Revoking Nominations

I’m absolutely terrible at keeping up with Oscar-nominated films.  Of the ten nominations I’ve only seen one film.  The hilarious part is that I’m a film major so this is particularly embarrassing. 

While there are ways to view the films, I for some reason don’t make the effort to go see them.  It’s terrible.  I haven’t made the effort to visit the popular industry biz website Deadline.com either since my internship last semester.  God knows that I scrounged through that site about three times a day to keep up with what was going on.  It was always exciting to see my studio mentioned because I felt like I was a part of something that's being recognized by the entertainment industry.

I should also actively keep up with Oscar related news because then I’ll stumble into juicy gossip like this:

This morning as I was reading the newspaper, a small blurb in the LATExtra section of the Los Angeles Times caught my eyes.  The article discussed how a nomination for Best Original Song was rescinded by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.  I was genuinely shocked that a nomination would be taken out of the ballot a little over a month before the Academy Awards.

My first thought was that they must have done something illegal when campaigning for votes.  Bribing people would certainly warrant such a severe punishment.  (Although Hollywood isn't exactly known for its impeccable morals).

This was not the case:

The veteran composer emailed about a fifth of the other 239 members of the music branch, asking them to "please consider the song." - Los Angeles Times (Source)

The composer of the song "Alone Yet Not Alone" Bruce Broughton is an executive on the Academy committee and he held the position as governor in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.  According to the Academy, this is the first time the Academy has disqualified someone for improper campaigning practices.  In the past, films have been rescinded for technicalities over eligibility requirements.  One of which include the debate if a foreign film was produced in the actual country that it represented in the Best Foreign Film category.  

In my opinion, there are instances which should have deserved more repercussions if the Academy actually punishes films for "improper campaigning."  During the voting period for the 2010 82nd Academy Awards, a producer named Nicolas Chartier for The Hurt Locker emailed a list of Academy members.

He asked them to vote for The Hurt Locker, rather than a "$500 million film [referencing the film Avatar], we need independent movies to win like the movies you and I do."- Indiewire (Source)

In response, the Academy revoked Chartier's Oscar tickets so that he was unable to attend the ceremony.  He was eventually handed his Oscar statuette for The Hurt Locker's win over Cameron's mammoth film Avatar.  But this blatant plea for votes seems to be more belligerent than asking for someone to "consider the song."

While I'm sure people have different opinions about the debacle, this is my own personal response to the unusual punishment.  It's too bad that a small film lost out on a chance for publicity and potential accolade.  The nomination list remains with these songs:

• "Happy" - Despicable Me 2: Music and Lyrics by Pharrell Williams
• "Let It Go" - Frozen: Music and Lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez
• "The Moon Song" - Her:  Music by Karen O (Karen Lee Orzolek) • Lyrics by Karen O and Spike Jonze
• "Ordinary Love" - Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom: Music by Paul Hewson, Dave Evans, Larry Mullen and Adam Clayton (U2) • Lyrics by Paul Hewson (Bono)

I would love for "Let it Go" to win, but "Ordinary Love" is a sure bet.  The Academy absolutely loves U2.  

In the meantime, I will attempt to get through as many Best Picture nominations as possible before the March 2nd Academy Awards.  Don't forget to tune in!     

Hello World!

Hello, World

As I was watching the KTLA news this morning, I shook my head as I watched a facialist apply a 24 Karat Gold Leaf Facial to a woman.  My first though was ‘Why?’  Why would someone pay to have gold rubbed into their face when they could spend the money elsewhere? Tuition, loans, travel, the list goes on and on.  As a frugal and arguably defined ‘cheap’ college student, when I hear that an individual is paying over $500 for a facial, I scoff. 

This beauty package was advertised as an example of the preparation for the entertainment industry’s big finale: 

The Academy Awards.

Film and television celebrities pay to have gold rubbed into their skin as a way to “reduce wrinkles and fine lines” and to “brighten and hydrate your skin.”  Last year I watched the Oscars and listened to how woman used diamonds to exfoliate their skin. 

I rolled my eyes and muttered, “Are you kidding me?”

But then, I realize that is what our society has come down to.  This is what people watch.

Hell, this is what I’m watching.  Regardless of my critiques, I continue to sit and watch as the women go in depth as to why they use their own blood to help a facelift.   Honestly, that’s where I have to stop. 

“A tube full of blood is taken from the patient’s body and mixed with dermal fillers and injected back into the skin of the face,” a gossip site eagerly recounts.  

I cringe because who in their right mind would do something like this? 

And yet, here I sit, typing away as I count down the days until I receive my BA in Critical Studies in Film.  I am choosing to study the entertainment industry.  I am acknowledging the fact that I spent three and a half years taking courses to study film and television.  The entertainment industry is a beast that a majority of people tend to underestimate.  I underestimated its influence when I first applied to the film school. 

As I traversed through the mandatory courses for my major, I realized just how unhappy I was with a substantial amount of my studies.  I love the entertainment industry, but I dislike it.  As a double-edged sword it brings out the childish wonder in us all, and it can simultaneously drag us down to the depths of lunacy.  This is my attempt to come to terms with everything happening in this industry, both the good and the bad.  Using my own personal experiences and what I’ve been taught, I’m going to attempt to bring some semblance of understanding within the ‘Industry.’

The city of Los Angeles has become the center for worldwide entertainment.  As a native Los Angelino, I have always possessed an interest in its rich history, and its connection to the Hollywood mythology.    Future posts would include discussion about Hollywood’s history and how it relates to its present.  This blog will also discuss the current happenings in the entertainment industry. 

Feel free to come along for the ride.  Here are a few other blogs that might be of some use:

http://filmbabble.blogspot.com: A site dedicated to film reviews and general musings surrounding films and their directors

http://themovieblog.com: A blog that is seasonally dedicated to award season.  It also includes webcasts and podcasts 

http://bloggingmoviesrus.blogspot.com: A blog that begins to discuss the ethics in films

http://underthehollywoodsign.wordpress.com: A blog dedicated to documenting the preservation of Hollywood’s history