Can 'The Dark Knight' compete for Oscar?
Genre film may find the going difficult against heavyweights.
Can 'The Dark Knight' compete for Oscar?

By The Associated Press

Published: September 12, 2008

TORONTO — The last time a movie topped a half-billion dollars at the domestic box office, it sailed away with most of the Oscars.

That was "Titanic” 11 years back. This time, it's "The Dark Knight,” a critically acclaimed film but a genre picture that will be a tougher sell to Academy Award voters, except for the performance delivered by Heath Ledger.

As Hollywood enters the prestige season, when studios unveil most of their awards contenders, Ledger seems a solid bet for an acting nomination as the maniacal bad guy the Joker. The role has been classified as one of the best villains in Hollywood history, a remarkable turn by the actor, who died in January of an accidental prescription drug overdose.

While "The Dark Knight” also should score well in technical categories, its Oscar prospects are slim for other key awards, among them an acting honor for Christian Bale, reprising his "Batman Begins” lead role with an exceptional delivery as the comic-book superhero.

"There are no prospects for that,” Bale said shortly before "The Dark Knight” came out in July. "It's the genre thing again, but hey, look, I'm very happy with what I did and what I set out to do. But it's not award-worthy. It's not the kind of thing that gets it. Listen, Heath's performance is extraordinary, and I'm quite happy to say he steals the show.”

With "The Dark Knight” finally winding down at theaters after crossing the $500 million mark, studios are beginning to roll out their serious awards contenders, though Oscar night Feb. 22 remains nearly six months off.

The Toronto International Film Festival, along with the Venice and Telluride fests, traditionally launch the marathon of screenings, interviews and celebrity appearances that lead up the Oscars.

"Toronto has a track record over the years of breaking films for awards consideration,” said Piers Handling, director of the festival.

Among films that played Toronto in advance of their Oscar triumphs were best-picture champs "American Beauty” and "Crash.”

The Toronto lineup includes such potential contenders as past Oscar nominee Keira Knightley for her period piece "The Duchess,” Anne Hathaway for her stark family drama "Rachel Getting Married” and relative unknown Sally Hawkins for the comic drama "Happy-Go-Lucky.”

Another Toronto star in a potential breakout role is Omar Benson Miller, who steals the show as a gentle giant among a foursome of U.S. soldiers in "Miracle at St. Anna,” Spike Lee's tale about members of an all-black unit trapped behind enemy lines in Italy during World War II.

Potential nominees usually opt for humility; no one wants to jinx their chances by talking too openly about taking home one of those little gold statues.

"I'd go insane,” said Daniel Craig, who follows his James Bond adventure "Quantum of Solace” in November with the World War II Jewish resistance drama "Defiance” a month later. "I'd be lying to you if I said I never think about it, but I really do try to think about it as little as possible.”

Duncan-born Oscar winner Ron Howard offers "Frost/Nixon,” featuring Frank Langella as Richard Nixon and Michael Sheen as interviewer David Frost, reprising their stage roles. Director Howard would not discuss his own chances for another Oscar, though he could not conceal his enthusiasm for his collaborators.

"It's probably not for me to say at this point, but they're remarkable performances,” Howard said.

"Titanic” co-stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet also could sail back into the awards discussion with their domestic drama "Revolutionary Road.”

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