Allen Hughes

Evincing greater affinity for the studied cool of Quentin Tarantino than the overt social messages of fellow African-American filmmakers Spike Lee and John Singleton, The Hughes Brothers transcended the pitfalls of a troubled home life to become major successes with their first film, "Menace II Society" (1993). With Allen concentrating his energies on the actors and brother Albert focused on the technical aspects of filmmaking, the twin brothers made a dynamic pair that held nothing back, particularly when talking to the press. Turning to documentary filmmaking after their sophomore narrative effort, "Dead Presidents" (1995), The Hughes Brothers next directed "American Pimp" (1999). They then stepped outside their comfort zone to travel back to Victorian-era England with "From Hell" (2001), a gory and atmospheric examination of the Jack the Ripper murders. After taking some time off from directing to focus on producing, the brothers stepped back behind the cameras after nearly a decade to helm the post-apocalyptic Western "The Book of Eli" (2010), confirming that the talent evidenced in their exemplary debut was still alive and strong.