10 Unsung Film Directors Who Never Get Their Due

By D.M. Anderson /

4. Tony Scott

This might be kind-of a cheat, since Tony Scott directed several blockbusters, and a few others which have developed rabid cult followings. Still, he never received the accolades of his older brother, Ridley. Nearly all of his movies are hyper-kinetic and insanely-edited, applying visual gimmicks even where they aren€™t necessarily warranted. He had a knack for turning a conversation between two characters into a full-blown action sequence, much to the consternation of film critics and movie snobs. But like him or not, Scott had a style all his own, and he obviously paved the way for the likes of Michael Bay. In fact, long-before everyone condemned Bay as the poster boy for the dumbing-down of American cinema, they were dishing the same dung about Tony Scott, beginning with Top Gun in 1986. Sure, most were testosterone-driven, amped-up epics, but he also managed to direct some great stuff, such as Crimson Tide, Domino, True Romance, Déjà Vu, Man on Fire and Unstoppable. Those movies are still loaded with Scott€™s usual cinematic fireworks, but they€™re also fiercely character-driven (something Michael Bay forgot when copying all Scott€™s moves). Ridley Scott may get all the praise, but Tony left his own indelible mark on modern cinema as well. It's time more people acknowledge it. RIP.