5 Early Masterpieces By Legendary Directors

jaws Why is it that some of the greatest directors who have ever lived seem to do either their best work very early or very late in their careers? There's always the constant complaints that a certain director just doesn't make the amazing films like they used to or they have the opposite reaction and say that a certain director makes better films than when they started. Stanley Kubrick and Alfred Hitchcock certainly fall into the latter category, so they won't be on this list even though they're, arguably, the two greatest directors who ever lived. I assembled this list to highlight some of the best films ever made and for this reason it's in no particular order. I just picked 5 masterpieces made by some of my favorite directors in their formative years as filmmakers...

5. Pulp Fiction (1994)

pulp fiction shot This one came to my mind first because it's my favorite film and a masterpiece of genre blending film making. It opens as a crime film with Honey Bunny and Pumpkin planning a robbery then explores the crime genre even further with Vincent and Jules before changing into a screwball dark comedy when Mia is introduced. All of Mia's scenes are like a distorted Howard Hawks movie whereas the film had felt like a surf rock laden Scorsese film earlier. The genre is then switched over to a pulpy film noir style when the" Gold Watch" chapter starts and the film takes its most drastic turn in this chapter when it alternates to a horror/exploitation feel in the infamous pawn shop. The pawn shop scene plays out like a strange Wes Craven gangster picture. It's after this scene that the film turns back into a gangster film before finding it's way back into dark comedy territory after Marvin's head is removed from his body. The movie finally ends as a type of western meets gangster picture as Jules decides to change his ways in the diner. It's this utterly bizarre mixing of styles that makes Pulp Fiction such a thrill to watch. You never know what's coming next and just when you think you do the pawn shop scene begins or Marvin loses his head.
 
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My favorite movies are Before Sunrise, Pulp Fiction, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Alien and Her so don't be surprised to see those pop up in my writing from time to time. I'm currently in school for Journalism/English and I have an obsession with all things cinematic on the side.