39. Roy Ward Baker (1916-2010)
Though Baker made his name popular on television as much as he did on cinema, there's no denying the man's influence during the 40s and 50s on the adventure and horror genre. Starting off his career as tea-bringer to the head honchoes of Gainsborough Studios, Baker worked as an assistant director to Alfred Hitchcock for the Lady Vanishes before he started directing movies of his own. His most popular and best film, 1958's A Night To Remember recounts the tragedy that befell the Titanic in 1912 long before Leonardo DiCaprio was shouting that he's the king of the world for James Cameron. Baker's version is about a thousand times more realistic and respectful of the events that occurred and stands as a good example of how a real-life tragedy should be represented on film. A cinematic icon in both films and TV, in B-Horror and classics, Baker is a vital piece of the British cinematic puzzle.
Must See: A Night To Remember (1958)
38. Karel Reisz (1926 - 2002)
Czech-born Reisz adopted Britain as his country and worked at the peak of his power during the post-WWII era. A Jew whose parents died at Auschwitz, you would think that Reisz's films would be filled with a certain kind of dread and you'd be totally right. But boy, some of his films are so good he easily gets placed among the 50 greatest ever to have lived. Starting off with Saturday Night and Sunday Morning in 1960 which makes both
TIME OUT's 100 greatest British Films Ever Made and
BFI's list , Reisz injected the realist style of cinema into the British industry and was a key figure in the British New Wave. His later career wondered off a bit, as is usually the case, but he did make a final mark with 1981's French Lieutenant's Woman featuring Meryl Streep and Jeremy Irons in blistering performances.
Must See: Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (1960)
37. Danny Boyle (1956 - )
One of the most popular directors as of late, thanks to his rousingly successfully Oscar-magnet Slumdog Millionaire from 2008, Danny Boyle's doing a great job of putting British filmmakers on the map. He's made all kinds of movies and dipped his camera into all kinds of genres; from heroin addicts in the brilliant Trainspotting to zombies of the faster variety in 28 Days Later... Boyle has certainly made his presence known with every film he's made, regardless of how it was received. Even films like The Beach, which is actually pretty underrated if you compare it to some of his more overrated later films like Slumdog or 128 Hours, showcase a directing talent that strives for something different, always trying to find new ways to tell a story. He released a new film this year, Trance, which isn't going over so well but regardless of that, he's made films that will forever stand the test of the time and for that he is more than welcome here.
Must See: Trainspotting (1996)