TOP 15 SCREENWRITERS OF ALL TIME!

Screenwriting is one of the most important part of the film, A great movie needs a great screenplay.
Here, I am gonna talk about top 15 screenwriters of all time, they may not necessarily be my favourites, but I cannot deny the fact that they are one of the GREATEST's. Now, majority of them are DIRECTOR + WRITERS, but they are screenwriters, so I have also included them in the list.

LETS START! (in ranked order, cause I like it that way & I have included my favourite quote from the screenwriter along with TOP  5 SCREENPLAYS of the writer).

15. OLIVER STONE

He started his career as a screenwriter, and later became a GREAT filmmaker as well. But, in my opinion he still is a better writer then a director. From SCARFACE TO PLATOON TO JFK, full of great screenplays, he was clever screenwriter. Of course, how I can forget WALL STREET, the GREATEST film about WALL STREET, and without a clever and neat screenplay it wasn’t possible to that film to be understandable but thanks to OLIVER STONE!

FAVOURITE QUOTE FROM HIS SCREENPLAYS- JFK (1991) Let justice be done though the heavens fall.

TOP 5 SCREENPLAYS-

1.    JFK

2.    WALL STREET

3.    PLATOON

4.    SCARFACE (’83’)

5.    BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY

14. MICHELANGELO ANTONIO

 A screenwriter/director who was perfect in writing MYSTERY’s, his earlier works of writer like I VINTI & THE GIRLFRIENDS were good, but the breakthrough came with the great L’AVVENTURA, followed by which is my favourite of his BLOW UP. It would have not been fair to not include him in the list as he has written some of the greatest movies.

FAVOURITE QUOTE FROM HIS SCREENPLAY: BLOW-UP (1966) I wish I had tons of money... Then I'd be free.

TOP 5 SCREENPLAYS:

1.    BLOW-UP

2.    L’AVVENTURA

3.    RED DESERT

4.    THE WHITE SHEIK

5.    I VINITI

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13. AARON SORKIN

A contemporary master at screenwriting, he has written some of the most clever and brilliant writing in recent times. He has a different approach for screenwriting, rapid dialogues etc. are the things which he does best. Weather it’s THE SOCIAL NETWORK or MONEYBALL, he is always at perfection.

FAVOURITE QUOTE FROM HIS SCREENPLAY: THE SOCIAL NETWORK (2010)  You know, you really don't need a forensics team to get to the bottom of this. If you guys were the inventors of Facebook, you'd have invented Facebook.

TOP 5 SCREENPLAYS:

1.    THE SOCIAL NETWORK

2.    A FEW GOOD MEN

3.    MONEYBALL

4.    THE WEST WING

5.    STEVE JOBS

12. PAUL SCHADER

As it is being talked about GREATEST here, but I would like to point out that PAUL SCHADER is one of my personal favourites. He has written one of my favourite films of all time TAXI DRIVER & RAGING BULL (TAXI DRIVER is the movie that changed my life) PAUL SCHADER is a genius at writing, his collaborations with MARTIN SCORSESE, are the ones which are his best, but besides that from ROLLING THUNDER to AFFLICTION, he turned out to be good as well, without SCORSESE collaborations

FAVOURITE QUOTE FROM HIS SCREENPLAY- TAXI DRIVER (1976)  You talkin' to me? You talkin' to me? You talkin' to me? Then who the hell else are you talking... you talking to me? Well I'm the only one here. Who the fuck do you think you're talking to? Oh yeah? OK.

TOP 5 SCREENPLAYS:

1.    TAXI DRIVER

2.    RAGING BULL

3.    THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST

4.    ROLLING THUNDER

5.    AFFLICTION 

111. STAYAJIT RAY

Now, STAYAJIT RAY movies never really impressed me, the content in his films was used to be good, but the pacing took it all. Besides, saying that I cannot denay the fact that he was one of the greatest director/screenwriter of all time. He wrote meaning full and deep tought writing, right from his debut PANTHAR PANCHOLI to his last THE STRANGER, I adore him as a filmmaker/writer, rather then liking his films.

FAVOURITE QUOTE FROM HIS SCREENPLAY: PANTHAR PANCHOLI (1955)on't be anxious. Whatever God ordains is for the best.

TOP 5 SCREENPLAYS:

1.    PANTHAR PANCHOLI

2.    THE CHESS PLAYERS

3.    CHARULATA

4.    JASAGHAR

5.    THE STRANGER

10. WOODY ALLEN

Like I said for STAYAJIT RAY, I am not a big fan of WOODY ALLEN either. As, I am not a big fan of the genre he mostly movies are of (ROMANCE). Tough, I love his ZELIG, which is a very underrated movie. That being said, his screenplays don’t disappoint. Nominated for 16 OSCARS only for the writing itself, and won 3 for writing. Right from 70’s ANNIE HALL & MANHATTAN to his latest MIDNIGHT IN PARIS. He may not be my favourite but he certainly is one of the GREATEST.

FAVOURITE QUOTE FROM HIS SCREENPLAY- I feel that life is divided into the horrible and the miserable. That's the two categories. The horrible are like, I don't know, terminal cases, you know, and blind people, crippled. I don't know how they get through life. It's amazing to me. And the miserable is everyone else. So you should be thankful that you're miserable, because that's very lucky, to be miserable. ANNIE HALL (1977)

TOP 5 SCREENPLAYS

1.    ANNIE HALL

2.    HANNAH AND HER SISTERS

3.    CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS

4.    MANHATTAN

5.    MIDNIGHT IN PARIS

9. PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON

Another contemporary director/screenwriter, but he is already a legend Right from, which I state as one of the best debuts of all time HARD EIGHT he established himself a mark in Hollywood, but his later two movies in 90’s MAGNOLIA & BOOGIE NIGHTS put him up in the higher map. Since, then he has created some of the best character studies of all time THERE WILL BE BLOOD & THE MASTER, and that wouldn’t have been possible without a brilliant screenplay. Even tough his INHERENT VICE may have disappointed some (BUT NOT ME :P), You cannot escape the fact that it’s screenplay was superb and even earned him a Oscar nomination.

FAVOURITE QUOTE FROM HIS SCREENPLAY: THERE WILL BE BLOOD (2007) I have a competition in me. I want no one else to succeed. I hate most people.

TOP 5 SCREENPLAYS:

1.    THERE WILL BE BLOOD

2.    MAGNOLIA

3.    BOOGIE NIGHTS

4.    INHERENT VICE

5.    THE MASTER

8. KRYSZTOF KIESLOWSKI

He was a genius, and deserve more respect then what he has got. I think he is in the league of Buster Keaton,  Federico Fellini, Ingmar Bergman and Stanley Kubrick. He wrote many great films like CAMERA BUFF, NO END & BLIND CHANCE. But, it was his DEKALOG, that put him a GREAT FILMMAKER/WRITER ZONE. Dekalog is a FLAWLESS (FILM/TV SERIES), and couldn’t have been possible without a GREAT writing. And, who could forget THREE COLORS TRILOGY, Especially RED! He was truly a brilliant screenwriter.

FAVOURITE QUOTE FROM HIS SCREENPLAYS: DEKALOG (1989) Start with a word. A word leads to a sentence, which leads to a paragraph, which leads to a chapter, which leads to a manuscript, which leads to a book..... just start with a word!

 TOP 5 SCREENPLAYS:

1.    DEKALOG (INCLUDES A SHORT FILM ABOUT KILLING/LOVE)

2.    THREE COLORS: RED

3.    THREE COLORS: BLUE

4.    BLIND CHANCE

THE DOUBLE LIFE OF VERONIQUE

7. JEAN LUC-GODARD

The debut (BREATHLESS) of JEAN LUC-GODARD was at most enough to put him on the list. He is one the most influential screenwriter/ director of all time. His other’s work like “A BAND OF OUTSIDERS” etc. were some astounding writing.

FAVOURITE QUOTE FROM HIS SCREENPLAY: BREATHLESS (1960) I don't know if I'm unhappy because I'm not free, or if I'm not free because I'm unhappy.

TOP 5 SCREENPLAYS:

1.    BREATHLESS

2.    A BAND OF OUTSIDERS

3.    THE LITTLE SOLDIER

4.    CONTEMPT

5.    WEEKEND

6. QUENTIN TARANTINO

You all know he was gonna make this list. He is a director/writer who lets his character talk a lot, and to make that interesting, we need a great screenplay, and Tarantino does it everytime. He is a master at screenwriting, right from his first movie RESERVOIR DOGS to the latest THE HATEFUL EIGHT, the films may have disappointed to some, but screenplay is always perfect! He always creates humor in his screenplay weather the movie is brutal or crime flooded.

FAVOURITE QUOTE OF HIS SCREENPLAY: PULP FICTION (1994) Say 'what' again. Say 'what' again, I dare you, I double dare you motherfucker, say what one more Goddamn time!

TOP 5 SCREENPLAYS:

1.     PULP FICTION

2.    INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS

3.    RESERVOIR DOGS

4.    THE HATEFUL EIGHT+

5.    DJANGO UNCHAINED9

6-*

5. FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA

We all know Coppola has created known as arguably the greatest movie of all time, THE GODFATHER. But besides that, how can I forget the great writing of THE GODFATHER PART 2 & APOCALYPSE NOW. One of his most underrated movies THE CONVERSATION even had some brilliant piece of writing. Coppola may have know gone downwards, but we cannot deny the fact that he is a living legend, and a GREAT screenwriter.

FAVOURITE QUOTE OF HIS SCREENPLAY: THE GODFATHER PART 2 (1974) My father taught me many things here - he taught me in this room. He taught me: keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.

TOP 5 SCREENPLAY’S:

1.    THE GODFATHER PART 2

2.    THE GODFATHER

3.    APOCALYPSE NOW

4.    THE CONVERSATION

5.    PATTON

4. STANLEY KUBRICK

The legend who almost wrote all his director feature films. He was perfectionist as a director, but he was also brilliant as a screenwriter. Weather it is early works like PATHS OF GLORY & DR STRANGELOVE to 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY & A CLOCKWORK ORANGE. He always used to write a perfect screenplay, right from writing a GREAT COMEDY (DR STRANGELOVE) to GREAT SC-FI (2001), what else can I say about him, HE WAS A GENIUS.

FAVOURITE QUOTE FROM HIS SCREENPLAY: DR STRANGLOVE (1964) Gentlemen! you can't fight in here! This is the War Room!

TOP 5 SCREENPLAYS:

1.    DR STRANGELOVE

2.    2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY

3.    A CLOCKWORK ORANGE

4.    BARRY LYNDON

5.    PATHS OF GLORY

3. AKIRA KURUSOWA

This is a screenwriter/director who could go on making a film that can make you cry “IKIRU”, a film about crime “THE BAD SLEEP WELL”, and of course the thing he used to the best samurai films “SEVEN SAMURAI”, “YOJIMBO”, “RASHMON” etc. He had a mind to make them all, with an elegant screenplay and direction, and he couldn’t do it any better , then what he used to do.

FAVOURITE QUOTE FROM HIS SCREENPLAY: IKIRU (1952) I can't afford to hate people. I don't have that kind of time.

TOP 5 SCREENPLAYS

1.    IKIRU

2.    THE BAD SLEEP WELL

3.    RAN

4.    HIGH & LOW

5.    SEVEN SAMURAI

2. BILLY WILDER

He was an obvious one on the list, a list about talking the GREATEST screenwriters as well as directors would be incomplete without the ultimate genius BILLY WILDER. From DOUBLE INDEMNITY to SUNSET BOULEVARD to THE APARTMENT, flawless piece of writing. He has been nominated for 12 times for writing itself, won 3 out of those. So, there is no question of doubt about him, being in the list.

FAVOURITE QUOTE FROM HIS SCREENPLAY: THE APARTMENT (1960)  When you're in love with a married man, you shouldn't wear mascara.

TOP 5 SCREENPLAYS:

1.    THE APARTMENT

2.    SUNSET BOULEVARD

3.    THE LOST WEEKEND

4.    DOUBLE INDEMNITY

5.    SOME LIKE IT HOT

1. INGMAR BERGMAN

Who else could have topped this list, other then the master himself INGAMR BERGMAN. We, all know he was a legend, so like I wrote very little for him at MY FAVOURITE DIRECTORS article, because I really can’t express him in words, FLAWLESS is a big word for use in films, but when it is used for INGMAR BERGMAN, it sounds truth. Right from THE SEVENTH SEAL TO WINTER LIGHT TO his last full length feature film FANNY & ALEXANDER, he always use to top his performance as a filmmaker as well as a GREAT screenwriter.

FAVOURITE QUOTE FROM HIS SCREENPLAY- FANNY & ALEXANDER (1982) Therefore let us be happy while we are happy. Let us be kind, generous, affectionate and good. It is necessary and not at all shameful to take pleasure in the little world.

TOP 5 SCREENPLAYS:

1.    FANNY & ALEXANDER

2.    THE SEVENTH SEAL

3.    WILD STRAWBERRIES

4.    WINTER LIGHT

5.    PERSONA

Here are some honourable mentions along with their best screenplay:         CHARLIE KAUFMAN

BEST SCREENPLAY: ETERNAL SHUNSHINE OF SPOTLESS MIND (2004)

   THE COEN BROTHERS

BEST SCREENPLAY: FARGO (1996)

   BUSTER KEATON

BEST SCREENPLAY: THE GENERAL (1926)

SERGIO LEONE

BEST SCREENPLAY: ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA (1984)

ROBERT TOWNE

BEST SCREENPLAY: CHINATOWN (1974)

ROMAN POLANSKI

BEST SCREENPLAY: CHINATOWN (1974)

DAVID MAMET

BEST SCREENPLAY: THE VERDICT (1982)

SPECIAL CASE: NO, FEDERICO FELLINI OR TERRANCE MALICK, cause they usually didn’t stick to screenplay, they more told there stories visually rather then depending on SCREENPLAY I guess, especially MALICK.

HOPE YOU ENJOYED!

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THANKS FOR READING!

-VASTIK MISHRA