director2003

Best Director

THE FIVE NOMINEES:

THE WINNER:

MARTIN
SCORSESE
"GANGS OF NEW YORK"

PEDRO
ALMODOVAR
"TALK TO HER"

STEPHEN
DALDRY
"THE HOURS"

ROB
MARSHALL
"CHICAGO"

ROMAN
POLANSKI
"THE PIANIST"

FOR HIM:

If ever there was an
overdue recipient for an
Academy Award, it is he.
He's a living legend and
should get his due.

His
semi-autobiographical
film has touched the
heartstrings of viewers
and voters alike.

He got the slot reserved for
critically acclaimed fare, so
he must have made an
impression over "Far From
Heaven" and "Adaptation."

He continued his "Billy
Elliot" winning streak
with a subdued pic that
garnerered three acting
nominations.

His film is the Best
Picture frontrunner,
so he's in a very
enviable position. The
pic has support.

He probably won't be
able to enter the USA
to attend the
ceremony. He's in
exile from the law and
Oscar.

Without the Best Picture
nomination, his chances
are nil. Plus, he also has a
shot in the Original
Screenplay category.

THE LOWDOWN:

Roman Polanski claims victory over predicted winner Martin Scorsese. This was the biggest surprise of the night, and
shows that the Academy was apparently able to overlook the director's scandalous past and vote for the nominee they
felt really deserved it. Of the two Best Director contenders this year who were "living legends that had never won,"
Polanski had the more critically-acclaimed film. Scorsese sits 0/4 as a directing nominee, having lost for "Raging Bull,"
"The Last Temptation of Christ," "Goodfellas," and now "Gangs of New York."

DIDN'T MAKE THE CUT THIS YEAR:

ALEXANDER
PAYNE
"ABOUT SCHMIDT"
Jack Nicholson might
overshadow the film's
chances elsewhere.

TODD
HAYNES
"FAR FROM HEAVEN"
It's been over 20 years since
Best Picture & Best Director
matched 5 for 5.

SPIKE
JONZE
"ADAPTATION"
Lack of a DGA nod for
this difficult material
doesn't bode well.

PHILLIP
NOYCE
"QUIET AMERICAN"
Will this be the one, or
"Rabbit-Proof Fence"?
He's no Soderbergh.

SAM
MENDES
"ROAD TO PERDITION"
The winner for 1999
looked like he has another
solid contender on his
hands.

GEORGE
CLOONEY
"CONFESSIONS OF..."
It happened for Redford,
Costner, and Eastwood. Is he
the next major actor-director?

DENZEL
WASHINGTON
"ANTWONE FISHER"
His film is touching
and heartfelt -- things
necessary for Oscar.

STEVEN
SODERBERGH
"SOLARIS"
This could challenge the Academy
like Kubrick's "2001"; he was
nom'd even when the film wasn't.

CURTIS
HANSON
"8 MILE"
Though the movie and Eminem
have little hope, his direction
was universally praised.

P.T.
ANDERSON
"PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE"
This is a 'wishful thinking'
guess, but a logical one
considering the great reviews.

PETER
JACKSON
"THE TWO TOWERS"
His action-packed film
is a phenomenal
technical achievement.

ORIGINAL PREDIX 4/12/02... SCORSESE* - DALDRY - JONZE - JACKSON - BOGDANOVICH
LABOR DAY PREDIX 8/25/02... SCORSESE* - MENDES - JONZE - POLANSKI - ANDERSON
EARLY SEPT. PREDIX 9/3/02... SCORSESE* - MENDES - JONZE - POLANSKI - ANDERSON
LATE SEPT. PREDIX 9/19/02... SCORSESE* - MENDES - SPIELBERG - POLANKSI - SODERBERGH
EARLY OCT. PREDIX 10/6/02... SCORSESE* - MENDES - SPIELBERG - POLANKSI - SODERBERGH
HALLOWEEN PREDIX 10/31/02... SCORSESE* - MENDES - SPIELBERG - MARSHALL - HAYNES
NOVEMBER PREDIX 11/18/02... SCORSESE* - MENDES - JONZE - POLANKSI - HAYNES
EARLY DEC. PREDIX 12/6/02... SCORSESE* - MENDES - JONZE - DALDRY - HAYNES
LATE DEC. PREDIX 12/19/02... SCORSESE* - JACKSON - MARSHALL - DALDRY - HAYNES
EARLY JAN. PREDIX 1/7/03... SCORSESE* - JACKSON - MARSHALL - DALDRY - HAYNES
LATE JAN. PREDIX 1/20/03... SCORSESE* - JACKSON - MARSHALL - DALDRY - HAYNES
FINAL PREDIX 2/2/03... SCORSESE* - JACKSON - MARSHALL - DALDRY - HAYNES

STEVEN
SPIELBERG
"CATCH ME IF YOU CAN"
He got critical kudos for both this
and "Minority Report," so any
late-breaking support could be split.

ADAPTED S'PLAY

Because the film is a
longshot at best for the
win, it may not make
sense to give him the Best
Director award for it.

AGAINST HIM:

Will he get the credit,
or will the
performances and
highly literary script
steal the limelight? It's
truly an actor's piece.

AGAINST HIM:

Miramax seems more
intent on pushing
Scorsese for the win.
After all, it's only
Marshall's first film.

AGAINST HIM: