“PASSENGERS”
Guy Hendrix Dyas (Production Design); Gene Serdena (Set Decoration)
Directed by: Morten Tyldum
Written by: Jon Spaihts
Cinematography by: Rodrigo Prieto
Music by: Thomas Newman
Distributed by: Columbia Pictures
Release Date: December 21, 2016
Budget: $110 million
FILM SYNOPSIS: Jim Preston and Aurora Lane, two passengers aboard a luxurious starship bound for an interplanetary colony, are unexpectedly awoken from suspended animation 90 years early. As the only humans awake, the pair relies on each other for company, but while their relationship deepens, they discover that the ship and their fellow passengers are in danger.
What’s its competition? With its middling reviews and lackluster box office performance, most people had counted “Passengers” out for the Oscars. So when it nabbed two nominations in the technical department, it was quite the surprise. But upon seeing the film, it really shouldn’t have been. The sets were absolutely amazing, with homages to science fiction films galore, while delivering sleak, bright, vibrant designs that continuously awed and caught the eye. On the space front, “Passengers” is light years ahead of its competitor “Arrival,” which was much more minimalist in its production design, despite being a favorite of the pundits. But “La La Land” remains the odds-on favorite, as it is with most of the categories in which it is nominated. However, on a personal level, the production design of “Passengers” is hands down my favorite of 2016 thus far.
Previous nominations? This is the second Academy Award nomination for Guy Hendrix Dyas. He was previously nominated for:
- INCEPTION (2010)
Nominee, Art Direction
This is the second Academy Award nomination for Gene Serdena. He was previously nominated for:
- HER (2013)
Nominee, Production Design
// Produced by Neal H. Moritz, Stephen Hamel, Michael Maher, and Ori Marmur //
// Directed by Morten Tyldum //
// Dated Viewed: Friday, February 3rd, 2017 // AMC BURBANK 6 // 38 films – 24 days //
