“It’s really exciting,” admits film editor John Gilbert during our recent webcam chat (watch above) when asked about his Oscar nomination for “Hacksaw Ridge.” “I know that the Oscars are the big party of the year, and it’s nice to have a ticket.” Gilbert was among the six total bids given to Mel Gibson‘s World War II epic about Desmond Doss (Andrew Garfield), a conscientious objector who becomes a hero while serving as a medic during the Battle of Okinawa. The film also competes for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor.
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Gilbert was instantly attracted to the material, saying, “the story of Desmond Doss is such a fantastic story. It’s hard to believe it hasn’t been told before.” He was also enticed by the opportunity to work with Gibson. “Mel has obviously made some great films,” he divulges. “He’s a little bit of an outsider, idiosyncratic, iconoclast. I like that in someone. I like someone who doesn’t run with the crowd, who can tell a story in his own way, and will maybe do things a little differently.”
This is Gilbert’s second career nomination. He was previously cited for his work on “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.” Given the Academy’s proclivity towards war films in this category (such as “Saving Private Ryan” and “Black Hawk Down”) could he be looking at his first win?
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