OVP: Best Sound Mixing (2002)
The Nominees Were...
Michael Minkler, Dominick Tavella, & David Lee, Chicago
Tom Fleischman, Eugene Gearty, & Ivan Sharrock, Gangs of New York
Christopher Boyes, Michael Semanick, Michael Hedges, & Hammond Peek, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Scott Millan, Bob Beemer, & John Patrick Pritchett, Road to Perdition
Kevin O'Connell, Greg P. Russell, & Ed Novick, Spider-Man
My Thoughts: Unlike Sound Editing, we have a full slate of nominations here, and since it's been a couple of years since these categories were separated, a quick reminder that while sound editing is invented sounds (frequently associated with effects), mixing is the sounds that are naturally in the film, including the score. As a result, I judge these on different planes when I rate Oscar's choices and pick my own nominees. Here what I'm looking for: perfectly-audible dialogue, strong incorporation of the score, sound that, to quote Nicole Kidman "you can feel," both in terms of causing goosebumps & that can create a connection with the audience.
This is one of the reasons I have rated Road to Perdition so highly in my own personal rankings. I definitely didn't love this inclusion for Sound Editing, but here it works. You take Thomas Newman's melodic score, and add it throughout a film that features a variety of pitches, and most crucially, silences. The film has large stretches that are non-traditional action sequences that don't require a lot of dialogue, so you are reliant on changes in tone throughout. I also can't help but think of how well Paul Newman's "there are only murderers in this room" speech works because it doesn't have a score, just a church choir singing in the background. It's so good, particularly given the context of the speech, that they make these whispers feel like shouts, and shows the care that this film has with its technical aspects.
Quiet is in short supply in the other contenders, I'll be real here. That's not a problem, of course, when you have a musical. Chicago, especially the opening number of "All That Jazz" knows that a barrage of sound & trumpets & vocalists are what you came to expect, and it times that opening number so perfectly you could practically hear it joining "America" and "Singin' in the Rain" as a quintessential part of the cinematic canon. I don't think the film quite lives up to that perfection in some of the later scenes, particularly any of the sequences that aren't musicals, but I'm only quibbling because we're talking about a very good year for movies and I've got to find a way to differentiate.
After all, you've got The Two Towers bringing an epic bit of wonder to the forefront here. I've talked about how because this movie is so connected to the previous installment, I have to judge on a curve, but in terms of sound mixing, there's no comparison to Fellowship. The score is better incorporated, the use of Gollum & the Ents is extraordinary (and new to the series), and the battle sequences never drown out the dialogue but feel organic on the big screen. I loved it-this is one of the best sounding movies of the year, and I think a testament to what Jackson could do given complete control over creating his films collectively from scratch.
The final two nominees aren't in the same league as these three. This is the last time we'll mention Spider-Man, so I do want to point out that I did like the movie, I just don't think the technical achievements are in the same league as either the blockbusters that would follow in comic book lore (the strings are very much showing here) nor does it compete with the other blockbusters of 2002. The movie sounds fine-the battle sequences are too loud, and sometimes drown out the dialogue onscreen (a big no-no in my book), and honestly the sound editing probably has more going on than the mixing for me (it surely would've made both had the other field been five-wide).
The final nomination is Gangs of New York, which in a similar way sometimes feels like the dialogue is being drowned out by either the score or the action sequences. I feel like of these films this movie incorporates its score the least successfully, frequently serving as a substitute for action rather than a conduit of it, and the dialogue scenes aren't that impressive either. Again, I do think that this is a movie that probably makes the Sound Editing race in a five-wide field (though I don't think it earns it), but this is middling at best and befuddled on occasion.
Other Precursor Contenders: The Cinema Audio Society historically splits its nominations between animated and live action, but as early as 2002 that wasn't happening. As a result we only have one category which Road to Perdition won against Catch Me If You Can, Chicago, Spider-Man, and The Two Towers. The BAFTA Awards chose Chicago as their winner atop Gangs of New York, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, The Two Towers, and The Pianist. In terms of sixth place, I suspect we're probably looking at either The Pianist or Minority Report, the former a musically-inclined Best Picture nominee, the latter a Sound Editing nominee (they usually come in pairs)...honestly not sure which makes more sense.
Films I Would Have Nominated: It's an easy argument for me, though. I think that Minority Report sounds amazing, particularly the way that it makes the dialogue scenes feel like they're crescendoing along with the movie itself, which is a challenge-it definitely makes my list.
Oscar’s Choice: Oscar went with the musical, which he is wont to do in this category, probably over The Two Towers getting another prize.
My Choice: I'm going with The Two Towers. It's much easier for me to back this one without Minority Report in the running, and it sounds incredible. I'd follow that with Road to Perdition, Chicago, Spider-Man and Gangs of New York.
Those are my choices-how about you? Are you sticking with Oscar and the delicious jazz of Chicago or do you want to storm Helm's Deep with me and The Two Towers? Why do you think it took so long for Mixing & Editing to be the same number of nominees? And who do you think was sixth place here-The Pianist or Minority Report? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Also in 2002: Sound Editing, Original Score, Original Song, Art Direction, Cinematography, Costume, Film Editing, Visual Effects, Makeup, Previously in 2002
No comments:
Post a Comment