I think that Stanley Kubrick's career is the greatest for a director. Not only he had the last word against the big studios in most of his films, even when they didn't look like blockbuster hits at all (2001, Barry Lyndon), but also because of the wide range of genres he worked on, I mean, 2001, a Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon, Dr. Strangelove, Full Metal Jacket, The Shining, etc: what the fuck do they have in common besides being almost masterpieces and all from Stanley Kubrick? Isn't the greatest directorial career ever?