Well, we’ve all had a week to let the Oscar nominations sink in, and if there’s one thing almost everyone seems to agree on, it’s this: Christopher Nolan wuz robbed. As we noted when running down the snubs, it’s a bit surprising that Nolan’s dizzyingly complicated, masterfully-crafted work on Inception somehow didn’t net him a Best Director nomination, particularly after many felt he should have received that recognition for The Dark Knight two years ago. We know, it’s hard to feel too bad for a fabulously successful studio director; he can always take solace in his rave reviews, piles of money, and the knowledge that he gets to spend several months with a cat-suited Anne Hathaway. But it’s gotta sting just a little.
So take heart, Christopher Nolan: you certainly won’t be the first great filmmaker to get the cold shoulder from the folks at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. And keep in mind that, while these folks never won, Best Director Oscars sit in the homes of Kevin Costner, Mel Gibson, Warren Beatty, Robert Redford (pattern?), Robert Zemeckis, James L. Brooks, and James Cameron. Perspective given? Good. Join us, won’t you, for a look back at some of the fine filmmakers who never won the Best Director honor.
Charles Chaplin
It’s been a long-standing tradition that comedy films and their makers never get the proper respect from the Academy (see next entry), but it seems especially egregious that Chaplin, perhaps our most iconic actor/director, was never honored — or even nominated for — Best Director. He won Honorary Awards in 1929 and 1972, and took home an Oscar for Best Score in 1973 (for the two decades-delayed American release of his 1952 film Limelight), but those had the feel of consolation prizes; he was nominated for writing and acting in The Great Dictator, and penning Monsieur Verdoux, and won none of them. Despite all of this, Chaplin was one of our most innovative, effective, and heartbreaking filmmakers. Anyone who says otherwise should be directed to the above scene, the beautiful and moving conclusion to his 1931 masterpiece City Lights.
Comments (27)
13 great directors and… Spike Lee? lolz
Inception was awful! Argh!
13 white dudes and Spike Lee. Come on, Flavorpill.
isn’t christopher nolan english?
roflcopter: never seen Malcolm X? Do the Right Thing? His documentaries? Maybe you ‘Weekend at Bernie’s’ fans should hold off commenting on film. Douche.
They need some new movie critics at Flavorpill. This Jason Bailey is kinda silly. Not all the directors he mentioned deserve academy awards all the time and some of them sometimes do. Robert Zemeckis and Kevin Costner, even Mel Gibson deserved theirs because the movies had heart and were well directed. Not all movies can win and they sometimes make bad choices but those weren’t bad choices. But when you say David Lynch and Spike Lee! The the harbinger of bad choices is you! Horrible movies by David Lynch and some good movies by Spike Lee with a lot of garbage! Miracle at St. Anna. Need i say more? How about “Abomination at St. Anna?” I do agree that this year is the worst Oscar lineup i’ve ever seen in my entire life!
Peter Weir
I’ve got to tell you, I’ve never been one for Citizen Kane. I frankly find the pacing to be extremely slow. Now Orson Wells as an actor, that’s another matter.
Now Orson Wells as a Paul Masson spokesperson, that’s another matter.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5LkDNu8bVU
So Orson Wells is a better actor than director. And David Lynch and Spike Lee didn’t make some of the best and most daring American films of the past few decades. But Robert Zemeckis, Kevin Costner, and Mel Gibson have “heart.” Sounds like some Oscar voters must be on this thread.
Agree mostly with this list, except for Tarantino (Dodges projectiles from mfilm students) and De Palma.
Finally I can sleep soundly, knowing that Andres doesn’t care for Citizen Kane. The internet has served its purpose. Can anyone provide me with a list of other films that are paced too slowly for his taste so that I may know which to avoid?
Citizen Kane was brilliant and was innovative in every possible way, and the fact that it endures as a classic film of that era without a love story or war at its centre must be some indication of its quality.
Don’t knock Tarantino. But even if you do, you surely must believe that Pulp Fiction is a masterpiece. Forrest Gump was so nauseating. If you prefer that kind of film I feel sorry for you. The Academy must be a bunch of pansies. With ‘heart’.
He sure is, @greenetoile. I’ve corrected that embarrassing mistake.
And Max, I’d watch “Miracle at St. Anna” two, maybe three more times before I’d sit through “Dances with Wolves” again.
Max’s comment can be summarised as: Mel Gibson and Kevin Costner yes, David Lynch and Spike Lee no. And he’s the one complaining about the author’s taste?
Paul Thomas Anderson’s films have been nominated 5 times for an Oscar but has never won. Even though he directed the film of “the decade” according to film critics for There Will Be Blood. The academy awards are never very fair. It normally goes to the conservative “safe” films that the general public likes. Not to the interesting ground breaking directors, like David Lynch, Sydney Lumet,Richard Linklater, Michael Winterbottom.
Inception was not “masterfully-crafted.” It was a loud shiny turd.
Er.. Charlie Chaplin and Alfred Hitchcock were also English.
wow! Not a woman in the bunch. Imagine that. It’s time that sexist hollywood gets over itself.
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Kubrick, contrary to the entry above, was nominated Best Directer for 2001
What about David Fincher?
although he’s pretty young and will im sure make 5, 6 more films, Paul Thomas Anderson could be on this list. Although his best film There Will Be Blood was up against the Coen Brothers with No Country so it’s not like he was robbed. But one of the best who fits with these outsider types of directors. Hope he can at least get nominated for The Master at the 2013 oscars. wow that sounds far away
i completely disagree that costner deserved to win. goodfellas was far better directed and the academy’s failure to give scorsese the oscars he rightfully deserved show how much of a joke they are
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