Carl Theodor Dreyer, Danish director and screenwriter (b. 1889)
Carl Theodor Dreyer (Danish: [ˈkʰɑˀl ˈtsʰe̝ːotɒ ˈtʁɑjˀɐ]; 3 February 1889 – 20 March 1968), commonly known as Carl Th. Dreyer, was a Danish film director. His movies are noted for their emotional austerity and slow, stately pacing. Frequent themes that his films explore are social intolerance, the inescapability of fate and death, and the power of evil in earthly life. Dreyer is regarded by many critics and filmmakers as one of the greatest directors in the history of cinema. He also started the genre of scary public information films with They Caught the Ferry (1948)His 1928 movie The Passion of Joan of Arc is considered to be one of the greatest movies of all time, renowned for its cinematography and use of close-ups. It frequently appears on Sight & Sound's lists of the greatest films ever made, and in 2012's poll it was voted the 9th best film ever made by film critics and 37th by film directors. His other best known films include Michael (1924) Vampyr (1932), Day of Wrath (1943), Ordet (1955), and Gertrud (1964).