Directors who peaked early in their career?

Well Duel is technically a tv movie so it wouldn't make all movie lists anyway.

I never hear it come up in conversations on movie boards. The Thing yes.

Lots of appreciation for the Thing compared to 1982.

ET has completely fallen off the radar. It's re-release bombed.

Indiana Jones is in partnership with Lucas so I don't see it as a Spielberg film series by itself.