ONE SHOT DIRECTORS

[RCMerchant]

Directors who made only one good movie.
They could have made lots of movies! But only one or two are any good.

For example- Tobe Hooper.
The TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE (1974) was Tobe Hoppers 2nd film. And it's a classic. Then he did EATEN ALIVE (1976) which was fantastic just because of Neville Brand, Robert Englund, and William Findlay. And of course Marilyn Burns- who was the only survivor of the TCM!
But after that- wtf? He lost his grit. They say he did POLTERGIEST, but that looks like Spielberg. After that- well, Texas Chainsaw II was gory enough! But he really only did 2 good movies. And the second wasn't because of him, it was good because the actors saved it.

[Trevor]

James William Guercio who made Electra Glide In Blue.

[Allhallowsday]

CHARLES LAUGHTON directed one movie : THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER (1955) which is a masterpiece. 

[RCMerchant]

James William Guercio who made Electra Glide In Blue.

Yer right. Whatever happened to that guy, I wonder.
Dammit- now I'm gonna have to look it up!

[RCMerchant]

CHARLES LAUGHTON directed one movie : THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER (1955) which is a masterpiece.  

Ain't no doubt about that. I wonder why he never did more? So much talent.

[Trevor]

James William Guercio who made Electra Glide In Blue.

Yer right. Whatever happened to that guy, I wonder.
Dammit- now I'm gonna have to look it up!

He went into the music biz, I think, Ronny.

[LilCerberus]

Saul Bass & Phase IV (1974)
Best known as a title designer & advertising logos, I understand he didn't have a say in what it would get edited into...

[Allhallowsday]

CHARLES LAUGHTON directed one movie : THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER (1955) which is a masterpiece.  

Ain't no doubt about that. I wonder why he never did more? So much talent.

The film was a box office flop and ahead of its time (meaning many just didn't get it or its "corny" affectations - think silent movies).  CHARLES LAUGHTON was not given another opportunity to direct and died in 1962.

[zombie no.one]

this may be a contoversial choice but LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT is the only movie by Wes Craven that I like.

I get that he made some fairly original and even iconic movies (ELM ST, HILLS HAVE EYES). I just don't like them.

SCREAM gets way too much credit for apparently re-inventing the horror genre. there were 'self-aware' horrors that knowingly poked fun at the genre conventions way before that (and RETURN TO HORROR HIGH does it with a  sharper edge  imo)

[bob]

Irvin Yeaworth - The Blob (1958)

[RCMerchant]

Saul Bass & Phase IV (1974)
Best known as a title designer & advertising logos, I understand he didn't have a say in what it would get edited into...

I saw that at the theater!

[claws]

Directors who made only one good movie.
They could have made lots of movies! But only one or two are any good.

For example- Tobe Hooper.
The TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE (1974) was Tobe Hoppers 2nd film. And it's a classic. Then he did EATEN ALIVE (1976) which was fantastic just because of Neville Brand, Robert Englund, and William Findlay. And of course Marilyn Burns- who was the only survivor of the TCM!
But after that- wtf? He lost his grit. They say he did POLTERGIEST, but that looks like Spielberg. After that- well, Texas Chainsaw II was gory enough! But he really only did 2 good movies. And the second wasn't because of him, it was good because the actors saved it.

I'd say Lifeforce (1985) was great, not counting Poltergeist since it is unclear who directed it. Salem's Lot (1979) was made for TV but I'd still rate it 4.5/5 (Excellent).

1. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) 5/5 (Perfect)
2. Lifeforce (1985) 4/5 (Great)
3. The Funhouse (1981) 3.5/5 (Very Good)
4. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986) 3/5 (Good)
5. Invaders from Mars (1986) 3/5 (Good)
6. Eaten Alive (1976) 3/5 (Good)
7. Toolbox Murders (2004) 3/5 (Good)
8. Spontaneous Combustion (1990) 2.5/5 (Flawed but Worthy)
9. The Mangler (1995) 2/5 (Fair)
10. Mortuary (2005) 1.5/5 (Barely Sufficient)

Director Roger Christian made The Sender (1982), an excellent psychological horror / thriller and one of the most overlooked horror movies of the 80s (Tarantino is a huge fan of The Sender). After that Christian only made turds. His most famous being Battlefield Earth (2000)

[pacman000]

I've assumed for years now that Hooper directed Poltergeist, but Spielberg supervised pre & post production, & that Spielberg had the ability to watch dailies & instruct Hooper on what to film next. I assume it was Spielberg's project, & he just needed a director to handle the day-to-day stuff, like an old-Hollywood producer-centric movies.

[zombie no.one]

dare I say Spielberg?

looking at his filmography, and JAWS is the only one I'd intentionally want to watch again (even though I've seen it 1053 times). JURASSIC PARK was good in the cinema when it came out but I've never felt the need to rewatch it... DUEL I saw again recently and although my memory of it was great, the way Denis Weaver keeps giving himself pep-talks is silly...

[kornula]

dare I say Spielberg?

looking at his filmography, and JAWS is the only one I'd intentionally want to watch again (even though I've seen it 1053 times). JURASSIC PARK was good in the cinema when it came out but I've never felt the need to rewatch it... DUEL I saw again recently and although my memory of it was great, the way Denis Weaver keeps giving himself pep-talks is silly...

I would almost agree with you. I do believe JAWS is a nearly flawless film. however, I also think RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARC IS just a teeny bit better...and still fun to watch on the big screen.  oh..and SCHINDLERS LIST is amazing.. though I don't want to watch it again.. only because I'd be drained emotionaly for a month afterwards.