Why Two Iconic Directors Hail This Classic as Cinema’s Pinnacle
James Cameron and the Coen brothers both single out one legendary film as the greatest ever, but their reasons—and what it reveals about the film’s legacy—might surprise you.
Artistic taste is a slippery thing. What leaves one person spellbound can send another reaching for the exit. Yet, every so often, a work comes along that seems to transcend these personal quirks. When two filmmakers as different as James Cameron and the Coen brothers both champion the same title as the finest ever made, it’s hard not to take notice.
Cameron’s reputation rests on grand, sweeping productions. He’s the sort who persuades studios to bankroll projects so ambitious that the technology to realise them barely exists. His films are serious affairs, heavy on spectacle and drama, rarely pausing for a laugh. The Coens, meanwhile, have carved out a niche for themselves with their offbeat humour and a knack for blending the absurd with the profound. Their scripts are laced with irony, and even their more sombre efforts can’t resist a sly wink.
Despite these differences, both camps find common ground in a single, enduring classic. Cameron has never been shy about his admiration.
“My favourite film is The Wizard Of Oz,”
he’s said, a choice that might seem obvious, but for him, it’s deeply personal.
“It’s been with me my whole life, from first viewing on a black-and-white TV as a kid in the early ’60s to my periodic family screenings of it to this day. It’s still as magical now as it ever was.”
For Cameron, the film’s magic hasn’t faded with time; if anything, it’s grown stronger.
Different Paths, Same Destination
Released in 1939, the film was a technical marvel, its bold use of Technicolour breathing new life into the industry. Judy Garland’s turn as Dorothy became iconic, and the film’s influence has only deepened over the decades. It’s not just a touchstone for audiences; it’s a lodestar for filmmakers, too.
The Coen brothers, for their part, see the film as a kind of gold standard. Joel Coen once remarked,
“All we’ve been doing for the last 25 years is remaking The Wizard of Oz.”
The influence is so pervasive that, as he put it,
“Sometimes consciously, and sometimes we don’t realise until after we’ve made the movie.”
In one instance, they were fully aware of what they were up to:
“Consciously in O Brother, Where Art Thou? Oz is the only film we just rip off left and right.”
Enduring Influence and Universal Appeal
It’s not every day that directors with such contrasting sensibilities find themselves in agreement. Yet, here they are, united by a film that’s managed to remain relevant for generations. The fact that both Cameron and the Coens hold it in such high regard says something about its staying power. It’s not just nostalgia; it’s a recognition of the film’s unique ability to inspire and delight, decade after decade.
There’s a certain inevitability to its status. When a work continues to shape the creative output of such varied talents, its greatness becomes less a matter of opinion and more a simple fact. The film’s grip on the imagination of both audiences and creators alike hasn’t loosened, and it shows no sign of doing so any time soon.