`Quantum of Solace` is in the running for several Oscars

After shattering U.S. box-office records this weekend ($70 million) and hauling in $322 million worldwide, "Quantum of Solace" has proven itself to be a winner. That's key in order to advance in the Oscars derby - reports the LA Times.

But what races does "Quantum of Solace" have a chance in? Over several decades the 21 previous films in the James Bond franchise have managed only seven nominations and two wins (sound for "Goldfinger" and visual effects for "Thunderball").

"Quantum of Solace" is actively running "For Your Consideration" ads for these races: best picture, director (Marc Forster), screenplay (Paul Haggis, Neal Purvis, Robert Wade), actor (Daniel Craig), art direction, costumes, makeup, music score (David Arnold), cinematography (Robert Schaefer), film editing (Matt Chesse, Richard Pearson), sound mixing, sound editing and song ("Another Way to Die"). It only has a shot at noms for cinematography, film editing, song and — maybe, in a loooooongshot — the two sound races.

No James Bond tune has ever won best song and two of the most famous — those Shirley Bassey belters "Goldfinger" and "Diamonds are Forever" — weren't even nominated. Paul McCartney's "Live and Let Die" made the cut, but lost to Marvin Hamlisch's "The Way We Were." Afterward, Bond producers hired Hamlisch to write a title tune for "The Spy Who Loved Me," but "Nobody Does It Better" (sung by Carly Simon) lost to "You Light Up My Life" (Debbie Boone).

This year's Agent 007 entry is written by a hip rocker, Jack White, and performed by that Grammy grabber Alicia Keys. So it'll be given serious consideration. But it's got serious competition: four tunes from "High School Musical 3: Senior Year," Peter Gabriel's "Down to Earth" from "WALL-E" and Bruce Springsteen's "The Wrestler."

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