2020 Oscars Challenge: [17] “1917” — Ten Nominations

January 31, 2020 / Leave a Comment

by Christopher Haskell

1917

Sam Mendes | Pippa Harris | Jayne-Ann Tenggren | Callum McDougall

During World War I, two British soldiers are sent on a dangerous mission to stop an attack by the British 7th Division that will result in a massacre by the Germans. Their assignment takes on extra urgency as one of the young soldiers’ brothers is fighting in that Division.

FRONT-RUNNER

Experts place “1917” as the current odds-on favorite to win Best Picture. Apart of the “Big Three,” including “Parasite” and “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood,” “1917” leads them as the current front-runner. Right now, it seems the only way it won’t win is if “Parasite” ends up taking it all. However, “1917” has been winning in all the right places, including the Producers Guild Awards.

Sam Mendes

1999 (72nd) Best Directing “American Beauty” WON

Pippa Harris | Jayne-Ann Tenggren | Callum McDougall

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Sam Mendes

FRONT-RUNNER

He’s been winning across the board, including the Golden Globe Awards and the Directors Guild Award, so Sam Mendes is definitely the front-runner to win directing this year. Even if “1917” misses out on the Best Picture win, Mendes still has a fairly good shot of taking director.

Written by Sam Mendes & Krysty Wilson-Cairns

UNLIKELY

Needless to say, the script for “1917” is not its strong suit. “Parasite” and “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood” are staking their claim here, battling it out for the win. Even Rian Johnson and “Knives Out” will likely end up ranking about “1917.” If “Parasite” wins here, you can start to wonder whether it will edge out “1917” in Best Picture as well.

Krysty Wilson-Cairns

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Roger Deakins

(foreground) Cinematographer Roger Deakins on the set of 1917, the new epic from Oscar®-winning filmmaker Sam Mendes.

FRONT-RUNNER

Roger Deakins went from being nominated thirteen times with no wins to winning his first Academy Award for his work on “Blade Runner 2049” in 2017. Now, he’s about to win back to back Oscars in cinematography, as he’s the definitive front-runner for his work on the continuous one take of “1917.” No one else even begins to compare to Deakins work so please just give him the Oscar now.

Roger Deakiins

1994 (67th)	Best Cinematography	“The Shawshank Redemption”	NOMINEE
1996 (69th)	Best Cinematography	“Fargo”	NOMINEE
1997 (70th)	Best Cinematography	“Kundun”	NOMINEE
2000 (73rd)	Best Cinematography	“O Brother, Where Art Thou?”	NOMINEE
2001 (74th)	Best Cinematography	“The Man Who Wasn’t There”	NOMINEE
2007 (80th)	Best Cinematography	“The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford”	NOMINEE
2007 (80th)	Best Cinematography	“No Country For Old Men”	NOMINEE
2008 (81st)	Best Cinematography	“The Reader”	NOMINEE
2010 (83rd)	Best Cinematography	“True Grit”	NOMINEE
2012 (85th)	Best Cinematography	“Skyfall”	NOMINEE
2013 (86th)	Best Cinematography	“Prisoners”	NOMINEE
2014 (87th)	Best Cinematography	“Unbroken”	NOMINEE
2015 (88th)	Best Cinematography	“Sicario”	NOMINEE
2017 (90th)	Best Cinematography	“Blade Runner 2049”	`WON`

Naomi Donne | Tristan Versluis | Rebecca Cole

NOT LIKELY

The makeup and hairstyling in sheer volume is something to be impressed by in “1917,” but it seems that most voting bodies have been focusing on “Bombshell” and “Judy,” and even to “Joker” to some extent. That means that “1917” will likely be shut out of this category.

Naomi Donne | Tristan Versluis | Rebecca Cole

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Thomas Newman

POSSIBLE

I personally would pick Thomas Newman for the win on this one. His score under “1917” is so immersive, especially in a theatrical setting, it drives the entire film. And for a film that’s portraying one continuous shot, the music does the heavy lifting when setting a tone and conveying emotion. That being said, the “Joker” score is the current front-runner, as Hildur Guðnadóttir has been winning across the board. Plus, it seems like the Academy will take any chance it gets in voting for a woman to win.

Thomas Newman

1994 (67th)	Best Original Score	“Little Women”	NOMINEE
1994 (67th)	Best Original Score	“The Shawshank Redemption”	NOMINEE
1995 (68th)	Best Original Musical or Comedy Score	“Unstrung Heroes”	NOMINEE
1999 (72nd)	Best Original Score	“American Beauty”	NOMINEE
2002 (75th)	Best Original Score	“Road to Perdition”	NOMINEE
2003 (76th)	Best Original Score	“Finding Nemo”	NOMINEE
2004 (77th)	Best Original Score	“Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events”	NOMINEE
2006 (79th)	Best Original Score	“The Good German”	NOMINEE
2008 (81st)	Best Original Musical or Comedy Score	“WALL-E”	NOMINEE
2008 (81st)	Best Original Song	“WALL-E”	NOMINEE
2012 (85th)	Best Original Musical or Comedy Score	“Skyfall”	NOMINEE
2013 (86th)	Best Original Score	“Saving Mr. Banks”	NOMINEE
2015 (88th)	Best Original Score	“Bridge of Spies”	NOMINEE
2016 (89th)	Best Original Score	“Passengers”	NOMINEE

Production Design: Dennis Gassner
Set Decoration: Lee Sandales

POSSIBLE

When you watch any of the behind the scenes featurettes for “1917,” you’ll realize just how much work when into the production design of the film. With these long takes to try and capture the one shot feel, the set had to be designed for as long as the shot would be and obviously they weren’t shooting anything until everything was in place. That being said, it will come down to whether the Academy voters thought that was more impressive than recreating parts of Hollywood for “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood.”

Dennis Gassner

1991 (64th)	Best Art Direction	“Barton Fink”	NOMINEE
1991 (64th)	Best Art Direction	“Bugsy”	`WON`
2002 (75th)	Best Art Direction	“Road To Perdition”	NOMINEE
2007 (80th)	Best Art Direction	“The Golden Compass”	NOMINEE
2014 (87th)	Best Production Design	“Into The Woods”	NOMINEE
2017 (90th)	Best Production Design	“Blade Runner 2049”	NOMINEE

Lee Sandales

2011 (84th)

Best Art Direction

“War Horse”

NOMINEE

Oliver Tarney | Rachael Tate

FRONT-RUNNER

War films tend to be a favorite in the Sound categories, just because there tends to be a lot going on and it becomes a more impressive feat to rein all that in. Sci-fi films are the other favorite, but there does not seem to be a lot of love for “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” this year. “Ford v Ferrari,” on the other hand, hinges around its sound with its intense race scenes. It’s the biggest challenger for “1917,” but the love for the Best Picture favorite could be ever reaching.

Oliver Tarney

2013 (86th)	Best Sound Editing	“Captain Philips”	NOMINEE
2015 (88th)	Best Sound Editing	“The Martian”	NOMINEE

Rachael Tate

NONE

Mark Taylor | Stuart Wilson

FRONT-RUNNER

Again, it’s down to “1917” and “Ford v Ferrari” in my opinion and when you think sound mixing, especially in relation to a film winning an award for it, it should be something that almost defines the movie. Think Bohemian Rhapsody last year. What film was more defined by its sound? As impressive of a film that “1917” is, “Ford v Ferrari” relies more on the mixing of its sound to feel the intensity of the races.

Mark Taylor

2013 (86th)	Best Sound Mixing	“Captain Philips”	NOMINEE
2015 (88th)	Best Sound Mixing	“The Martian”	NOMINEE

Stuart Wilson

2011 (84th)	Best Sound Mixing	“War Horse”	NOMINEE
2012 (85th)	Best Sound Mixing	“Skyfall”	NOMINEE
2015 (88th)	Best Sound Mixing	“Star Wars: The Force Awakens”	NOMINEE
2016 (89th)	Best Sound Mixing	“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”	NOMINEE
2017 (90th)	Best Sound Mixing	“Star Wars: The Last Jedi”	NOMINEE

Guillaume Rocheron | Greg Butler | Dominic Tuohy

FRONT-RUNNER

When you think Visual Effects this year, chances are you’re not thinking of “1917” and it’s that fact that might work against it. “Avengers: Endgame” and “The Lion King” were visual effect heavy feats. They were technical achievements firing on all cylinders. However, “1917” had to rely on visual effects to not only present it’s one shot presentation, but to create some of the more impressive scenes of the film, like the huge fire in the town and the flares being lit through the sky. With the love that I anticipate “1917” having this year, I believe the Academy will lean toward this one. The experts agree.