A lot of the most iconic and successful film directors come from small roots. Either they start out making an unheard-of B-movie like Michael Bay that is nothing more than a fun popcorn flick. Only a handful of filmmakers have truly made something special with their first feature-length film in the director's chair.
These film director's debut movies have become classics in cinema with most going on to win awards and making many more wonderful and important films over the years and providing a source of fantastic entertainment and significant emotional messages, while inspiring generations of creative people to follow their craft. Here are the 10 best feature-length films of first-time directors.
Get Out (2017) - Jordan Peele
The film was a terrifying satire on racism that played out like a sadistic version of Guess Who's Coming To Dinner where a white woman brings home a black man to meet her parents for the weekend, and nothing is what it seems. Not only did Peele tell a wonderful and important story, but his attention to the smallest details throughout the film showcased that he's one of the best film directors in the field today.
American Beauty (1999) - Sam Mendes
Back in 1999, an unknown filmmaker named American Beauty that practically hit audiences in the face with a brick.
Ironically, what looked to be the picture of the American Dream was anything but in this film that covered broken and abusive marriages, teenage runaways, forbidden relationships, and even murder, all behind the facade of the perfect suburban household nestled behind a white picket fence. It was awkward, funny, realistic, and probably hit close to home for many that were all laid out on a bed of roses.
Pee-Wee's Big Adventure (1985) - Tim Burton
Before Paul Reubens himself as the titular character that was fun and bizarre enough for the whole family to enjoy.
Mostly known for catering strictly to kids, this film took some dark and twisted turns with a nightmare full of killer clowns, a ghastly truck driver, and an obsessed Pee-Wee who would stop at nothing to find his bike. It was a mix of comedy and horror that sealed the deal for Burton's career.
Donnie Darko (2001) - Richard Kelly
Richard Kelly was the name heard around the world at the turn of the century when his first feature film Maggie Gyllenhaal.
The film was expertly told about a high school student who was interested in time travel after a freak accident at home, but who ended up saving the world by making the ultimate sacrifice, while at the same time affecting the lives of people around him for better or worse. This is also one of Patrick Swayze's best roles.
Mad Max (1979) - George Miller
The galaxy's favorite Australian filmmaker Mad Max: Fury Road.
Miller became one of the most sought-after directors after this film was released and due to its critical and financial success, Hollywood made tons of copy-cat films that followed the same formula, but those never rose to the status of this movie, which had started it all.
Boyz N The Hood (1991) - John Singelton
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, there was a major problem brewing in the nation, where people of color weren't getting a fair shake in many facets of life. Specifically, in the Los Angeles area, young kids and teens were ing violent gangs for various reasons, where others were constantly stopped by law enforcement for no other reason than for the color of their skin.
John Singleton hopped onto the film scene with this first movie Boyz N The Hood, which told the story of a few childhood friends growing up in Los Angeles and having to deal with the terrible hand that the government and the police dealt out, which culminates into a powerful lesson marked with tragedy. It's one of the most important films in the cinematic world and remains as important and significant now as it was 30 years ago.
Bottle Rocket (1996) - Wes Anderson
Native Texan Owen and Luke Wilson. The film is simple enough and it follows a group of childhood friends whose goal in life is to be criminals.
The trouble is, they aren't really any good at it. Mix in a little romance and big cameo from James Caan, and cinema history was molded to create the odd world of Wes Anderson and his quirky characters with pitch-perfect dialogue.
Reservoir Dogs (1992) - Quentin Tarantino
Reservoir Dogs, a fantastic story about a botched robbery that is never seen on screen. The film instead focuses on the bloody aftermath of everyone involved.
Betrayals, lies, and a dancing torture sequence are on display here in one of the most fun and brutal films from the 90s. With its expert dialogue and screenplay, along with a killer cast of A-listers, Tarantino shaped his career with this film that has been parodied and winked at in countless other films.
The Evil Dead (1981) - Sam Raimi
The horror genre would never be the same once The Evil Dead. The film became the biggest cult movies ever made, spawned two sequels, a remake, a television series, numerous comic books, and more, not to mention a lifetime of one-liners and memorable gore.
This low-budget horror film made by a group of friends proved that a violent bloodbath of a movie could also be artsy with phenomenal camera angles and use a variety of practical effects to literally throw blood on the camera lens. This film is groovy.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994) - Frank Darabont
Before the first episode of The Shawshank Redemption, which also just so happens to be Frank's first film.
The story focuses on a wrongful murder conviction and this inmate's ion to escape prison. With so much emotion and fantastic storytelling, along with stellar performances by every actor involved, this film is the absolute best movie from a first time director.
