Spike Lee is an iconic figure in filmmaking, dating back to his first short film, 1979’s Last Hustle In Brooklyn. For 40 years, Lee’s creative genius has been on display for audiences around the world. His tales, usually based in New York City, are grounded tales featuring complex, relatable characters. Stories of love, hate, commitment, sacrifice, and survival. Some are intense crime dramas, some are complicated love stories and others dramatic period pieces. All critically-acclaimed artistry from a man worthy of being honored in the pantheon of filmmakers.
Surprisingly, a specific golden statuette has yet to be bestowed upon him for his work as a director.
She’s Gotta Have It marked the director’s first full-length motion picture, telling the story of a woman and her three lovers. After that and School Daze came Lee’s first big critically-acclaimed film: 1989’s Do The Right Thing. The film earned two Academy Award nominations, Best Original Screenplay for Lee and Best Supporting Actor for Danny Aiello. However, Lee was snubbed for the Best Director category and the film was not selected for the Best Film category. Instead, Driving Miss Daisy took the Oscar for Best Film, causing a storm of criticism toward Hollywood and its views on race.
Related – Black Panther Nominated For 7 Oscars: The Nominees For the 91st Annual Academy Awards
Lee went on to write and direct films that stood out from the norms in the industry. His stories frequently tested the morals and ethics of the viewer, or presented them with a viewpoint they may have never considered. Mo’ Better Blues, Jungle Fever, Malcolm X, Girl 6, He Got Game, Summer Of Sam, Bamboozled, 25th Hour, Inside Man, and Old Boy. These are just a few of his long filmography, and while he received an honorary award from the Academy in 2016 (the same year he boycotted it for #OscarsSoWhite), Lee has yet to receive a Best Director nomination.
That is, until now.
While his name is attached to BlacKkKlansman through its nominations for Best Film and Best Adapted Screenplay, Lee has finally earned a chance to win an Oscar for Best Director. It won’t be easy, though, as he is in a category that also features Roma director Alfonso Cuaron and Vice director Adam Mckay. However, the fact that Lee has earned this nomination nearly 30 years after his first critical success could be fate. Perhaps that young, eager and controversial filmmaker from Brooklyn all those years ago will finally earn that prestigious title. A title he has proven to be worthy of wearing for quite some time now.
The title of “Academy Award winner.”
Don’t forget to share this post on your Facebook wall and with your Twitter followers! Just hit the buttons on the top of this page!
FOR FANBOYS, BY FANBOYS
Have you checked out LRM Online’s official podcasts and videos on The Genreverse Podcast Network? Available on YouTube and all your favorite podcast apps, This multimedia empire includes The Daily CoG, Breaking Geek Radio: The Podcast, GeekScholars Movie News, Anime-Versal Review Podcast, and our Star Wars dedicated podcast The Cantina. Check it out by listening on all your favorite podcast apps, or watching on YouTube!
Subscribe on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | SoundCloud | Stitcher | Google Play
