Scorsese Finally Wins - A Look at Past Losses

So after 40 years of film-making, one of the greatest directors ever finally was honored as best director for The Departed. Previously, he had been 0 - 5 (Raging Bull, Last Temptation of Christ, Goodfellas, Gangs of New York, and The Aviator) An odd footnote to this is that 3 of his losses have come against actors-turned-directors. (Robert Redford, Kevin Costner, Clint Eastwood) I'm not sure that means anything, but it's curious.

Six movies he has directed have been nominated for best picture (Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas, Gangs of New York, The Aviator, and The Departed.) Like best director, he had previously been 0 - 5 in this department until The Departed.

Let's take a look at what Scorsese was up against these years for Best Director and see how history has viewed his films and the winners.

I'd like to first point out that somehow he wasn't nominated for Taxi Driver. So, let's take a look at that year first.

Winner:
	Rocky (1976) - John G. Avildsen
Other Nominees:
	All the President's Men (1976) - Alan J. Pakula Ansikte mot ansikte (1976) - Ingmar Bergman Network (1976) - Sidney Lumet Pasqualino Settebellezze (1975) - Lina Wertmüller

While the other nominees are either worthy (All the President's Men, Network) and the other two I can't judge because I haven't seen them, I can state with certainty that the direction in Taxi Driver was superior to Rocky. Rocky also took home best picture that year (where Taxi Driver did get a nomination.)

Now, let's look at the first nomination: Raging Bull.

Winner:
	Ordinary People (1980) - Robert Redford (I)
Other Nominees:
	Elephant Man, The (1980) - David Lynch (I) Raging Bull (1980) - Martin Scorsese Stunt Man, The (1980) - Richard Rush (I) Tess (1979) - Roman Polanski

I have the same thought here that I do for Best Picture in 1980. The Elephant Man and Raging Bull took votes away from each other. Both are classics, and I could accept The Elephant Man here, but Ordinary People? Give me a break.

Next we have The Last Temptation of Christ.

Winner:
	Rain Man (1988) - Barry Levinson (I)
Other Nominees:
	Fish Called Wanda, A (1988) - Charles Crichton Last Temptation of Christ, The (1988) - Martin Scorsese Mississippi Burning (1988) - Alan Parker (I) Working Girl (1988) - Mike Nichols (I)

A controversial movie about Jesus against a movie about someone with a mental issue? He never had a chance. Hollywood loves movies like Rain Man and the actors who play the characters. (This just goes to show how bad Cuba Gooding Jr. was in Radio. You really have to be terrible to not get a sympathy nod.)

Next up we have Goodfellas.

Winner:
	Dances with Wolves (1990) - Kevin Costner
Other Nominees:
	Godfather: Part III, The (1990) - Francis Ford Coppola Goodfellas (1990) - Martin Scorsese Grifters, The (1990) - Stephen Frears Reversal of Fortune (1990) - Barbet Schroeder

Here we have the infernal Dances with Wolves winning. Everyone was in love with Kevin Costner that year, and it ultimately led him to make bloated (even more so than Wolves) movies like the infamous Waterworld and The Postman. Goodfellas pistol whips Dances with Wolves in front of all its friends in the driveway. Also, how did Godfather III get so much love from voters?

Following Goodfellas, the next film nominated was Gangs of New York. Nominated for 10 Academy Awards, it walked away with squadoosh. In terms of directors, this is how the nominees looked:

Winner:
	Pianist, The (2002) - Roman Polanski - Roman Polanski was not present at the awards ceremony, being a fugitive from U.S. justice since fleeing the country in 1978. Presenter Harrison Ford (I) accepted the award on his behalf.
Other Nominees:
	Chicago (2002) - Rob Marshall Gangs of New York (2002) - Martin Scorsese Hable con ella (2002) - Pedro Almodóvar Hours, The (2002) - Stephen Daldry

Can't really argue here, Polanski is a great director. Holocaust movies tend to do well in Hollywood. I think we can all be happy that Chicago didn't win.

Finally, Scorsese's last loss was in 2005 for The Aviator.

Winner:
	Million Dollar Baby (2004) - Clint Eastwood
Other Nominees:
	Aviator, The (2004) - Martin Scorsese Ray (2004/I) - Taylor Hackford Sideways (2004) - Alexander Payne (I) Vera Drake (2004) - Mike Leigh

Million Dollar Baby inexplicably wins here. I'm not sure why. I would say any of the other directors could have taken this one. Also, Hillary Swank with two Oscars? Really? Is she really one of the top actresses ever? I'm pretty sure that anyone who starred in the movie The Core should have any awards taken away. With extreme prejudice if necessary.