The 50 Best Film Editors of All Time

1. Sergei Eisenstein

Top 5 Edited films
FilmDirectorYear
1. Battleship PotemkinSergei Eisenstein1925
2. StrikeSergei Eisenstein1925
3. October: Ten Days That Shook the WorldSergei Eisenstein1928
4. Alexander NevskySergei Eisenstein, Dmitri Vasilyev1938
5. Ivan the TerribleSergei Eisenstein1944-46
Battleship Potemkin (1925). Eisenstein pioneered the theory of montage in cinema’s early years, emphasising the power of juxtaposition to generate tension, heighten drama, and inspire revolutionary thought in the minds of viewers.

2. Thelma Schoonmaker

Top 5 Edited Films
FilmDirectorYear
1. Raging BullMartin Scorsese1980
2. GoodfellasMartin Scorsese1990
3. CasinoMartin Scorsese1995
4. The AviatorMartin Scorsese2004
5. The Age of InnocenceMartin Scorsese1993
Raging Bull (1980). Schoonmaker has been Martin Scorsese’s editor since the 1960s, building a kinetic energy through pulsating montages, inspired jump cuts, and dynamic narrative rhythms.

3. Akira Kurosawa

Top 5 Edited Films
FilmDirectorYear
1. RashomonAkira Kurosawa1950
2. Seven SamuraiAkira Kurosawa1954
3. RanAkira Kurosawa1985
4. YojimboAkira Kurosawa1961
5. High and LowAkira Kurosawa1963
Rashomon (1950). Kurosawa’s editing accentuates action and rhythm in his samurai films, emphasising the fluid movement of actors within the frame itself, but his creative accomplishments extend into the broader narrative structures at work as well.

4. George Tomasini

Top 5 Edited Films
FilmDirectorYear
1. PsychoAlfred Hitchcock1960
2. VertigoAlfred Hitchcock1958
3. Rear WindowAlfred Hitchcock1954
4. North by NorthwestAlfred Hitchcock1959
5. The BirdsAlfred Hitchcock1963
Psycho (1960). Tomasini worked as Hitchcock’s primary editor during his strongest period of filmmaking, building psychological tension through cross-cutting, match cuts, and long stretches of pure visual storytelling.

5. Nino Baragli

Top 5 Edited Films
FilmDirectorYear
1. The Good, The Bad, and the UglySergio Leone1966
2. Once Upon a Time in the WestSergio Leone1968
3. Once Upon a Time in AmericaSergio Leone1984
4. DjangoSergio Corbucci1966
5. TeoremaPier Paolo Pasolini1968
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966). Baragli expertly manipulates time and rhythm in Sergio Leone’s Spaghetti Westerns, generating dynamic suspense in elongated sequences, abrupt cuts, and sharp contrasts between images.

6. D.W. Griffith, James and Rose Smith

Top 5 Edited Films
FilmDirectorYear
1. IntoleranceD.W. Griffith1916
2. The Birth of a NationD.W. Griffith1915
3. Broken BlossomsD.W. Griffith1919
4. Way Down EastD.W. Griffith1920
5. Orphans of the StormD.W. Griffith1921
Intolerance (1916). The Father of Modern Cinema and powerhouse couple James and Rose Smith were an editing trio to be reckoned with in Hollywood’s early days, pioneering new techniques in cross-cutting and narrative structure. They invented a cinematic language that is so woven into the art form today, it has become virtually invisible – but it is still evident that they are among the few to have truly mastered it.

7. Yoshiyasu Hamamura

Top 5 Edited Films
FilmDirectorYear
1. Tokyo StoryYasujirō Ozu1953
2. Early SummerYasujirō Ozu1951
3. Late SpringYasujirō Ozu1949
4. An Autumn AfternoonYasujirō Ozu1962
5. There Was a FatherYasujirō Ozu1942
Tokyo Story (1953). Unlike so many other editors on this list, Hamamura emphasises lyrical pacing and reflective pauses above propulsive momentum, complementing Yasujirō Ozu’s minimalist storytelling with meditative pillow shots to gently transition between scenes.

8. Marguerite Beaugé

Top 5 Edited Films
FilmDirectorYear
1. The Passion of Joan of ArcCarl Theodor Dreyer1928
2. NapoleonAbel Gance1927
3. La RoueAbel Gance1923
4. Pépé le MokoJulien Duvivier1937
5. OliviaJacqueline Audry1951
The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928). Beaugé’s resume is small, but her top three films display some of the most innovative editing of the silent era, revealing an incredible intuition for sharp visual rhythms and avant-garde experimentations.

9. Michael Kahn

Top 5 Edited Films
FilmDirectorYear
1. Raiders of the Lost ArkSteven Spielberg1981
2. Saving Private RyanSteven Spielberg1998
3. Schindler’s ListSteven Spielberg1993
4. Jurassic ParkSteven Spielberg1993
5. Indiana Jones and the Temple of DoomSteven Spielberg1984
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981). Kahn demonstrates remarkable consistency across his collaborations with Steven Spielberg, not so much pushing the art form forward with experimental techniques as he is perfecting the art of action and continuity editing, maintaining a visceral sense of adventure.

10. Jay Rabinowitz

Top 5 Edited Films
YearDirectorYear
1. Requiem for a DreamDarren Aronofsky2000
2. The Tree of LifeTerrence Malick2011
3. The FountainDarren Aronofsky2006
4. Dead ManJim Jarmusch1995
5. Ghost Dog: The Way of the SamuraiJim Jarmusch1999
Requiem for a Dream (2000). Rabinowitz’s achievements are varied across collaborations with several magnificent directors, though he frequently emphasises atmosphere above all else, whether that comes through the disjointed, dreamlike quality of Jim Jarmusch’s deadpan ruminations or Darren Aronofsky’s feverish montages.
Film EditorTop 3 Edited Films
11. William Chang1. Chungking Express (1994)
2. In the Mood for Love (2000)
3. The Grandmaster (2013)
12. Gerald B. Greenberg1. Apocalypse Now (1979)
2. The French Connection (1971)
3. The Untouchables (1987)
13. Dylan Tichenor1. There Will Be Blood (2007)
2. Magnolia (1999)
3. Boogie Nights (1997)
14. Sally Menke1. Pulp Fiction (1994)
2. Reservoir Dogs (1992)
3. Kill Bill (2003-04)
15. Eraldo Da Roma1. Red Desert (1964)
2. L’Avventura (1960)
3. L’Eclisse (1962)
16. Lee Smith1. Dunkirk (2017)
2. Inception (2010)
3. The Dark Knight (2008)
17. Lou Lombardo1. The Wild Bunch (1969)
2. McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971)
3. The Long Goodbye (1973)
18. Ulla Ryghe1. Persona (1966)
2. The Silence (1963)
3. Hour of the Wolf (1968)
19. Paul Hirsch1. Blow Out (1981)
2. Carrie (1976)
3. The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
20. Ruggero Mastroianni1. Juliet of the Spirits (1965)
2. Amarcord (1973)
3. Fellini Satyricon (1969)
21. Graeme Clifford1. Don’t Look Now (1973)
2. The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976)
3. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
22. Agnès Guillemot1. Contempt (1963)
2. Weekend (1967)
3. Alphaville (1965)
23. Ray Lovejoy1. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
2. The Shining (1980)
3. Aliens (1986)
24. Joe Walker1. Shame (2011)
2. Dune (2021-23)
3. Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
25. Dede Allen1. Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
2. Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
3. Reds (1981)
26. Cécile Decugis1. Breathless (1960)
2. Shoot the Piano Player (1960)
3. My Night at Maud’s (1969)
27. Barry Alexander Brown1. Do the Right Thing (1989)
2. Malcolm X (1992)
3. 25th Hour (2002)
28. Tom Cross1. Whiplash (2014)
2. La La Land (2016)
3. Babylon (2022)
29. Billy Weber1. The Tree of Life (2011)
2. The Thin Red Line (1998)
3. Days of Heaven (1978)
30. Anne V. Coates1. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
2. Out of Sight (1998)
3. The Elephant Man (1980)
31. Sam O’Steen1. Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
2. The Graduate (1967)
3. Chinatown (1974)
32. Peter Zinner1. The Godfather Part II (1974)
2. The Godfather (1972)
3. The Deer Hunter (1978)
33. Zach Staenberg1. The Matrix (1999)
2. Speed Racer (2008)
3. The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
34. Claudine Bouché1. Jules and Jim (1962)
2. Shoot the Piano Player (1960)
3. The Soft Skin (1964)
35. The Coen Brothers1. No Country for Old Men (2007)
2. Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)
3. Blood Simple (1984)
36. Susan E. Morse1. Manhattan (1979)
2. Stardust Memories (1980)
3. Broadway Danny Rose (1984)
37. Jill Bilcock1. Moulin Rouge! (2001)
2. Romeo + Juliet (1996)
3. Muriel’s Wedding (1994)
38. Robert Wise1. Citizen Kane (1941)
2. The Magnificent Ambersons (1942)
3. The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939)
39. Leo Catozzo1. 8 1/2 (1963)
2. La Dolce Vita (1960)
3. Nights of Cabiria (1957)
40. Chris Dickens1. Hot Fuzz (2007)
2. Submarine (2010)
3. Small Axe (2020)
41. Pietro Scalia1. JFK (1991)
2. The Quick and the Dead (1995)
3. Gladiator (2000)
42. Verna Fields1. Jaws (1975)
2. American Graffiti (1973)
3. What’s Up, Doc? (1972)
43. Stuart Gilmore1. The Palm Beach Story (1942)
2. Sullivan’s Travels (1941)
3. The Andromeda Strain (1971)
44. Hank Corwin1. The Tree of Life (2011)
2. The New World (2005)
3. The Big Short (2015)
45. Mary Sweeney1. Mulholland Drive (2001)
2. Lost Highway (1997)
3. Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (1992)
46. Walter Murch1. Apocalypse Now (1979)
2. The Conversation (1974)
3. The English Patient (1996)
47. Alan Heim1. Lenny (1974)
2. American History X (1998)
3. Network (1976)
48. Gene Havlick1. Mr Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
2. It Happened One Night (1934)
3. Lost Horizon (1937)
49. Joe Bini1. We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011)
2. You Were Never Really Here (2017)
3. Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009)
50. Stephen Mirrione1. 21 Grams (2003)
2. Traffic (2000)
3. The Revenant (2015)

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6 thoughts on “The 50 Best Film Editors of All Time”

    1. SceneByGreen's avatar
      SceneByGreen

      Thanks Harry, this was probably one of the most enlightening lists for me to put together. For most of the others I at least had a pretty good idea beforehand who would be in the top 10, but for this one I was learning lots of names I hadn’t heard before.

      Reply
  2. K's avatar
    K

    Is Marguerite Beaugé arguably the best solo film editor? Every higher editor except Nino Baragli worked with one director for their top five, and Baragli worked with one director for his top three – where Beaugé had four directors, and two separate directors for her top three.

    Reply
    1. SceneByGreen's avatar
      SceneByGreen

      She’s a got a solid case there, I would also caveat that with her being the best solo film editor who also wasn’t a director – Eisenstein and Kurosawa for instance worked as solo editors on their own films for instance. Like you mentioned, her and Rabinowitz are the only ones in that tier to have an insanely strong top 3 split across multiple directors. It would take incredible judgement and talent to accomplish something like that.

      Reply

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