Directing isn't an easy job by any stretch of the imagination. It might be a dream job for some, but it's not easy. Even when a director makes a brilliant film, their subsequent new films are always going to struggle to match that same standard. It must be a great feeling to see your film in cinema listings around the world, but it must also add to the pressure for the rest of your directorial career.
The movie-making business is a tough one to crack, but every now and then a rookie director takes the film industry by storm and hits the jackpot at the first time of asking, earning a considerable amount of money and praise in the process.
This article takes a look at the best directorial debuts in the history of cinema.
Orson Welles: Citizen Kane (1941) Aged just 25, Welles illustrated his versatility in stunning style when he directed, produced and played the lead role in what many people think is one of the best movies ever to have been made. Welles set the benchmark for others to follow with Citizen Kane, which was his first full-length film. The likes of Tim Burton, Stanley Kubrick and Martin Scorcese have all spoken at length of their admiration of Welles and about how he influenced three of the greatest directors to follow in his footsteps.
Terry Gilliam: Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) The Monty Python comedy clan combined to produce a classic British film that's still making generation after generation chuckle nearly 40 years since it was released. It was also a triumphant first foray into film making for Gilliam, who found himself under pressure to take the hit TV show successfully from the small to big screen. Gilliam certainly did that as all the randomness and comic genius of Monty Python's Flying Circus went down a hit in cinemas.
Quentin Tarantino: Reservoir Dogs (1992) Just like Gilliam and Welles before him, Tarantino appeared in his directorial debut - and what a directorial debut it turned out to be! It was named as the 'Greatest Independent film of all Time' by Empire magazine and Tarantino proved he was far from a one-trick pony when he followed up Reservoir Dogs with Pulp Fiction, another cult classic of the highest quality.
Frank Darabont: The Shawshank Redemption (1994) Darabont took Stephen King's novella and brought The Shawshank Redemption to a wider audience, although it's fair to say that initially it received mixed reviews. Over time, though, The Shawshank Redemption has firmly become a movie masterpiece that has left the critics purring over Darabont's first directorial attempt.
Spike Jonze: Being John Malkovich (1999) Spike Jonze collaborated with writer Charlie Kaufman for the first time for this convoluted little number. With an all-star cast and an outrageously intriguing plot, Jonze made an instant impact on the world of cinema. He had already forged a career in music video production with the likes of Fatboy Slim, Beastie Boys and Bjrk, but divulged in a spot of big-screen directing with Malkovich, as well as the 2002 critically acclaimed Adaptation, which was another collaboration with Kaufman.
The movie-making business is a tough one to crack, but every now and then a rookie director takes the film industry by storm and hits the jackpot at the first time of asking, earning a considerable amount of money and praise in the process.
This article takes a look at the best directorial debuts in the history of cinema.
Orson Welles: Citizen Kane (1941) Aged just 25, Welles illustrated his versatility in stunning style when he directed, produced and played the lead role in what many people think is one of the best movies ever to have been made. Welles set the benchmark for others to follow with Citizen Kane, which was his first full-length film. The likes of Tim Burton, Stanley Kubrick and Martin Scorcese have all spoken at length of their admiration of Welles and about how he influenced three of the greatest directors to follow in his footsteps.
Terry Gilliam: Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) The Monty Python comedy clan combined to produce a classic British film that's still making generation after generation chuckle nearly 40 years since it was released. It was also a triumphant first foray into film making for Gilliam, who found himself under pressure to take the hit TV show successfully from the small to big screen. Gilliam certainly did that as all the randomness and comic genius of Monty Python's Flying Circus went down a hit in cinemas.
Quentin Tarantino: Reservoir Dogs (1992) Just like Gilliam and Welles before him, Tarantino appeared in his directorial debut - and what a directorial debut it turned out to be! It was named as the 'Greatest Independent film of all Time' by Empire magazine and Tarantino proved he was far from a one-trick pony when he followed up Reservoir Dogs with Pulp Fiction, another cult classic of the highest quality.
Frank Darabont: The Shawshank Redemption (1994) Darabont took Stephen King's novella and brought The Shawshank Redemption to a wider audience, although it's fair to say that initially it received mixed reviews. Over time, though, The Shawshank Redemption has firmly become a movie masterpiece that has left the critics purring over Darabont's first directorial attempt.
Spike Jonze: Being John Malkovich (1999) Spike Jonze collaborated with writer Charlie Kaufman for the first time for this convoluted little number. With an all-star cast and an outrageously intriguing plot, Jonze made an instant impact on the world of cinema. He had already forged a career in music video production with the likes of Fatboy Slim, Beastie Boys and Bjrk, but divulged in a spot of big-screen directing with Malkovich, as well as the 2002 critically acclaimed Adaptation, which was another collaboration with Kaufman.
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