5. Stanley Kubrick
In the entire history of cinema, no one has ever switched between genres with the same aplomb as Stanley Kubrick. In his career he made classic films that covered film noir, heist films, sci-fi, ancient epics, war, anti-war, horror, sexual thrillers, and comedies. He might also be the most intellectual and most driven director in the annals of American film. The Killing in 1956 brought him to the attention of the moviegoing world and their hopes were realized with his next film, Paths of Glory, which was the first in a long line of classics. Spartacus in 1960 was his most mainstream film and might be his most watched film besides 2001: A Space Odyssey. In the 1960's Kubrick began pushing the limits of cinematic form and the patience of audiences, first with his controversial adaption of Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita and then with his apocalyptic comedy Dr. Strangelove. Most important was 2001: A Space Odyssey which might be the most important American film since Citizen Kane and remains incredibly divisive in the film community even today. A Clockwork Orange in 1971 might have been his most controversial work and after its release he began taking on projects less and less frequently, as he only directed four more movies before his death in 1999. A noted perfectionist, Kubrick maintained absolute control over his set, often shooting as many as fifty takes for some scenes and paying minute attention to even the smallest detail. Legend has it that despite never being given access to a B-52 bomber while making Dr. Strangelove as the interior layout was classified, Kubrick and his crew assembled a set so accurate that Air Force officers visiting the set called it completely correct. He owned his own equipment and after Spartacus in 1960, he was able to work with a great deal of creative freedom. He is mostly remembered for his technical abilities as many of his films either broke ground in special effects such as 2001, or are considered among the most cinematographically gorgeous movies ever made such as Barry Lyndon. Kubrick remains one of the most revered of all movie directors. Essentially every major director working today has been influence in some subtle way by Kubrick with filmmakers as diverse as Tarantino and Gaspar Noe expressing their admiration for his work. His work stands not just as movies, at his best Kubrick's films approach the realms of literature and philosophy, making him not just one of the most important filmmakers but most important artists of the twentieth century.