I recently interviewed the Oscar-winning screenwriter of “The Departed,” William Monahan and he shared with me how angry he was that “The Martian” has received Oscar nominations this year for Best Picture and Best Actor categories and yet they completely snubbed director Ridley Scott..
Monahan further told me that he sometimes wonders the thinking that comes into this Oscar nomination process.
But I also understand Monahan’s frustration over Scott being overlooked, he’s one of all-time greats, but hey, at the very least Scott is nominated for being one of the producers of the best picture nod, “The Martian” and so maybe if “The Martian” wins, it’d be like a few years back when “Argo” won best picture which gave Ben Affleck an Oscar although it wasn’t for directing.
“I will say that I’m very angry that Ridley Scott didn’t get nominated as director for ‘The Martian.’ I’m very happy for the Golden Globe thing, and I’m happy for the nomination for Matt [Damon] and the best picture for the Oscars but I really think that Ridley should’ve gotten a nomination this year. He should’ve won for a lot of things, it also goes back to ‘Black Hawk Down,’ he should’ve won for that as well.”Monahan wrote 2005’s epic movie, “Kingdom Of Heaven” which was directed by Ridley Scott, and Monahan adapted 2008’s “Body Of Lies” which was also directed by Ridley Scott.
Monahan further told me that he sometimes wonders the thinking that comes into this Oscar nomination process.
“If there is a category called Best Director and you’re looking at best directed film of the year as was definitely the case with ‘Black Hawk Down’ and ‘The Martian’ as well, what kind of mental map removes the line of interest away from something that is the best directed picture of that year? What other formula enters into it? Either a picture is the best directed picture of that year or it isn’t. So what are the other criteria? What can people possibly be thinking when they nominate a film for best actor and best picture but leave out the man made who made both?! So that’s my two-cents on that one.”I didn’t mention to Monahan that the current outrage over this year’s Oscars nominations is over its lack of diversity in the acting categories which resulted in the #OscarsSoWhite hashtag that had gone trending on twitter.
But I also understand Monahan’s frustration over Scott being overlooked, he’s one of all-time greats, but hey, at the very least Scott is nominated for being one of the producers of the best picture nod, “The Martian” and so maybe if “The Martian” wins, it’d be like a few years back when “Argo” won best picture which gave Ben Affleck an Oscar although it wasn’t for directing.
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Thank you. Please follow me on twitter at @RamasScreen
Thank you. Please follow me on twitter at @RamasScreen