Whenever someone uses the term “one-hit wonder,” there’s usually a tone that accompanies it — an implication that it’s something to be thought less of. While yes, everyone would love to have a long career of making hit songs, movies, or television shows, may we all be so fortunate to only make one piece of art that is celebrated for years to follow.
Not everyone can be Martin Scorsese, so for a select group of directors, quality won out over quantity for the movies they put their name on. The following eight directors are known as one-hit wonders, each making a movie that received acclaim, became a cultural touchstone, or is a crowd favorite still watched today.
8
Charles Laughton’s ‘Night of the Hunter’ (1955)
Charles Laughton has a perfect record as a director, only sitting behind the camera for one film, Night of the Hunter. The film follows the machinations of Harry Powell (Robert Mitchum), a murderer who passes himself off as a preacher while searching for fresh victims. His target of choice is widows whom he can marry and then kill for their money, at which time he’ll abandon the town to start again.
Laughton enjoyed a lengthy career as an actor, appearing in movies such as Mutiny on the Bounty and the gladiator epic Spartacus. Unfortunately, Laughton’s directorial debut did not go as he had anticipated, with him receiving unfavorable reviews for Night of the Hunter’s unconventionally dark narrative. The poor reception dissuaded Laughton from directing other movies, but Night of the Hunter later became reevaluated as an excellent thriller that gave Mitchum one of his best roles.
7
Mary Harron’s ‘American Psycho’ (2000)
Mary Harron introduced audiences to a memorable serial killer in the satirical horror filmAmerican Psycho. Set in the late 1980s, the film gives viewers a glimpse into the life of Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale), a brash investment banker living in New York City. Although he passes for benign to his unattentive social circle, Bateman is consumed with thoughts of cruelly murdering the people he encounters during his day.
Before she began directing, Harron had an extensive career in journalism, working as a music and drama critic for various publications in the U.K. Harron’s debut film, the biographical drama I Shot Andy Warhol, is notable as well, but it doesn’t carry the same name recognition as her dip into yuppified horror. American Psycho will likely be the film she’ll be most associated with, but she’s also directed episodes of numerous high-profile shows such as Six Feet Under, Big Love, and The Following.
6
Paul Brickman’s ‘Risky Business’ (1983)
Paul Brickman’s directorial debut, Risky Business, catapulted Tom Cruise into a megastar and was one of the biggest hits of the year. The film tells the story of Joel Goodson (Cruise), a high school student who goes on a reckless adventure when his parents leave town for an extended trip. Before his parents return, Joel wrecks a prized car, turns the house into a temporary brothel, and, most importantly, leaves a crack in his mother’s glass egg.
Before directing Risky Business, Brickman’s previous film credit had been writing the screenplay for the comedy sequel The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training. The success of Risky Business proved to be overwhelming for Brickman, who moved away from Los Angeles and, according to the director in a Salon interview, passed on scripts such as Rain Man and Forrest Gump. Brickman would go on to direct one more feature, the 1990 comedy-drama Men Don’t Leave, but largely removed himself from Hollywood after.
5
Zach Braff’s ‘Garden State’ (2004)
Zach Braff was already becoming familiar with audiences thanks to his work on Scrubs, but they saw another side of his talents with his debut feature, Garden State. Also written by and starring Braff, the film follows Andrew (Braff) as he returns home to New Jersey from Los Angeles to attend his mother’s funeral. While there, he runs into old friends and meets Sam (Natalie Portman), a woman with whom he finds a deep emotional connection.
Garden State was a hit with critics and audiences, praised for its charmingly offbeat tone with a near-flawless soundtrack to support it. After Garden State, a decade would pass before Braff’s directorial follow-up, Wish I Was Here, was released to lukewarm reviews. Braff continues to direct movies, most recently the 2023 drama A Good Person, and has directed episodes of Ted Lasso and Shrinking.
4
Kimberly Peirce’s ‘Boys Don’t Cry’ (1999)
Boys Don’t Cry received widespread acclaim upon its release, praised for its unflinching and authentic portrayal of the hardships transgender individuals faced. The movie was based on the real-life story of Brandon Teena, who was portrayed by Hilary Swank in the film. The movie followed Brandon’s struggle to find acceptance and love in rural Nebraska before falling victim to a hate crime. Boys Don’t Cry was Swank’s breakout role, winning her the Best Actress Oscar for her convincing and heartbreaking performance.
If director Kimberly Peirce could be remembered for only one film, there’s likely no issue with it being Boys Don’t Cry. The film was a passion project for Peirce, whose advocacy for Brandon’s story to be told ensured its completion. Although Peirce has worked on other high-profile movies, namely the 2013 remake of Carrie, starring Chloë Grace Moretz, none have attracted the same level of attention as Boys Don’t Cry. Most recently, Peirce has directed television, with her work including episodes of Halt and Catch Fire and the Showtime dramedy Kidding, starring Jim Carrey.
3
Michael Cimino’s ‘The Deer Hunter’ (1978)
Director Michael Cimino’s filmography may be limited to a few films, but the most universally praised is The Deer Hunter. The film chronicles the lives of a group of men who grapple with first surviving the Vietnam War, and then readjusting back to society, bearing the weight of deep physical and emotional trauma. Their lifelong friendship is put to the test as self-destructive behavior and shame threaten to consume them in different ways. The Deer Hunter was nominated for nine Academy Awards, ultimately taking five trophies, including wins for Best Picture and Cimino as best director.
However, The Deer Hunter’s success could not buy enough goodwill for the failure of Cimino’s next film, the notorious flop Heaven’s Gate. The western only made 3.5 million domestically against a budget of $44 million, which would factor prominently in the closure of its studio, United Artists. Cimino would go on to direct a few more features, but his career would never reach the same heights as it had with The Deer Hunter. In the time since receiving its public evisceration, Heaven’s Gate has gained more support as a misunderstood masterpiece that was unfairly maligned.
2
Richard Kelly’s ‘Donnie Darko’ (2001)
Director Richard Kelly gave moviegoers one of the first cult classics of the new millennium in Donnie Darko. The film follows Donnie Darko (Jake Gyllenhaal), a troubled teen who sleepwalks away from a near-death situation when, on the same night, an airplane engine falls into his bedroom. As Donnie begins receiving visits from a mysterious figure in a rabbit outfit, his concept of time and his own existence begin to unravel. Donnie Darko wasn’t a commercial hit, but the film found a passionate audience that dissected the story with the benefit of multiple rewatches, going over hidden meanings.
Donnie Darko wasn’t without its flaws, but the challenging narrative and haunting visuals hinted at great things for the director’s future. Unfortunately, Kelly’s second film, the ambitious Southland Tales, failed to find the same type of audience and was met with unfavorable reviews from critics. His third and final directorial effort, The Box, was a thriller with more mass appeal, but middling reviews and ticket sales didn’t change the course of Kelly’s career. Kelly has previously gone on record saying he is developing multiple projects, so he can possibly remove himself from lists such as these in the future.
1
Josh Trank’s ‘Chronicle’ (2012)
With his feature debut Chronicle, Josh Trank seemed poised to step in as a strong new voice in Hollywood. Chronicle was an ingenious combination of superhero drama and found footage film, telling a heroic (and villainous) origin story in a way previously unconsidered. Chronicle made roughly $127 million from a budget of only $15 million, proving that an established superhero wasn’t required to create an appealing and profitable story that resonated with audiences.
However, when Trank had an opportunity to tell a story using the well-known superhero team with The Fantastic Four, things took a turn for the worse. Rumors of a troubled shoot involving disagreements between Trank and 20th Century Fox about casting decisions and the overall tone gained merit when Trank publicly disparaged Fantastic Four shortly before its release. Fantastic Four would underperform significantly, and the negative publicity surrounding the production was followed by news that a planned Star Wars project from the director was canceled as well. Trank has since only directed one other film, the 2020 gangster biopic Capone starring Tom Hardy.
Chronicle
- Release Date
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February 3, 2012
- Runtime
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84 minutes
- Director
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Josh Trank
- Writers
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Max Landis, Josh Trank
