Best and Worst : Best and Worst Director Cameos in Their Own Films ?

Best and Worst Director Cameos in Their Own Films ?

Just watched Split and got me thinking.
Who do you think is the best and worst Director when making cameos within their own films?

Best: M Night Shyamalan
Very subtle, picks very minor and unimportant roles (Ray Reddy aside), doesn't expose his lack of acting ability too much for viewers to notice.

Worst: Quentin Tarantino
Jimmy, Warren, The Outback Cowboy? Nuff said.

Good HMs
Alfred Hitchcock: Equally subtle, I'm guessing M Night took lessons from him.
Martin Scorsese: Admittedly different since he puts his mom in.

Re: Best and Worst Director Cameos in Their Own Films ?


Best: the Zucker/Abrahams/Zucker team putting their family members in scenes (especially Charlotte Z).


Thanks I did not know that.

Re: Best and Worst Director Cameos in Their Own Films ?

Best - Scorsese
Worst - Tarantino

Re: Best and Worst Director Cameos in Their Own Films ?

Best - Scorsese / Taxi Driver

Worst - M Night Shyamalan / Signs

Re: Best and Worst Director Cameos in Their Own Films ?

Tarantino is definitely the worst. I hate when writers/directors act in their movies with such big supporting roles, but him especially.

Re: Best and Worst Director Cameos in Their Own Films ?

There appears to be mixed opinions on who is the best, but it looks majority is in agreement with QT being the worst in doing cameos in his films.

In fact I can go on to say that the films would be more perfect if QT was replaced by another actor.

Re: Best and Worst Director Cameos in Their Own Films ?


In fact I can go on to say that the films would be more perfect if QT was replaced by another actor.


Exactly. For me, it just takes me out of the movie because I look at the character and say, "Hey, look. Tarantino." in the same way I might spot Stan Lee in a Marvel movie. I'd prefer a real actor to take the roles he has given himself over the years.

"We're not too old for this sh*t!" -Riggs and Murtaugh, 'Lethal Weapon 4' (1998)

Re: Best and Worst Director Cameos in Their Own Films ?


For me, it just takes me out of the movie because I look at the character and say, "Hey, look. Tarantino." in the same way I might spot Stan Lee in a Marvel movie.


Agreed. With Stan Lee, is usually in light-hearted comedic moments and he knows he's not an actor; with QT, he thinks he's a good one.

Re: Best and Worst Director Cameos in Their Own Films ?


With Stan Lee, is usually in light-hearted comedic moments and he knows he's not an actor


Right. He's just having fun with it and it's a nice Easter egg for fans; very little acting actually required in most cases.


with QT, he thinks he's a good one.


Yeah, and somebody really ought to tell him he isn't.

"We're not too old for this sh*t!" -Riggs and Murtaugh, 'Lethal Weapon 4' (1998)

Re: Best and Worst Director Cameos in Their Own Films ?

In fact I can go on to say that the films would be more perfect if QT was replaced by another actor.

Or, an actor.



What kind of a man is Captain Renault?
Oh, he's just like any other man, only more so.

Re: Best and Worst Director Cameos in Their Own Films ?


Or, an actor.

I happily stand corrected!

Re: Best and Worst Director Cameos in Their Own Films ?

Well, obviously Hitchcock had some fun ones to watch. I think my favorite might be John Huston, playing 'American in Tampico in White Suit' in his great film The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.

"Such impudence never came my way. Early this afternoon I gave you money... while I was having my shoes polished I gave you MORE money... now you put the bite on me again. Do me a favor, will ya? Go occasionally to somebody else - it's beginning to get tiresome."

Not sure about the worst . . . by the time the roles get big enough to be really bad, I don't really consider them 'cameos' anymore.




I remember when I drove a Moon-Crane. Damn near rolled the thing into the Sea of Tranquility.
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