The Five Craziest Directors In Film History (Also Happen To Be The Most Talented)

We've all seen their movies. We know the beautiful camera shots, the pans, the actors struggling to find just the right amount of emotion, but what we don't know is the amount of crazy that went into such a film. Directors see the whole movie through from start to finish, which, yes, of course, usually leads them to be major control freaks. But these directors were more than controlling, they were obsessed with their films, which makes them the most talented bastards in all of Hollywood.

5. Quentin Tarantino

Like most of the directors on this list, Tarantino writes and directs all of his own films. Making him a weird hybrid of uber control monster and perfectionist seeker. However, this so called "monster" creates some of the best work seen in pop culture to date. Everything from Pulp Fiction to Inglourious Basterds is filled with gore, violence, and the f-bomb. Tarantino makes sure that none of his actors forgets any one of their scripted obscenities. And you know how the man got so good at what he does? As a kid, Tarantino would sneak out of school to watch spaghetti westerns and samurai flicks at the local cineplex. If only children today skipped classes to go watch violent movies in a dark, creepy theater during the day. Maybe then they'd win an Oscar.

Who won an Oscar for re-writing history. This guy.

4. David Lynch

Like all great writer/directors, Lynch is obsessed with every aspect of his films. From the amount of steps Laura Dern takes in Inland Empire to the lingerie of Isabella Rosselini in Blue Velvet, Lynch controls it all. If his crew doesn't get it right, instead of getting mad, Lynch goes ahead and does it himself. For example, the black and white optical illusion-esque floor in Twin Peaks wasn't giving quite the effect he wanted. So instead of yelling at his assistant (who's fault I'm sure it was), Lynch uprooted each piece of tile and rebuilt it himself. How can such an artist remain so calm you ask? Lynch credits his placid controlling nature to transcendental meditation. He even requires everyone on the cast and crew to join him twice a day to meditate. It must be that or the two packs of cigarettes he goes through each day. Either way, Lynch has created some crazy good films, and if you think they're too weird, you should check out his art.

This one is called, "Boy Lights Fire". If you want a real stomach turner, check out "Rat Meat Bird".

3. Francis Ford Coppola

Probably best known for the Godfather series, Coppola is just as crazy as the rest of them. Controlling and even a little reckless, Coppola's best insane anecdote happens to be about Apocalypse Now. While shooting the film on location in the Philippines, Martin Sheen, the leading actor (besides Brando, of course) became very ill. Suffering from a high fever and other ailments, the on set doctor told Coppola that Sheen needed to get to a hospital or that he might die. And what did Coppola do? Nothing. He let Sheen tough it out, in the wilderness with no medicine or anything. Was it to get a better performance out of Sheen or just a cheap way to not travel back and forth to the states? Who knows? In the end, Sheen's performance is enthralling, and Coppola was even nominated for best director and best film.

That's the face of a man who's looked into the eyes of death in the middle of the jungle.

2. Stanley Kubrick

Kubrick's obsessive, controlling behavior is pretty infamous throughout Hollywood. There are almost too many stories to tell, but I'll give you a one to chew on. The Shining is probably the best example of Kubrick's methodical madness. Not only was the film a crazy run amok of plot lines, but his perfectionism grounded the movie in cinematic lore. The blood elevator scene, luckily enough, only took three takes to get the Kubrick seal of approval. However, because the elevator scene took six months to set up, the single shot took a year and a half. Other scenes were not so lucky. Kubrick has the record for most takes in film history for this movie. The scene where Shelley Duval is slowly walking away from Jack Nicholson up the stairs after realizing he's going crazy took 127 times to get right. Some sources disagree on the amount of takes it took; however, what is true is the toll it took on poor Shelley Duval. After getting yelled at again and again by Kubrick, Duval claims that out of fear and anxiety her hair began to fall out. Kubrick stated that his verbal abuse of Duval was to create an unforgettable performance of a woman scared to death. Whether it was acting or true fear of the man behind the camera, the world may never know.

"Please don't verbally bitch slap me again, Mr. Kubrick. I promise to get it right this time."

1. Alfred Hitchcock

Last but certainly not least, the master of suspense is the number one craziest director of all time. While his films are a large part of the cinematic canon, Hitchcock's obsession with his leading ladies is what lands him on this list. He was controlling from everything they wore and said on screen and even off. Most notably, his obsessive love for Vera Miles and Tippi Hedren are what make him so creepy. After having cast Miles in an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, he slowly became obsessed with her. He gave her advice on her career and promised to make her into a star. Hitchcock originally cast her as Madeline in Vertigo, however, she had to drop out due to her first pregnancy. Hitchcock was so angry at her for "betraying" him for her child, he refused to work with her again until Psycho. Even after the success of that film, he wouldn't cast her again until 1965 in a few more episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents. Since he couldn't rule over her life, he turned to the up and coming career of Tippi Hedren. He casted her in The Birds and tortured her, literally, with birds. In one scene, they tied a bunch of crows to her clothing which caused the birds to nip at her. Most of the cuts on her face in the film are real. To add to the creepiness of the whole thing, Hitchcock gave Hedren's daughter (actress Melanie Griffith) a doll that looked just like her mother after rapping. They went on to do Marnie together, but after that, Hitchcock dropped her for different leading ladies. Up until his death, after filming Family Plot, Hitchcock ruled over the career and lives of his leading ladies and became obsessed with each and every one of them. If that's not creepily crazy, I don't know what is.

Only Hitchcock could get away with a deadly shower scene.