Who do you guys think is the most underrated movie director of all time? And why?

John Carpenter in my opinion is one director that stands out as someone that made amazing movies, but never got the success some of his peers did.

The Thing, Halloween, Big Trouble Little China, In the Mouth of Madness, Prince of Darkness, They Live and Escape from New York are his movies that at the time were critically panned and didn't do well at box office, yet today they are considered huge cult classics. 

He made some stinkers at the end of his career but in the 80s he was one of the best directors around and probably the greatest horror movie director of all time.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000399/ ----link. I hope the link works. You forgot christine. I think that movie is cheesy,but a real fun horror movie.

Ah yeah, Christine and the Fog are fun too...as is assault on precinct 13 which actually got very good reviews at the time.

I agree that Ficnher is another one that is underrated. My only argument against him is that his trully amazing movies (Seven, Fight Club, Social Network) got a lot of praise and did fairly well at the box office. Other stuff he did that was also very good like Dragon Tattoo and The Game is underrated for sure.

what about michael mann. The director of heat and I think he was one of the creators of the miami vice T.V. show.

I wouldn't say Fincher is underrated. He's one of the most recognized directors in Hollywood.

I named another director,that seems to fit this thread better,but it's hard to come up with an under-rated director,as there's just so many.

I'm not sure if these two are too under rated but I'll list them all the same. Billy Wilder because more younger people don't usually acknowledge him.

Someone can be recognized and still be under rated. He does get recognition but most people don't see the absolute skill behind some of his titles. 

Another vote for Michael Mann here.

Oh and Tomas Alfredson, Swedish director of Let The Right One In and the newest Tinker Tailor movie. Both already in my top films of the past few years.

Frank Darabont he doesn't have a huge resume but every time he works with something written by Stephen King it turn out great The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile (which is extremely underrated by most critics) and The Mist. I come back with someone with a bigger resume later. Also agree with you on John Carpenter, Halloween and The Thing are two of my all time favorite movies.