17	1930s - 2 1940s - 5 1950s - 3 1960s - 2 1970s - 4 1980s - 1	1. Citizen Kane (1941) 2. Touch of Evil (1958) 3. F for Fake (1974) 4. Magnificent Ambersons, The (1942) See all Orson Welles movie rankings
19	George Lucas	3.0745	15	1960s - 8 1970s - 3 1990s - 1 2000s - 3	1. Star Wars (1977) 2. American Graffiti (1973) 3. THX 1138 (1971) 4. Star Wars Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005) See all George Lucas movie rankings
20	Howard Hawks	3.0640	37	1920s - 7 1930s - 12 1940s - 10 1950s - 4 1960s - 3 1970s - 1	1. Scarface (1932) 2. Red River (1948) 3. Big Sleep, The (1946) 4. His Girl Friday (1940) See all Howard Hawks movie rankings
21	Ron Howard	3.0534	24	1960s - 3 1970s - 1 1980s - 6 1990s - 6 2000s - 8	1. Apollo 13 (1995) 2. Beautiful Mind, A (2001) 3. Cinderella Man (2005) 4. Willow (1988) See all Ron Howard movie rankings
22	Tim Burton	3.0490	19	1970s - 2 1980s - 5 1990s - 5 2000s - 7	1. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) 2. Ed Wood (1994) 3. Beetlejuice (1988) 4. Edward Scissorhands (1990) See all Tim Burton movie rankings
23	David Lynch	3.0441	16	1960s - 2 1970s - 3 1980s - 3 1990s - 4 2000s - 4	1. Eraserhead (1977) 2. Straight Story, The (1999) 3. Mulholland Drive (2001) 4. Dune (1984) See all David Lynch movie rankings
24	Ang Lee	3.0316	9	1990s - 4 2000s - 5	1. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) 2. Sense and Sensibility (1995) 3. Brokeback Mountain (2005) 4. Ice Storm, The (1997) See all Ang Lee movie rankings
25	Michael Mann	3.0032	15	1970s - 2 1980s - 3 1990s - 3 2000s - 7	1. Manhunter (1986) 2. Collateral (2004) 3. Insider, The (1999) 4. Heat (1995) See all Michael Mann movie rankings
26	George A. Romero	2.9955	12	1960s - 1 1970s - 4 1980s - 4 1990s - 1 2000s - 2	1. Night of the Living Dead (1968) 2. Dawn of the Dead (1978) 3. Martin (1977) 4. Day of the Dead (1985) See all George A. Romero movie rankings
27	James Cameron	2.9954	13	1970s - 1 1980s - 4 1990s - 4 2000s - 4	1. Titanic (1997) 2. Aliens (1986) 3. Terminator, The (1984) 4. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) See all James Cameron movie rankings
28	Richard Linklater	2.9929	10	1990s - 4 2000s - 6	1. Before Sunset (2004) 2. Before Sunrise (1995) 3. Dazed and Confused (1993) 4. Waking Life (2001) See all Richard Linklater movie rankings
29	David Mamet	2.9908	13	1980s - 2 1990s - 5 2000s - 6	1. House of Games (1987) 2. Spanish Prisoner, The (1997) 3. Winslow Boy, The (1999) 4. State and Main (2000) See all David Mamet movie rankings
30	Sam Raimi	2.9878	14	1970s - 2 1980s - 2 1990s - 5 2000s - 5	1. Spider-Man 2 (2004) 2. Spider-Man (2002) 3. Evil Dead, The (1981) 4. Simple Plan, A (1998) See all Sam Raimi movie rankings
31	Wilfred Jackson	2.9835	37	1930s - 28 1940s - 4 1950s - 5	1. Lady and the Tramp (1955) 2. Cinderella (1950) 3. Alice in Wonderland (1951) 4. Peter Pan (1953) See all Wilfred Jackson movie rankings
32	George Cukor	2.9809	46	1930s - 19 1940s - 9 1950s - 11 1960s - 4 1970s - 2 1980s - 1	1. Philadelphia Story, The (1940) 2. David Copperfield (1935) 3. Star Is Born, A (1954) 4. Holiday (1938) See all George Cukor movie rankings
33	Rob Reiner	2.9779	15	1980s - 5 1990s - 7 2000s - 3	1. This Is Spinal Tap (1984) 2. Princess Bride, The (1987) 3. When Harry Met Sally... (1989) 4. Stand by Me (1986) See all Rob Reiner movie rankings
34	Peter Weir	2.9662	14	1970s - 3 1980s - 5 1990s - 3 2000s - 3	1. Truman Show, The (1998) 2. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003) 3. Dead Poets Society (1989) 4. Witness (1985) See all Peter Weir movie rankings
35	Steven Soderbergh	2.9658	17	1980s - 2 1990s - 5 2000s - 10	1. Traffic (2000) 2. Out of Sight (1998) 3. sex, lies, and videotape (1989) 4. Erin Brockovich (2000) See all Steven Soderbergh movie rankings
36	Terry Gilliam	2.9644	13	1960s - 1 1970s - 3 1980s - 4 1990s - 3 2000s - 2	1. Time Bandits (1981) 2. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) 3. Brazil (1985) 4. Adventures of Baron Munchausen, The (1988) See all Terry Gilliam movie rankings
37	Christopher Nolan	2.9492	7	1990s - 2 2000s - 5	1. Dark Knight, The (2008) 2. Memento (2000) 3. Insomnia (2002) 4. Prestige, The (2006) See all Christopher Nolan movie rankings
38	Frank Oz	2.9482	13	1980s - 4 1990s - 6 2000s - 3	1. Dark Crystal, The (1982) 2. Little Shop of Horrors (1986) 3. Bowfinger (1999) 4. Score, The (2001) See all Frank Oz movie rankings
39	Fritz Lang	2.9444	35	1910s - 5 1920s - 7 1930s - 5 1940s - 8 1950s - 10	1. Metropolis (1927) 2. Nibelungen: Siegfried, Die (1924) 3. M (1931) 4. Big Heat, The (1953) See all Fritz Lang movie rankings
40	Spike Lee	2.9394	24	1970s - 1 1980s - 4 1990s - 9 2000s - 10	1. Do The Right Thing (1989) 2. Malcolm X (1992) 3. Inside Man (2006) 4. 25th Hour (2002) See all Spike Lee movie rankings
41	Wes Craven	2.9365	18	1970s - 3 1980s - 6 1990s - 6 2000s - 3	1. Nightmare On Elm Street, A (1984) 2. Scream (1996) 3. Hills Have Eyes, The (1977) 4. Last House on the Left, The (1972) See all Wes Craven movie rankings
42	Sidney Lumet	2.9354	40	1950s - 4 1960s - 8 1970s - 10 1980s - 10 1990s - 5 2000s - 3	1. 12 Angry Men (1957) 2. Serpico (1973) 3. Dog Day Afternoon (1975) 4. Network (1976) See all Sidney Lumet movie rankings
43	Kevin Smith	2.9332	8	1990s - 5 2000s - 3	1. Clerks. (1994) 2. Chasing Amy (1997) 3. Clerks II (2006) 4. Dogma (1999) See all Kevin Smith movie rankings
44	Robert Zemeckis	2.9268	6	1980s - 2 1990s - 1 2000s - 3	1. Back to the Future (1985) 2. Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) 3. Cast Away (2000) 4. Contact (1997) See all Robert Zemeckis movie rankings
45	John Lasseter	2.9263	7	1970s - 1 1980s - 2 1990s - 3 2000s - 1	1. Toy Story (1995) 2. Bug's Life, A (1998) 3. Toy Story 2 (1999) 4. Cars (2006) See all John Lasseter movie rankings
46	Emile Chautard	2.9257	52	1910s - 45 1920s - 7	1. Mains, Les (1911) 2. Paid in Full (1919) 3. Man Who Forgot, The (1917) 4. All Man (1916) See all Emile Chautard movie rankings
47	F.W. Murnau	2.9124	16	1910s - 1 1920s - 13 1930s - 2	1. Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927) 2. Letzte Mann, Der (1924) 3. Nosferatu, a Symphony of Horror (1922) 4. Faust (1926) See all F.W. Murnau movie rankings
48	John Huston	2.9116	37	1940s - 7 1950s - 9 1960s - 10 1970s - 6 1980s - 5	1. Maltese Falcon, The (1941) 2. Treasure of the Sierra Madre, The (1948) 3. Asphalt Jungle, The (1950) 4. African Queen, The (1951) See all John Huston movie rankings
49	Joe Dante	2.9044	13	1960s - 1 1970s - 2 1980s - 5 1990s - 3 2000s - 2	1. Gremlins (1984) 2. Howling, The (1981) 3. Innerspace (1987) 4. Matinee (1993) See all Joe Dante movie rankings
50	Stephen Frears	2.9032	6	1980s - 1 1990s - 1 2000s - 4	1. Queen, The (2006) 2. Dirty Pretty Things (2003) 3. Dangerous Liaisons (1988) 4. Grifters, The (1990) See all Stephen Frears movie rankings

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