Watches worn by film directors [PART.1] ~Actor's Watch #39~

"Actor's Watch" focuses on watches worn by actors in movies, television, etc.
This time, for the 39th installment, we will be sending you a special feature: Watches used by film directors [PART 1] .

*Source: https://www.masterclass.com/

The director plays such an important role in film production that film critics say, "A film belongs to the director." In a sense, it can be said that directors are able to fulfill their job because they are more particular about the film than actors.

If that is the case, you can see the director's particular attention to detail in the watch he wears. In this issue of [PART.1], we will be focusing on the wrists of movie directors who love Rolex watches !

Directed by Michael Bay

■ Representative works

The Rock (1996)
Armageddon (1998)
Pearl Harbor (2001)
Transformers (2007)

Michael Bay has directed many blockbuster action movies. As you can tell from his masterpieces, he is second to none when it comes to shooting explosion scenes, and is also known as the "King of Explosions in Hollywood."

*Source: https://www.rolexmagazine.com/

The watch that Michael Bay wears is a Rolex Daytona Ref. 116520 with a white dial . As he has produced a string of highly entertaining films that are popular with the masses and supported by many people, it is only natural that he would choose the Daytona, the most classic of all timepieces, which is the "watch loved by everyone."

■ Recommended Works

Many viewers get motion sickness just from watching Michael Bay's dizzying camerawork. I'm one of them. My favorite is "Bumblebee," produced by Michael Bay and directed by Travis Knight. It is a prequel to the "Transformers" series, starring "Bumblebee," who transforms into a yellow Volkswagen Beetle.

*Source: https://www.indiewire.com/

Set in the nostalgic America of 1987, this film depicts the friendship between Bumblebee and the girl who hides him, and the fierce battle with the evil Transformers who are trying to kill Bumblebee. It can be said to be a "Transformers that adults can enjoy as well," aimed at those in their 40s and 50s who spent their youth in this era.

Directed by Spike Lee

■ Representative works

Do the Right Thing (1989)
Malcolm X (1992)
Summer of Sam (1999)
Oldboy (2013)

Spike Lee continues to portray discrimination and the daily lives of minorities with humor and outstanding fashion sense. His activities and messages as a "film director who fights against discrimination" are also not to be missed, as he continues to criticize issues such as the stereotypical portrayal of black people in Hollywood movies and the bias towards white people at the Academy Awards.

*Source: https://movies.mxdwn.com/

The watch that Spike Lee wears is the Rolex Daytona Paul Newman (Ref. 6241) . He also wears a custom model of the Daytona (Ref. 116520) that he designed himself, the Artisans de Genève Cool Hand Brooklyn . The combination of blue and orange, which symbolizes New York, is also the team color of the New York Mets of the MLB and the New York Knicks of the NBA, which Spike Lee is passionate about. The name "Cool Hand" was named after the movie "COOL HAND LUKE" (1967), starring the great actor Paul Newman , whom he admires.

*Source: https://superwatchman.com/

*Source: https://oracleoftime.com/

Spike Lee's films are often discussed in the context of social responsibility and anti-discrimination, but there is no doubt that the black culture depicted in them gives the stories power and realism. You could say that this street-customized Daytona also reflects what he considers to be "real street culture."

■ Recommended Works

Above all, I highly recommend "Do the Right Thing." It's a social drama that depicts the negative cycle of discrimination against minorities, as if it predicted the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, but what it portrays is not preachy or sad, but the energy of fighting discrimination and the strength of street culture. The "Fight the Power" by Public Enemy, which is featured throughout the film, and the hip-hop fashion, including Nike sneakers, are still super cool even now. Have your favorite pizza ready to watch.

Director: Johnnie To

■ Representative works

The Mission (1999)
"Election Black Society" (2005)
"EXILE" (2006)
Drug War (2013)

Johnnie To is a master director of Hong Kong cinema, able to make any genre, from comedies and musicals to mafia films. In particular, his "Hong Kong noir" films, which depict the outlaws living in Hong Kong's underworld in sometimes stylish, sometimes grotesque, and sometimes poetic ways, are highly popular and highly acclaimed, and have had a major influence on filmmakers around the world. However, in the current situation in Hong Kong, it is difficult to make anti-social mafia films, and it is unfortunate that we cannot expect any new works from him.

*Source: https://www.easternkicks.com/

The watch that Johnnie To wears is the Rolex Yacht-Master II (Ref. 116680) . To be honest, I don't think it's a Johnnie To watch, but there may be a side to this director who flies freely across many genres that I don't know yet.

■ Recommended Works

My number one pick is "The Mission: The Ruthless Code," which depicts five outlaws who are brought together to protect a mafia boss. The contrast between motion and stillness in the tense gunfight that unfolds in a department store after hours is striking.

*Source: https://medium.com

On the other hand, the five men with too much time on their hands are engrossed in a game of mini soccer, kicking around rolled up scraps of paper to kill time, which is a heartwarming sight. If you are a man, you can't help but admire these five outlaws, who combine professionalism with the innocence of a child. The popularity of this film can also be seen from the fact that the same cast reunited seven years later to make the sister film "EXILE: Kizuna."

Directed by Guy Ritchie

■ Representative works

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)
Snatch (2000)
"Sherlock Holmes" (2009)
King Arthur (2017)

Despite his honorable origins as a descendant of King Edward I of England, Guy Ritchie made his breakthrough with two films, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch, both of which were filled with the atmosphere of London's working-class neighborhood. He is a popular director who excels at intricate and stylish crime suspense films with twists and turns that make it impossible to predict how the story will turn out.

However, he has also had record-breaking flops with the romance Swept Away (2002) and the historical drama King Arthur (2017), both based on the Arthurian legend, so I think his fans are hoping that he will focus on action and crime films.

*Source: https://www.watchuseek.com/

Guy Ritchie's favorite watch is a vintage Rolex Day-Date . At first glance, it may seem edgy, but it's in these moments that you can see the good upbringing of a British upper class man.

■ Recommended Works

I recommend "Snatch," a fast-paced, stylish crime movie in which criminals, outlaws, and thugs deceive and are deceived in a get-rich-quick game, chasing a large diamond. The diamond heist and a fixed underground boxing match, which should be unrelated, begin to take unexpected turns due to the quirky plots of the characters. Jason Statham , now one of Hollywood's leading action stars, plays the promoter who fixes the underground boxing matches, and Brad Pitt plays the strongest new star in the underground boxing world.

summary

All of the directors featured in this article are famous hit makers, and they all wear good watches. However, unlike the star actors, they don't go for fancy or jeweled models, but rather choose calm, practical watches, which shows that no matter how much money a director makes, "solidity" and "cost consciousness" are important.

Well, what did you think of this "Actor's Watch" that focuses on the wrists of directors rather than actors? I actually wanted to feature some well-known watches, such as James Cameron 's Rolex Deepsea D-Blue (Ref. 126660) , but unfortunately this post is getting too long, so I will save that for another time.

see you!