Saturday, January 21, 2012

The Short Life of an Oscar Hit


When Steven Spielberg got up to present Best Picture at last year's Oscars, he said this: "In a moment, one of these ten movies will join a list that includes On the Waterfront, Midnight Cowboy, The Godfather and The Deer Hunter. The other nine will join a list that includes The Grapes of Wrath, Citizen Kane, The Graduate and Raging Bull!" Among the films that joined the latter list were Inception, The Social Network, and Black Swan. The film that joined the former list was The King's Speech. Anyone remember that film? Does anyone still talk about it today in a conversation about something other than why it shouldn't have won? Has it left a mark on cinematic history? Does it deserve to be in a list that includes The Godfather? If you'd have asked the latter two questions this time last year, lots of people would have said yes. Now, reflecting on last year's Oscar season, most people would have given the award to anything but The King's Speech.

Here's the thing with awards season: everyone gets quite obsessed with a set of movies, and they're all that matters for a long time. The producers and advertising team manipulate you into thinking these are the best movies ever by drowning their TV spots in "WINNER OF..." "★★★★★!" "UP FOR X OSCARS!" They'll play the most epic orchestral music they can find, show you plenty of tears and hugs and sentiment. The posters won't be advertising the movie...they'll be advertising all the awards it has and the awards it is hoping to get. I am one of those people who does get easily manipulated by awards season advertising...I admit, I was taken in by the TV spots of The King's Speech with Colin Firth announcing "because I have a voice!", going as far to Facebook the quote and say that it was a magical movie. I loved seeing the triumphant looking advertisements for The Fighter and probably got more inspiration from them than I did from the actual movie. 127 Hours had me crying at the very mention of it's name amongst all of the Oscar buzz - not because it was bad, but it was exactly the type of human hardship movie that Oscar likes so much and that was manipulative. I spent around two months of last year talking non-stop about these movies. Now, they'd be lucky to get into the conversation.


It isn't because they're bad movies, because, in fact, I liked all of the ten nominees, and held at least five of them in particular high esteem, but there isn't really any burning need for me to keep talking about them now. Basically, my relationship with these movies ended long ago. With the exception of Winter's Bone (I do own it - I actually own all of the nominees - but just haven't got around to watching it again), I've seen each of last year's nominees at least twice. I watched them when they first came out, and then again when they came out on DVD. After their DVD release though, I haven't watched most of them again. In fact, the only ones that I've watched since then are Inception, Black Swan and The Social Network, three films which I loved to death and had their fair share of Oscar success, but didn't get the big prize. These are three films which I feel have lived out past the awards season and people still talk about them a bit today - and why is that? Inception for the multiple questions surrounding the plot and the big debate over the end, Black Swan for it's stirring look at how someone can transform and Darren Aronofsky's freaking awesome direction, and The Social Network for being one of the best modern movies ever, taking a look at the phenomenon that is Facebook. But what is The King's Speech? It tells a nice enough story about a King with a stutter who eventually overcame his fear, featuring splendid performances from Colin Firth, Helena Bonham Carter and Geoffrey Rush. Problem is, while I don't have much of a problem with the odd period biopic, they don't challenge cinema in any way. They're doing what has been done for ages, and yet they still get accolades. But once those accolades are over, people are unlikely to remember them, because they were too safe.

Let's take 2011, for example. With the Oscar nominations just around the corner, there'll be a lot of deserving movies that will be missing out. As I said in my review of The Descendants, it is a film that will be popular during awards season but people will forget about it just like that. I imagine that would be the same case for films like Moneyball or War Horse. However, Hollywood is showing a bit of a change - they're not so keen to support period biopics like The Iron Lady, J. Edgar or My Week with Marilyn unless it is for the performances at the front. There are a few odd films making their way into Oscar contention, like The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (even though Fincher and Co. are trying everything they can to stop it from happening), shockingly an R-rated comedy, Bridesmaids, is making some waves and silent film The Artist is the front-runner to win Best Picture. I have to wonder whether this film might become another The King's Speech, even though it is silent and in black and white which provides a bit of difference, but other than that, is it really that special? Who knows?


2011 has been an odd year in cinema, which is most likely what it will be remembered for - and it would be nice if the Oscar nominations could reflect that as they become the first segment of cinematic history that people will look at in the future. Yet, I can't see the Academy showering love upon Terrence Malick's beautiful, polarizing The Tree of Life. Or what about Steve McQueen's NC-17 look at sex addiction in Shame? Or maybe the 'film event of a generation', the wonderful Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2? The wonderful Nikhat mentioned that 2011 was a nostalgia-filled year, with films like Midnight in Paris, Drive, Super 8 and Hugo...these are films that should stand the test of time because they realise times from the past and teach us modern people about them and what we can learn from them. I know it is impossible to accurately predict the future, but the Oscars shouldn't keep rewarding the best movies of the past two months and start thinking about the movies that will factor in as some of the best movies of all time.

I've always wondered how something like An American in Paris won Best Picture over A Streetcar Named Desire. Or Chariots of Fire over Raiders of the Lost Ark. Or Forrest Gump (a good movie) over the better The Shawshank Redemption and Pulp Fiction. Slumdog Millionaire over an un-nominated The Dark Knight. The King's Speech over The Social Network. And definitely Crash over Brokeback Mountain. I wonder which one of those films is remembered the most now.


The Oscars are an interesting thing - they get easily obsessed with one film, whether it be through the manipulative marketing or by the actual film. Then we all wonder how they could be so blind as to not nominate some great films. Of course, the Oscars aren't everything, but to relatively young newcomers to film-loving such as myself, they are the first records of what was good in year X that I'd go to. So I wonder what 2011 films will make it through the Oscars and into a long, prosperous life?

What do you think? Do you think Oscar hits are destined for a long life of being loved by the masses or do they end their lives quickly? Discuss.

20 comments:

  1. Really interesting thoughts Stevee!
    I still haven't seen all the nominees from last year, but like you say, once the awards season is over, people were talking about them for a little while (saying what should have won instead...we all know the answer to that!) and apart from one or two, there weren't really any from last year that will still be polarising audiences in years to come. I think the same thing will be happening to Hugo and Bridesmaids and the like.

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    1. I actually wonder whether Bridesmaids will get the Best Picture nomination, still. I think, if Hollywood is embracing this new direction, it might! But I don't know if it will have much of a following in years to come...

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  2. It's more so that the industry, I think, are a very close-nit kind of people, where a massive amount of money is involved (and like you said, marketing, too) and everyone knows everyone.

    That's why I always find it quite difficult, particularly now, to take awards seasons seriously because there is always the thought in the back of my mind that the voters are voting for people that they know, and people they do business with.

    And don't remind me of Crash/Brokeback Mountain situation! It's just like Gladiator/Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (incidentally, both Ang Lee films).

    Great article, though, Stevee!

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    1. Yes, I think there is a bit of a 'let's vote for our friends' thing going on. Which is probably why so few great foreign films make it through to anything other than their designated category.

      Do they hate Ang Lee or something? I still don't know how Crash won.

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  3. I don't know why people who aren't actually in the industry give a damn about awards like the Oscars. They don't really mean anything, least of all that the winners/nominees are necessarily any good *or* bad, and they don't make films better. I really don't understand why people are so interested in them.

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    1. Good point, but I think they're fun enough and I don't take them as seriously as I used to. I just enjoy talking about them.

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  4. Thank you for mentioning me :D
    I don't know. I do enjoy watching the Oscars, but ever since The Social Network loss last year, I have lost my faith in them a bit. I am still very new to the whole film-watching business and I don't want to give up hope so soon. I think it is a very buzz-related thing, but then again maybe it's the job of the Academy voters to vote for their favourite film that year and not think about the longevity of their decision. It has to be the Best Film of that year, and not of all time. Unfortunately, when sometimes the Best Film of that year, which can also be considered one of the best ever (Brokeback Mountain, TSN etc), is snubbed because of a really good campaign from some other film, it is just sad.
    I don't know...

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    1. Haha, that's okay :)
      After The Social Network's loss I was a bit disheartened. It was such a disappointing end to what was a bit of a boring, yet interesting awards season. And yeah, I don't know either...

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  5. What you've described here is precisely the reason that I don't pay attention to the awards until they're over and done with and five years in the past. For all the hype, in many ways, it's just too soon to know what films will stick with us as films that define who we are as people and who we are as a society.

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    1. That's right, it is a bit too soon and that's why most of it look back on past decisions with so much contempt. Then again, sometimes we know what'll be big in the future...

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  6. Great article! While I love awards season and "the race", I also know that the best film doesn't usually win, because truly great art is always controversial. Most of the time, we get a consensus title--something that doesn't offend as many people, and that is kind of middle of the road. There are some complicated reasons behind this (including weighted ballots and ranked voting), but in large part it is because it is an industry award from one country, so a lot depemns on how someone is viewed within the industry in a given year.

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    1. It always is controversial! And I guess that is why the Oscars are more exciting than people give it credit for. What you said about the consensus vote is exactly right, too!

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  7. The King's Speech deserved that Oscar. Black Swan is my all time favorite movie but If I was in Academy I'd give BP to King's Speech. It's not "what challanges other" award it's "best picture" award and TKS, as for example Titanic had everything for everyone and was a superbly well done movie with strong performances. Better choice for a movie that shouldn't win would be "Crash" that took it from "Brokeback Mountain".
    I think "The Artist" will win and I hope it will - I gave it 10/10 while Descendants was rescued from being awful only because of Clooney's work.
    Great article!

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    1. I guess you're right, but I wasn't a huge fan of TKS...more of a TSN gal myself! The Crash/Brokeback Mountain thing would make me too angry to write about, though.
      I haven't yet seen The Artist but I think it would be nice to see it win!

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  8. I don't follow the Oscars really. I'll tune in to see what wins, but most of the time they're full of shit. Hollywood is in general full of shit, and my attitude toward them is cynical. It would be nice to see THE ARTIST win, and if it does, it will only be because it's a silent film, and giving it the Best Picture Oscar solely for that is pathetic. I don't mean to sound grumpy, but I hate awards season. It's done nothing but let me down, and the times when they do give the award to the right film are few and far between. But that's just me. Great post Stevee!

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    1. Before Wednesday morning: Yeah, I kinda agree with you, but I'm not ready to call the Oscars pathetic.

      After Wednesday morning: THE OSCARS ARE PATHETIC!

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  9. Excellent post Stevee. The King's Speech definitely was one heck of a forgettable movie when it's all said and done. I don't think The Social Network was all that much to talk about either so I would by default have to choose Black Swan for 2011.

    This year, there is definitely one clear cut movie that would fit the requirement. The Tree of Life obviously is a film that will be studied and analyzed many years from now. But as we nearer to The Artist taking home Best Picture, I think the movie is solid pick for the Oscar.

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    1. And I think The Artist will live on a lot longer than many other films this year. The Tree of Life will be studied for a lot longer, but it doesn't deserve the award.

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  10. I can clearly see where you're coming from and what you mean. It is undoubtedly an interesting question. I think that people also get obsessed with a thought that AMPAS are bad voters just because they don't let our favorites to win (most of the times). I know you wouldn't share my opinion but I find it crazy that The Hurt Locker won over Avatar and I have a bunch of reasons why. And actualy Avatar proves your point: even though it is still withstanding harsh criticism and it lost, it is definitely more talked about than The Hurt Locker... It all is subjective as well. Taking into consideration last year situation, you can't say that The King's Speech is or will be forgotten. It is still an outstanding film achievement, isn't it? As well as Inception, The Social Network, Black Swan and others. The King's Speech may be not so popular because yeah, indeed, it doesn't really bother to think outside the box but yet again I haven't seen anything like this before. It may be safe but it has not any equivalents in my personal view. Thanks to many things, like acting, music, style. It probably dropped a bit in my top 2010 list but still I want to re-watch it (just have no time). I'm sure that it moved people and they still love it. As voters, the Academy do not phone to each other and say "hey, let's make this or that film a winner". Their decision is collective, and in 2010 perspective, I think it's nice that a movie like The King's Speech represents cinema of that year. Even though there were stronger contenders. And you can't please anyone: if Inception or Black Swan would have won, adversaries would have been outraged. Besides, in less then a month there will be another Academy Award Best Picture, the 84th one, so there will be 84 films chosen by the Academy to represent the silver screen over the years but it doesn't mean that those movies are the best films ever. They are in that row for a reason though. We just have to accept it and be grateful that there are pieces that we like, love and even those that we resent (who knows, maybe, that film we hated or we were disinterested in inspired someone else, and of course, a bad film makes us appreciate good examples of cinema).

    Sorry for such a long comment. And thank you for a great question to ponder.

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You mustn't be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling.

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