Editor’s note: Welcome to the eighth of a 24-part series dissecting the 81st Academy Awards, brought to you by the Large Association of Movie Blogs and its assorted members. Every day leading up to the Oscars, a new post written by a different LAMB will be published, each covering a different category of the Oscars. To read any other posts regarding this event, please click the tag following the post. Thank you, and enjoy!
By Joseph from Cinexcellence
Although less thrilling than the other awards, Best Achievement in Sound Editing usually falls under the cracks of the surrounding “Oscar Buzz.” But this year I’m more excited about the award than in previous years. Maybe it’s because most of the nominations deserve the acclaim*, or maybe it’s because it has less subs than the other categories (I’m looking at YOU, Original Song).
That being said, we’ve got some decent competition this year. Here’s the breakdown:
(Pictured l-r: Burrt, Wood, Statemen, Boyes)
Richard King (The Dark Knight)
1 Oscar.
Frank E. Eulner & Christopher Boyes (Iron Man)
4 Oscars and 5 Nominations for Boyes.
Tom Sayers (Slumdog Millionaire)
Ben Burtt & Matthew Wood (WALL*E)
2 Special Achievement Awards, 3 Oscars, and 5 Nominations for Burtt.
1 Nomination for Wood.
Wylie Stateman (Wanted)
3 Nominations.
In terms of previous Academy Awards, Tom Sayers is in the lead, and a definite hopeful this year. But in terms of quality work, Ben Burtt & Matthew Wood deserve every sound award they can get their hands on. (Just watch Building Worlds from the Sound Up on the WALL*E DVD if you don’t believe me.)
*Aside from Wanted, that is.
Resumes:
The Dark Knight – Richard King
WON: Master and Commander
NOMINATED: War of the Worlds
OTHER WORK: Fool’s Gold / There Will be Blood / The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford / The 11th Hour / The Prestige / Firewall / A Series of Unfortunate Events / Signs / Unbreakable / Pollock / Magnolia / Gattaca / Rob Roy / Waterworld
Iron Man – Frank E. Eulner & Christopher Boyes
Fran. E. Eulner: Bolt / Lions for Lambs / The Kite Runner / Charlotte’s Web / Lady in the Water / The Village / Hellboy / The Hunted / Saving Private Ryan / Armageddon
Christopher Boyes:
WON: Titanic / Pearl Harbor / The Return of the King / King Kong
NOMINATED: The Fellowship of the Ring / The Two Towers / Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (x2) / Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest
OTHER WORK: National Treasure (x2) / Charlotte’s Web / The Weatherman / Sky Captain / Catwoman / Mystir River / Minority Report / Pearl Harbor / Jurassic Park III / Armageddon / Titanic / The 13th Warrior
Slumdog Millionaire – Tom Sayers
WORK: The Golden Compas / 28 Weeks Later / Sunshine / V for Vendetta / Millions / Love Actually /Iris
WALL*E – Ben Burtt & Matthew Wood
Ben Burtt:
WON: [Special Achievement Award] Star Wars / Raiders of the Lost Ark
WON: E.T. / Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
NOMINATED: Return of the Jedi (x2) / Willow / Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (Best Sound) / The Phantom Menace
WORK: Kingdom of the Crystal Skull / Munich / Revenge of the Sith / Attack of the Clones / Clone Wars / Howard the Duck / The Dark Crystal / Death Race 2000
Matthew Wood:
NOMINATED: There Will be Blood
WORK: The Clone Wars / The Clone Wars / Fanboys / Crystal Skull / Young Indiana Jones / Zoom / Munich / Revenge of the Sith / Titan A.E. / 13th Warrior / Phantom Menace / Armageddon / Eraser / The Rock / Con Air / Mission: Impossible / Quiz Show
Wanted – Wylie Stateman
NOMINATED: Born on the Fourth of July / Cliffhanger / Memoirs of a Geisha
WORK: W. / In the Valley of Elah / Death Proof / Grindhouse / Slipstream / Alexander / Troy / Kill Bill (x2) / Windtalkers / Unfaithful / We Were Soldiers / Shrek / Almost Famous / Nixon / Natural Born Killers / Jerry Maguire / Cutthroat Island / Dennis the Menace / Curly Sue / JFK / The Doors / Home Alone / ETC
Tags: Best Sound Editing, Cinexcellence