1997 FILM BALLOT

the point of this exercise isn't merely to stand in contrast to industry awards shows but to shine light on other works/achievements/performances that might've not gotten enough consideration during their initial releases 

Another one of my old "Best in Film" ballots.

Other year-end ballots posted at The Wandering Image:   1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991,1992,
 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003,
 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

Also, if you wish to view my favorite 30 films of 1997, go here

Note: "Animated Short" and "Animated Feature" categories have been merged into one Animation category, regardless of runtime length. Also "Sound Editing" and "Sound Mixing" have been combined into one "Sound Design" category. Focusing on both overall mix and sound creation.

1997

*UNDERGROUND

BOOGIE NIGHTS

CRASH

HAPPY TOGETHER

LA PROMESSE

THE SWEET HEREAFTER
JACKIE BROWN
THE ICE STORM
STARSHIP TROOPERS

TASTE OF CHERRY

LOST HIGHWAY

CONSPIRATORS OF PLEASURE

LABYRINTH OF DREAMS

L.A. CONFIDENTIAL

IRMA VEP 

NENETTE ET BONI

THE END OF EVANGELION

LIVE FLESH

KUNDUN

THE APOSTLE

actual best picture oscar nominees:
AS GOOD AS IT GETS
THE FULL MONTY
GOOD WILL HUNTING
L.A. CONFIDENTIAL
TITANIC  (won)

actual foreign language oscar nominees:
BEYOND SILENCE
CHARACTER  (won)
FOUR DAYS IN SEPTEMBER
SECRETS OF THE HEART
THE THIEF

1997

*Emir Kusturica 

              for UNDERGROUND
David Cronenberg for CRASH
Paul Thomas Anderson for BOOGIE NIGHTS
Quentin Tarantino for JACKIE BROWN

Wong Kar-wai for HAPPY TOGETHER


actual oscar nominees:
Peter Cattaneo for THE FULL MONTY
Gus Van Sant for GOOD WILL HUNTING
Curtis Hanson for L.A. CONFIDENTIAL
Atom Egoyan THE SWEET HEREAFTER
James Cameron for TITANIC  (won)

1997

*Julie Christie in AFTERGLOW
Pam Grier in JACKIE BROWN
Isabelle Carré in LA FEMME DEFENDUE
Kate Winslet in TITANIC
Samantha Morton in UNDER THE SKIN

actual oscar nominees:
Helena Bonham Carter in THE WINGS OF THE DOVE
Julie Christie in AFTERGLOW
Judi Dench in MRS. BROWN
Helen Hunt in AS GOOD AS IT GETS  (won)
Kate Winslet in TITANIC

1997

*Robert Duvall in THE APOSTLE
John Turturro in BOX OF MOONLIGHT
Jack Nicholson in AS GOOD AS IT GETS
Mark Wahlberg in BOOGIE NIGHTS
Matt Damon in GOOD WILL HUNTING

actual oscar nominees:
Matt Damon in GOOD WILL HUNTING
Robert Duvall in THE APOSTLE
Peter Fonda in ULEE'S GOLD
Dustin Hoffman in WAG THE DOG
Jack Nicholson in AS GOOD AS IT GETS  (won)

1997

*Stacy Edwards 

    in IN THE COMPANY OF MEN
Julianne Moore in BOOGIE NIGHTS
Debbi Morgan in EVE'S BAYOU
Joan Cusack in IN & OUT
Sarah Polley in THE SWEET HEREAFTER

actual oscar nominees:
Kim Basinger in L.A. CONFIDENTIAL  (won)
Joan Cusack in IN & OUT
Minnie Driver in GOOD WILL HUNTING
Julianne Moore in BOOGIE NIGHTS
Gloria Stuart in TITANIC

1997

*Don Cheadle in ROSEWOOD
Robert Forster in JACKIE BROWN
Greg Kinnear in AS GOOD AS IT GETS
Gary Oldman in THE FIFTH ELEMENT

Vincent D'Onofrio in MEN IN BLACK

Alfred Molina in BOOGIE NIGHTS

actual oscar nominees:
Robert Forster in JACKIE BROWN
Anthony Hopkins in AMISTAD
Greg Kinnear in AS GOOD AS IT GETS
Burt Reynolds in BOOGIE NIGHTS
Robin Williams in GOOD WILL HUNTING  (won)

1997

*BOOGIE NIGHTS 

                  - Paul Thomas Anderson
THE APOSTLE - Robert Duvall
WAITING FOR GUFFMAN - Christopher Guest, Eugene Levy
LOST HIGHWAY - David Lynch, Barry Gifford

DECONSTRUCTING HARRY - Woody Allen

CHASING AMY - Kevin Smith

actual oscar nominees:
AS GOOD AS IT GETS
BOOGIE NIGHTS
DECONSTRUCTING HARRY
THE FULL MONTY
GOOD WILL HUNTING  (won)

1997

*L.A. CONFIDENTIAL 

 - Brian Helgeland, Curtis Hanson 
JACKIE BROWN - Quentin Tarantino
CRASH - David Cronenberg
THE SWEET HEREAFTER - Atom Egoyan
THE ICE STORM - James Schamus

STARSHIP TROOPERS - Edward Neumeier

actual oscar nominees:
DONNIE BRASCO
L.A. CONFIDENTIAL  (won)
THE SWEET HEREAFTER
WAG THE DOG
THE WINGS OF THE DOVE

1997

*FAST, CHEAP,

                & OUT OF CONTROL
4 LITTLE GIRLS
PUBLIC HOUSING
GRAY'S ANATOMY
WACO: THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT

actual oscar nominees:
AYN RAND: A SENSE OF LIFE
COLORS STRAIGHT UP
4 LITTLE GIRLS
THE LONG WAY HOME  (won)
WACO: THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT

1997

*THE OLD LADY 

                   AND THE PIGEONS
CONSPIRATORS OF PLEASURE
THE END OF EVANGELION

THE MERMAID

GERI'S GAME

THE MAN IN THE LOWER-LEFT HAND CORNER OF THE PHOTOGRAPH
BJORK: JOGA
A PACK OF GIFTS NOW
TOOL: ÆNEMA
RADIOHEAD: PARANOID ANDROID
Disney HERCULES

actual oscar nominees:
FAMOUS FRED
GERI'S GAME  (won)
THE OLD LADY AND THE PIGEONS
THE MERMAID
REDUX RIDING HOOD

1997

*KUNDUN - Philip Glass >
MEN IN BLACK - Danny Elfman >
AMISTAD - John Williams >
BOOGIE NIGHTS - Michael Penn >
L.A. CONFIDENTIAL - Jerry Goldsmith >

actual oscar nominees drama score:
AMISTAD
GOOD WILL HUNTING
KUNDUN
L.A. CONFIDENTIAL
TITANTIC  (won)

actual oscar nominees comedy score
ANASTASIA
AS GOOD AS IT GETS
THE FULL MONTY  (won)
MEN IN BLACK
MY BEST FRIEND'S FAMILY

1997

*DAFT PUNK: 

              AROUND THE WORLD
BJORK: BACHELORETTE
APHEX TWIN: COME TO DADDY
A SUMMER DRESS by Francois Ozon

RADIOHEAD: KARMA POLICE
JAMIROQUAI: VIRTUAL INSANITY
A STORY OF HEALING
JANET JACKSON: GOT 'TIL IT'S GONE

AMAZON [IMAX]

HOW THEY GET THERE by Spike Zonze

TUNNEL OF LOVE by Robert Milton Wallace
LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD by David Kaplan

FIONA APPLE: CRIMINAL

RUN DMC vs JASON NEVINS: IT'S LIKE THAT

NINE INCH NAILS: PERFECT DRUG

PRODIGY: SMACK MY BITCH UP

CUTTING MOMENTS by Douglas Buck

MICHAEL PENN: TRY

actual oscar nominees live action short film:

VISAS AND VIRTUE (won)

DANCE LEXIE DANCE

IT'S GOOD TO TALK

SWEETHEARTS?

WOLFGANG

actual oscar nominees documentary short:
A STORY OF HEALING (won)

ALASKA: SPIRIT OF THE WILD

AMAZON [IMAX]

FAMILY VIDEO DIARIES: DAUGHTER OF THE BRIDE

STILL KICKING: THE FABULOUS PALM SPRINGS FOLLIES

categories below this point are

↓for you technical craft lovers↓

1997

*KUNDUN - Roger Deakins, ASC, BSC
AMISTAD - Janusz Kaminski, ASC, PSC
THE GAME - Harris Savides, ASC
TITANIC - Russell Carpenter, ASC
BOOGIE NIGHTS - Robert Elswit, ASC

actual oscar nominees:
AMISTAD
KUNDUN
L.A. CONFIDENTIAL
TITANIC  (won)
THE WINGS OF THE DOVE

1997

*BOOGIE NIGHTS - Dylan Tichenor
JACKIE BROWN - Sally Menke

TITANIC - Conrad Buff, James Cameron, Richard A. Harris

L.A. CONFIDENTIAL - Peter Honess

GOOD WILL HUNTING - Pietro Scalia

actual oscar nominees:
AIR FORCE ONE
AS GOOD AS IT GETS
GOOD WILL HUNTING
L.A. CONFIDENTIAL
TITANIC  (won)

1997 - PRODUCTION DESIGN + SET DECOR

*TITANIC 

           - Peter Lamont, Michael Ford
GATTACA - Jan Roelfs, Nancy Nye
KUNDUN - Dante Ferretti, Francesca Lo Schiavo
UNDERGROUND - Miljen Kreka Kljakovic, Aleksandar Denic
EVENT HORIZON - Joseph Bennett, Crispian Sallis
MOUSE HUNT - Linda DeScenna; Ric McElvin

actual oscar nominees:
GATTACA
KUNDUN
L.A. CONFIDENTIAL
MEN IN BLACK
TITANIC  (won)

1997

*THE FIFTH ELEMENT 

                 - Jean-Paul Gaultier
TITANIC - Deborah L. Scott
BOOGIE NIGHTS - Mark Bridges
THE BORROWERS - Marie France

THE WINGS OF THE DOVE - Sandy Powell
AMISTAD - Ruth E. Carter

actual oscar nominees:
AMISTAD
KUNDUN
OSCAR & LUCINDA
TITANIC (won)
THE WINGS OF THE DOVE

1997

*MEN IN BLACK - Rick Baker 
THE FIFTH ELEMENT - Lois Burwell
SPAWN - K.N.B. fx
TITANIC - Greg Cannom

WISHMASTER - K.N.B. fx

TETSUO II: BODY HAMMER - Akira Fukaya, Kan Takahama

actual oscar nominees:
MEN IN BLACK  (won)
TITANIC
MRS. BROWN

1997

*TITANIC
CONTACT
STARSHIP TROOPERS
THE FIFTH ELEMENT
DANTE'S PEAK

MOUSE HUNT

actual oscar nominees sound mix:
AIR FORCE ONE
CON AIR
CONTACT
L.A. CONFIDENTIAL
TITANIC  (won)

actual oscar nominees sound editing:
FACE/OFF
THE FIFTH ELEMENT
TITANIC  (won)

1997

*TITANIC
STARSHIP TROOPERS
MEN IN BLACK
THE FIFTH ELEMENT

MOUSE HUNT

DANTE'S PEAK
THE LOST WORLD: JURASSIC PARK

THE RELIC

WARRIORS OF VIRTUE

SPAWN

GAMERA: GUARDIAN OF THE UNIVERSE

actual oscar nominees:
THE LOST WORLD: JURASSIC PARK
STARSHIP TROOPERS
TITANIC  (won)

↓The following categories are inspired by The Muriel Awards

1997

*1) Wheelchair bound Marko on fire, circling Christ statue 

         - UNDERGROUND
2) Drug deal goes sour at Rahad's. "My Awesome Mix-Tape" 

---------------------------------------- BOOGIE NIGHTS
3) Giant stink beetle emerges from ground 

----------------------------------- STARSHIP TROOPERS
4) James Dean car accident reenactment 

----------------------------------------------------- CRASH
5) Baby Zoe may need manual intubation (knife) 

------------------------------------------- THE SWEET HEREAFTER
6) Human-sized jester puppet in driveway - THE GAME
7) Sinking title ship snaps in half under its own weight 

--------------------------------------------------- TITANIC
8) Roy Orbison's "Crying," Tornado sequence 

---------------------------------------------------- GUMMO
9) A mother holding her infant chooses to jump overboard 

--------------------------------------------------- AMISTAD
10) Wormhole travel sequence - CONTACT
11) Zorg displays the ZF1 firearm's different ammo 

----------------------------------- THE FIFTH ELEMENT
12) Movie theatre opening - SCREAM 2
13) Escape from a futuristic maximum security prison 

--------------------------------------------------- FACE/OFF

-tie- the 5 big showdown w/Komodo at ruins

---------------------- -------------- WARRIORS OF VIRTUE

14) Max & Ordell's tense ride listening to The Delfonics 

------------------------------------------- JACKIE BROWN
15) Little Alien pilot within head of synthetic human 

------------------------------------------ MEN IN BLACK

also this:

1997

*BOOGIE NIGHTS
JACKIE BROWN
THE ICE STORM
EVE'S BAYOU
L.A. CONFIDENTIAL
WAITING FOR GUFFMAN

Other year-end ballots posted at The Wandering Image:   1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991,1992,
 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003,
 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014