Monday, October 21, 2013

Top 10 Director Cameos in Their Own Films

There’s something so pleasing about a director showing up briefly in his or her own work. Some of the cameos below are subtle, self-reflexive nods to the filmmakers themselves, while others are deeply unsettling highlights from the films in general. Hope you enjoy my picks, and be sure to tell me your favorites!

(Note: I’m not entirely sure what technically constitutes a cameo, but I’ve always felt that Quentin Tarantino delivered genuine supporting performances in Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction. So there’s that.)


10. Spike Lee – Red Hook Summer (2012)

Spike Lee is no stranger to acting in his films. He’s taken on larger roles in earlier films like School Daze, Do the Right Thing and Malcolm X, while limiting his appearances to cameo roles in his later work. And while I love his Crooklyn crackhead, his Clockers boozehound and his Summer of Sam reporter, there is a certain charm to watching him reprise is role as Mookie in Red Hook Summer. Sure, I wish Lee would’ve given himself more to do in the film, but it’s a fun gag all the same.

9. Steven Soderbergh – Full Frontal (2002)

Soderbergh really wanted a famous film director to play the director of the movie within the movie (within the movie) in Full Frontal. His first choice didn’t pan out, so he was forced to cast himself. He wasn’t happy with the decision, which is why he put a giant black box over his own face. Really, is there another filmmaker alive so willing to deny credit?

8. David Lynch – Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (1992)

I’m not entirely sure what the hell is going on during the first few scenes of Fire Walk With Me. Chris Isaak arrests passengers of a school bus, Isaak and Kiefer Sutherland receive clues from an odd-looking dancer in red, David Bowie shows up, a small person dances in the background, and David Lynch is screaming orders the entire time. It’s… perfect.

7. Francis Ford Coppola – Apocalypse Now (1979)

Francis Ford Coppola playing a demanding filmmaker, barking orders at soldiers as they run by. That’s art imitating life, clear as it has ever been.

6. Oliver Stone – Nixon (1995)

A trader in Wall Street, film professor in The Doors, sports announcer in Any Given Sunday – all brief and convincing cameos from Oliver Stone. But my favorite Stone cameo is a bit of a cheat. During the epilogue of Nixon, we see documentary footage of all the living Presidents attending a dedication for Richard Nixon. Throughout the scene, Stone narrates the footage with complete neutrality. There’s nothing in his voice – both in tone or dialogue – that suggests a personal political stance. He’s relaying the facts with the upmost bipartisanship. Which is certainly a rarity for Oliver Stone.

5. Richard Linklater – Slacker (1991)

One of my favorite segments in Slacker is the first one, in which Richard Linklater sits in the back of a cab, verbally contemplating the possibilities of multiple existences. Or something. I’d be lying if I said I fully understood everything Linklater’s character was talking about here. In fact, I’m not sure he does either. Which sets a proper tone for everything that follows.

4. David Cronenberg – The Fly (1986)

Why does it feel so appropriate that David Cronenberg plays a gynecologist that delivers a giant maggot from Genna Davis’ womb? I’m not too sure, but boy does it ever.

3. Martin Scorsese – Taxi Driver (1976)

When I think of Martin Scorsese, plenty of things come to mind, none of which is a menacing figure. That’s what makes his role in Taxi Driver so powerful. Shielded by a thick beard and a dark suit, Scorsese plays a disgruntled husband to haunting perfection. He’s so on edge, making it impossible to predict what he’s going to do next.  

2. Roman Polanski – Chinatown (1974)

“You’re a very nosy fella, kitty cat, huh? You know what happens to nosy fellas? Huh? No. Wanna guess? No. Okay.”

1. Alfred Hitchcock – in everything

Nothing pleases a cinephile’s heart quite like a well-timed Hitchcock cameo. There he is in a newspaper ad in Lifeboat, drinking champagne in Notorious, walking in silhouette in I Confess, missing a bus in North by Northwest, walking his dogs in The Birds, and on and on.

If forced to choose, I suppose my favorite is Cary Grant sitting on a bus and looking over to reveal a straight faced Hitchcock in To Catch a Thief. It’s so silly and fitting.

A Few More I Love
Mel Brooks – Blazing Saddles
Wes Craven – Scream
Jean-Luc Godard – Breathless
John Huston – The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
Todd Phillips – Old School
Michael Powell – Peeping Tom
Sam Raimi – Evil Dead 2
Harold Ramis – Groundhog Day 

36 comments:

  1. Ah... for me. It is David Cronenberg in The Fly. Who better to do that scene in their own film. And kudos for not including Quentin Tarantino since his cameos don't really count.

    I think Stanley Kubrick did a cameo in Eyes Wide Shut somewhere in the third act w/ his wife in a scene where Tom Cruise is in a bar or restaurant. I don't remember.

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    1. I don't mind QT's performances as much as other people, but I don't think he's one of the best, you know? Never noticed Kubrick in Eyes Wide Shut. I need to watch that again and look closer.

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  2. Cool list. Hitchcock's so awesome, man. And such a great face too.

    There are a number of Indian directors who do this in their films. I think one in particular, Subhash Ghai, probably has done as many cameos as Hitch.

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    1. Thanks! Hitch really was the cameo king. His face was so damn priceless. None other like it.

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  3. Definitely Polanski for me. That role is so damn memorable, cameo or no! Big fan of Wes Craven as Freddy-janitor in Scream as well, as you mention in your "A Few More I Love"

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    1. I didn't know that was Craven in Scream for the longest time. His voice is completely different! A great cameo though.

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  5. Aw man I was 100% certain Terrence Malick in Badlands would be on here :/ I also love Fassbinder's cameos with my favorite being in Lilli Marleen. It's a combination of it being one of his last movies, the character being built up so much, and how much fun he looks like he's having that makes it so great!

    -Dan

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    1. I think I like the idea of Malick in Badlands more than I like Malick in Badlands. It's cool that he's there, but he doesn't do anything particularly memorable, you know?

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    2. I get what you mean and alot of my affection towards it has to do with his reclusive lifestyle. For some reason his scene always makes me chuckle. I'd like to see you do a top 10 list of performances from directors in other director's films. (Ex: Orson Welles in The Third Man, John Cassavetes in Rosemary's Baby, etc.)

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    3. I was thinking about doing one of those lists. So many choices though. Maybe I'll just limit it to cameos...?

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    4. That would be cool. Or you could do an expansion of this list and do a top 10 performances from directors in their own films.

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    5. All good ideas. I have my work cut out for me!

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  6. Quentin Tarantino...Pulp Fiction..:)..

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    1. Love him in that, but that's a straight up supporting role. A step above a cameo. Word?

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    2. Oh..so that's why!!..I was wondering how u could miss it!!....I'm not a native speaker of English and my vocabulary is not so strong..:)..you are right about the word cameo!! I just googled it..:)

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    3. It's all good man! One of those words that's hard to define. I always appreciate you stopping by :)

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  7. Haha good old Alfred Hitchock. My favourite cameo of his is in the movie Frenzy. He's in the middle of a hysterical crowd. Always makes me laugh :)

    I loved Polanski's little stint in Chinatown!

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    1. Old Hitch was in such bad shape during that Frenzy cameo. He just looks so... big, you know? But still, I love it all the same!

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  8. Yes, Lynch in Fire Walk With Me. Weirdly random, and somehow it works. Also, I would pick Tarantino in Reservoir Dogs, the way his character talks about Like A Virgin, total win. Great list, as always!

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    1. I love QT in Res Dogs, but I guess I always thought that was a supporting performance, rather than a cameo. I don't think a cameo can show up for more than one scene, right? But either way, QT rocks in that flick.

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  9. Quentin Tarantino in Pulp Fiction immediately came to mind. Great list! I don't mind director cameos when they are done well. M Night Shaymalan's cameos in his movies drive me nuts.

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    1. Thanks! I liked some of Shaymalan's. I actually thought he delivered some emotive stuff in Signs, and I liked his brief stints in The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable. The Village and Lady in the Water... stupid.

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  10. Never knew Mookie popped up in another of Lee's films. Haven't even come across that film at all. Might have to find it sometime! I think I'd personally say QT in Pulp Fiction was a cameo but the less said about him popping up in Django, the better.

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    1. Yeah, that Django cameo was rather unnecessary. I didn't hate it as much as other people, but it was a distraction.

      Red Hook Summer isn't a very good film, but it has its strong and amusing moments. Should be on Netflix Instant.

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  11. Completely agree with your top 3 picks (and on QT's performances). Most of mine appear on here, like Coppola, Cronenberg, Craven and Huston.

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    1. Nice man. Polanski is so perfect in that role. That's how you do a damn cameo. Creepy little bugger.

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  12. I was wondering if you were going to include Scorsese's in Taxi Driver, it was the first one that came to my mind! How have I never noticed Coppola in Apocalypse Now...

    Awesome list as usual Alex, gotta love director cameos. I linked this list on one of posts, hope that's okay!

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    1. Thanks Maria! Glad you like the list :)

      Of course it's okay that you linked it. I REALLY appreciate that!

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  13. Scorsese is a beast in Taxi Driver, I wish he acted more, he's downright chilling. Great list here man, dig Cronenberg on here, really great cameo and a fellow Canuck!

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    1. Sooo chilling in that movie. Old Marty has clocked a few solid cameos in his day, for sure. I love him in Redford's Quiz Show.

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    2. Yes! I was going to mention his cameo in The King of Comedy is pretty great as well.

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    3. Oh hell yeah. And his voice in Bringing out the Dead. Hilarious.

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  14. how about hayao miyazaki in the top right of this image:
    http://uhatt.vcimg.com/201110/18/5219754_1318922301MdDm.png

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