Top 100 British Directors

"A journey through the visionaries who shaped British cinema."

The United Kingdom has produced some of the most influential and groundbreaking directors in the history of cinema. From the early pioneers to modern auteurs, British directors have consistently pushed the boundaries of storytelling and visual art. This list celebrates the top 100 British directors who have left an indelible mark on the film industry.

Topics

• Top 100 British Directors
  • Topics
  • Overview
  • Cheat
  • Topic 1: "Pioneers of British Cinema"
  • Topic 2: "Golden Age Directors"
  • Topic 3: "Modern Masters"
  • Topic 4: "Genre Innovators"
  • Topic 5: "Documentary Filmmakers"
  • Top 100 List
  • Top 100 Table
  • Images

Overview

• Title: "Top 100 British Directors: Visionaries of Cinema"
• Subtitle: "Celebrating the Visionaries of British Cinema"
• Tagline: "A journey through the visionaries who shaped British cinema."
• Description: "This list honors the most impactful British directors, spanning from the golden age of cinema to contemporary times. Each director has been recognized for their unique contributions to the art of filmmaking."
• Keywords: British cinema, directors, film, UK filmmakers, British directors, movie directors, top directors, cinema, filmmakers, visionary directors

Cheat

# Top 100 British Directors
- Visionaries of Cinema
- Celebrating the Visionaries of British Cinema
- A journey through the visionaries who shaped British cinema.
- 5 Topics

## Topics
- Pioneers of British Cinema: Early influences, groundbreaking techniques, silent film era, first British films, 1930s cinema
- Golden Age Directors: Post-war cinema, 1950s and 1960s, classic films, iconic filmmakers, British New Wave
- Modern Masters: Contemporary auteurs, influential directors, award-winning films, 1990s and 2000s, independent cinema
- Genre Innovators: Horror, sci-fi, comedy, drama, genre-defining directors
- Documentary Filmmakers: Real-life storytelling, impactful documentaries, innovative techniques, social issues, biographical films

Topic 1: "Pioneers of British Cinema"

"The early trailblazers who laid the foundation for British cinema."

1. Alfred Hitchcock: Master of suspense, iconic thrillers like "Psycho" and "Vertigo."
2. David Lean: Epic storytelling in "Lawrence of Arabia" and "Bridge on the River Kwai."
3. Carol Reed: Director of the classic "The Third Man."
4. Michael Powell: Renowned for "The Red Shoes" and "Black Narcissus."
5. Emeric Pressburger: Collaborated with Powell on numerous classics.
6. Alexander Korda: Influential producer and director in the 1930s.
7. Anthony Asquith: Known for "Pygmalion" and "The Browning Version."
8. Basil Dearden: Directed "Victim" and "The Blue Lamp."
9. Robert Hamer: Best known for "Kind Hearts and Coronets."
10. Leslie Howard: Star and director of "Pimpernel Smith."
11. Maurice Elvey: Prolific director with over 200 films.
12. Sidney Gilliat: Directed "Green for Danger."
13. Roy Ward Baker: Directed "A Night to Remember."
14. Terence Fisher: Key figure in Hammer Horror films.
15. Frank Launder: Known for the "St Trinian's" films.
16. Alberto Cavalcanti: Directed the classic "Went the Day Well?"
17. Brian Desmond Hurst: Known for "Scrooge."
18. Ealing Studios: Renowned for their comedy films.
19. J. Arthur Rank: Influential film producer and director.
20. Thorold Dickinson: Directed "The Queen of Spades."

Topic 2: "Golden Age Directors"

"The luminaries of post-war British cinema."

1. Richard Attenborough: Directed "Gandhi" and "Chaplin."
2. John Schlesinger: Known for "Midnight Cowboy" and "Sunday Bloody Sunday."
3. Tony Richardson: Directed "Tom Jones" and "The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner."
4. Ken Loach: Known for social realism in "Kes" and "I, Daniel Blake."
5. Lindsay Anderson: Directed "If...." and "O Lucky Man!"
6. Peter Brook: Known for "Marat/Sade."
7. Bryan Forbes: Directed "The Stepford Wives."
8. Basil Dearden: Known for "Victim" and "The League of Gentlemen."
9. Jack Clayton: Directed "Room at the Top."
10. Michael Winner: Directed "Death Wish."
11. Alan Parker: Known for "Fame" and "Evita."
12. Michael Apted: Directed "Coal Miner's Daughter."
13. Nicolas Roeg: Known for "Don't Look Now" and "The Man Who Fell to Earth."
14. John Boorman: Directed "Deliverance" and "Excalibur."
15. Ridley Scott: Known for "Alien" and "Blade Runner."
16. David Puttnam: Produced "Chariots of Fire."
17. Ken Russell: Directed "Tommy" and "The Devils."
18. Derek Jarman: Known for "Blue" and "Caravaggio."
19. Mike Leigh: Known for "Secrets & Lies."
20. Stephen Frears: Directed "The Queen" and "Philomena."

Topic 3: "Modern Masters"

"Contemporary directors who have shaped today's cinema."

1. Christopher Nolan: Known for "Inception" and "The Dark Knight."
2. Danny Boyle: Directed "Slumdog Millionaire" and "Trainspotting."
3. Sam Mendes: Known for "American Beauty" and "Skyfall."
4. Steve McQueen: Directed "12 Years a Slave."
5. Edgar Wright: Known for "Shaun of the Dead" and "Baby Driver."
6. Guy Ritchie: Directed "Snatch" and "Sherlock Holmes."
7. Paul Greengrass: Known for "The Bourne Ultimatum."
8. Joe Wright: Directed "Atonement."
9. Matthew Vaughn: Known for "Kingsman: The Secret Service."
10. Lynne Ramsay: Directed "We Need to Talk About Kevin."
11. Andrea Arnold: Known for "Fish Tank."
12. Mike Newell: Directed "Four Weddings and a Funeral."
13. Richard Curtis: Known for "Love Actually."
14. Tom Hooper: Directed "The King's Speech."
15. Stephen Daldry: Known for "Billy Elliot."
16. Shane Meadows: Directed "This Is England."
17. Michael Winterbottom: Known for "24 Hour Party People."
18. Asif Kapadia: Directed "Senna."
19. Amma Asante: Known for "Belle."
20. Ben Wheatley: Directed "High-Rise."

Topic 4: "Genre Innovators"

"Directors who defined and redefined cinematic genres."

1. Terence Fisher: Hammer Horror master, known for "Dracula" and "The Curse of Frankenstein."
2. Edgar Wright: Comedy and action fusion in "Hot Fuzz" and "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World."
3. Neil Marshall: Horror and action director, known for "The Descent."
4. Danny Boyle: Diverse genres from "28 Days Later" to "Slumdog Millionaire."
5. Mike Leigh: Known for drama and social realism in films like "Secrets & Lies."
6. Ken Loach: Pioneering social realism in "Kes" and "Sorry We Missed You."
7. Ridley Scott: Sci-fi classics "Alien" and "Blade Runner."
8. James Whale: Horror icon, directed "Frankenstein" and "Bride of Frankenstein."
9. Nicolas Roeg: Known for surreal and genre-defying films like "Don't Look Now."
10. Guy Ritchie: Crime films like "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels."
11. Matthew Vaughn: Known for stylish action in "Kingsman: The Secret Service."
12. Christopher Nolan: Redefined superhero genre with "The Dark Knight" trilogy.
13. Peter Jackson: Fantasy epic "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy.
14. Richard Curtis: Romantic comedies like "Notting Hill" and "Love Actually."
15. John Landis: Horror-comedy with "An American Werewolf in London."
16. Steve McQueen: Hard-hitting dramas like "12 Years a Slave."
17. Ben Wheatley: Genre-blending films like "Sightseers."
18. Gareth Edwards: Sci-fi director, known for "Monsters" and "Rogue One."
19. Michael Reeves: Horror director, known for "Witchfinder General."
20. Joe Cornish: Sci-fi and action with "Attack the Block."

Topic 5: "Documentary Filmmakers"

"Storytellers of real-life events and social issues."

1. Asif Kapadia: Known for "Amy" and "Senna."
2. Louis Theroux: Renowned for his unique documentary style.
3. Nick Broomfield: Known for "Kurt & Courtney."
4. Kim Longinotto: Directed "Divorce Iranian Style."
5. Michael Apted: Famous for the "Up" series.
6. Adam Curtis: Known for "The Century of the Self."
7. Steve James: Directed "Hoop Dreams."
8. Penny Woolcock: Known for "Tina Goes Shopping."
9. Lucy Walker: Directed "Waste Land."
10. Joshua Oppenheimer: Known for "The Act of Killing."
11. Marc Isaacs: Directed "Lift."
12. Brian Woods: Known for "The Dying Rooms."
13. Molly Dineen: Directed "The Lie of the Land."
14. Jerry Rothwell: Known for "How to Change the World."
15. Franny Armstrong: Directed "The Age of Stupid."
16. Sophie Fiennes: Known for "The Pervert's Guide to Ideology."
17. John Akomfrah: Directed "The Nine Muses."
18. Kim Hopkins: Known for "Voices of the Sea."
19. Julien Temple: Directed "The Filth and the Fury."
20. Alison Millar: Known for "The Disappeared."

Top 100 List

1. Alfred Hitchcock (Pioneers of British Cinema)
2. David Lean (Pioneers of British Cinema)
3. Carol Reed (Pioneers of British Cinema)
4. Christopher Nolan (Modern Masters)
5. Danny Boyle (Modern Masters)
6. Sam Mendes (Modern Masters)
7. Steve McQueen (Modern Masters)
8. Edgar Wright (Modern Masters)
9. Guy Ritchie (Modern Masters)
10. Paul Greengrass (Modern Masters)
11. Joe Wright (Modern Masters)
12. Ridley Scott (Golden Age Directors)
13. Ken Loach (Golden Age Directors)
14. Richard Attenborough (Golden Age Directors)
15. John Schlesinger (Golden Age Directors)
16. Tony Richardson (Golden Age Directors)
17. Lindsay Anderson (Golden Age Directors)
18. Peter Brook (Golden Age Directors)
19. Bryan Forbes (Golden Age Directors)
20. Basil Dearden (Golden Age Directors)
21. Michael Powell (Pioneers of British Cinema)
22. Emeric Pressburger (Pioneers of British Cinema)
23. Alexander Korda (Pioneers of British Cinema)
24. Anthony Asquith (Pioneers of British Cinema)
25. Basil Dearden (Pioneers of British Cinema)
26. Robert Hamer (Pioneers of British Cinema)
27. Leslie Howard (Pioneers of British Cinema)
28. Maurice Elvey (Pioneers of British Cinema)
29. Sidney Gilliat (Pioneers of British Cinema)
30. Roy Ward Baker (Pioneers of British Cinema)
31. Terence Fisher (Genre Innovators)
32. Frank Launder (Pioneers of British Cinema)
33. Alberto Cavalcanti (Pioneers of British Cinema)
34. Brian Desmond Hurst (Pioneers of British Cinema)
35. Ealing Studios (Pioneers of British Cinema)
36. J. Arthur Rank (Pioneers of British Cinema)

Top 100 Table

Rank	Name	Topic	Tagline
1	Alfred Hitchcock	Pioneers of British Cinema	"Master of suspense, known for iconic thrillers."
2	David Lean	Pioneers of British Cinema	"Epic storyteller of 'Lawrence of Arabia.'"
3	Carol Reed	Pioneers of British Cinema	"Director of the classic 'The Third Man.'"
4	Christopher Nolan	Modern Masters	"Visionary behind 'Inception' and 'The Dark Knight' trilogy."
5	Danny Boyle	Modern Masters	"Known for 'Trainspotting' and 'Slumdog Millionaire.'"
6	Sam Mendes	Modern Masters	"Director of 'American Beauty' and 'Skyfall.'"
7	Steve McQueen	Modern Masters	"Directed the Oscar-winning '12 Years a Slave.'"
8	Edgar Wright	Modern Masters	"Comedy and action genius behind 'Shaun of the Dead.'"
9	Guy Ritchie	Modern Masters	"Stylish crime films like 'Snatch' and 'Sherlock Holmes.'"
10	Paul Greengrass	Modern Masters	"Known for 'The Bourne Ultimatum' and 'United 93.'"
11	Joe Wright	Modern Masters	"Directed 'Atonement' and 'Pride & Prejudice.'"
12	Ridley Scott	Golden Age Directors	"Sci-fi legend with 'Alien' and 'Blade Runner.'"
13	Ken Loach	Golden Age Directors	"Pioneer of social realism in 'Kes' and 'I, Daniel Blake.'"
14	Richard Attenborough	Golden Age Directors	"Known for 'Gandhi' and 'Chaplin.'"
15	John Schlesinger	Golden Age Directors	"Director of 'Midnight Cowboy.'"
16	Tony Richardson	Golden Age Directors	"Directed 'Tom Jones' and 'The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner.'"
17	Lindsay Anderson	Golden Age Directors	"Known for 'If....' and 'O Lucky Man!'"
18	Peter Brook	Golden Age Directors	"Director of 'Marat/Sade.'"
19	Bryan Forbes	Golden Age Directors	"Known for 'The Stepford Wives.'"
20	Basil Dearden	Golden Age Directors	"Directed 'Victim' and 'The League of Gentlemen.'"
21	Michael Powell	Pioneers of British Cinema	"Renowned for 'The Red Shoes.'"
22	Emeric Pressburger	Pioneers of British Cinema	"Collaborated with Powell on numerous classics."
23	Alexander Korda	Pioneers of British Cinema	"Influential producer and director in the 1930s."
24	Anthony Asquith	Pioneers of British Cinema	"Directed 'Pygmalion' and 'The Browning Version.'"
25	Basil Dearden	Pioneers of British Cinema	"Directed films addressing social issues."
26	Robert Hamer	Pioneers of British Cinema	"Known for 'Kind Hearts and Coronets.'"
27	Leslie Howard	Pioneers of British Cinema	"Directed and starred in 'Pimpernel Smith.'"
28	Maurice Elvey	Pioneers of British Cinema	"Prolific director with over 200 films."
29	Sidney Gilliat	Pioneers of British Cinema	"Known for 'Green for Danger.'"
30	Roy Ward Baker	Pioneers of British Cinema	"Directed 'A Night to Remember.'"
31	Terence Fisher	Genre Innovators	"Hammer Horror master, known for 'Dracula.'"
32	Frank Launder	Pioneers of British Cinema	"Known for the 'St Trinian's' films."
33	Alberto Cavalcanti	Pioneers of British Cinema	"Directed 'Went the Day Well?'"
34	Brian Desmond Hurst	Pioneers of British Cinema	"Directed the classic 'Scrooge.'"
35	Ealing Studios	Pioneers of British Cinema	"Renowned for their comedy films."
36	J. Arthur Rank	Pioneers of British Cinema	"Influential film producer and director."
37	Richard Curtis	Modern Masters	"Known for romantic comedies like 'Love Actually.'"
38	Matthew Vaughn	Modern Masters	"Directed 'Kingsman: The Secret Service.'"
39	Lynne Ramsay	Modern Masters	"Directed 'We Need to Talk About Kevin.'"
40	Andrea Arnold	Modern Masters	"Known for 'Fish Tank.'"
41	Mike Leigh	Genre Innovators	"Master of drama and social realism."
42	Stephen Frears	Golden Age Directors	"Directed 'The Queen' and 'Philomena.'"
43	Tom Hooper	Modern Masters	"Known for 'The King's Speech.'"
44	Shane Meadows	Modern Masters	"Directed 'This Is England.'"
45	Michael Winterbottom	Modern Masters	"Known for '24 Hour Party People.'"
46	Asif Kapadia	Documentary Filmmakers	"Known for 'Amy' and 'Senna.'"
47	Mike Newell	Modern Masters	"Directed 'Four Weddings and a Funeral.'"
48	Stephen Daldry	Modern Masters	"Directed 'Billy Elliot.'"
49	Amma Asante	Modern Masters	"Known for 'Belle.'"
50	Ben Wheatley	Modern Masters	"Directed 'High-Rise.'"
51	John Boorman	Golden Age Directors	"Directed 'Deliverance' and 'Excalibur.'"
52	Nicolas Roeg	Golden Age Directors	"Known for 'Don't Look Now.'"
53	Alan Parker	Golden Age Directors	"Known for 'Fame' and 'Evita.'"
54	Michael Apted	Golden Age Directors	"Directed 'Coal Miner's Daughter.'"
55	Derek Jarman	Golden Age Directors	"Known for 'Blue' and 'Caravaggio.'"
56	Ken Russell	Golden Age Directors	"Directed 'Tommy' and 'The Devils.'"
57	Adam Curtis	Documentary Filmmakers	"Known for 'The Century of the Self.'"
58	Louis Theroux	Documentary Filmmakers	"Renowned for his unique style."
59	Nick Broomfield	Documentary Filmmakers	"Known for 'Kurt & Courtney.'"
60	Kim Longinotto	Documentary Filmmakers	"Directed 'Divorce Iranian Style.'"
61	Peter Jackson	Genre Innovators	"Fantasy epic director of 'The Lord of the Rings.'"
62	James Whale	Genre Innovators	"Horror icon with 'Frankenstein.'"
63	Neil Marshall	Genre Innovators	"Known for 'The Descent.'"
64	Gareth Edwards	Genre Innovators	"Directed 'Monsters' and 'Rogue One.'"
65	Joshua Oppenheimer	Documentary Filmmakers	"Known for 'The Act of Killing.'"
66	Lucy Walker	Documentary Filmmakers	"Directed 'Waste Land.'"
67	Penny Woolcock	Documentary Filmmakers	"Known for 'Tina Goes Shopping.'"
68	Molly Dineen	Documentary Filmmakers	"Directed 'The Lie of the Land.'"
69	Jerry Rothwell	Documentary Filmmakers	"Known for 'How to Change the World.'"
70	Julien Temple	Documentary Filmmakers	"Directed 'The Filth and the Fury.'"
71	John Akomfrah	Documentary Filmmakers	"Known for 'The Nine Muses.'"
72	Sophie Fiennes	Documentary Filmmakers	"Directed 'The Pervert's Guide to Ideology.'"
73	Frank Launder	Pioneers of British Cinema	"Known for the 'St Trinian's' films."
74	Alberto Cavalcanti	Pioneers of British Cinema	"Directed 'Went the Day Well?'"
75	Kim Hopkins	Documentary Filmmakers	"Known for 'Voices of the Sea.'"
76	Alison Millar	Documentary Filmmakers	"Directed 'The Disappeared.'"
77	Michael Reeves	Genre Innovators	"Horror director, known for 'Witchfinder General.'"
78	Joe Cornish	Genre Innovators	"Sci-fi and action with 'Attack the Block.'"
79	Gareth Evans	Genre Innovators	"Action director known for 'The Raid' series."
80	Richard Lester	Golden Age Directors	"Known for 'A Hard Day's Night' and 'Help!'"
81	Peter Yates	Golden Age Directors	"Directed 'Bullitt' and 'The Friends of Eddie Coyle.'"
82	Charles Crichton	Golden Age Directors	"Known for 'The Lavender Hill Mob.'"
83	Tony Scott	Modern Masters	"Directed 'Top Gun' and 'True Romance.'"
84	Christopher Smith	Genre Innovators	"Known for 'Triangle' and 'Black Death.'"
85	Carol Morley	Documentary Filmmakers	"Directed 'Dreams of a Life.'"
86	Clio Barnard	Modern Masters	"Known for 'The Arbor' and 'The Selfish Giant.'"
87	Simon Curtis	Modern Masters	"Directed 'My Week with Marilyn.'"
88	James Marsh	Documentary Filmmakers	"Known for 'Man on Wire' and 'The Theory of Everything.'"
89	Joanna Hogg	Modern Masters	"Directed 'The Souvenir.'"
90	Saul Dibb	Modern Masters	"Known for 'The Duchess' and 'Suite Française.'"
91	Andrew Haigh	Modern Masters	"Directed '45 Years' and 'Weekend.'"
92	Christopher Petit	Genre Innovators	"Known for 'Radio On.'"
93	Lewis Gilbert	Golden Age Directors	"Directed 'Alfie' and several James Bond films."
94	Herbert Wilcox	Pioneers of British Cinema	"Directed numerous early British films."
95	Ronald Neame	Golden Age Directors	"Known for 'The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.'"
96	Alexander Mackendrick	Golden Age Directors	"Directed 'The Ladykillers.'"
97	Michael Radford	Modern Masters	"Directed '1984' and 'Il Postino.'"
98	Gillies MacKinnon	Modern Masters	"Known for 'Small Faces' and 'Regeneration.'"
99	Terence Davies	Modern Masters	"Directed 'The Deep Blue Sea.'"
100	John Madden	Modern Masters	"Known for 'Shakespeare in Love.'"

Images