It's underdog vs superstar at the Golden Globes

By Andy Goldberg, 500 words Dec 16, 2011, 9:43 GMT

Los Angeles - A few weeks ago only the most ardent of US film fans had heard of Michel Hazanavicius.

But that all changed Thursday morning when the French director's movie The Artist emerged as the leading nominee at the Golden Globes. It left in its trail leading superstar-driven films with the likes of Brad Pitt, George Clooney and Meryl Streep. Now considered a favourite for the Oscars, The Artist is poised to become the unlikeliest Hollywood success story since the triumph of Slumdog Millionaire at the 2008 Academy Awards.

It's not only the relative anonymity of Hazanavicius - he's 44, bearded and wears glasses, in case you didn't know - that makes his gatecrashing of the Hollywood party such an exceptional moment. It's also that his film represents the apotheosis of the modern 3D movie blockbuster, filled with computer-generated special effects, alpha males and starlets that are endlessly promoted in our celebrity-driven culture.

In contrast, The Artist's cast is unrecognizable to the English-speaking world. Hazanavicius has made a comic melodrama without dialogue shot in black and white and utilizing many of the techniques used 80 years ago when the tale is set. It's an ode to a bygone Hollywood, telling the story of an ill-fated romance between two movie stars just as talkies were replacing silent films.

The Artist was nominated for best motion picture, comedy and musical at Thursday's Golden Globes, and also yielded acting honours for Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo. Hazanavicius, who spent years researching the old ways of Hollywood, and persuading modern film execs to finance his daring project, garnered nominations for best director and best screenplay, while the Golden Globes also nominated the film for best score.

'This movie is a love letter to Hollywood, and it's an indescribable joy to receive this news,' said Hazanavicius on learning of his haul. 'I feel lucky, proud and excited to be included alongside such brilliant movies. Thank you.'

Yet there is no guarantee that the intellectual French filmmaker will take home the Golden Globe glory on January 15, especially with a voting body that in the past has embarrassingly pandered to Hollywood royalty; last year, Angelina Jolie's and Johnny Depp's unremarkable caper The Tourist earned three nominations.

At least this year's homage to George Clooney was more worthy. Hollywood's silver fox earned five nominations for The Descendants, a wry family drama in which he plays a low key lawyer, grappling with his wife's death, his unruly daughters and a controversial land deal.

Clooney was also recognized for his taut political thriller, The Ides of March. Despite receiving only lukewarm reviews and being virtually ignored in the early awards season, the film yielded three nods for Clooney: best director, best actor and best screenplay.

Many film fans will be hoping that Hazanavicius will be crowned by the Golden Globes, and that for once that choice is reflected in the Oscar voting. There is a precedent: The last time the two award shows united was when they both recognized an ultimate underdog. It was 2008 and they chose Slumdog Millionaire.