Jeffrey Wells had a fun way of wasting time the other day over at HE. The finest 3-4 consecutive "great" movie streaks from directors. I mean, in all honesty, the game is an absolutely empty exercise in comparing art, which is sacrilege to many, alas I gave in and it is absolutely impossible to find a director that had more than 5 "indisputably great" movies in a row, only Kubrick's done it, in my books at least. Coppola came close. So did Allen.
Francis Coppola:
The Godfather, The Conversation, The Godfather Part II and Apocalypse Now
Stanley Kubrick:
Lolita, Dr. Strangelove, 2001, A Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon, and The Shining.
Alfred Hitchcock:
Vertigo, North by Northwest, Psycho and The Birds
Martin Scorsese:
Raging Bull, The King of Comedy and After Hours
Joel Coen:
Blood Simple, Raising Arizona, Miller's Crossing and Barton Fink
Frederico Fellini:
Nights of Caribia, La Dolce Vita, and 8 1/2
Woody Allen:
Zelig, Broadway Danny Rose, The Purple Rose of Cairo, Hannah and Her Sisters and Radio Days
Billy Wilder:
Witness for the Prosecution, Some Like it Hot and The Apartment
Vertigo, North by Northwest, Psycho and The Birds
Martin Scorsese:
Raging Bull, The King of Comedy and After Hours
Joel Coen:
Blood Simple, Raising Arizona, Miller's Crossing and Barton Fink
Frederico Fellini:
Nights of Caribia, La Dolce Vita, and 8 1/2
Woody Allen:
Zelig, Broadway Danny Rose, The Purple Rose of Cairo, Hannah and Her Sisters and Radio Days
Billy Wilder:
Witness for the Prosecution, Some Like it Hot and The Apartment