The Unfettered Critic, February 2014 – by Paula Block Erdmann & Terry Erdmann
Here’s how it works.
In theory.
The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences mails Oscar Nomination ballots to its 5000-plus members—producers, directors, actors, cinematographers, etc.—so they can vote for the best productions offered throughout the year. There is, however, a question as to whether all of those voters actually see all of the qualified movies. There are, after all, a lot of movies in any given year. The studios strive mightily to make sure every eligible voter has access to them, by offering private screenings, “screeners” (advance DVD copies), and password-protected online viewing opportunities.
Which means that, for Academy voters, keeping up with the movies is very easy. Marking one’s ballot should be a snap. You see a movie, performance, wardrobe, set decoration or production design that you love, and you vote for it.
In theory.
There’s always a “but,” right?
Keep in mind that show business is exactly that: show business. Many of the eligible voters have a vested interest in seeing that specific movies win awards (because award-winners typically boost their box office profits after the awards are publicized). We were witness to how this affects voting during our time in the land down under (under Oregon, that is). A voter—a studio executive—got together with two other voters, both producers. The three of them glanced over the candidates and voted for their own productions first. Then they voted for the other productions from the studio they were working with. And then they voted for a couple of their friends. When they mailed in their ballots, all three had left most of the categories unmarked, because they didn’t care about them, hadn’t bothered to see them, and certainly didn’t want to give votes to competitors, no matter the merit.
Not that there’s anything unusual in that. We all do it. Like in our local elections when we get to the choices for judges or school board members. If we don’t recognize the names, or don’t care, we just leave the category blank. Simple.
Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson in Saving Mr. Banks
Some of that likely went on among Oscar voters this year, because we see some real head-scratchers among the newly announced nominees. Or rather, among the non-nominees—the folks who seemed like shoo-ins just a few days ago but didn’t wind up on the list. So this year, rather than mentioning which nominated films were our faves, we’re giving some love to the snubs.
August: Osage County is a dark tale leavened with very sharp humor. Writer Tracy Letts adapted his Pulitzer Prize-winning play for the big screen, giving Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts some of the hardest hitting scenes and sauciest dialogue of their careers. Streep and Roberts justifiably received nominations (they’re terrific in the film), but Letts’ adapted screenplay inexplicably did not.
Inside Llewyn Davis is a darling of the critics. And the Coen brothers, who directed it, often find themselves on the red carpet. Yet the film did not receive nominations in the expected categories: directing, best picture—or most surprisingly (seeing that it’s the musical story of a folk singer, with an excellent soundtrack produced by T-Bone Burnett)—original song.
Tom Hanks in Captain Phillips
One of our top choices, and the movie we recommend most readily, is Saving Mr. Banks, a smoothed-around-the-edges retelling of how Walt Disney convinced author P.L. Travers to let him take her classic children’s tale, Mary Poppins, to the big screen. Saving Mister Banks was lauded when it came out, particularly Emma Thompson’s riveting portrayal of the tightly wound Travers. Yet nominations for this touching tale were limited to one: Thomas Newman’s original musical score.
Which brings us to the tale of Tom Hanks. As you would expect for this premier actor, Hanks easily managed to transform himself into Walt Disney for Saving Mister Banks. But it’s his other performance this year—as kidnapped sea commander Captain Phillips—that’s noteworthy, and, yes, award worthy. The real life Captain Phillips survived, rescued by Navy SEALS. His thespian counterpart, Hanks, on the other hand, was MIA on Oscar nominations day.
Robert Redford in All is Lost
Speaking of lost at sea, 77-year-old Robert Redford was cast adrift by Academy voters despite his tour de force feat of acting—alone, wet and silent—in All is Lost. “I’m not disturbed by it,” Redford said during a press conference at his Sundance Institute the same day the nominations were revealed. “It’s a business.”
See, he gets it. That’s how it works.
Paula Block Erdmann & Terry Erdmann
Paula and Terry each have long impressive-sounding resumes implying that they are battle-scarred veterans of life within the Hollywood studios. They’re now happily relaxed into Jacksonville.
Posted January 28, 2014
Paula and Terry identify as writers, with an ever-increasing number of published works to support the supposition. They live a primarily pastoral life in the enchanted town of Jacksonville.