John Carpenter is a legend. He's created some of the most indelible horror and science fiction imagery of all time, and he did it while being gloriously blunt in interviews. Carpenter doesn't care about cinephile etiquette or the pretensions of "elevator horror," he's here to tell good stories and collect his check.
The Halloween director has repeatedly stated that he enjoys playing video games more than watching new releases, so it would more than a bit suspicious when it seemed as though he had logged onto the film app Letterboxd and began penning reviews. It was eventually confirmed that Carpenter was not behind the account bearing his name, to the dismay of fans.
Fortunately, there are tons of iconic directors who are on Letterboxd, and provide thoughtful takes on their films and the films of others. Here are a few who are verified, and are well worth giving a follow.
Michael Mann
Michael Mann is the antithesis to John Carpenter in terms of approach, despite being close in age. The director takes everything about the craft with the utmost seriousness, and will discuss the ideas behind his ideas ad nauseam.
This makes him a perfect Letterboxd contributor. He joined the app by spinning up a list of his 14 favorite films, many of which, Out of the Past (1947) and The Asphalt Jungle (1950) most notably, influenced his own work.
Martin Scorsese
Letterboxd was made for directors like Martin Scorsese. He's better versed in film history than most historians, and his selections on the app reflect this. In the lead up to his latest release, Killers of the Flower Moon, the director released a list of companion films.
The list came with thoughtful descriptions on what elements most resonated with him, and how the stylistic mastery of one film bleeds into another. If you're not already following Scorsese, what are you even doing on there?
Francis Ford Coppola
Francis Ford Coppola's new film, Megalopolis, has not been as warmly received as recent releases by his old friend, Scorsese, but he's equally deserving of a Letterboxd follow. He took a page out of the Michael Mann playbook and dropped a list of his favorite films.
The most notable thing Coppola has done on the app, however, is give his own film, Megalopolis, a perfect five star rating. A power move if we ever saw one.
Sean Baker
Less known and much younger than the rest of the directors on this list, Sean Baker is one of the most exciting names working in Hollywood right now. He's continued to tell intimate stories like Tangerine (2015) and Red Rocket (2021), and his upcoming film, Anora, is said to be his best yet.
Baker has multiple reviews on his Letterboxd, and appears to use it more often than, say, Mann or Coppola (definitely more than John Carpenter).