Okay, guys, either we all wrote it or none of us wrote it.
Oscar Pool Alert! According to Variety, the soundtrack for The Dark Knight has been disqualified from Academy Award contention. The bone of contention, as it were, was the listing of five names as composer on the official cue sheet submitted to the Academy–composers Hans Zimmer, James Newton Howard, and Lorne Balfe; music editor Alex Gibson; ambient music designer Mel Wesson.
The latter three signed an affidavit attesting that the majority of the music was written by Zimmer and Howard. Zimmer says the reason for listing all five names was so they’re credited and thus able to claim royalties. The Academy more or less says, “Damn it, we know only two of you wrote most of the music, stop lying to us! I mean, stop coming right out and telling us that the below-signed on this affidavit are not actually claiming credit and just want to get paid which we’ll pretend not to notice just so we can be angry at you for appearing to have lied!”
The same thing happened with Zimmer and Howard’s score for Batman Begins. Apparently they’re more interested in making sure their co-workers are treated fairly than winning prizes. How very un-American.
The Academy has been arguing about this music credit issue when it comes up in the nomination discussion. Is it me or is this all incredibly silly?
