2. Billy Wilder
This is the man behind some of the most loved films of all time that are loved not for cinematography but for the delightful characters he creates. He once said that films should rely on simple camera shots because complicated ones draw the attention away from whats going on; whilst I disagree slightly I see his point. Wilder created Sunset Boulevard, one of the most important films about Hollywood, alongside Inland Empire and of course, my favourite film; The Artist. The director of The Artist confirmed my speculation that the film was influenced by Sunset in his acceptance speech for Best Picture at the Oscars: I would like to thank the following three people, I would like to thank Billy Wilder, I would like to thank Billy Wilder, and I would like to thank Billy Wilder. His great contributions include Double Indemnity, Some Like It Hot, Sabrina and of course, The Apartment; one of the great feel-good films Ive ever seen, starring the ever-reliable Jack Lemmon in one of his most recognizable roles. Wilder was a foreign man from Europe who managed to capture the American sense of humor like no-other filmmaker. He is funny, honest, clear, simple and entertaining.
Best Screenplay: Sunset Boulevard (1950)