80. Peter Jackson
PETER JACKSON
THE LORD OF THE RINGS, KING KONG, THE FRIGHTENERS, HEAVENLY CREATURES, BAD TASTE
Looking at his filmography, you might be surprised how many feature films Jackson has directed. And though there’s no doubt some extremo-fanboys prefer his earlier work, Jackson’s legacy will be his colossal trilogy, The Lord of the Rings. The only trilogy of the past 25 years worth dubbing an instant classic, LOTR is an astounding directorial achievement. Shooting concurrently, using brand new technology, honoring the source material while establishing his own world, creating a popular and critical success three years in a row. In this, and in 2005’s King Kong, he places himself among that small handful of mega-directors who can balance massive spectacle, dense plotting, and intimate characters. Though he doesn’t have the track record of some other huge directors, his major shift as a filmmaker garnered a lot of good will, expectation, and fans – enough that even the awfulness of 2009’s The Lovely Bones couldn’t unravel.
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