9 Comedy Filmmakers Who Deserve More Awards Recognition

6. John Landis

Though John Landis isn't strictly a comedic filmmaker (he directed Michael Jackson's Thriller music video, for example), the list of funny comedies that he directed is legendary: The Kentucky Fried Movie, Animal House, The Blues Brothers, Trading Places, Spies Like Us, ¡Three Amigos!, and Coming to America. On top of that, he co-wrote the scripts for The Blues Brothers and the cult classic mystery comedy Clue. When Saturday Night Live alumni wanted to make movies in the 1980s, Landis was often the first choice for director. Though he directed several duds in the 1990s (Oscar, Beverly Hills Cop III, The Stupids, and Blues Brothers 2000), it's hard to find flaws with the string of hits he directed in the late 1970s through the 1980s. For a guy who started working in a Hollywood mail room, Landis made quite a career for himself as a comedy director. While Landis did win an Emmy for directing a documentary about comedy legend Don Rickles, he has never been nominated for any notable awards for his comedy movies. In fact, Landis' three nominations for the Worst Director Razzie Award outnumber legit nominations he has received for his movies.