Top 10 Movies Where Actors Directed Themselves

Top 10 Movies Where Actors Directed Themselves

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It takes a hell of an artist to understand the acting and technical sides of crafting a film. Join http://www.WatchMojo.com as we count down our picks for the Top 10 Movies Where Actors Directed Themselves. For this list, we’re looking to those films where one of the principal actors served double duty as the director or co-director.

After a train wreck like “Gigli,” many filmgoers thought of Ben Affleck as a joke and probably found it hard to believe he’d ever star in – let alone direct – even one more watchable film. But Affleck became the comeback king by directing and starring in 2010’s suspenseful, action thrill ride “The Town.” However, he solidified his place as one of this generation’s best actor/directors with 2012’s nail-bitingly tense “Argo.” Nominated for more awards that we have time to list, “Argo” didn’t rely on bullets flying left and right, instead choosing to engross the audience with the story and characters – and Affleck led the way, taking home the Best Picture Oscar for his trouble.

#9: “Easy Rider” (1969) Dennis Hopper

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Very few films represent the ‘60s counterculture movement as effectively as this low-budget success story. Taking in $60-million at the box-office on a budget of $360,000, “Easy Rider” came at a time when Hopper was on his way up in Hollywood circles – and it blasted him right to the top of the A-list. Marking an important turning point in American cinema and in the actor/director’s career, “Easy Rider” was full of the kind of believable performances that only a contemporary could elicit. Though Hopper’s directorial career never again soared to such heights, “Easy Rider” was more than enough to warrant his inclusion on this list.

#8: “Dances with Wolves” (1990) Kevin Costner

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When you star in and direct a film that’s nominated for twelve Academy Awards, including both Best Actor and Best Director, the latter of which you win, you are doing something right. On top of the impressive critical acclaim, the actor’s directorial debut cost only $22-million to make but racked up almost $425-million at the box office. Costner’s attention to detail in telling the story paid off not only at the box-office and with critics; he was also adopted as an honorary member of the Sioux Nation, proving that “Dances with Wolves” showed native culture in a positive light and succeeded on every level, more than earning its place here.

At his peak in Hollywood, Mel Gibson could do no wrong, and his sophomore effort as a director proved to be an absolute work of art. If you’re in the mood for a love story, “Braveheart”’s got it. If you want some incredibly bloody and gruesome battle scenes that don’t feel gratuitous, “Breavheart”’s got that. If you even want a few laughs, “Braveheart”’s got that too. Winning Gibson the Oscars for Best Director and Best Picture and creating his most lasting cinematic moments, “Braveheart” is an example of Gibson’s skill as an actor and a mature filmmaker.

#6: “The Great Dictator” (1940) Charlie Chaplin

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In his first full on “talkie,” Chaplin set his sights on satirized Adolf Hitler at a time when America had yet to declare war against Nazi-ruled Germany. But, despite its controversial nature, “The Great Dictator” was Chaplin’s biggest box office hit and earned the iconic comedian his only Academy Award nomination for Acting. Equally viewed as Chaplin’s most political film and one of the first significant satires, the movie is both beautifully shot and perfectly paced for its time. The film was not only a box office smash but still holds critical esteem years later, having been selected for preservation by the Library of Congress in 1997.

#5: “Do the Right Thing” (1989) Spike Lee

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In an era where a lot of society wanted to pretend the racial divide in North America was mostly a thing of the past, a young African-American filmmaker flashed a spotlight on the tensions bubbling under the surface by writing, directing and starring in “Do the Right Thing.” Playing the lead role of Mookie, a lazy pizza delivery man who deals with racism at work on a regular basis, Spike Lee gives the performance of his career – both as an actor and as a director. Ranked as the best movie of 1989 by respected film critics Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, this Spike Lee joint has arguably had as big an impact on society as any film.

Eastwood made his name in Westerns, but he stepped away from the genre for a number of years. That’s why, when he decided to once again don the cowboy hat when he was in his early-60s, people took notice. And the result was arguably one of the best films in a career that began in 1955. While Eastwood has directed and starred in other masterpieces, like “Million Dollar Baby” or “Gran Torino,” it’s “Unforgiven” that combines his many talents to build a near-perfect film. Winning Eastwood the Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Director, and earning him a nod in the Best Actor category, Eastwood’s final Western is arguably his best.

#3: “Singin’ in the Rain” (1952) Gene Kelly

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Over the years, the story of Gene Kelly having a 103°F fever when he performed the legendary dance routine has taken on epic proportions, but it goes underreported that one of the slave-driving directors in charge was Kelly himself. That extra effort paid off for the actor/director, because “Singin’ in the Rain” has gone down in history as one of the most iconic musicals – or films in general – ever produced. Co-directing and co-choreographing this marvelous film with Stanley Donen, Kelly is spectacular in the film – and we’re not just talking about the famous dance sequence.

It’s tough to say which statement is more accurate: that Woody Allen is an actor who directs or a director who acts. Allen’s directorial career began in 1966 and now includes many acclaimed films, like “Sleeper” or “Manhattan,” which feature the awkward comedian as the lead. But “Annie Hall” is almost universally regarded as his seminal work. Winning the Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director, and securing Allen a nod for Best Actor, this film is intelligent without being self-important. Influencing everything from fashion to the perception of therapy, “Annie Hall”‘s place in film history is indisputable, and that’s all down to its director/co-writer and star, Woody Allen. Before we reveal our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions: - “Life Is Beautiful” (1997) Roberto Benigni - “Little Man Tate” (1991) Jodie Foster - “Chef” (2014) Jon Favreau - “Sling Blade” (1996) Billy Bob Thornton - “Tropic Thunder” (2008) Ben Stiller - “Way of the Dragon” (1972) Bruce Lee

“Citizen Kane” is consistently listed among the best films ever made, and while that may leave the uninitiated scratching their heads, we can assure you there are very good reasons for its reputation. If you the view the film within the context of the time in which it was crafted, you realize that it used all of the effects and tricks filmmakers had in their arsenal and revolutionized them to bring us a truly groundbreaking film. But “Citizen Kane” truly would’ve been nowhere without Orson Welles; the director, producer, chief actor and co-writer brought the thinly veiled story of a media baron to life in more ways than one, and changed Hollywood pictures in the process. Do you agree with our list? What’s your favorite movie where actors directed themselves? For more film Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.