7 One-Hit Wonder Film Directors
Directing movies isn’t easy. After a couple shorts and a feeble attempt at a feature, I proved to be a miserable failure. No amount of schooling or research can prepare you for the daunting task you will face once you set foot on a set or sound stage. It’s doubly tough to make a great film, one that resonates not just with critics, but the public alike.
The legends make it seem so simple. Scorsese, Spielberg, Kubrick, Coppola, Allen and many others in their elite fraternity are responsible for dozens of the most lauded films ever produced. Then there are the one-and-doners; those who for whatever reason came into the game like a lion, only to exit like a lamb. The world of music has hundreds of one-hit wonders, but filmmaking has its fair share as well. Here are seven (actually eight) gents whose first foray was their best and only legit hit.
Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez – The Blair Witch Project
The premise for Blair Witch was sound. The execution not so much. How much directing did this not-so dynamic duo really do? The cast shot the entire film with hand-held cameras and appeared to improv the majority of dialogue, which was composed mostly of cursing and screaming. Could be why all Myrick and Sanchez have done since is straight to DVD dreck. They are just two of many Sundance Festival darlings who have moved on to browner pastures.
Charles Laughton – The Night of the Hunter
Best known for playing Captain Bligh, Henry VIII and Quasimodo, the Academy Award-winning Laughton was given only one chance behind the lens and the results were stunning. One of the best films of the 1950s, if not ever, The Night of the Hunter showcased Laughton’s keen eye for thematic lighting and clever camera placement. Its black and white cinematography is a marvel to behold. The film is listed as an influence to several contemporary directors, including David Lynch and Spike Lee. Sadly, the film wasn’t immediately recognized for its merits and Laughton never helmed another movie.
Paul Brickman – Risky Business
Brickman served as both writer and director for the film that catapulted Tom Cruise into the spotlight. It’s widely considered one of the best teen films of the ’80s and its signature scene, which involved a tighty whitey clad Cruise dancing to the sounds of Bob Seger, has been parodied ad nauseam. Brickman’s satirical screenplay leaned toward a very adult brand of humor, but also exposed the “greed is good” mentality of the era. His direction was both stylish and reserved. Brickman has only directed one other film, the little seen Men Don’t Leave in1990.
Steve Kloves – The Fabulous Baker Boys
As a writer, Kloves has five Harry Potter flicks and the Oscar-nominated Wonder Boys to his credit. As a director, he’s had lesser acclaim. His debut film, The Fabulous Baker Boys, received four Oscar noms and should have netted Michelle Pfeiffer and Jeff Bridges little gold statues. Multi-layered characters and a killer soundtrack highlight this underrated story about broken souls searching for salvation. Kloves also wrote and directed 1993’s Flesh and Bone. It’s a decent film, but not in the same class as Baker Boys.
John Singleton – Boyz n the Hood
I’m not suggesting Singleton didn’t put his heart into the films he did after Boyz n the Hood, but you could definitely tell it was a much more personal pursuit. To be honest, I don’t care if he ever makes another great movie because his first is so damn powerful it’s enough to define a career. It may be fiction, but for someone like me who didn’t know shit about South Central Los Angeles before seeing Boyz, it was an eye-opening and educational experience. Singleton’s subsequent films have run the gamut from bad (Baby Boy) to average (Higher Learning) to good (Rosewood). However, Boyz n the Hood remains his only masterpiece.
Andrew Niccol – Gattaca
Gattaca is and always will be one of my favorite movies. I went in blind when I saw it and exited the darkened theater amazed. It’s a compelling tale both tragic and inspiring. It could be Jude Law’s and Ethan Hawke’s finest work to date, and Niccol came away smelling like roses with a bright future on the horizon. After writing The Truman Show, he went on to direct the disastrous S1m0ne and the underwhelming Lord of War. He seems to be another who has fallen victim to post-debut blues.
Marlon Brando – One-Eyed Jacks
Did you know the greatest actor to grace stage and screen directed a western? Well he did, and it’s pretty outstanding. A revisionist story set in picturesque Monterey, California, Jacks stars Brando as a brooding outlaw seeking vengeance on his former partner played by Karl Malden. Brando ratcheted up the violence and coaxed excellent performances from all involved. Although not credited, it has long been rumored that he penned the script himself. Brando never directed again and spoke sparingly about his experiences on set, but words were not needed. The film’s greatness speaks for itself.
