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Yet Another "Fuck the Oscars" complaint

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What I most deeply resent about the Oscars is the fact that they really believe (and try to make the public believe) that the only pictures worthy of recognition each year are coming out of Hollywood and a fair bit from the UK. When in reality, it's probably the complete opposite.

Yeah, sure, occasionally Wajda or Satyajit Ray will get an honorary Oscar...but for the most part, it's a complete travesty.

Imagine if someone had the balls to say that 90% of all the relevant literature ever created was written in English?

Oh, and speaking of Honorary Oscars, shouldn't there be a rule that you can not qualify for one if you've already won an Oscar in competition? The Elia Kazan controversy aside, I think that the real travesty in giving him an honorary one a few years back was that they gave it to a 3 or 4 time winner instead of using it to honor someone who was otherwise overlooked by AMPAS. It's not like they have any shortage of people fitting THAT description!

― Girolamo Savonarola, Sunday, 23 February 2003 11:04 (twenty-two years ago)

but they're American awards, we wouldn't expect the Italian or Iranian or Indian equivalents to give awards to U.S. films, they'd concentrate on the cinema of their own countries. besides, the Oscars are given out by Hollywood, of course that's what they're gonna honor, which is why indie movies aren't nominated for them all that often.

― M Matos (M Matos), Sunday, 23 February 2003 11:47 (twenty-two years ago)

I think people get the oscars confused with film festivals like, Cannes, Venice etc. Oscars are just some overgrown industry insider back slapping thing (and great marketing tool to boot).

― Ed (dali), Sunday, 23 February 2003 11:52 (twenty-two years ago)

I wouldn't complain that much about a festival that is, basically, an hollywood playground and a gigantic advertisement opportunity. it's so overt. It's kinda more disgusting seeing Venice festival's winner being decided for political reasons. Bon ton essai cinema is taking over and living on shitty insular microtrends but without hollywood's big money. Of course I agree with Mr Savonarola's assertions ( softer than your florentine times eh? :) but as an Italian is so more horrible to see the state of itcinema & festival circuits...Nanni Moretti a genius?just try to figure the rest !

― francesco, Sunday, 23 February 2003 11:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Yes, but...let's face it, the Oscars come out with the swagger of being THE ultimate authority on what's worthy film and what's not. I say this regardless of the reality. That is the perception they want to exude. If it were a purely American thing, then why even let foreign films qualify for any general categories?

As for the argument of festivals...well, that's hardly every film of the year, is it? And on the subject of other country's awards - I obviously cannot be familiar with all of them, but don't many of the "First World" countries often nominate American films as well?

On a completely different movie rant, I'm wondering when good taste will prevail and the Walter Murchs of the world will overtake the MTV editors.

Good catch, Francesco. You're the first person to catch onto that. Everyone else took the name seriously! Ha.

― Girolamo Savonarola, Sunday, 23 February 2003 12:57 (twenty-two years ago)

maybe when murch moves to italy and stops working for hollywood?

mtv editing is grebt: good taste suxors

― mark s (mark s), Sunday, 23 February 2003 13:00 (twenty-two years ago)

the oscars is all abt good taste sadly

italian movies are best when they're by mario bava

― mark s (mark s), Sunday, 23 February 2003 13:01 (twenty-two years ago)

Hey man, don't be knocking the Murch.

― Girolamo Savonarola, Sunday, 23 February 2003 13:04 (twenty-two years ago)

but does no one think that in the 70's they genuinely kinda did
reflect what was good/great about u.s. movies, rather than today when
all sorts of shit gets nominated ? is it a drop in quality ?
or is it a change in the kind of movies they reflect ?
its clearly like so many tings now, all about the benjamins
but i'm saying it wasn't always.

― piscesboy, Sunday, 23 February 2003 14:00 (twenty-two years ago)

They've always had their notions of what an Oscar-winning movie or performance or whatever looks like, and while the styles have changed a bit, I think the shifts have been pretty superficial, and the quality of what gets nominated and wins hasn't changed much, I don't think. I think we should rank awards: for instance, are the Oscars better than the Brits? How does the Booker stand up against the Turner?

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Sunday, 23 February 2003 14:58 (twenty-two years ago)

Obviously the aim here is to choose a Best Awards award winner.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Sunday, 23 February 2003 14:59 (twenty-two years ago)

You're the first person to catch onto that.

Ahem. ;-)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 23 February 2003 15:29 (twenty-two years ago)

HA did anybody else realize my name was a reference to the hockey player HA HA you're all stupid and I know great cinema when I see it you bloody anglophones

― Millar (Millar), Sunday, 23 February 2003 16:03 (twenty-two years ago)

There's a hockey player named Cormcarst?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 23 February 2003 16:05 (twenty-two years ago)

It's mainly just a fashion show. I don't think the point ever was to take them too seriously, so don't.

― Nicole (Nicole), Sunday, 23 February 2003 16:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Just think about how you feel about the Grammys or Brits, and then all becomes magically clear.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 23 February 2003 16:24 (twenty-two years ago)

"Why should we send the production work overseas?"
Chicago Mayor Richard Daley on the foriegn production of the movie Chicago.

I only hope somone asked him what sea lies between the states and Canada.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Sunday, 23 February 2003 16:50 (twenty-two years ago)

There's that damn lake.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 23 February 2003 17:39 (twenty-two years ago)

You mean the Grebt Lakes Ned? There is more than one you know.

― Kim (Kim), Sunday, 23 February 2003 21:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Ahem ;-)

Oh, jeez, totally forgot. Sorry there, Ned!

― Girolamo Savonarola, Monday, 24 February 2003 00:04 (twenty-two years ago)

I think you can tell how important every awards ceremony is by gauging how *fancy* the stars get when they attend. I mean you wouldn't see someone turn up at the Oscars in a jumper, whereas I am sure I saw someone in a tank-top at the BAFTAs.

― Lara (Lara), Monday, 24 February 2003 00:29 (twenty-two years ago)

I like the Oscars - it lays out for me every film I then know not to bother wasting my time watching. The more hype something gets, the less likely I am to see it by a factor of ten.

― Trayce (trayce), Monday, 24 February 2003 00:52 (twenty-two years ago)

you haven't seen the Godfather?!!!

― James Blount (James Blount), Monday, 24 February 2003 00:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Actually no, I haven't. None of them.

I'm sure there are some exceptions I could bear to see, and also some oscar winners I've seen - but as a general rough guide, I don't think I'm missing much. Never seen LOTR or the last star wars film, or any harry potter movies...

― Trayce (trayce), Monday, 24 February 2003 01:01 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't think recent Star Wars and Harry Potter did much at the Oscars, did they? I think it's as big a mistake to assume that all Oscar winners are rubbish as to assume that they're all great.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Monday, 24 February 2003 12:44 (twenty-two years ago)


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