Michael Moore's got the biz buzz again these days for his announcement that he will be foregoing submitting his Fahrenheit 9/11 for the Best Documentary Oscar this year, and, instead, will be going for the Best Picture nod. This might be a classic case of the devil biting his own tail, but, on the other hand, this is Hollywood...
In more testimony to the weird weird extreme polarization of our times, Daily Variety reported a few weeks back that, considering the Best Picture race so far, the two top contenders have to be reckoned The Passion of the Christ and Fahrenheit 9/11.
It would be great to see pictures of the Suffering Savior splattered all over the industry trades for the next four months, but, honestly, I just don't see it happening. And my sense is Icon isn't going to go for it.
A few of us conservative Catholics worked really hard to get TPOTC the annual official Catholic organization in Hollywood award. This award is given at a big Beverly Hills brunch attended by the Cardinal of Los Angeles (or, this year, his delegate) and about a thousand industry Catholics. There was great resistance on the part of many of the liberal Catholics in the group toward giving TPOTC the award. The argument was that the film was offensive to "our Jewish friends and colleagues in the business." Fortunately, there wasn't any other film that offered any competition except maybe Big Fish. Well, I liked that film, but as my friend argued to the Board, "We can give the Award to an international block-buster and the most significant religious film ever made, or we can give it to a movie nobody saw." Still, we nearly lost the dispute. We ended up prevailing by making the triangulating case that the film was "Particularly beloved of the poor in the Third World, and that it would be an expression of solidarity with the poor to give the film the Award." Which is true....but sheesh.
Anyway, when I called Icon to inform them of the award, there was decided reticence about anybody from the production coming to pick it up. Certainly not Mel. I made the case, "This award could be a really important kick-off for the Academy Award campaign season." The response came back, "Mel already has his Oscars."
(Another friend recently pitched a TV series at Icon as they are now heavy into prime-time with three series this fall. My friend's series has a spiritual component to it, which, in the wake of Joan of Arcadia got the pitch a good reception at several networks. But, at Icon he was waved away, "We don't want to do anything with religion here." I guess it's shell-shock from all the anti-Semitic crap that was thrown at them last year. But it's also a little, well, ungrateful, in light of the $600 million dollars they made off of religion recently...)
Anyway, this indicated to me that Icon is not going to be pushing TPOTC for an Oscar, and without the campaign, the film's chances are dead in the water. The only way to explain an Oscar campaign is "saturation." The top contenders are generally featured in the trades through advertising or other buzz every day for three months. Clearly,
But even if Icon did enter the race seriously, I still don't see this town giving Oscar to a film which is a devout bloody depiction of the death of Jesus of Nazareth. Sorry, but, it's hardly news that this is, culturally, a very Jewish town. One of my Jewish friends assured me that few people in the business even saw TPOTC.
No, I think that in an election year, the pressure will be over-whelming to register a vote against the "right-wing Republican Christian menace," by giving the Oscar to Fahrenheit. I could be wrong, but you have to understand how giddy with power people in this industry are. They get all sanctimonious about "Coming Out" with their opinions, as though they have earned a political responsibility along with their creative achievements. It's a kind of insanity, but they really have nothing to lose, do they? Whether it's acrimony or love the celebrities here get, the hunger for attention is still fed.
Friend and fellow screenwriter, Jan "The Maven" disagrees with me. I hope she's right.
53 comments:
Hey Barb--
Thanks for referring people over to my disagreement re: Moore's film -- but the link isn't working (at least on my computer).
Here's the link if anyone wants to check it out:
www.quoththemaven.blogspot.com
"A few of us conservative Catholics worked really hard to get TPOTC the annual official Catholic organization in Hollywood award."
And here I thought movies win awards on their own merit - not by pushy Catholic organizers and box office numbers.
Yes, it IS annoying to hear obnoxious political opinions from creative Hollywood types - but I guess you can still blog your opinions, even if you have NO creative achievements!!
"and here I thought movies got awards based on their own merits..."
Oh puhl-eeeeeeeeeease! I didn;t think there was anybody that naive left on the planet. There certainly isn't anybody that naive here in Hollywood.
My mistake. Glad the "conservative Catholics" have caught up with Hollywood, and favor politics over art.
Can I also add how refreshing it is to find a film critic who only pays attention to politics and box office receipts?? So many others get hung up on petty things, like beauty and truth.
Dear - um - "Anonymous" -
Yeah, that's right. I'm quite reknowned for not caring about beauty and truth. And as far as my achievements, well, you keep coming back....
Just so as to keep the truth on the table... the reason I fought so hard for The Passion was because I thought it was the most beautiful/truth-laden film of the year. However, as someone who has sat on several film and award juries, I know that the most bests don't always win. This is going to be shocking, but, very often, these things become politicized or reactionary.
Barb,
I'm a different "Anonymous" (Jason P.) Just didn't want to spend the three minutes registering.
Anyway, I understand your argument about people pushing to award the film they like, but really, who cares about the Oscars? I mean, yes, people will go rent the dvd if a film wins the Oscar, but isn't TPOTC a special case? It's already received more hype than anything in a decade. Would the little statue really make it more money? Are there really people that are going to say, "gosh, it won the Oscar, maybe I should see it..."?
On the flip side, Farenheit 9/11 stands to make more cash off of the Oscar because it hasn't come out on dvd yet, but by Oscar time, the election is over and the point is kind of moot. So frankly, I wouldn't consider either of those films good Oscar contenders, because neither stands to make any cash off of the thing.
On a separate note, what the heck is up with Icon? In addition to the way they're acting now, they put out a bare-bones dvd? It's kind of icky to think that they're going to pull the whole marketing gimmick of seven different dvd editions with different commentaries, deleted scenes, documentaries, outtakes (ick!), etc. on each. I mean, you want to put out a four-hour version of the Hobbit, fine. But even George frickin' Lucas is only doing one version of the Star Wars trilogy (the real one.) TPOTC has already sold about a gazillion copies. If they were to put out another edition, it would be kind of a slap in the face, one where I don't think it would be appropriate to turn the other cheek by ponying up more cash.
Hey Anonymous (not Jason) --
Barbara puts her name on her comments. Would you have the courtesy (and the guts) to do the same, please? Thank you.
I saw Mel Gibson being interviewed on The World Over on EWTN right before the DVD release. I didn't catch the whole interview, though, and I happened upon it while channel surfing. He was being asked about the Oscars, and the impression I got was that he thought it was kind of disrespectful of what this film is and what it meant, both to him and to so many people, to mount an Oscar campaign. He said he initially refused to even submit it for consideration, until someone among his inner circle objected that the crew and behind-the-scenes folks who did such beautiful work on the film deserved their shot at some awards and recognition. So he said he submitted it on that basis alone, but that there would be no campaigning. He seemed to think it might win some of the technical kind of awards and that was it.
He basically said that this film is not about all of that kind of stuff to him. And, being a smart guy, he probably realizes it's futile, too. I think it is, anyway. I think we're going to have Michael Moore's slovenly and unkempt face sneering at us for many months to come, and especially on Oscar night.
That's even on top of the general commercial interest of all companies to destroy the nation's self-control so we'll buy more of their goods. Unfortunately the Dems have systematically voided any notion of self-control, staring in 1968 when they began expelling religious voters:
http://www.touchstonemag.com/archives/article.php?id=16-03-023-f
Hollywood has a vested interest in continuing the reign of vice. Giving Moore the Oscar would be perfectly consistent with the hysterical histrionics about Bush.
Check out this site on Kerry's anti-Catholic record:
http://kerrywrongforcatholics.com/
MJ
I thought "we just did one of those, don't pitch us another" was a fairly common attitude in Hollywood? Especially since, in Icon's case, they've just demonstrated that they don't exactly need help to come up w/ religious projects in-house. It's not like POTC forced upon them some kind of moral obligation to help out every starry-eyed newbie waving a Bible-based story outline around.
Dvd buyers seem to tend to either want the movie they saw in theaters, and not much else; or every doohickey and extra possible, including an alternate cut. Bare-bones release now plus "uber-edition" later seems like a fair way of serving both sets of customers, provided the company gives due warning that that's what they're gonna do. Which they did: any dvd site that mentioned the Aug release also stated there'd be a "special edition" later.
-aragonvaar
Cacciaguida here.
I love TPOTC and I've defended it to the hilt on my blog, but, as for this Catholic award -- isn't it a bit dicey to give such an award to someone who is pretty well known to schismatic? I know, I know, he MIGHT not be, but he's done nothing to reassure people for whom this is an issue. And anyway, it's pretty much a matter of public record, isn't it, that his chapel in Malibu is "independent," i.e. has no ecclesiastical authorization, i.e. is schismatic?
Cacciaguida
http://cacciaguida.blogspot.com
Cacciaguida here again.
Just to clarify: I'm "anonymous" only because Blogger somehow doesn't recognize me by my Blogistani name. I am NOT the earlier "anonymous" in this thread, the catty one.
Cacciaguida
http://cacciaguida.blogspot.com
Cacc -
The Catholic organization gives our award to projects more than people. If a film is chockful of truth and beauty, it's a candidate for the award. Spielberg got it for Saving Private Ryan, for example.
Cheers -
I think it would be a shame if TPOTC didn't get Oscar consideration. Maia Morgenstern as Mary was wonderful. The technical aspects of the film are marvelous. But there was also a story in TV Guide the week of the release of POTC on video, alleging that Mel has become more or less a recluse. Can't remember all of the other information, but it makes me wonder as well. I don't think he needs an Oscar for this film, he made it for a far different purpose. As I write this I remember the year Spielberg made "Saving Private Ryan" and he said he WANTED the Oscar. Not Mel Gibson and not for this film.
But how anyone could ignore the production values on POTC alone...that would astound me. Perhaps the quieter Christians in Hollywood might step forward and make their voices heard.
I think the question about Gibson's beliefs is legit. And how could Icon release a DVD without the features? They were available: the Diane Sawyer interview, the EWTN specials on The World Over. I understand they may want to make a buck...but haven't they made plenty already?
Maria Rocco (not the earlier Anonymous, either)
About the DVD: The Diane Sawyer interview belongs to ABC, and the EWTN interviews are too Catholic. However, the PAX making-of special was appropriately non-sectarian, and had it been bundled with a director's commentary praising the acting, cinematography, score, etc., the DVD would have been a great tool for Oscar marketing. Gibson may never issue a special edition DVD if he wants to keep the focus on the film and away from himself. Even if he releases a two-disc set for the film buffs, I think it was wise to issue a bare bones edition first for the religious audience. Watching behind-the-scenes highjinks or listening to descriptions of camera placement while Jesus falls the third time would detract from the religious experience. The lack of extras also avoided more press releases and controversy from the ADL.
A few weeks ago in "The Forward," there was an editorial asking Mel Gibson NOT to submit TPOTC for the Academy Awards prevent backlash against (Jewish) Hollywood if it didn't win. Mel's decision not to actively campaign may be to avoid revisiting this sort of acrimony or not to aggravate the jealosy towards his financial windfall.
That TVGuide article labeled Mel Gibson reclusive based on an anonymous "friend" who "never sees him anymore." Yeah. The writer tried to make him sound weird for praying more since the film's release and for making sure that a character in a TV episode doesn't steal consecrated hosts. On GMA Raymound Arroyo said that Gibson wasn't reclusive at all. Mel just strikes me as someone who doesn't like giving interviews.
I don't blame ICON for avoiding the Oscars. Why should Jesus vie for the Golden man, when one of the Commandments says something about '...no false gods before me...' Let's face it, in Hollywood the Oscar is God. Look what some folks do to get one...some entertainers might even sell their soul for one of those golden idols! :)
We've watched both versions of TPOTC and are happy that the spellbinding beauty of the story isn't ruined by technical comments. We've seen every interview, and enjoyed the insight they offered regarding the why's of certain scenes (ie."what's up with the ugly baby?") but are pleased with the bare bones versions.
Mel is right to eschew any more contact with the Hollywood libs, he proved he didn't need them to get TPOTC to the world, why should he play the Oscar game now? We all know TPOTC deserves a sweep of numerous categories, but I can't remember a worthy reigious film doing that since "The Mission" in 1987.
Any truth to rumors that Mel is in line to take over Disney? What a coup that would be!
If Mel made TPOTC for the right reasons, then he is not seeking attention for the same reasons. Vanity is the center of sinfulness. Passing on the Oscar's and other awards is a reassurance that he was in it for the right reasons. You mentioned the "ungrateful" attitude in light of earning 60mil. It is my guess that the money earned is also going to the right places and isn't staying in his pocket. For surely Mel knows that it is harder for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven than for an elephant to pass through the eye of a needle. (Please forgive...I never quite get the scripture quotes correct...I remember the meaning or sentiment rather than the exact words!)
Jason P. again.
Manoman, some anonymous people here are naive. Just because Mel Gibson doesn't need the attention doesn't mean some of the other hundreds of people who worked on the production don't need it. I defy any of you to name the director of photography, sound designer, and sfx house that worked on this film, along with two other productions that each has worked on. No cheating now, you can't just go look them up on imdb just because I asked. Can you name them off the tops of your heads?
There are a lot of people who are Christians in H-Wood, and believe it or not, many of them aren't actors, writers and directors. Why shouldn't they get some recognition that will allow them to practice their craft with other big names, and maybe do a little good in that town?
Sure, Mel doesn't need the Oscar, and if he ran the camera, and moved the lights, and storyboarded the film, and held the boom, and edited the film, and provided the food, and the trailers, and scouted the locations, and made the copies and the coffee, then I would agree that the film shouldn't be considered for the Oscar. Otherwise, let some people get their credit.
And as far as bare-bones dvds go, some people don't mind getting just the movie. That's fine, but you probably ought to just get vhs. It's like buying a car without air-conditioning. It will run fine without it, but why get it? Some of us would like some interviews and technical commentaries on our discs, thank you very much. I'm not buying the disc until they put out the extras.
Religion has nothing to do with the question of whether declining to mount a full Oscar campaign is unfair to the technical crew of "The Passion." It is no more or less fair if a Christian is deprived of recognition than if an agnostic is. Besides, Mel Gibson didn't go out of his way to hire Christians for TPOTC, nor should he have. Religious discrimination is illegal.
The Academy Awards are industry awards, generously bestowed by Hollywood upon itself in a worthy gesture of self-congratulation. The tens of millions of dollars that studios spend on key Oscar campaigns are justified by the hope of increased B.O. and ancillary revenue, not the desire to recognize the most worthy. Anyway, the technical awards tend to be bundled with the best picture award. (Did LotR:RotK really have the best sound mixing? I dunno.)
If the goal were to maximize the number of Passion nominations, gobs of Miramax-style publicity would be counterproductive. An in-your-face stream of "For your consideration" ads filling the trades would rub many people the wrong way, given their dislike of the subject matter of the film. Academy members may vote for a plucky little film that succeeded against all odds, but they won't vote for a triumphalist symbol of Christianity.
I think a lot of Academy members, especially the actors, will quietly vote TPOTC for BP and Best Director out of grudging respect for the risk that Mel took. Many won't admit to voting for it, just like they won't admit to even seeing it. A nomination for Caleb Deschanel is a lock. He's overdue an Oscar. John Debney may get a nomination as well because he stretched himself beyond his usual light fare. TPOTC could be disqualified from the makeup category because of the use of computer effects. Caviezel may get an acting nom, but I doubt it. A lot depends on the competition.
Michael Moore and F911: If Kerry wins or if Bush just squeaks by, then I predict it will be nominated for best picture. If Bush solidly wins both the electoral votes and the popular votes, then by the time Oscar season rolls around, F911 will seem dated and a reminder of defeat.
-LP
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