-Takeshi Kitano

-Takashi Miike

-David Cronenberg

-David Lynch

-Joel and/or Ethan Coen (I never remember which one directs)

Shit, there's no one French on there. Let's lose Miike, and trade in . . . Jean Pierre Jeunet. And while we're at it, drop one of the Davids (your choice) and slip Emir Kusturica in.

To say nothing of young Turks like Spike Jonze, Michel Gondry, Terry Gilliam, Jan Svankmajer, Michael Haneke, Steven Soderberg, Wim Wenders, Gus Van Sant . . .

I'd definitely put Polanski in my top 15-20, though.