9. Sidney Lumet
In my opinion Sidney Lumet should always be remembered and considered as one of the greatest directors of all time. Perhaps now an Oscar is a little out of reach, seeing as he died in 2011, but the fact that Lumet didn't win a single Oscar for his innovatory work on true cinematic greats, such as Network, 12 Angry Men and Dog Day Afternoon is a real faux-pas on the part of the Academy. This actor turned director received 5 Oscar nominations for Best Director in his career and his films have collectively clocked up an impressive 45 Oscar nominations. In fact, 14 of Lumet's feature films were represented at Oscar ceremonies. These stats illustrate the consistent, year-in year-out quality of Lumet's work and they show how worthy he was of an Oscar. Lumet was well-known for his craftsmanship as a Director and also for his prolific efficiency. He averaged more than one film per year since his directorial debut in 1957, and the fact that he managed to churn out more than 50 films in his career, most of which were of a high standard, is further proof of his great influence on the new era of modern cinema. Perhaps the Academy fathomed that Lumet was deserving of more recognition and in 2005, they belatedly awarded him the honorary Oscar. However, this should come as no consolation for Lumet, a man who has pioneered the advance in directing and cinema.