It can absolutely be a bitter feeling dressing to the nines, touring to the ceremony, and getting your hopes up solely to lose the award on the final second. However, it’s higher to be invited to the occasion and have a nasty time than to sit down at dwelling and marvel what may have been. Several filmmakers had been robbed of a nomination, like Spike Lee with Do the Right Thing (1989) and Steven Spielberg for Jaws (1975).
And though these are virtually greater injustices than those that comply with, this record shall be unique to those that did obtain nominations for Best Director however ended up shedding to (generally barely) lesser competitors. All that mentioned: these are the ten greatest snubs for Best Director at the Academy Awards.
At the time of launch, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) topped the all-time worldwide field workplace document, beating out Star Wars (1977) from only a few years prior. A big a part of its success was the movie’s inherent catering towards kids and household audiences basically, however apart from its extra playful values, E.T. was additionally only a sensible murals in itself.
And practically all of that success will be attributed to Steven Spielberg’s course. He misplaced the Academy Award for Best Director this yr to Richard Attenborough, and whereas Gandhi (1982) is undoubtedly a stable entry in its personal proper, there’s no denying who ought to’ve come out on prime.
9 David Lynch for Mulholland Drive (2001)
At the 74th Academy Awards, David Lynch and his seminal movie Mulholland Drive (2001) misplaced Best Director to Ron Howard and his work on A Beautiful Mind (2001). Of course, there’s nothing improper with the latter by way of high quality — it’s simply, looking back, Lynch’s work of auteurism ranks among the many most spectacular of the whole century.
In 2016, Mulholland Drive topped BBC’s ballot of the best movies because the yr 2000. Plus, it ranked eighth within the 2022 Sight & Sound ballot by critics of the most effective films of all time. A neo-noir thriller, the movie follows an aspiring actress performed by Naomi Watts as she will get to know a girl who, whereas affected by amnesia, is in tandem recovering from a automotive crash. The greatest snub herein is that Watts wasn’t even nominated for Best Actress, however nonetheless, it ought to have gained Best Director as effectively.
8 Sidney Lumet for Network (1976)
Make no mistake about it: Rocky (1976) by John G. Avildsen is probably essentially the most iconic sports activities movie to ever grace the silver display. However, if it was going to win Best Picture over Network (1976), then Sidney Lumet ought to have on the very least picked up the honour for Best Director.
Again, nothing towards Avildsen, however the success of Rocky can hardly be to his directorial imaginative and prescient. If something, the pugilistic basic stays such due virtually primarily to the screenwriting and performing efforts of Sylvester Stallone. Meanwhile, Network hits all of its storytelling marks to a tee, and Lumet’s credit as director stand out extra prominently than practically something Rocky has to supply. Starring William Holden and Faye Dunaway, Network was additionally written by acclaimed scriptwriter Paddy Chayefsky, which positively enhanced its high quality as effectively.
7 Quentin Tarantino for Pulp Fiction (1994)
Despite having three nominations for Best Director all through his profession, three nominations for Best Original Screenplay, and two wins within the latter class, American filmmaker Quentin Tarantino has by no means gained the Academy Award for Best Director. And if there’s one movie all through his oeuvre that ought to’ve gotten the job achieved, it could undoubtedly must be Pulp Fiction (1994).
He finally misplaced out to Robert Zemeckis for his work on Forrest Gump (1994), although. At the time the choice made sense, as Tom Hanks acquired widespread reward for his titular efficiency, and the movie as an entire was each critically acclaimed and commercially profitable. However, in hindsight, there’s little doubt who extra adequately did their directorial duties in 1994.
6 Stanley Kubrick for 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Up there with an important science fiction films ever created, 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) can be thought of the most effective movies basically, and truthfully, its credentials and achievements are infinite. Among them was a spot within the National Film Registry, together with a win for Best Special Effects on the forty first Academy Awards. And shockingly, that is still the one award acquired by a Stanley Kubrick movie from the affiliation, ever.
He misplaced Best Director that yr to Carol Reed for his work on Oliver! (1968), a British interval musical drama based mostly on the Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist (1838). There’s additionally an plain argument that Kubrick ought to have gained for his work on Dr. Strangelove (1964) as a substitute of George Cukor for My Fair Lady (1964), however in the long run, the most important snub of his profession is unquestionably 2001: A Space Odyssey.
5 David Fincher for The Social Network (2010)
The Social Network (2010) has subsequently been acquired as one of many biggest entries of the twenty-first century, and maybe the best of its decade. Several filmmakers cite it as their favourite undertaking from the 2010s, but someway, it didn’t even stroll away because the Best Film from its yr. Nor did it garner him the award for Best Director.
Instead, the Academy selected The King’s Speech (2010) by Tom Hooper in each respects. A real theft wanting again on it. It’s additionally value noting that David Fincher didn’t obtain even a nomination for Se7en (1995), Fight Club (1999), or Zodiac (2007). Those are fairly violent, and the affiliation at hand tends to keep away from these sorts of movies, however nonetheless. The Academy has a transparent grudge towards Fincher.
4 Billy Wilder for Double Indemnity (1944)
If both of these names don’t occur to ring any bells for extra fashionable audiences, simply wait till you hear who Billy Wilder misplaced to for Best Director on the seventeenth Academy Awards: Leo McCarey. He directed Going My Way (1944), which is sort of undoubtedly much less acquainted in a recent setting.
Wilder would find yourself successful the next yr for his work on The Lost Weekend (1945), after which once more for The Apartment (1960). John Ford has a major lead within the class at hand with regard to the Oscars, sitting at 4 complete wins. But a profitable outing for Wilder and Double Indemnity(1944) would nonetheless have positioned him in rarefied air, as solely two filmmakers have ever gained three awards for Best Director: Frank Capra and William Wyler. But in the long run, the well-known American director is tied with sixteen different filmmakers with two wins therein.
3 Federico Fellini for 8 ½ (1963)
Often regarded among the many biggest, most influential movies ever made, 8 ½ (1963) follows a filmmaker affected by “Director’s Block” as he makes an attempt to helm an epic science fiction movie. It’s one of many extra well-known films in regards to the craft of filmmaking, and it is consistently cited by well-known critics and administrators each amongst their favourite movies ever made.
And whereas it did choose up the honour for Best Foreign Language Film on the thirty sixth Academy Awards, it ought to have taken dwelling Best Director as effectively. Perhaps essentially the most famend Italian director to ever stay, Federico Fellini was consistently robbed on the Academy Awards, like with La Dolce Vita (1961) on the thirty fourth ceremony. But in the long run, there’s no higher injustice than Tony Richardson successful for Tom Jones (1983) in the identical yr which Fellini launched 8 ½.
2 Francis Ford Coppola for The Godfather (1972)
Although its direct sequel The Godfather: Part II (1974) did garner Francis Ford Coppola the Academy Award for Best Director, it’s surprising to see who he misplaced to with regard to the unique. Nothing towards Bob Fosse, however Cabaret (1972) isn’t precisely a movie that’s nonetheless being performed within the normal viewers’s dwelling rooms.
Meanwhile, The Godfather(1972) is constantly cited by followers and critics alike as maybe the best film ever made. And if not, then it’s among the many echelon’s prime. But both manner, the huge disparity in each high quality and recognition in the end lands Francis Ford and The Godfather right here at quantity two.
1 Martin Scorsese for Goodfellas (1990)
Lots of filmmakers all through historical past are recognized for one, definitive title inside their filmography. However, it appears American director Martin Scorsese releases a seminal movie in each single decade of his profession. The Nineteen Seventies had Taxi Driver (1976), the Eighties had Raging Bull (1980), and naturally, the Nineteen Nineties had Goodfellas (1990).
There’s a straightforward argument that it’s his most revered movie to-date. Yet someway, he misplaced each Best Director and Best Film to Kevin Costner and his work on Dances With Wolves (1990). Nobody actually agrees with the choice in hindsight. And it’s not like these different two movies from the seventies and eighties gained Scorsese the Best Director award, both. In reality, for Taxi Driver, he wasn’t even nominated. Talk a couple of theft.