Interestingly working from an ensemble cast 'pool' is something a lot of the directors mentioned in this thread do, or at least they have favourite cast members they work with time and time again.

It's most marked in both Wright and Smith's work, where their back catalogue generally sticks to a certain style and and uses the same actors.

It's not necessarily a bad thing, Mike Leigh is hugely critically acclaimed and has worked with a number of the same actors in different films and has a very set style.

It would be nice to see Edgar branch out, but I think it's more important to show progression in terms of quality. Who knows he could be an auteur... one day.

Oh, and I forgot to say, Ridley Scott?

You sure you're talking about Edgar here?
See: Chasing Amy/Dogma or Clerks/Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back/Clerks II.

Edgar for me, but I think he should have been put up against a different director.

It's a criticism that can be levelled at both directors, but whether it's a bad thing is subjective.

Like I said he has the potential to be one of the all time great British directors but I do agree with you that in his huge two movie career he has used similar style and substance but I can't think of a single contemporary Brit director that has shown the promise of Mr Wright. still really drunk and surprised at the coherence


Shit.

And Zoe wins the thread!

I'm a bit drunk too.

I'm drunk enough to consider sharking on the drunk girl. I'm actually too drunk to do anything

edit: I'm now drunk enough to be scared that I've frightened Zoe whilst only trying to drunkenly flirt, this is how so many problems have started in my life.

Well, his last film was. But most of them are quite good indeed.

That's what I wanted to say exactly. Thanks for being more articulate than me.

He was at one point, but his last few films have been underwhelming. Still a great director in technical terms, he just needs a decent story to actually tell. I'm hopeful about American Gangster.

I also agree that working with the same people over and over again is neither good or bad. Loads of great directors have made great films by working with people they know because they know that they can work with them. I personally hope that Pegg/Wright/Frost do what Simon said they would do in an interview and make their next film a really dark one like Nil By Mouth.

Nobody ever mentions Tony Scott.

The problem with this debate is that it's still too early to tell with Edgar.



I like that in a woman...

Edgar, obviously. After all, look at the forum we're all members of!

Feel the love.
dolfyn.