A copy of this valuable book is destined to find its way into the home of every true movie fan, cinema scholar, and film critic. It's a chronological compendium that profiles the 501 most important film directors of all time. Entries--augmented with a photo of each director plus movie stills from his or her films--describe such major figures as Sergei Eisenstein, Martin Scorsese, Alfred Hitchcock, Fritz Lang, Leni Riefenstahl, Orson Welles, Federico Fellini, Steven Spielberg, Robert Altman, and many, many others. Written by an expert team of film critics and historians, this book was compiled under the direction of editor Steven J. Schneider, who's 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die has sold a half-million copies worldwide to date. Readers will learn-- Why D. W. Griffith is called the father of filmmaking The details surrounding Martin Scorsese's fascination with New York The truth about Alfred Hitchcock's stunning blondes . . . and much more All filmmakers receive at least a one-page entry, which includes discussion of their work and influences, their complete filmography, and listing of awards they have received. Seventy-five directors of special importance are profiled in larger entries--two-page spreads--while 15 internationally acknowledged master directors are discussed and examined in two double-page spreads. Here is a comprehensive survey of the creative imaginations behind more than a hundred years of filmmaking. It's a wonderful book for browsing, for reference, and for gaining insights into the personalities who directed the most memorable movies ever made.