Clever as usual, Josh Kirschenbaum discusses one of the most bizarre trends followed by AMPAS in recent years: The Best Picture/Director Split.
It seems AMPAS likes to believe some great films and eventual Best Picture nominees directed themselves and there wasn't, even if eccentric or quirky, a man behind the curtain involved...
"Stylization plays a big role in the Picture-Director split. When a filmmaker powerfully inserts his or her directorial style into a film, AMPAS tends to notice, even if they don't love the film enough for a Best Picture nomination. Fernando Meirelles, director of City of God, is a good example of this. While AMPAS didn't like the film a lot (many thought it was too violent), Meirelles' direction was too good not to recognize. Stylization can backfire though; just ask Baz Luhrmann, who was denied a Director nomination while his super-stylized film Moulin Rouge! made the top 5 in the Best Picture category."
Read the rest of this article here.
Who are this year's top contenders for the Lone Director Spot?
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Lumet is actually a good choice but how about Ridley Scott?
ReplyDeleteDon't forget that directors are nominated by their fellow directors, not by the Academy at large. Over the years they've tended to give the lone director spot to well-established, non-commercial, auteur-type directors, especially foreign directors and independents. Fellini, Almodovar, Kurosawa, David Lynch, Atom Egoyan and so forth. Mainstream Hollywood directors are usually not found in this spot, although Ridley Scott was an exception in 2001. But I don't see Sidney Lumet here -- if he gets nominated I'm sure his picture will be too.
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