With the rising popularity of Asian film more and more filmmakers are getting attention, not only in their country, but their names are spreading to other places as far as Europe.
We have heard of the legendary Akira Korusawa who created tons of classic masterpiece, among them is The Seven Samurai, Yojimbo, Ran, and Throne of Blood. At the start of the millennium we have seen a surge of great Asian movies. But what really constitute a good director? To me it is their ability to create well and unique film plus the good support from their crew as well as the impact that they present to the viewers.
The list below are Directors that are still alive (as of this writing and still kicks ass!) and is in no way a perfect top 10, these directors have failed once in their movie making somehow. So without further ado here is the list.
10. Hideo Nakata and Kiyoshi Kurosawa
Hideo Nakata and Kiyoshi Kurosawa are few of Japan directors that dwells on creating Horror film. Kurosawa’s 2001 Horror film Kairo were remade and the U.S. Version of Nakata’s Ringu spawned into 2 part movie The Ring 1 and 2 starring Naomi Watts. It is Ringu that blew the door open to a whole new world of J-Horror films outside of Japan.
9. Banjong Pisanthanakun
Banjong Pisanthanakun is a name that is probably harder to pronounce than the other director on this list, but many people regard him as one of the best Horror filmmaker in Thailand. He worked alongside other director Parkpoom Wongpoom who collaborated on three of his featured movie.
Banjong did not start out directing film that scared people to death, his first film was a short eight minute comedy movie Plao Kao released in 2000
His next directed movie Colorblind did find success at many international film festival such as Raindance, Toronto Reel Asian, and the SFIAAFF.
Shutter is Banjong Pisanthanakun first feature film that garnered the attention of mainstream audience not only in Thailand, but in part of Asia as well as Western Countries. Along with 2007 Alone, both films were remade in the United States. Mr. Banjong also took part in directing 4BIA or Phobia, another Thai Horror film in 2008.
8. Katzuhiro Tomomo
Manga artist Katzuhiro Tomomo does not have an impressive list of directed film, his 2006 film Steamboy is still the most expensive animated Japanese movie to date. His most influential work though is the movie Akira which many regarded as the turning point in Anime film. It sets a record breaking attendance when it was released July 16, 1988 in Japan. Akira also paved way to other Anime out of Japan creating a large number of followers mostly in the United States.
7. Park Chan Wook
This South Korean Director and writer did not have success up until 2000 when Joint Security Area become the most watched film ever in his native country. Park has also been acclaim as one of the most influential director not only in Asia, but as well as in Western Countries.
His excellent use of thematic violence in his films is the reason why he earns the respect of other film makers including Quentin Tarantino. Each of Park Chan Wook’s Vengeance trilogy Sympathy for Mister Vengeance (2002) Oldboy (2003) and Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (2005) has won an awards at film festival internationally and are optioned for a US remake.
6. Zhang Yimou
Of all the Fifth Generation Chinese film directors to date, Zhang Yimou is the one that stands out. His first directed film is Red Sorghum released in 1987, this marked his first achievement after winning the award for Best Picture at the 1988 Berlin Film Festival.
Zhang is noted for his unique style of directing, characterized by his use of colors as seen in Raise the Red Lantern and his epic wuxia films Hero starring Jet Li, Donnie Yen and Maggie Cheung.
Zhang Yimou status as one of the great directors today becomes more imminent after the success of Hero. He again worked on martial arts movie House of the flying Daggers in 2004 which features another batch of great actors such as Zhang Ziyi, Andy Lau and Takeshi Kaneshiro.
His recent film Curse of the Golden Flower also received critical acclaim, which brought Zhang back to his earlier work of using stupendous colors.
5. Tsui Hark
Tsui Hark might have failed to capture Western audience with English movie Double Team (1997) and Knock Off (1998) but that alone is not a reason to love his work. The very influential Tsui has directed almost 40 movies in his lifetime.
He directed movies such as A Better Tomorrow III starring Chow Yan Fat. His 1990 epic film The Swordsman earn more than $16m HK at the Hong Kong Box office, while his Three Directed film Once Upon A Time in China I, II, and III starring Jet Li did even better earning more than $HK27m, $HK29m, and $HK30m respectively.
In 2006 Tsui directed his first animated film based on the story of Wong Fei Hong, a legendary Kung fu master and the movie is called The Warrior
4. Johnnie To
Johnnie To is regarded as one of Asia’s most notable filmmaker, he has not only captured fame in Hong Kong when his 1989 film All About Ah-Long became a hit, but he also gain reputation among Western Audiences by receiving nomination and awards at film festival. His 2006 film Exiled starring Anthony Wong, Roy Cheung, Francis Ng, and Simon Yam competed in the Venice Film festival and 2005 crime film Election and recent 2009 movie Vengeance enters the Cannes Film Festival.
He often worked with the same actors and actresses in most if not all of his movies, this style is believed to have contributed to his success as it create consistency in his film making. Johnnie is very creative at making genre movie. His gangster-triad film have become an influence to other filmmaker as well.
3. Hayao Miyazaki
Hayao Miyazaki is arguably the most influential Anime director in our time. After Katzuhiro Tomomo filmAkira mainstream feat in 1988, only few Japanese have found success in the United States commercially. The trend change when Miramax released Princess Mononoke in 1997, this revive the taste of Anime lovers and growing followers increase. Interest for Miyazaki’s film grew even more when his 2001 Spirited away was release. Spirited Away also won an Academy for best animated film and his 2004 Howl’s Moving castle raked in more than $24 million worldwide ticket sale.
Miyazaki often use theme that includes Environmentalism, political, childhood and feminism. Among other film he directed are My Neighbor Totoro, and Kiki’s Delivery Service.
2. Takashi Miike
One of the most controversial and highly prolific director in Japan is Takashi Miike. Following his first film The Third Gangster, he started gaining attention when Shinjuku Triad Society was released in 1995 a part of his trilogy that also includes Rainy Days(1997) and Ley Lines(1999). It was “Shinjuku …” that first exhibit Takashi’s unique style of extreme shocking theme. In 1999 Miike gained popularity out of Japan after his horror film Audition was released.
His violence filled gangster film Dead or Alive (1999) and Ichi the Killer (2001) were shown at different film festival. Despite his controversial style of directing, Takashi has also the flexibility to make touching films and other genre, proof of this is the horror-fantasy film The Great Yokai War and the musical comedy The Happiness of the Katakuris.
Takashi Miike has since gain cult following with the addition of more films such as Visitor Q and Izo.
1. John Woo
And here it is the best of the best the most recognizable director and is arguably one of the top influential director in Asian film making, you would be a caveman if yo have not heard of his name even once before and he is from Hong Kong the name is John Woo. His elegant film making style and well choreographic action scenes make him the master of contemporary Asian action film. John got his break when A Better Tomorrow was released in 1986 gaining more than $HK34m in ticket sale, this also mark’s Actor Chow Yan Fat career into new heights.
His success in directing continue with the release of A Better Tomorrow II (1987) The Killer (1989) and A Bullet In The Head (1990)
Before immigrating to the United states, his last Hong Kong film Hard Boiled (1992) created a memorable impact among film reviewers. Positive receptions from English critics and viewers have been very high especially when it was initially release in September 1992 at the Toronto film festival.
