This year has seen many acclaimed auteurs add a new movie to their already impressive résumé, from Sam Raimi to Jordan Peele to Robert Eggers to Taika Waititi to Ti West to the Daniels. But not every filmmaker gets to round out their oeuvre with a few directorial efforts.
Some directors, from Charles Laughton to Herk Harvey, have only taken the helm of one movie in their careers. Actors Arnold Schwarzenegger and Eddie Murphy each tried their hand at directing once, as did playwright Tom Stoppard.
Arnold Schwarzenegger – Christmas In Connecticut (1992)
Arnold Schwarzenegger has played a wide variety of action heroes, from commandos to barbarians to reprogrammed killer cyborgs. Unlike fellow A-list action movie legend Sylvester Stallone, Schwarzenegger never directed any of his explosive starring vehicles.
But he did direct one movie back in 1992: a made-for-television remake of the holiday-themed romantic comedy Christmas in Connecticut, which was poorly received by critics.
Bo Welch – The Cat In The Hat (2003)
As a production designer, Bo Welch worked with The Cat in the Hat, starring Mike Myers in the title role.
For his work on The Cat in the Hat, Welch was nominated for the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Director. He never directed another movie, but he helmed a few episodes of Netflix’s A Series of Unfortunate Events.
Steven Seagal – On Deadly Ground (1994)
Steven Seagal has starred in a bunch of action movies drawing on his existing skills as a martial artist. Perhaps his most iconic role is Navy SEAL counter-terrorist expert-turned-chef Casey Ryback from the Under Siege franchise.
In 1994, Seagal directed himself in one of these corny action vehicles. On Deadly Ground was panned by critics for its heavy-handed environmentalist messaging.
Dave Filoni – Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008)
As George Lucas’ personal mentor, Dave Filoni has been a crucial part of shepherding The Book of Boba Fett.
Before taking the helm of the Clone Wars cartoon, Filoni took the helm of its underwhelming feature-length pilot episode, which was released theatrically as Star Wars: The Clone Wars in 2008.
Philip Seymour Hoffman – Jack Goes Boating (2010)
Known for his work with such filmmakers as Paul Thomas Anderson and the Coen brothers, Philip Seymour Hoffman is one of the most revered character actors in the history of cinema. Before his untimely ing in 2014, Hoffman directed just one film.
In Jack Goes Boating, Hoffman stars as the eponymous Jack, a shy limo driver who goes on a fateful blind date.
Walter Murch – Return To Oz (1985)
Walter Murch edited some of the greatest movies ever made – from The Conversation to Apocalypse Now – and wrote one of the most useful books on film editing, In the Blink of an Eye, before stepping behind the camera to direct a film of his own.
In 1985, Murch directed (and co-wrote, with Gill Dennis) an unofficial sequel to The Wizard of Oz, dubbed Return to Oz, with some bizarrely unnerving set-pieces.
Tom Stoppard – Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead (1990)
Tom Stoppard is one of the most widely acclaimed playwrights in the history of British theater. In 1990, he adapted his own 1966 play Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead for the big screen, with Gary Oldman and Tim Roth in the title roles.
Like the play, the film revolves around two ing characters from Hamlet embarking on a journey to Elsinore Castle. And, like the play, the film has a wonderfully dark sense of humor.
Eddie Murphy – Harlem Nights (1989)
As an actor, Eddie Murphy has worked with such directors as John Landis, Walter Hill, Tony Scott, Wes Craven, and Frank Oz. At the height of his star power, in 1989, Murphy directed himself in the old-school gangster movie Harlem Nights.
Set in the 1930s, Harlem Nights stars Murphy alongside such fellow comedy icons as Richard Pryor and Redd Foxx (in his final film appearance before he ed away in 1991).
Herk Harvey – Carnival Of Souls (1962)
Herk Harvey only ever directed one film, but that was all he needed to enter the pantheon of great film directors. Harvey produced his 1962 horror opus Carnival of Souls on a shoestring budget, telling the story of a young woman who moves to a new city, then gets drawn to an abandoned nearby carnival.
From David Lynch to George A. Romero, the influence of Carnival of Souls can be seen all across the greats of the horror genre.
Charles Laughton – The Night Of The Hunter (1955)
Charles Laughton came up as a theater actor and later went into directing, bringing such plays as The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial and George Bernard Shaw’s Don Juan in Hell to the stage. He also directed one movie, the acclaimed noir thriller The Night of the Hunter.
The film is notable for its minimalist shooting style, expressionistic compositions, and traditional set work recalling Laughton’s work in theater.
