2. David Lynch
Whenever you have a style of cinema named after you, in this case 'Lynchian', you know you are a true Buccaneer Director. David Lynch has been fascinating and enthralling fans with his daring surreal movies ever since the release of Eraserhead in 1977. This film showcased Lynch's weird imagination and distinct visual flair which he carried on to 1980's The Elephant Man In 1984, David Lynch took on the sci fi effort Dune, which was a critical and commercial flop. In some cuts of the film, Lynch opted for Alan Smithee status. In retrospect Lynch says he shouldn't have directed the movie and that he 'sold out'. He came back into form with Blue Velvet, a critically acclaimed neo-noir and he created the highly popular TV series Twin Peaks which garnered a large cult following that endures to this day. After a whacky road movie in Wild at Heart, Lynch made a prequel to Twin Peaks called Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me which fit in with the tone of the TV series and was suitably deranged. Lynch proved with 1999's The Straight Story - the true tale of Alvin Straight's 240 mile journey across Iowa on a lawn mower to make amends with his dying brother - that he could even do family films. But he is at his best as a surrealist buccaneer who is not scared to play with heavy symbolism, mystery, non linear narratives and dream logic as can be seen from his more recent films - Mulholland Drive, Lost Highway and Inland Empire. He has variously been described as 'the first popular surrealist', 'the most important director of this era' and 'the Renaissance Man of cinema' one thing is sure, Lynch isn't scared to take risks and he marches to the beat of his own drum.