Most directors make many movies but have zero masterpieces, but there are a select few who made just one movie that’s also a masterpiece. The film industry can be a fickle place, andpoor box office takingsor simply being ahead of your time can mean that outstanding directors’ careers end before they ever really get a chance to begin, andgreat filmmakersend up with just one lone feature film to their name. Other directors bow out for many different reasons, whether that’s taking a new career path, switching directions, or ill health.
There are not a lot ofmovies that we can genuinely call masterpieces, but all of these movies offer something special and, in their own way, deserve this lofty title. Whether it’s classic black-and-white films from the bygone era or cult classic comedies that never got the love they deserved,every single one of these one-time directors left their mark on cinemaas a whole. Although we wish they had stuck around for more films, at least these directors left us with incredibly cinematic experiences to enjoy.
10The Honeymoon Killers (1970)
Directed by Leonard Kastle
As a film with a troubled history,Martin Scorsese was initially hired as the director ofThe Honeymoon Killersbut was fired early in the shooting process (viaThe New York Times.) Scorsese was then replaced by Donald Volkman, who only lasted two weeks. It was then that Leonard Kastle, who had been involved in the development of the movie, took over directing duties in this crime story inspired by the true story of the 1940s lonely hearts killers, Raymond Fernandez and Martha Beck.
Kastle was not a filmmaker by trade and was actually an opera composer, withThe Honeymoon Killersbeing his only foray into the world of directing. WhileThe Honeymoon Killersreceived good reviews at the time, its status as a cult classic has only grown, and it boasts an impressive95% on Rotten Tomatoes. Kastle had clearly succeeded as a filmmaker, but he opted instead to return to teaching and composing rather than carve out a career as a filmmaker.
9L’Atalante (1934)
Directed by Jean Vigo
L’Atalantewas a French film from the acclaimed director Jean Vigo, whohelped establish the poetic realism film movement of the 1930s.While Vigo did make other silent short films likeÀ propos de Nice,La Natation par Jean Taris, andZéro de conduite, this was his only fully fledged feature film. As a movie continually hailed as one of the greatest works of cinema ever produced,L’Atalanteshowcased the art of filmmaking through its story of a newly married couple on a ship at sea.
Vigo producedL’Atalantein a state of ill health, as he was suffering from tuberculosis and was bedridden for portions of the filming (viaGomes.) With shooting conditions that were often wet and cold, Vigo never recovered and was confined to his bed for the rest of his life before passing away in 1934. At just 29 years old at the time of his death, Vigo likely could have made many more cinematic masterpieces had he not succumbed to his illness so young.
8Carnival Of Souls (1962)
Directed by Herk Harvey
The psychological horror filmCarnival of Soulswas one of the most uniquely disorienting films of the 1960s and was a prime example of a film that took the audience decades to catch up to. As the lone feature film from director, actor, and screenwriter Herk Harvey,Carnival of Soulswas initially screened as a double bill with the now forgotten horrorThe Devil’s Messenger.
Carnival of Soulswas a frighteningly atmospheric movie that really gets under your skin, and its cold, detached aesthetic had the feel of a classic of German expressionism.
This popular phenomenon of giving audiences two movies for the price of one likely didCarnival of Soulsa disservice, as it overshadowed the impact of the film. Telling the story of a young woman left disturbed following a car accident, Mary Henry (Candace Hilligoss) finds herself unable to assimilate with her new community after she moves town and is stalked by a ghoulish stranger played by Harvey throughout.
Carnival of Soulswas a frighteningly atmospheric movie that really gets under your skin, and its cold, detached aesthetic had the feel of a classic of German expressionism. It’s a shame that Harvey wasn’t able to overcome the failure ofCarnival of Soulsto make more movies, as he had a uniquely cinematic eye for unnerving visuals and slow-building tension.
7Mystery Men (1999)
Directed by Kinka Usher
The star-studded superhero spoofMystery Mensaw the television commercial director Kinka Usher make the leap into feature films for just one movie before returning to commercials once again. With Ben Stiller, Hank Azaria, and William H. Macy among its cast,Mystery Menhad a lot of star talentas it told the story of a group of lesser superheroes who must save the day when the city’s real hero gets captured. With a hilarious premise that predated the MCU by nearly a decade,Mystery Menwas a victim of being in the wrong place at the wrong time and bombed at the box office.
However, looking back onMystery Mentoday, its status as a cult classic is unquestionable, and its stars have even expressed interest in returning for a sequel (viaComic Book.) While the failure ofMystery Menat the box office andUsher’s absence from the movie industry in the 21st centurymean this is highly unlikely, it’s still a testament to the film’s underappreciated appeal that we’re still talking about it all these years later.
6Phase IV (1974)
Directed by Saul Bass
Saul Bass was a graphic designer who was particularly known for his impressive title sequences, film posters, and corporate logos. Throughout Bass’s long and impressive career, he worked with iconic directors like Alfred Hitchcock, Otto Preminger, Billy Wilder, Stanley Kubrick, and Martin Scorsese. It seems some of these filmmakers' talents rubbed off on him, as his only work as a director was also a cinematic masterpiece filled with impressive visuals.
Phase IVloosely adapted the H.G. Wells story “Empire of the Ants” and told the story of a mysterious cosmic event that caused an astounding mutation that led ants to develop a hive mind, rapidly evolve, and build strange towers in the Arizona desert. As the very first movie to depict geometric crop circles, this strange 1970s sci-fi may have influenced later hoax crop circles by real-life pranksters.
5Angst (1983)
Directed by Gerald Kargl
The Austrian filmmaker Gerald Kargl only ever made one feature film, and that was the unnerving and atmospheric horrorAngst. As a dark and brooding story of a psychopath recently released from prison,Angstwas almost avant-garde in its executionas it utilized a POV camera style, high-speed camera movements, and grim, foreboding music. As this unnamed killer wanders the landscape, we’re subjected to his terrifying ambition to murder again and witness the fear in his victims' eyes.
Angstwas a masterpiece of horror filmmaking whose exquisite cinematography was nothing short of spellbinding. However,Angstwas also a deeply challenging movie and was even banned in several countries for its uncompromising depictions of violence. While this stands asKargl’s only feature film, this was far from his only output as a director, as he later worked on documentaries and educational films.
4Wanda (1970)
Directed by Barbara Loden
The independent triumph that was Barbara Loden’sWandanever received the acclaim it deserved at the time, which was likely why it stands as her only movie. As a filmmaker often described as the female counterpart to John Cassavetes, Loden’s authentic and original story explored the cultural malaise of a stifled woman living in a banal coal mining town. With much of the dialogue improvised,Wandahad a loose and realistic feelthat means it’s endured incredibly well over the past five and a half decades.
With Loden herself starring as Wanda Goronski, this unhappy housewife from rural eastern Pennsylvania’s life is turned upside down after she leaves her husband. In a powerful story of wild abandonment,Wandaeventually finds herself embroiled in a life of crime when she runs off with a crook she calls Mr. Dennis (Michael Higgins.)Wandacaptured the existential nature of American lifeand tapped into the demoralizing and stifling nature of life for a woman whose foundations of meaning have crumbled beneath her feet.
3One-Eyed Jacks (1961)
Directed by Marlon Brando
While legendary actor Marlon Brando was known for his outstanding Oscar-winning roles in classics likeOn the WaterfrontandThe Godfather, many will not be aware that he also directed one singular movie. As a film that was initially set to be directed by Stanley Kubrick, after the filmmaker dropped out just weeks before production to work onLolita, Brando offered to make it himself.
With Brando also starring as Rio, the escaped prisoner seeking revenge on his old partner,One-Eyed Jackswas an accomplished Westernthat blended high-stakes action with an engaging love story.One-Eyed Jacksshowcased Brando’s talents not just as one of the best actors who ever lived, but as a capable director in his own right.
However,One-Eyed Jacksalso did poorly at the box office and abruptly ended any ambitions that Brando may have had to continue making his own movies. While the legacy ofOne-Eyed Jackshas only grown in the subsequent decades, its failure at the time was too big to overcome.
Directed by Tom Stoppard
The British playwright Tom Stoppard is no stranger to Hollywood productions, as he’s written or co-written the screenplay for various movies, includingBrazil,Empire of the Sun, andShakespeare in Love. Despite Stoppard’s impressive credentials, he only jumped into the director’s chair on one occasion, and that was to adapt his own play,Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead. As a clever take on secondary characters from William Shakespeare’sHamlet,this unique film was a fascinating exploration of identity, fate, and free will.
As an accomplished piece of filmmaking that boasted impressive lead performances from Gary Oldman and Tim Roth,Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Deadwas a hilariously unique film that offered new points of interest to Shakespeare’s classic tragedy. Stoppard remained active as a dramatist in the years following this movie’s release and has continued contributing to major screenplays, yet this was the one and only time he decided to direct a film himself.
1The Night Of The Hunter (1955)
Directed by Charles Laughton
As perhaps the greatest thriller of the black-and-white era,The Night of the Hunterwas a cinematic masterpiece that was also such a failure that its director never made another movie again. With a career-best performance from Robert Mitchum as a terrifying serial killer posing as a preacher, this eerie and unnerving picture saw him pursuing two children in an attempt to steal $10,000 from their late father.
The Night of the Hunterwas a movie that was totally ahead of its time, and the sad result of this was actor-turned-director Laughton giving up on directing before he’d even gotten fully started.
With a foreboding atmosphere that pushed things into far darker territory than Hollywood was used to, it took decades for audiences to truly appreciate the power of this release.The Night of the Hunterwas a movie that was totally ahead of its time, and the sad result of this was actor-turned-director Laughton giving up on directing before he’d even gotten fully started.
While Laughton had plans to direct an adaptation of Norman Mailer’sThe Naked and the Dead, after the box office earnings of his first film didn’t live up to previously thought-of expectations, he was replaced by Raoul Walsh. WhileThe Night of the Huntercould have been the beginning of an acclaimed filmmaking career, it was instead a lone, misunderstoodmasterpiece.
