Best Film Editing: Drums, Guns, or Twelve Years of "Boyhood"?
Friday, February 13, 2015 at 8:28AM 
They call Editing the "invisible art" but when it comes to Oscar Watching each year, the prize is highly visible. Most pundits, armchair and professional, think of it as a bellwether. Everyone knows this one key stat: No movie has won Best Picture without an Editing nomination since Ordinary People (1980). But that stat is actually kind of misleading because it IS possible to win without an editing nomination and it's not even super rare. Birdman, should it triumph, would be the eighth film to do so... it used to happen about once a decade. Birdman's failure to get nominated in the category isn't particularly telling, if you ask me. Inarritu's technical gamble has very little visible editing given that the picture is a series of continuous shots stitched together in clever ways to appear to all be one thing.
American Sniper - Joel Cox & Gary Roach
Boyhood - Sandra Adair
Grand Budapest Hotel - Barney Pilling
The Imitation Game - William Goldenberg
Whiplash - Tom Cross
Should Boyhood lose the editing Oscar many people will be all "it's over, Birdman is winning!" but this isn't necessarily the case. In fact, Best Pictures only win this award about 50% of the time. Which is why this category feels up in the year. Any of the contenders could win: comedy doesn't win this category much (a pity since editing is so crucial to comic rhthyms) but Budapest feels like a real threat in all the craft categories; Boyhood could win on love for the film + respect for the time commitment but it's far less showily edited than the others and Oscar often wants to see your work; If they want to honor American Sniper or The Imitation Game this could be the place for either with the ticking time bomb suspense that these former Oscar winners drum up; But speaking of drums... my bet is that Whiplash is the surprise winner here and I was going to make that call, I swear, before it won the BAFTA in this category. Whiplash's very masculine energies, focus on rhtymic intensity, and taut energy (despite repetitive scenes) are well served by this department. Bonus points for the editor's name being "Tom Cross". It's like an old fashioned stage name for a young movie star. It's just great. Well done, Mr & Mrs. Cross.
Will Win: Whiplash
Could Win: Boyhood
Should Win: Grand Budapest Hotel
Reader Comments (12)
I agree, Whiplash is going to win and also agree that The Grand Budapest should win. It's so well paced and smooth. But Whiplash would also be a decent winner.
What keeps baffling me, though, is the fact that the last Best Picture winner without an Editing nomination before 'Ordinary People' was 'Annie Hall', which was shaped in the editing room more than probably any other Best Picture winner in Oscar history.
What keeps baffling me, though, is the fact that the last Best Picture winner without an Editing nomination before 'Ordinary People' was 'Annie Hall', which was shaped in the editing room more than probably any other Best Picture winner in Oscar history.
American Beauty was also radically shaped in the editing room. Cutting a major plot device of the story being told it flashback while the present day is a court trail with Spacey's daughter and boyfriend being tried and convicted for his murder.
I called Whiplash for Editing ::ahem:: and Supporting Actor right out of the gate, and it damn sure better win both. ;-)
"Full Metal Drum Kit" or Whiplash is one of those films that I can see has a lot of appeal, but that appeal was lost on me.
No disrespect to those who like the film but the drill sergeant & lowly pupil is a trope that really grated on me.
The music sequences are a very showy bit of editing, and so it will probably win. But I would give the Oscar to Grand Budapest Hotel which is an editing tour de force from beginning to end.
I could see anyone but Imitation winning (too traditional).
Whiplash is a triumph of craft considering it's very short shoot time, but the finished product doesn't feel like a short shoot.
Budapest is my favorite on every level but especially in editing as (as you say) the timing is everything in comedy. Although, Andersen's framing made the job easier.
Boyhood was shot over 12 years, but doesn't look like it. That takes real skill from both editor and director, but especially director. No one, of any level of talent remains static over a 12 year period, but Link managed to keep the film smooth and even.
I think it goes to Whiplash or Sniper.
So cool you included Wild Tales! :)
My ballot:
Foxcatcher
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Raid 2 (sophisticated and erratic at the same time)
Under the Skin
Wild Tales
I wasn't impressed by the editing of Boyhood, sorry.
I'm calling Sniper on this one, but my preference is Whiplash.
I really think American Sniper could take this. War movies tend to do well in this category, and I could easily see it pulling a Bourne Ultimatum by winning Editing and both sound categories.
But really, this is another very close race this year. I could even see it going to Grand Budapest as part of a Hugo-like sweep of the tech categories.
This one is tough to call. Seeing Whiplash Sunday but so far I feel GBH is most deserving, with Boyhood second. AS is strong work. Why is Pale Imitation's rusty boilerplate cutting even in this category?
Wow! The Imitation Game is "Too Traditional" to win? Like The King's Speech and The Artist, I guess those weren't traditional at all. Emotion is great. It is great to be emotionally attached to a film. I think it is great if someone loves Boyhood. It's great if you are touched! But reality is also important. Any honest person knows deep down that Boyhood has poor writing, poor cinematography, so-so acting overall, rushed direction (not Linklater's fault), A gigantic editing accomplishment. But barely any Boyhood fan acknowledges the real problems with Boyhood, Sick Drunk Fathers beating up women, paranoid control freak Father scene, DRUNK driving endangering children. Poor, poor taste. NOT BEST PICTURE material. I hope everyone gets something positive out of the flick, but please don't push this Best Picture idea. Being emotionally touched by some parts of a movie doesn't miraculously or magically change all the sub-par issues into gold. It boils down to WRITING - it always does. Emotion doesn't reinvent reality. Is there anyone out there who was touched by 'Boyhood' who can honestly address the real issues and stop the brainwashed talking points?
I agree, Whiplash would be a decent winner!