Greatest Directorial Debuts

by Helen Earnshaw | 8 November 2013

Hunger

When a special directorial debut comes along is make you sit up and get excited by the new talent behind the camera.

Over the years we have see some directors make some terrific breakthroughs with their first movies. We take a look at the directors who got everyone talking with their debut movies.

- Citizen Kane - Orson Welles

Citizen Kane is widely regarded as one of the best movies of all time as Orsen Welles took up the director's chair for the first time in 1941.

Working with cinematographer Gregg Toland, Welles created a truly beautiful looking movies.

The craftsmanship that has gone into each and every frame is just stunning as the director mixes different textures and uses light just perfectly; the craftsmanship alone is worthy of all of the praise that has come this film's way over the years.

On top of all of that Citizen Kane is an engaging and fascinating story that captures and holds your attention from start to finish.

Welles may have been making his debut, but he delivers ever moment with such confidence and assurance.

- Badlands - Terrence Malick

Terrence Malick is one of the maverick filmmakers of Hollywood, making only the movies he wants to make and not working all that frequently.

1973 saw him make his directorial debut with Badlands; the script was written by Malick and was loosely based on the real-life murder spree of Charles Starkweather and his girlfriend.

This is a masterful debut from Malick, and really did give us an insight into what kind of director he was going to become - he really has made some wonderful movies over the years.

This may be a film that tackles a rather dark subject, and yet it is a beautiful movie. Malick is famed from capturing landscape images in his movies, and this is where it all began.

He also gets the best out of Bruce Greenwood and Sissy Spacek, as they deliver terrific performances.

- Night of the Living Dead - George A. Romero

George A. Romero is one of the greatest horror director's and it was in the horror genre where he kicked off his directing career.

It was back in 1968 when Night of the Living Dead hit the big screen for the first time; it was a film that saw Romero direct, write, edit and appear in.

Night of the Living Dead really did set the template for the all of the zombie movies that have followed over the years... this is the original and it remains the best.

Romero almost redefined the meaning of horror and over forty years later it is a movie that is still absolutely terrifying.

From start to finish this movie is intense, gory and chilling and is one of the few horror movies that actually changed the genre.

- The Maltese Falcon - John Huston

John Huston has been behind movies such as The Treasure of Sierra Madre and The African Queen during his career, but The Maltese Falcon is where it all began.

The movie hit the big screen in 1941 and saw Huston team up with actor Humphrey Bogart for the first time.

The Maltese Falcon is dark, complicated and intelligent filmmaking of the highest order; this really is a classic noir film.

This is a film that is morally complex, suspenseful and actually quite grim - they really do not make them like this anymore.

Huston gets the tone spot on is widely regarded one of the best film noir movies of all time. It really is hard to believe that this was Huston's directorial debut.

- Hunger - Steve McQueen

In recent years there have only been one of two first time filmmakers who have truly stood out... but Steve McQueen bucked that trend and is one of the most exciting filmmakers around.

Everyone may be talking about his new film 12 Years A Slave, but it was his debut Hunger that really grabbed everyone's attention.

Released in 2008, Hunger told the story of Irish republican Bobby Sands, who led the inmates of a Northern Irish prison in a hunger strike.

Hunger really is one of the best directorial debuts in recent years as McQueen delivers a grim and gritty movie that will stay with you long after the credits have rolled.

Michael Fassbender delivers a terrific central performance Bobby Sands, as he kicks off an fantastic actor/director partnership with McQueen.

Hunger is provocative and through provoking, but it really is a very tough watch.

- Reservoir Dogs - Quentin Tarantino

Back in January Reservoir Dogs celebrating its twentieth anniversary, and yet it remains one of the best crime/thrillers in recent years.

The movie introduced us to Quentin Tarantino for the first time, as he brought together a terrific cast in what is now an iconic movie.

The movie gave audiences a first look at the nonlinear storylines and stylistically excessive violence that he is now so famous.

Gangster movies are usually all about the action and the heists but Tarantino had a very different viewpoint as he never shows the diamond theft that this movie hinges on.

Instead this is very much a character based movie that tests the loyalty that lies between group of criminals and the decisions that got them to this place.

Reservoir Dogs is funny and violent and is widely regarded as one of the best independent movies of all time.

- District 9 - Neill Blomkamp

But if you are looking for a directorial debut in the last decade that is head and shoulder above the rest, look no further than District 9.

Released in 2009 the sci-fi film introduced us to the directing talents of Neill Blomkamp.

The one thing that can be said about District 9 is it is a true original and, in that respect, can be likened to E.T and Alien.

This movie has relentless pace as Blomkamp mixes sci-fi with action, comedy, political intrigue but it is very human at it's core, and that is thanks to a great lead performance from Sharlto Copley, around whom the whole movie pivots.

Blomkamp mixes in a real message of racial prejudice and how we all judge on appearance without looking beyond what we see and that makes the movie pack a further punch.

On top of all of that District 9 just looks fantastic - the spaceship looking over Johannesburg is just an incredible image.