The Dark Knight Score Disqualified From Academy Award Consideration

The Dark Knight Score Disqualified From Academy Award Consideration

By Peter Sciretta/Nov. 12, 2008 10:20 pm EST

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The names listed include Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard and three other individuals — music editor Alex Gibson, ambient music designer Mel Wesson and composer Lorne Balfe. Variety reports that Gibson, Wesson and Balfe signed an affidavit stating that the score was primarily the work of Zimmer and Howard. But the committee also had documentation claiming that somewhere between 30% and 40% of the score was not authored by Zimmer and Howard. Batman Begins was also disqualified for similar reasons.

For about a month I was listening to The Dark Knight score on repeat. “Why So Serious” never fails to get me pumped up. It’s really a shame that the music is disqualified for the reasons given. I’m sure there might be a lot more to it, and the rules are there to protect the artists involved, but it seems to me that this is a case where the artists involved are being punished for not fitting into the cookie cutter mold.

Discuss: What do you think of the Academy’s decision?