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Stanley Kubrick - Stanley Kubrick did not have a reputation for being easy to work with, but he was doubtless one of the greatest visionaries of 20th-century cinema. His bizarre classics such as 'A Clockwork Orange' and '2001: A Space Odyssey' have become cultural references, and he is still considered one of the best filmmakers of all time.

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'Fear and Desire' (1953) -

However, it's not surprising that his first film, released in 1953, was also his worst. 'Fear and Desire' was a very low-budget war film that he convinced his father and uncle to help finance. Kubrick was known as a pathological perfectionist, and was not pleased with his first foray into filmmaking. He later referred to it as a "bumbling amateur film exercise," and it's rumored he tried to have copies of the film destroyed.

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The Coen Brothers -

Joel and Ethan Coen are a writing/directing duo made in heaven. The brothers have produced countless cult classics and box-office hits such as 'The Big Lebowski,' 'No Country For Old Men,' and 'Fargo.'

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'The Ladykillers' (2004) -

Unfortunately, their 2004 remake of 'The Ladykillers' was not as well received as their other dark comedies. This was the one and only time that Tom Hanks worked with the Coen Brothers, and despite great talent on both sides of the camera, it just didn't work.

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Spike Lee -

Spike Lee is a director who has won Oscars, Emmys, BAFTAs, and who has even been honored at Cannes. He won the Oscar for Best Writing for his 2018 film 'BlacKkKlansman.'

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'Miracle at St. Anna' (2008) -

But in 2008 the legendary director decided to make a war movie that defied cinematic norms. It may have done that, but what critics noticed most was that Lee just did too much. The movie was excessive in terms of its length and self-indulgence.

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Steven Spielberg -

Steven Spielberg is an Oscar, Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Emmy-winning director, best known for his fantastic cinematic spectacles like 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial' and 'Jaws.'

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'1941' (1979) -

But shortly after 'Jaws' and 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' had taken the world by storm, Spielberg decided to try his hand at comedy. He produced the World War II spoof '1941' starring Jim Belushi, but sadly it was lacking in laughs. Needless to say, he made a pretty good comeback after that!

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James Cameron -

James Cameron is known for his epic productions, such as 'Avatar,' the original 'Terminator' movies, and 'Titanic,' the latter of which earned him three Oscars.

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'Piranha II: The Spawning' (1981) -

Yes, a film titled 'Piranha II: The Spawning' was Cameron's debut as a young director, and it was a notoriously difficult experience. Cameron had no control over the final cut, and the resulting fragmented shambles of a movie was torn apart by critics. Despite its clear shortcomings, Cameron claims that it's "the best flying piranha movie ever made." He may be correct!

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Martin Scorsese -

For decades, Martin Scorsese has had a reputation as a master craftsman in the world of cinema. His masterpieces, such as 'Goodfellas,' 'Taxi,' and, more recently, 'The Irishman,' and 'Killers of the Flower Moon,' exemplify his exceptional talent for portraying the darker, more violent side of American culture.

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'Boxcar Bertha' (1972) -

Before his rise to greatness, however, Scorsese did a few collaborations with B-movie director Roger Corman, who is known as "The Pope of Pop Cinema." 'Boxcar Bertha' was one of their creations. Critics described it as a 'Bonnie and Clyde' knock-off.

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The Wachowski Sisters - The Wachowski Sisters are another iconic directing team responsible for one of the most significant sci-fi franchises of all time. 'The Matrix' shows such incredible imagination and talent for executing the impossible.

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'Jupiter Ascending' (2015) -

'Jupiter Ascending' was similarly ambitious and fantastical when compared to their other films, but critics deemed it an ambitious misfire. The leads played by Channing Tatum and Mila Kunis weren't compelling enough, while the story was overwhelmed by too many characters and incoherent dialogue.

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Quentin Tarantino -

Quentin Tarantino is the king of the cult classic. His greatest '90s successes like 'Pulp Fiction' and 'Reservoir Dogs' perfectly exemplify his dark sense of humor and extreme directorial style.

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'The Hateful Eight' (2015) -

While Tarantino has a few questionable productions to his name, like 'Death Proof' and 'From Dusk Til Dawn,' 'The Hateful Eight' is the worst of the "pure Tarantino" feature films. It's his most violent and pessimistic movie. The fantastic setting and actors worked against the grim narrative in this case, lacking the usual flare that ties such Tarantino films together.

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Alfred Hitchcock - Alfred Hitchcock is considered the master of horror and suspense. He terrified generations during his lengthy career, and is still revered as one of the great masters to this day.

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'Under Capricorn' (1949) -

That being said, he did make the occasional blunder. 'Under Capricorn' was a movie that Hitchcock produced independently, in what many believed was an attempt to seduce the star, Ingrid Bergman. Both his personal and professional endeavors failed in this case! The movie nearly bankrupted his production company.

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Guillermo del Toro -

Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro is known for his fantastically dark fairytales, such as 'Pan's Labyrinth' and 'The Shape of Water.'

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'Blade II' (2002) -

Del Toro also took on the directing role in the 'Blade' sequel. It wasn't one of his personal creations and he directed as best he could with the script he was given, but the result was a typical sci-fi blockbuster lacking his trademark style.

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David Fincher -

David Fincher is the genius behind a generation of great thrillers like 'Fight Club,' 'The Social Network,' and 2021's 'Mank,' which is a one of the favorites for the upcoming Oscars.

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'Alien 3' (1992) -

But in 1992, Fincher took on the third film in the 'Alien' franchise. While critics said he successfully created a sense of dread, overall it was a shallow movie lacking the excitement of the first two.

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Peter Jackson -

Peter Jackson is responsible for one of the most epic film series of all time: 'The Lord of the Rings.' He continued the franchise with 'The Hobbit' series, and also directed the 2005 hit 'King Kong.'

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'The Lovely Bones' (2009) -

With all that in mind, 'The Lovely Bones' was an odd choice for the director. This sad mystery sees Saoirse Ronan playing the ghost of a murdered teen, watching over her family as they try to find her killer. It wasn't a big hit with critics or the box office, but Jackson said it was nice to try something different!

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Tim Burton -

Tim Burton's iconic quirky and macabre movies make his one of the most distinctive styles in Hollywood. His hits like 'The Nightmare Before Christmas,' 'Beetlejuice,' and 'Edward Scissorhands' earned him a cult following and the respect of critics.

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'Dark Shadows' (2012) -

On the other hand, 'Dark Shadows' was an unexpected flop for Burton. He had a dark storyline to work with and his star Johnny Depp, but the movie failed to settle on a tone, and the humor was a little off. Unfortunately, it just failed to come together in the way his films usually do.

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David Lynch -

David Lynch has such a distinct style that the term 'Lynchian' came into being to describe cinema with his surrealist, dream-like style. He is well known for his hit TV show 'Twin Peaks' as well as many epic films such as 'The Elephant Man' and 'Mulholland Drive.'

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'Dune' (1984) -

But in 1984 he took on the mammoth task of creating the first film adaption of Frank Herbert's epic sci-fi novel 'Dune.' By all accounts, he failed to bring the story to life. The screenplay was exceptionally confusing and difficult to follow.

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Werner Herzog -

Werner Herzog is a German director attributed with a significant role in the post-war West German cinema movement. His incomparable features show humans at psychological extremes, whether through drama or in his many documentaries.

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'Queen of the Desert' (2015) -

But critics were baffled by his 2015 film 'Queen of the Desert,' a Gertrude Bell biopic starring Nicole Kidman. The movie was deemed pretty but dull, never really getting to the point of Gertrude Bell's extraordinary career.

Sources: (Looper) (Cinema Blend)  (Business Insider)

See also: Movies with terrible moral lessons

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