Apollo 13…Tom Hanks played a role in helping Ron Howard win the DGA award in 1996.  Others helped as well.  Mostly though was the Director’s branch of the Academy, who overlooked his efforts on Apollo 13.  It was likely this snub from the Academy that inspired the DGA to select Apollo 13 with their prestigious director’s award.  Others helped Ron Howard, most notably among those who worked on the film itself, Ed Harris and James Horner. 

But perhaps Ron Howard owes credit mostly to the astronauts, engineers, and to those who worked in mission control to help bring the crew of Apollo 13 home safely after an explosion 200,000 miles away from the face of the earth crippled the spacecraft.  Howard also owes those three astronauts credit as well…flying to the moon isn’t exactly a joy ride like one particular space flight probably was.  Some flights are more dangerous and worthy of the history books than others.

The English Patient…a widely despised Best Picture winner that won many other Oscars, including Best Director for Anthony Minghella, who also won the DGA award that year.  Near the end of 1996, the frontrunners for the movie awards season were The English Patient and The People Vs Larry Flynt.  The English Patient, likely the most widely despised Best Picture winner by movie-goers during the 1990’s, was produced by Saul Zaentz, who had won Oscars with Larry Flynt director Milos Forman for producing One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest and Amadeus.  Milos Forman won the Golden Globe award for directing Larry Flynt, but the DGA completely bypassed him.  Good for the DGA.  The Academy nominated him however, but as I said before, the Academy Award went to Anthony Minghella.  There’s something poetic that The People Vs Larry Flynt ultimately lost at the movie awards to such a widely-despised Best Picture winner.  Poetic…and humorous.