Earlier this decade, Paul Schrader had mentioned how he once considered Oscar Isaac for “First Reformed” but, in the end, Schrader thought the actor was ten years too young to take on the role of Father Toller. Instead, Ethan Hawke nabbed the role and it turned out to be one of his very best performances.
Read morePaul Schrader Attacks Brian De Palma's Artistry: “Brian Is Trite, Brian Is Artistically Weak”
Paul Schrader’s Facebook page is a delirious must-follow for any cinephile out there. The legendary writer-director has a, more or less, “fuck it” attitude towards everything. This could sometimes be a dangerous balancing act, especially when it comes to today’s P.C. attitudes online — I mean, at some point last year, during A24’s “First Reformed” awards campaigning, he was put in “Facebook jail,” as he put it, by the indie studio because of his all-too-honest approach on social media.
Read morePaul Schrader Says He's Not Fixated on Winning Oscar Like Pal Martin Scorsese, “I told Marty, if an Oscar is your priority, you need some new priorities."
Paul Schrader’s “First Reformed” alongside “Roma” was the best-reviewed movie of 2018. However, don’t look for it to contend for the Best Picture prize because, well, it didn’t garner a nomination in that category. Schrader nabbed an Original Screenplay nomination, but that’s about it. Not even the film’s lead, Ethan Hawke, who has won every best actor awards with critics groups, got a nomination. Who cares, right? Oscars were never about rewarding the right movie. That’s what Schrader thinks as well, even going as far as saying he was the opposite of Martin Scorsese, who was “very fixated on winning an Oscar.” adding that he once told Scorsese, “Marty, look, if an Oscar is your priority, you need some new priorities.”
Read morePaul Schrader Admits He Torrented His Unreleased Director’s Cut Of “Dying Of The Light”
In September of 2014, Paul Schrader directed “Dying of the Light,” a grim thriller starring Nicolas Cage as a CIA agent, obsessing over catching terrorists in the midst of suffering from terminal brain disease. The movie’s producers didn't want the artsy spy thriller that Schrader delivered to them, so they created their own cut and released it in theaters without his consent. This was met with severe pushback by not only Schrader but Cage as well, they both openly urged audiences not to watch the movie. This prompted Schrader to secretly re-edit “Dying of the Light” into an entirely new movie, attempting to splatter his original vision on-screen.
Read moreDirector Paul Schrader doesn't think Kevin Spacey should be punished for his art
Judging by what he just posted on Facebook, and has since deleted due to backlash, I don't think Paul Schrader gives a damn about Oscar consideration.
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