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All Forums > The Feature Side > The Feature Side Forum Page 42 > Best directors...
AuthorPost
john lyons
Senior Member


Co-founder of Vinegar Syndrome
1188 Posts
1/08
Posted - Feb 3 2008 : 5:33PM
Just curious who everyone thinks are the best directors ever to do X FEATURE films?
No exclusively gonzo people please....
My top 10 (in no real order)
Gary Graver
Amrand Weston
Gerard Damiano
Shaun Costello
Chuck Vincent
Alex DeRenzy
Anthony Spinelli
Jonas Middleton
Rinse Dream
Greg Dark
Metzger (I can't believe I forgot him the first time!!!!)
Edited by - john lyons on Feb 18 2008
Apoplexy
Deactivated User

22 Posts
11/07
Posted - Feb 3 2008 : 11:52PM
Antonio Passolini
Eli Cross
Ren Savant
Rinse Dream
Michael Ninn
Alex DeRenzy
the unknown pervert
Deactivated User

I'd like to stay but I've got a plane to catch.
3243 Posts
5/06
Posted - Feb 4 2008 : 9:57AM
Dark
Passolini
John Leslie (when he was doing features)
James Avalon (when he keeps the artsy-fartsyness to a minimum)
Jim Powers
I don't really consider gonzo directors to really be "directors". There are just too many aspects of a film that they do not have to deal with compared to a feature film.
added thoughts-I have not seen any of Eli Cross's films but the nature of his comments here make me think I would like them. I should probably also put both Michael Ninn and Michael Zen in here but I always get their names confused so I can never remember which one of them directed what.
Edited by - the unknown pervert on 2/4/2008 10:00:02 AM
caroline-NL
Member

543 Posts
3/07
Posted - Feb 4 2008 : 12:40PM
Gerald Damiano
Mitchell Bros.
Finn Hansen + Jacob Schmidt
Michael Raven
Francios Clousot
Brad Armstrong
James Avalon
quite a lot of japanese and south-korean porn directors, whose names I cant keep in my mind

Edited by - Caroline-NL on 2/4/2008 12:42:14 PM

sdc
Member

236 Posts
4/03
Posted - Feb 4 2008 : 1:50PM
In the order they come to me:
Gerard Damiano
Shaun Costello
Alex DeRenzy
Robert McCallum
John Leslie
Radley Metzger
Paul Thomas
Roberta Findlay
Zebedy Colt
Svetlana
Honourable mentions to Greg Dark, Chuck Vincent, Anthony Spinelli and James Avalon.
 
Cammy Sutra
Member

41 Posts
1/08
Posted - Feb 4 2008 : 11:37PM
these are good lists!
Can I add:
Cecil Howard
Henri Pachard
BlackSix All-Star Supporter
All-Star Member

pornography wasn't sex but fantasies of an impossibly hospitable world
12377 Posts
9/07
Posted - Feb 4 2008 : 11:41PM
These are great, pretty comprehensive lists, the only ones I can think have been missed are the Amero Brothers.
john lyons
Senior Member

Co-founder of Vinegar Syndrome
1188 Posts
1/08
Posted - Feb 4 2008 : 11:56PM
Agreed!
Bacchanale and Blonde Ambition are both underseen gems.
ryderskye
Member

Sometimes you just have to pee in the sink. ― Charles Bukowski
88 Posts
9/07
Posted - Feb 6 2008 : 2:16AM
Just from experience...
David Stanley
Michael Raven
Eli Cross
Stormy Daniels
although there are more of course.
Savoy All-Star Supporter
All-Star Member

Sucker for Sinners
1844 Posts
12/06
Posted - Feb 6 2008 : 2:56AM
It saddens me that I don't have enough porn viewing behind me to answer this question justly.
But I will watch anything directed by David Stanley.
Antonio Passolini must rise and direct again!
No love for Paul Thomas? Once upon a time, he was really good.
John Leslie late 80s to early 90s.
pil008
Member

138 Posts
12/04
Posted - Feb 7 2008 : 4:31AM
Like Savoy I haven't seen enough, but the directors I usually look out for are Michael Ninn, Michael Raven and Andrew Blake.
But even these directors don't seem to effect the sex, only the way its lit and edited (or over-edited). Is there a director who has a direct influence in the way the sex is choreographed as well as filmed?
CApornFAN
Member

37 Posts
4/07
Posted - Feb 15 2008 : 2:57AM
Joone
Fingerbangger
Member

164 Posts
3/07
Posted - Feb 26 2008 : 12:33AM
Paul Thomas
TheLoneGunman
Member

400 Posts
10/03
Posted - Feb 26 2008 : 8:26AM
Andrew Blake
John Stagliano
Nic Andrews
Stormy Daniels might make my list if she continues the quality of her work for a few more years...I've been VERY impressed so far.
Myload
Senior Member

A rose is what you are to me
2069 Posts
6/03
Posted - Feb 26 2008 : 7:11PM
Andrew Blake
John Stagliano
Andres Tabogo
 
Fingerbangger
Member

164 Posts
3/07
Posted - Feb 26 2008 : 7:24PM
I also like B. Skow
PornoHolik
Member

45 Posts
2/08
Posted - Feb 27 2008 : 3:23AM
I agree with most - but not all - of the directors mentioned.
Not mentioned above and another best: Cameron Grant.
john lyons
Senior Member

Co-founder of Vinegar Syndrome
1188 Posts
1/08
Posted - Feb 29 2008 : 10:37AM
I see he directed The Dinner Party which I've heard good things about but not yet seen.
Thoughts on some of the other directors who were mentioned:
Michael Ninn is hit or miss. I can't complain about his visuals but I'll agree, as either Bill Margold or Jim Holiday (I can never remember which) said, he thinks he can cover his proficiencies as a filmmaker through throwing lots of money into his movies. Essentially, he's the Micheal Bay of sex films.
Michael Raven his movies never hit me the right way. Just when he gets me interested in the plot, characters, etc, he puts in a 20 minute sex scene and kills the mis-en-scene
Paul Thomas I tend to like. His sex scenes are actually part of the movie and he knows how to make a film, not just a story porn.
I haven't seen any Nic Andrews movies but their trailers make them seem pretty solid. I always love when X Rated movies try to look like Hollywood film and do it well UNLIKE PIRATES!!!!
Any good director will control all the aspects of their film and make it their own. That's Auteur Theory in a nutshell. Radley Metzger, Greg Dark, Alex DeRenzy, etc were all very keen on making sure every aspect of their films was under their direct control, including the sex scenes.
Unrelated, there seems to be a hatred of sex scenes that last under 5 minutes...Why??? I always get really bored and distracted if they last any longer.
HarryWild
Member

Make me believe
622 Posts
2/05
Posted - Mar 6 2008 : 1:16AM
Rocco Siffredi
Fingerbangger
Member

164 Posts
3/07
Posted - Mar 6 2008 : 6:32PM
I also think Rocco's stuff is great. I would buy almost any Rocco title and know it's going to be great.
Chest Rockwell
Member

89 Posts
1/08
Posted - Mar 9 2008 : 5:03PM
I'd like to add Stormy Daniels and Joone in for my two cents as well. I'm not familiar with any of the classic era directors to make an informed addition from that time frame unfortunately.
jizzyjay
Member

914 Posts
10/07
Posted - Apr 5 2008 : 3:15PM
Well,here's my 2 cents on favorite Directors:
1.Alex Derenzy
2.Bob Chin
3.Anthony Spinelli
4.Cecil Howard
5.Gerard Damiano
Aplus
Senior Member

1431 Posts
5/05
Posted - Apr 17 2008 : 3:04PM
Alex DeRenzy
Gererd Damiano
John Leslie
Robert McCallum
Chuck Vincent
Paul Thomas
Henri Pachard
Cash Markman
Bobby Rinaldi
John Stagliano
Chloe Nichole
Nic Andrews
edjuardo_roel
Member

6 Posts
5/08
Posted - May 8 2008 : 9:40PM
David Stanley, by far the MOST original director in porn. I hope he starts shooting something besides clips4sale soon. It wouldn't surprise me at all if he wins a few awards at AVN next year for the features he did with Wicked before they uncooly (I can make up my own words dammit)let him go. That would really be justice in my mind.
I also like Eli Cross if your into anal fisting (which of course i am).
Michael Raven is cool.
Michael Ninn and Brad Armstrong are decent visually but can't tell a story to save their life. I liken "Coming Home" to Michael Bay's "Pearl Harbor". I guess at least Brad one a few awards though for his movie. Michael Bay just keeps trying to bang porn stars. He might as well direct a porn at this point.
I would love to see someone actually write a brilliant script with an original story that just happens to have some sex in it. I think if that ever happens it will be Stanley that does it.
edjuardo_roel
Member

6 Posts
5/08
Posted - May 8 2008 : 9:46PM
btw- i did forget to mention Joone. I thought Pirates was cool as fuck. Also...I am an idiot, but not a COMPLETE idiot. I did write "one" when I meant to write "won". i guess it just proves that porn fans are a bright bunch.
 
john lyons
Senior Member

Co-founder of Vinegar Syndrome
1188 Posts
1/08
Posted - May 8 2008 : 10:34PM
I've heard some very good things about "Bare Stage." I'll have to check this out.
Another guy I've heard good things about but I hear his sex scenes last forvever!
I'm really mixed on him. I got two screeners of his stuff:Underworld and Beast. Beast was OK but Underworld sucked. Narratively it was underdeveloped, and is was so sex filled I forgot that there was a story midway through. Although both were quite well shot (by one of the greatest cinematographers ever to work in hardcore, Jack Remy), they were kinda flat.
It's been done so many times and so well! Just watch Chuck Vincent films or Damiano films to name a couple. There are many great hardcore films, but you just need to look for them.
danl
Member

436 Posts
3/05
Posted - May 27 2008 : 6:21PM
To begin, and I realize this really ages me, no list of great adult film directors should leave off Russ Meyers whose craft mastery crashed "cheesecake and erotic sex" together like no director before or since, imho----and this was all before hard core, even more of an accomplishment.
Michael Ninn, at one time was the closest to Meyers" genius and imagination but then about five years ago, he, sadly, fell into a vat full of "eye candy," and has not surfaced since.
Paul Thomas simply great at turning out "cutting edge" erotic drama a few years ago, is another director who has "lost his way," in recent years, along with John Leslie, once as good as they came.
So that brings me up to the most outstanding current crop of adult film directors, and frankly, I would have a very difficult time, separating Brad Armstrong from Michael Raven---both true "geniuses" with their craft and consistently turning out extremely erotic, highly provocative porn entertainment.
Among the honorable mention list, I would cite Nic Cramer, Antonio Passolini, Michael Zen, James Avalon, Thomas Paine, Jonathan Morgan, Rinse Dream, Nic Andrews, Cash Markman, and the rapidly-improving Stormy Daniels, by far the best female feature film director now or before, imho.
In reviewing this list, It should be stressed that a director, no matter how imaginative, will always be handicapped by budget constraints, which can make or break any film.
Thus, a lot of credit for any directorial success must also be given to that forward-thinking producer who is willing to gamble a bit and "turn his director loose," so to speak.
Then too, it should also be noted that all "steam stream" directors operate on budgets that would make their main stream counterparts "cringe" in fear, and many, especially those on this above list, turn-out products every bit as entertaining.

Kraut
Member

Germany - Osnabrück
93 Posts
2/08
Posted - May 30 2008 : 3:37AM
F.J. Lincoln
Brad Armstrong
Antonio Adamo
Paul Thomas
Kris Kramski
CoreyThomas
Member

34 Posts
8/07
Posted - Jun 1 2008 : 5:28PM
John Leslie is by far the best. Other directors that I don't mind, however are The Mitchell Brothers, F.J. Lincoln and Paul Thomas, although Lincoln and Thomas have had their share of duds.



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