Sunday, September 04, 2011

David Cronenberg - Will This Director Finally Be Invited To Join The Club?

In this series of directors, David Cronenberg is one who is certainly more prolific then many. In a review of Cronenberg's filmography there are plenty of films that are easily "not the Oscar type."

That being said, Cronenberg's originality and style seems to in this past decade begun to approach the style of the "type of film" that gets nominated. Even the super-heavy themed films have the right type of critical buzz to at least suggest the possibility of Oscar attention.

Yet, Cronenberg with many titles (directing and writing) to his name has never received an Oscar nomination.

Here's Cronenberg's feature length film history and where it fell on the Oscar radar (if at all):


  • Eastern Promises (2007) [1 Oscar nomination, Lead Actor - Viggo Mortensen]

  • A History Of Violence (2005) [2 Oscar nominations, Supporting Actor - William Hurt; Adapted Screenplay]

  • Spider (2002)

  • eXistenZ (1999)

  • Crash (1996)

  • M. Butterfly (1993)

  • Naked Lunch (1991)

  • Dead Ringers (1988)

  • The Fly (1986) [1 Oscar Win, Best Make-up]

  • The Dead Zone (1983)

  • Videodrome (1983)

  • Scanners (1981)

  • The Brood (1979)

  • Fast Company (1979)

  • Rage {or Rabid} (1977)

  • They Came From Within {or Shivers} (1975)

  • Crimes of the Future (1970)

  • Stereo (1969)
Will David Cronenberg be invited to "join the club" the director club with an Oscar nomination for directing A Dangerous Method, set for a 2011 release?

Recent efforts have picked up acting kudos and certainly various award buzz through the critical season, but the films weren't quite on the Oscar's radar when it came to wider recognition.

That being said, A Dangerous Method as a period biopic is a little bit different, and if it hits the right chord acting nominations could certainly be expected and Cronenberg could be brought along.

Although A Dangerous Method seems like it will struggle to be a box office buster, so I'd have to think that more traditional nominees, with more traditional Oscar films will break in. Although Cronenberg could certainly bust through.



§§§
Previous directors in this series who have joined the club:


- David Fincher (post from 2008, since then has received two director Oscar nods)


- Darren Aronofsky (post from 2008, Aronofsky was nominated in 2011 for Black Swan)
- Cameron Crowe (2011 post)




Previous directors in this series who still have not joined the club:


- Cristopher Nolan (post from 2008, since then two more nods, but not for directing)


- Edward Zwick (post from 2008, and additional 2010 post, still no additional nominations)

1 comment:

NeverTooEarlyMP said...

I'm hoping that Cronenberg makes it this year. As you said, it's a period biopic, and nothing on the radar from him looks like it has a better chance. So if he doesn't make it this year, we may have a long while to wait.

Great post!