ASC Preview – What will Win Cinematography?

This one kind of seems like a no-brainer, but then you never really know what the cinematographers are going to think is the best cinematography. According to some of those in the know, the Avatar cinematography is more visual effects than actual lensing. Whatever it was, though, it worked to a degree that is almost impossible to comprehend. If Avatar is weak on story and originality, it is strong on its visuals. Strong is an understatement. It is mind-boggling.

But the truth is, we’ve had “mind-boggling” visual effects/cinematography before this, just not wrapped up in a prestige pic with emotional impact. I’m starting to wonder that we should be back to thinking, it’s not if Avatar will win Best Picture, it’s how many Oscars will Avatar win? It can’t win screenplay or acting — not nominated there, but it can win in the techs. And the love for the film could push it over in a sweep of the techs, along with best pic.

They will throw Bigelow a bone with Director, maybe THL wins Screenplay and that will be all she wrote. The Academy can pat themselves on the back for finally awarding a woman Best Director but the more popular, box office success will prevail ultimately. ¬† Either way, cinematography on the 27th of February, in two days, is expected to go to Avatar.¬†¬† If it doesn’t go to Avatar, that isn’t a good sign at all.

If it isn’t Avatar, I’d say the next in line is Inglourious Basterds, just by the way these things are usually judged. Either it’s the prettiest movie by a long way, or it’s a film everyone loves anyway and they just want to give it lots of awards. The White Ribbon would be the critics’ choice, but that film will not win the Oscar probably – so it may not win the ASC. That seems too obscure of a pick for them, if you look at the charts below.

Inglourious Basterds may be the only film that can really challenge Avatar in this category.

Of course, if The Hurt Locker wins, that would be unusual but it would show continued support for that film in the tech categories. We still haven’t heard from the Cinema Audio Society (but we except that to go Avatar’s way as well).

ASC Nominations for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography:

won ASC | Won
Oscar
*nominated for Best Pic
+Won Best Pic

2009

Barry Ackroyd, The Hurt Locker	Barry Ackroyd, The Hurt Locker*
Christian Berger, The White Ribbon	Christian Berger, The White Ribbon
Dion Beebe, Nine	Bruno Delbonnel, Harry Potter
Mauro Fiore, Avatar	Mauro Fiore, Avatar*
Robert Richardson, Inglorious Basterds	Robert Richardson, Inglorious Basterds

2008

Roger Deakins, Revolutionary Road	Tom Stern, Changeling
Claudio Miranda, …Benjamin Button	Claudio Miranda, …Benjamin Button*
Wally Pfister, The Dark Knight	Wally Pfister, The Dark Knight
Roger Deakins, Chris Menges, The Reader	Roger Deakins, Chris Menges, The Reader*
Anthony Dod Mantle, Slumdog Millionaire	Anthony Dod Mantle, Slumdog Millionaire+

2007

Roger Deakins, Jesse James	Roger Deakins, Jesse James
Roger Deakins, No Country	Roger Deakins, No Country+
Robert Elswit, There Will Be Blood	Robert Elswit, There Will Be Blood*
Janusz Kaminski, Diving Bell	Janusz Kaminski, Diving Bell
Seamus McGarvey, Atonement	Seamus McGarvey, Atonement*

2006

Emmanuel Lubezki, Children of Men	Emmanuel Lubezki
Dick Pope, The Illusionist	Dick Pope, The Illusionist
Robert Richardson, The Good Shepherd	Guillermo Navarro, Pan’s Labyrinth
Deam Semler, Apocalypto	Wally Pfister, The Prestige
Vilmos Zsigmond, The Black Dahlia	Vilmos Zsigmond, The Black Dahlia

2005

Batman Begins, Wally Pfister	Batman Begins, Wally Pfister
Brokeback Mountain, Rodrigo Pietro	Brokeback Mountain, Rodrigo Pietro*
Good Night, and Good Luck, Robert Elswit	Good Night and Good Luck, Robert Elswit*
King Kong	New World, Emmanuel Lubezki
Memoirs of a Geisha	Memoirs of a Geisha, Dion Beebe

2004

The Aviator*	The Aviator*
Collateral	House of Flying Daggers
The Passion of the Christ	The Passion of the Christ
Ray*	Phantom of the Opera
A Very Long Engagement	A Very Long Engagement

2003

Russell Boyd, Master and Commander	Master and Commander*
Andrew Lesnie, ROTK*	City of God
John Schwartzman, Seabiscuit	Seabiscuit*
John Seale, Cold Mountain	Cold Mountain
John Toll, The Last Samurai	Girl with the Pearl Earring

2002

Michael Ballhaus, Gangs of New York	Michael Ballhaus, Gangs of New York*
Pawel Edelman, The Pianist	Pawel Edelman, The Pianist*
Conrad Hall, Road to Perdition	Conrad Hall, Road to Perdition
Ed Lachman, Far From Heaven	Ed Lachman, Far From Heaven
Rodrigo Prieto, Frida	Dione Beebe, Chicago+

2001

Roger Deakins, Man Who Wasn’t There	Roger Deakins, Man Who Wasn’t There
Bruno Delbonnel, Am√©lie	Bruno Delbonnel, Am√©lie
Don McAlpine, Moulin Rouge*	Don McAlpine, Moulin Rouge*
Andrew Lesnie, LOTR	Andrew Lesnie, LOTR*
John Schwartzman, ASC (“Pearl Harbor”)	Slawomir Idziak – Black Hawk Down

2000

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon	Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon*
Gladiator	Gladiator+
O Brother, Where Art Thou?	O Brother, Where Art Thou?
The Patriot	The Patriot
The Perfect Storm	Mal√®na

1999

American Beauty+	American Beauty+
Snow Falling on Cedars	Snow Falling On Cedars
Sleepy Hollow	Sleepy Hollow
The Insider	The Insider
The Sixth Sense	The End Of the Affair

1998

The Thin Red Line	The Thin Red Line
Shakespeare In Love	Shakespeare In Love+
Saving Private Ryan	Saving Private Ryan*
Elizabeth	Elizabeth*
The Horse Whisperer	A Civil Action

1997

Titanic+	Titanic+
Amistad	Amistad
Kundun	Kundun
L. A. Confidential	L. A. Confidential*
The Boxer	The Wings Of the Dove

1996

The English Patient+	The English Patient+
Evita	Evita
Fargo*	Fargo*
Fly Away Home	Fly Away Home
Michael Collins	Michael Collins
The Ghost and The Darkness

1995

Braveheart+	Braveheart+
Apollo 13*	A Little Princess
The Bridges of Madison County	Sense and Sensibility*
Batman Forever	Batman Forever
Crimson Tide	Shanghai Triad
Se7en

1994

Shawshank Redemption	Shawshank Redemption*
Legends of the Fall	Legends of the Fall
Love Affair	Red
Forrest Gump	Forrest Gump+
Wyatt Earp	Wyatt Earp

1993

Searching for Bobby Fischer	Searching for Bobby Fischer
The Piano	The Piano*
Heaven & Earth	Farwell My Concubine
Schindler’s List	Schindler’s List +
The Fugitive	The Fugitive*

1992

Hoffa	Hoffa
A Few Good Men*	The Lover
Howards End*	Howards End
The Last of the Mohicans	Unforgiven+
A River Runs Through It	A River Runs Through It

1991

Bugsy	Bugsy*
JFK	JFK*
Prince of Tides	Prince of Tides*
Hook	Thelma and Louise
Terminator 2	Terminator 2

1990

Dances with Wolves	Dances with Wolves+
Dick Tracy	Dick Tracy
Avalon	Avalon
Godfather III	Godfather III*
Ghost*	Henry and June

1989

The Abyss	The Abyss
The Bear	The Fabulous Baker Boys
Blaze	Blaze
Born on the Fourth of July*	Born on the Fourth of July*
The War of the Roses	Glory

1988

Mississippi Burning	Mississippi Burning*
Tequila Sunrise	Tequila Sunrise
Rain Man	Rain Man+
Unbearable Lightness of Being	The Unbearable Lightness of Being
Dangerous Liaisons*	Who Framed Roger Rabbit?

1987

Empire of the Sun	Empire of the Sun
The Last Emperor	The Last Emperor+
Matewan	Matewan
Someone to Watch Over Me	Hope and Glory*
The Untouchables	Broadcast News*

1986

Peggy Sue Got Married	Peggy Sue Got Married
The Mission	The Mission*
A Room with a View	A Room with a View*
Star Trek IV	Star Trek IV
The Karate Kid Part II	Platoon+