The most shocking snub of the Oscar noms was Denis Villeneuve’s omission from the best directing category for his science-fiction epic “Dune.”
The film’s 10-nomination haul includes best picture and adapted screenplay, the latter perceived to be its most difficult to attain. Yet, Villeneuve’s lack of recognition for directing could rally widespread support from Academy voters and result in the film tying or surpassing a 50-year record held by “Cabaret” (1972).
Bob Fosse’s classic adaptation of the Broadway stage musical set a record at the 45th Academy Awards for the most Oscars received without winning best picture. Fosse’s film took eight trophies: for directing, actress (Liza Minnelli), supporting actor (Joel Grey), sound, art direction (now called production design), cinematography, film editing and the now defunct score adaptation and original song score. Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather” walked away with three major prizes at the ceremony: picture, actor (Marlon Brando) and adapted screenplay.
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Distributed by Warner Bros., “Dune“ is nominated in production design (Patrice Vermette and Zsuzsanna Sipos), cinematography (Greig Fraser), costume design (Jacqueline West and Robert Morgan), film editing (Joe Walker), makeup and hairstyling (Donald Mowat, Love Larson and Eva von Bahr), sound (Mac Ruth, Mark Mangini, Theo Green, Doug Hemphill and Ron Bartlett), visual effects (Paul Lambert, Tristan Myles, Brian Connor and Gerd Nefzer) and original score (Hans Zimmer). In addition, Villeneuve received noms as co-writer for adapted screenplay (shared with Jon Spaihts and Eric Roth) and co-producer for best picture (shared with Mary Parent and Cale Boyter).
It is the sixth film in Oscar history to be nominated in all seven technical categories (not including music), following “Titanic” (1997), “Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World” (2003), “Hugo” (2011), “Mad Max: Fury Road” (2015) and “The Revenant” (2015). However, Villeneuve is the first in that group not to be recognized for directing.
The once-nominated director of “Arrival” (2015) received a nod at the Directors Guild of America Awards, where he faces four Oscar nominees: Paul Thomas Anderson (“Licorice Pizza”), Kenneth Branagh (“Belfast”), Jane Campion (“The Power of the Dog”) and Steven Spielberg (“West Side Story”). Three helmers in history have won the DGA and not been nominated in that category by the Academy: Ben Affleck for “Argo” (2012), Spielberg for “The Color Purple” (1985) and Ron Howard for “Apollo 13” (1995). Could Villeneuve join that shortlist of DGA victors who didn’t get an Oscar nod — and what might that mean for his chances on Oscar night?
While Affleck’s movie went on to win best picture, Spielberg’s ended up tying with “The Turning Point” (1977) as the most nominated film with no wins; Howard’s drama won two of its nine nods — for film editing and sound.
“Dune,“ adapted from Frank Herbert’s novels, leads with the most precursor prizes this season for production design, cinematography, editing, sound, visual effects and score. It’s second for costumes (behind “Cruella”) and makeup (behind “The Eyes of Tammy Faye”). It’s undoubtedly highly competitive in each of its below-the-line categories, but only “Titanic” nearly pulled off the sweep, losing makeup to “Men in Black.”
Genre bias is not kind to “Dune’s” odds in the screenplay category, however. It seems fellow nominees “CODA,” “Drive My Car” and “The Lost Daughter” are the better bets to upset “The Power of the Dog,” if that’s even possible. And with a preferential voting system for best picture, more accessible films like “Belfast” and “King Richard” have stronger chances than “Dune” this year.
So how far can that “snubbed” love go? As far as the awards campaign can push it.
2022 Academy Awards Predictions
- Best Picture
- Best Director
- Best Actor
- Best Actress
- Best Supporting Actor
- Best Supporting Actress
- Best Original Screenplay
- Best Adapted Screenplay
- Best Animated Feature
- Best Production Design
- Best Cinematography
- Best Costume Design
- Best Film Editing
- Best Makeup and Hairstyling
- Best Sound
- Best Visual Effects
- Best Original Score
- Best Original Song
- Best Documentary Feature
- Best International Feature
- Best Animated Short
- Best Documentary Short
- Best Live-Action Short
