Oscar Nominations

Report by Lukas Kendall

The big surprise this year is not one but two nominations for Danny Elfman: for Good Will Hunting (Dramatic category) and Men in Black (Comedy/Musical category). These are Elfman's first nominations ever and represent a major turning point in his reputation among his contemporaries. For years, Elfman was despised by his fellow composers, in part because they didn't like his music, his success, and/or his "I'm self taught" attitude in interviews. Maybe people have come around in light of Elfman's continually improving work; maybe the branch is skewing younger with other musicians of a rock background. Maybe both.

The way the Oscars work is that the winners are now chosen by the entire Academy membership, but nominees are chosen by the members in that particular branch. So for Elfman to be nominated--especially twice--means there are now enough composers in the Academy's music branch who, well, like him. How about that? I'll bet he never expected it. (Also, a wise move on the part of Elfman's people for submitting him in the comedy rather than dramatic category for Men in Black, a movie which could have gone either way. Last year his representatives, Kraft-Benjamin, recommended that Rachel Portman submit Emma in the comedy category, a movie that also could have easily been a dramatic contender, and it would never have won otherwise.)

Complete music nominees

Best Original Dramatic Score

Amistad (John Williams)

Good Will Hunting (Danny Elfman)

Kundun (Philip Glass)

L.A. Confidential (Jerry Goldsmith)

Titanic (James Horner)

Best Original Comedy or Musical Score

Anastasia (Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty, David Newman)

As Good as It Gets (Hans Zimmer)

The Full Monty (Anne Dudley)

Men in Black (Danny Elfman)

My Best Friend's Wedding (James Newton Howard)

Best Original Song

"Go the Distance" from Hercules (Music by Alan Menken, Lyric by David Zippel)

"How Do I Live" from Con Air (Music and Lyric by Diane Warren)

"Journey to the Past" from Anastasia (Music by Stephen Flaherty, Lyric by Lynn Ahrens)

"Miss Misery" from Good Will Hunting (Music and Lyric by Elliott Smith)

"My Heart Will Go On" from Titanic (Music by James Horner, Lyric by Will Jennings)

Predictions: James Horner will certainly will for Titanic for Dramatic Score, and almost certainly will take the Best Song statuette as well, perhaps leaving more than a half-second this time for Will Jennings to speak. (Con Air? At least the non-song by Sheryl Crow for Tomorrow Never Dies wasn't nominated, as it was for a Golden Globe.) Comedy category is a toss-up, but beware the power of The Full Monty, a musically oriented film where people could be confused as to what they're voting for.

Snubs and Surprises: Menken runs out of steam with no Musical Score nomination for Hercules, although he is up for a song; no Thomas Newman (whose Oscar and Lucinda score was great, but the movie was D.O.A.), although his brother David is scoring his first nomination for Anastasia; no Mychael Danna for The Sweet Hereafter, or The Ice Storm for that matter; Williams for Amistad and not the better Seven Years in Tibet; no Marc Shaiman for In and Out.

Always a Bridesmaid (except for The Omen): Jerry Goldsmith, nominated for L.A. Confidential and composer of Oscar's new fanfare. He will not win. (He loathes Horner.)

Go to www.Oscar.com for complete nominees. This year's ceremony is Monday, March 23rd, on ABC. Post your predictions on our message board!