Tarantino snubbed by Oscars

If you were to assemble a list of adjectives to describe the directorial style of Quentin Tarantino, it would be very long and very controversial — not unlike his films. But fans and detractors alike can agree on at least this: The man is certainly hands-on.

Sometimes literally so. In the close-up depicting the death of Diane Kruger’s character in 2009’s “Inglourious Basterds,”  the hands shown violently crushing her windpipe are the hands of none other than QT, control freak extraordinaire.

The man has never directed a film he didn’t write or co-write. He’s known among actors for his painstakingly specific instructions, and he even writes himself a part in all of his projects. He’s demanding and picky.

But that’s what makes him great. Besides being critical and financial successes, his films are boldly humorous and enticingly gruesome examples of modern cinema, and the credit unquestionably belongs to Tarantino.

It is with that credit in mind that this board expressly disagrees with the Academy’s decision to deny him an Oscar nomination for Best Director.

The Academy’s nomination policies have recently undergone revisions that increased the number of Best Picture candidates to a maximum of 10 while leaving the number of Best Director nods at five. It is therefore unavoidable that several directors will be passed over, even though their films are considered some of the best of the year. We do not consider it acceptable that Quentin Tarantino is one of them.

The movie in question, “Django Unchained,” is a spaghetti western set in antebellum Deep South. Nearly three hours of exaggerated violence and relentless swearing are backed by a soundtrack ranging from Rick Ross to Jim Croce. Tarantino even elicits an exciting and terrifying performance from Leonardo DiCaprio in a role unlike anything we’ve seen in years.

Its high ratings on the Internet Movie Database and the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes show it is clearly loved by both moviegoers and critics. “Django” undoubtedly deserves the Best Picture nomination that it got. We therefore find it ludicrous that a director so intimately involved in the details of his film could be ignored while the movie remains a nominee for Best Picture.

Tarantino’s conspicuous absence on the short list, along with the absences of Ben Affleck for “Argo” and Kathryn Bigelow for “Zero Dark Thirty,” make us question what the Academy members were smoking as they filled out their ballots. To recognize the greatness of “Django” and not the man so obviously responsible for it is the snub of the year.