9 Comedy Filmmakers Who Deserve More Awards Recognition

3. Christopher Guest

Christopher Guest spun a career as a bit-part television comedy actor into becoming one of the all-time funniest comedic filmmakers. Inspired by his experience starring in the mostly ad-libbed rock mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap, Guest periodically gathered his friends to create four comedies with improvised dialogue, Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, A Mighty Wind, and For Your Consideration. Guest also directed two other scripted comedies, The Big Picture (which he co-wrote) and Almost Heroes, but they were not as well received. Nonetheless, Waiting for Guffman and Best in Show frequently land high on "funniest movies ever" lists and a song written for A Mighty Wind was nominated for an Oscar. Guest himself has received praise and awards for his roles on television and popular movies like The Princess Bride, but his filmmaking talent has mostly gone unrewarded. Surprisingly, the Writers Guild of America nominated Best in Show for Best Screenplay, even though all of the dialogue in the movie was improvised. The irony is probably not lost on the guitarist of the world's most famous fictitious rock band.