A few gripes about this year’s Academy Award nominations
A few gripes about this year’s Academy Award nominations
One problem with the Oscars is that Oscar voters at times ignore the merits of a film -- that it might deserve some so-called minor awards, even if it doesn’t deserve to be considered for Best Picture – either because they didn’t like other aspects of the film or because they don’t like the film’s creator. Several Oscar oversights this year, I think, are the results of one or both of these reasons.
In the case of Revenge of the Sith, I get the feeling that some voters are so annoyed at Lucas and what he did with the prequels that they ignore areas where the film excelled. I liked Sith quite a bit, though I wouldn’t argue that it deserves consideration for the major film or acting awards (though I think Ewan McGregor’s performances as Obi-Wan Kenobi are undervalued). But there are at least two awards for which Sith should have been in the running but for which it wasn’t nominated.
John Williams’s score for Revenge of the Sith was wonderful. His new themes – especially those for the final duel and for the betrayal of the Jedi – were well done. It was at times moving, at other times thrilling, and at yet other times haunting. It perfectly meshed with the film to create the effect Lucas and Williams were going for. They weren’t looking for simple, understated background music (something Williams did in parts of War of the Worlds), but in an operatic approach, similar to what Williams did on earlier Star Wars films or what his great predecessor Bernard Hermann did on so many films. I thought it was the best score of the year and was disappointed that the Academy didn’t nominate it (though they nominated two other Williams scores).
Sith also deserved a nomination for its effects (though in this case I’d probably give the award to the effects in War of the Worlds, which was nominated). One may argue – as my wife, Laurie, does – that there were too many effects in the film, but that’s not the point for this award. The effects were brilliant. From the initial space battle, through the scenes on Coursecant to the various planets around the galaxy (including the great battle on the Wookie homeworld) to the final duel, we were immersed in a total visual environment.
Likewise, the understated effects in Serenity deserved more attention than they got. The movie got nowhere near as much attention as it deserved, but at the very least the Academy should have acknowledged the realistic effects – done in a very different way and in a very different style – from those in Sith but as good in their own way.
In both of these cases, it seems to me, the Academy overlooked the virtues of these films because the overall film wasn’t what they cared for. And in the case of Sith, I think many really are still annoyed at Lucas for a number of reasons. It’s a shame, though, since both of these films should have been nominated for more awards.
One problem with the Oscars is that Oscar voters at times ignore the merits of a film -- that it might deserve some so-called minor awards, even if it doesn’t deserve to be considered for Best Picture – either because they didn’t like other aspects of the film or because they don’t like the film’s creator. Several Oscar oversights this year, I think, are the results of one or both of these reasons.
In the case of Revenge of the Sith, I get the feeling that some voters are so annoyed at Lucas and what he did with the prequels that they ignore areas where the film excelled. I liked Sith quite a bit, though I wouldn’t argue that it deserves consideration for the major film or acting awards (though I think Ewan McGregor’s performances as Obi-Wan Kenobi are undervalued). But there are at least two awards for which Sith should have been in the running but for which it wasn’t nominated.
John Williams’s score for Revenge of the Sith was wonderful. His new themes – especially those for the final duel and for the betrayal of the Jedi – were well done. It was at times moving, at other times thrilling, and at yet other times haunting. It perfectly meshed with the film to create the effect Lucas and Williams were going for. They weren’t looking for simple, understated background music (something Williams did in parts of War of the Worlds), but in an operatic approach, similar to what Williams did on earlier Star Wars films or what his great predecessor Bernard Hermann did on so many films. I thought it was the best score of the year and was disappointed that the Academy didn’t nominate it (though they nominated two other Williams scores).
Sith also deserved a nomination for its effects (though in this case I’d probably give the award to the effects in War of the Worlds, which was nominated). One may argue – as my wife, Laurie, does – that there were too many effects in the film, but that’s not the point for this award. The effects were brilliant. From the initial space battle, through the scenes on Coursecant to the various planets around the galaxy (including the great battle on the Wookie homeworld) to the final duel, we were immersed in a total visual environment.
Likewise, the understated effects in Serenity deserved more attention than they got. The movie got nowhere near as much attention as it deserved, but at the very least the Academy should have acknowledged the realistic effects – done in a very different way and in a very different style – from those in Sith but as good in their own way.
In both of these cases, it seems to me, the Academy overlooked the virtues of these films because the overall film wasn’t what they cared for. And in the case of Sith, I think many really are still annoyed at Lucas for a number of reasons. It’s a shame, though, since both of these films should have been nominated for more awards.
posted by Jim Mann at 6:38 PM
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