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A group of unique directors and the essential works that you've got to see.

||| Stanley Kubrick |||
Stanley Kubrick

A filmmaker of international importance, Kubrick was one of the only directors to work within the Studio System and still have full artistic control over his films from scripting through post-production, prompting Time Magazine to compare Kubrick’s early independence with the magnitude of Orson Welles.

An uncompromising antiwar film, this gut-wrenching drama depicts a World War I officer as he labors with an ultimately futile defense for three painfully sympathetic men tried for cowardice. Kubrick artistically utilizes a beautifully washed-out black and white photography to represent the muddied boundaries of right and wrong, and the many gray areas that lay between.

A fabulous and inspiring adventure, this visually stunning epic stars Kirk Douglas as the heroic slave who fights to lead his people to freedom from Roman rule. Although a clear departure from Kubrick’s oeuvre, “Spartacus” is an all time classic helmed by a man with a precise vision who is equally capable of crafting colossal spectacle, tense tête-à-têtes, and a tender moment between lovers.

This film is so stylish it’s easy to forget it’s a horror film at heart. Considered to be the thinking man’s thriller, Kubrick molds this very particularly “Stephan King” material into the portfolio of his films about human failure, as the hero’s desperate desire to become somebody ends in frustration and tragedy.

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Oscar Handicap 2012: Director

By EdwardHavens

February 25th, 2012

Here, we will look at the recent voting patterns for the category of Best Director.

Oscar Handicap 2012: Director

(For explanations as to how our scoring system works, make sure to read our first article in the series, Best Picture of the Year, linked at the bottom of this article.)

Two great movies about the movies lead the way in one of the best directing contests in Oscar history. Will the Academy look to honor its past (silent, black and white, 1.33:1 aspect ratio) or look forward to its future (3D)?

The Breakdowns
1) The DGA Award winner has also won the Best Directing Oscar 57 of the 63 years the DGA has handed out awards (90.48%). Advantage: Hazanavicius
2) As long as you're not the oldest nominee, you've won here 29 of the last 33 Oscar ceremonies (87.88%). Advantage: Hazanavicius, Malick, Payne, Scorsese
3) Directors whose movies opened in theatres after September 30th have won 24 of 33 (72.73%). Advantage: Hazanavicius, Payne, Scorsese
4) Movies not primarily set within the past twenty years have won here 23 of 33 (69.70%). Advantage: Hazanavicius, Malick, Scorsese
5) The film with the most nominations has won for Best Director 23 of 33 (69.70%). Advantage: Scorsese
6) Directors who were not writers on their project have won 21 of 33 (63.64%). Advantage: Scorsese
7) First-time nominees in this category have won 20 of 33 (60.61%). Advantage: Hazanavicius
8) Directors who movies have two or more acting nominations have won here 20 of 33 (60.16%). Advantage: Hazanavicius
9) Directors who are also producers on their film have won 18 of 33 (54.55%). Slight advantage: Payne, Scorsese

By The Numbers
Personally, we think Scorsese's first foray in to 3D truly showed how filmmakers can use the re-emerged technology to unobtrusively serve the story, but we're sure even he won't be too disappointed to see Hazanavicius win for his love letter to the early days of cinema.
Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris: -1, -2, -3, -4, -5, -6, +7, +8, -9 (92 for 327, 28.13%)
Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist: +1, +2, +3, +4, -5, -6, +7, +8, -9 (210 for 327, 64.22%)
Terrence Malick, The Tree of Life: -1, +2, -3, +4, -5, -6, -7, -8, -9 (130 for 327, 39.76%)
Alexander Payne, The Descendants: -1, +2, +3, -4, -5, -6, -7, -8, +9 (135 for 327, 41.28%)
Martin Scorsese, Hugo: -1, +2, +3, +4, +5, +6, -7, -8, +9 (170 for 327, 51.99%)


All articles in this series:
Best Picture of the Year
Best Director
Best Actor and Best Actress
Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress
Best Cinematography
Best Original Screenplay and Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Foreign Language Film
Best Animated Feature
The Technical Categories