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A few happenings on the web related to the sleeping dog that is the Oscar race. We wait, we wait, we wait.
In Contention reports that Hans Zimmer has bowed out of the Oscar race this year and will not submit to it. Who can blame him by this point?
So, why is Zimmer choosing to pass on a potential tenth trip to the ball (and second Oscar statuette)? Well, as he tells the Reporter, he simply doesn’t feel up to it:
As soon as you get nominated, and I don’t care who you are — there are certainly people of better character than me — it all goes crazy… You get the phone call at five o’clock and after that you have to do the interviews and then do the parties and meet all these people and do all these things. It’s disruptive, and I think it would be more interesting to observe it for a year. It does worry me that we have to stay relevant. Times are changing, very rapidly. Usually what I do when things are changing rapidly is stand still and observe.
Woody Allen talks to the Paris review. It is a wonderfully illuminating interview, and naturally he uses the opportunity to explain why he’s a lesser artist compared to those he admires. Remember in Husband and Wives when Mia Farrow wants to be a poet and he says something like “I love ee cummings” and she says back, “well I’m not quite that good yet.” Woody Allen’s reverence for the greatest among us will always prevent him from appreciating his own genius. Not that anyone should ever sit around appreciating their own genius…
A word about this interview. It was hard for me because I don’t like to aggrandize my work by discussing its influences or my themes or that kind of thing. That kind of talk is more applicable to works of greater stature. I say this with no false modesty—that I feel I have done no really significant work, whatsoever, in any medium. I feel that unequivocally. I feel that what I have done so far in my life is sort of the ballast that is waiting to be uplifted by two or three really fine works that may hopefully come. We’ve been sitting and talking about Faulkner, say, and Updike and Bergman—I mean, I obviously can’t talk about myself in the same way at all. I feel that what I’ve done so far is the . . . the bed of lettuce the hamburger must rest on. I feel that if I could do, in the rest of my life, two or three really fine works—perhaps make a terrific film or write a fine play or something—then everything prior to that point would be interesting as developmental works. I feel that’s the status of my works—they’re a setting waiting for a jewel. But there’s no jewel there at the moment. So I’m starting to feel my interview is pompous. I need some heavy gems in there somewhere. But I hope I’ve come to a point in my life where within the next ten or fifteen years I can do two or three things that lend credence to all the stuff I’ve done already . . . Let’s hope.
Jeff Wells, myself and Tom O’Neil chat about the Oscar race in our 53rd episode of Oscar Poker – on the slate is Steven Spielberg and the hopes for War Horse, the date change of the NYFCC and various other sorts of things. Jeff Wells calls it the “Oscar Poker ramble,” and I think that described it perfectly.
As much as I hate the last Pirates of the Caribbean movie, I thought nobody can play Jack Sparrow best than Johnny Depp….
Oh and it’s an original character too I think??? No?
As much as I hate the last Pirates of the Caribbean movie, I thought nobody can play Jack Sparrow best than Johnny Depp….
Oh and it’s an original character too I think??? No?
I see The Rum Diary as another of Depp’s parody performances. This time it’s him as Hunter S. Thompson. Droll comment here, drunk face there, and you’ve got it…
Everytime I see the trailer of one of his films, I hear some movie producer in my head “Let’s make ________ into a movie so we can have Johnny Depp star as _______. It’ll be hilarious!” Those blanks have been filled by Charlie and the Chocolate Factory/Willy Wonka, Alice in Wonderland/The Mad Hatter, The Rum Diary/Hunter S. Thompson, and coming soon, The Lone Ranger/Tonto.
Maybe next time, Depp can go with an original screenplay…
I see The Rum Diary as another of Depp’s parody performances. This time it’s him as Hunter S. Thompson. Droll comment here, drunk face there, and you’ve got it…
Everytime I see the trailer of one of his films, I hear some movie producer in my head “Let’s make ________ into a movie so we can have Johnny Depp star as _______. It’ll be hilarious!” Those blanks have been filled by Charlie and the Chocolate Factory/Willy Wonka, Alice in Wonderland/The Mad Hatter, The Rum Diary/Hunter S. Thompson, and coming soon, The Lone Ranger/Tonto.
Maybe next time, Depp can go with an original screenplay…
I like his earlier, funnier films. 🙂
I like his earlier, funnier films. 🙂
I didn’t think of that. Yeah.
I didn’t think of that. Yeah.
Thanks, Paddy M. I wasn’t aware that the composers submitted themselves. Thank goodness actors don’t have that option – imagine the Godfather with only 2 oscars, and neither of them Best Actor.
Zimmer has reason to back away for awhile. When he’s good – e.g. his score for Gladiator was the first time I think I’d heard a waltz used in a battle scene (the opening sequence) – he’s brilliant!
Thanks, Paddy M. I wasn’t aware that the composers submitted themselves. Thank goodness actors don’t have that option – imagine the Godfather with only 2 oscars, and neither of them Best Actor.
Zimmer has reason to back away for awhile. When he’s good – e.g. his score for Gladiator was the first time I think I’d heard a waltz used in a battle scene (the opening sequence) – he’s brilliant!
If Hanz Zimmer is out of the race it may somehow benefit his The Dark Knight Rises score next year. But I believe he’s just tired, not surprisingly.
If Hanz Zimmer is out of the race it may somehow benefit his The Dark Knight Rises score next year. But I believe he’s just tired, not surprisingly.
@ Steve50 and Tero
Original scores must be officially submitted by the composers themselves for Oscar consideration. Last year Randy Newman did the same thing for his score for Toy Story 3.
@ Steve50 and Tero
Original scores must be officially submitted by the composers themselves for Oscar consideration. Last year Randy Newman did the same thing for his score for Toy Story 3.
Yeah, I think there’s nothing you can do if AMPAS nominates you. You don’t have to campaign or attend the show…
I guess if you publicly say that you don’t wish to be nominated, I guess it has some sort of effect.
Yeah, I think there’s nothing you can do if AMPAS nominates you. You don’t have to campaign or attend the show…
I guess if you publicly say that you don’t wish to be nominated, I guess it has some sort of effect.
Re: Zimmer opting out – I didn’t think one had that option. He doesn’t have to campaign or attend of course, but if he’s nominated, his name still stands – correct? After all, it is about the movie, isn’t it?
Re: Zimmer opting out – I didn’t think one had that option. He doesn’t have to campaign or attend of course, but if he’s nominated, his name still stands – correct? After all, it is about the movie, isn’t it?
@ PaulH
Different people have different priorities. Aint it fair enough to want to have a good time than to attend an awards ceremony at which you are more than likely going to feel uncomfortable? And people care what he says because he continues to produce good work. And no matter what one may think of each individual film he makes, whether good or bad, he always makes something of some cultural interest, and directs at least one actor to at least a good performance. That he considers his cinematic output in such modest terms only endears him to me. I also love how I can hear Woody saying every word of that transcript in my head as I’m reading it.
@ PaulH
Different people have different priorities. Aint it fair enough to want to have a good time than to attend an awards ceremony at which you are more than likely going to feel uncomfortable? And people care what he says because he continues to produce good work. And no matter what one may think of each individual film he makes, whether good or bad, he always makes something of some cultural interest, and directs at least one actor to at least a good performance. That he considers his cinematic output in such modest terms only endears him to me. I also love how I can hear Woody saying every word of that transcript in my head as I’m reading it.
This is the same Woody Allen who blew off the Oscars when he won for Annie Hall because it interfered with his clarinet gig at a NYC jazz club on Oscar night. Why should anybody care about what the Woodman says anymore?
This is the same Woody Allen who blew off the Oscars when he won for Annie Hall because it interfered with his clarinet gig at a NYC jazz club on Oscar night. Why should anybody care about what the Woodman says anymore?
I guess Zimmer’s tired of all the bullshit that went on last year with Inception (not nominating Nolan as director, him losing score to an inferior competitor), and maybe there’s a bit of Dark Knight bitterness still there when it was royally hosed in 2008 for Slumdog “Who Wants to be an Indian” Millionaire.
I guess Zimmer’s tired of all the bullshit that went on last year with Inception (not nominating Nolan as director, him losing score to an inferior competitor), and maybe there’s a bit of Dark Knight bitterness still there when it was royally hosed in 2008 for Slumdog “Who Wants to be an Indian” Millionaire.
Woody Allen talking about how artists are overvalued… wow, maybe 30-40 yrs ago.
and of course being labelled a living legend wherever he goes. I can see his point. however at large, artists are extremely undervalued in society.
woody saying creativity is just a skill like being a plumber or left handed. I see that in a way, for him to try to stay humble.
but I don’t know, to me the arts IS sort of a religion.
In another interview he was saying there is no reason the younger generation should see the works of Fellini, Bergman, Hitchcock
I dont get it. his works are so full of life and ideas, how can he be this way? art has given him everything in life and he acts like it’s a worthless pursuit
Woody Allen talking about how artists are overvalued… wow, maybe 30-40 yrs ago.
and of course being labelled a living legend wherever he goes. I can see his point. however at large, artists are extremely undervalued in society.
woody saying creativity is just a skill like being a plumber or left handed. I see that in a way, for him to try to stay humble.
but I don’t know, to me the arts IS sort of a religion.
In another interview he was saying there is no reason the younger generation should see the works of Fellini, Bergman, Hitchcock
I dont get it. his works are so full of life and ideas, how can he be this way? art has given him everything in life and he acts like it’s a worthless pursuit
I see an easy nomination for Paris for screenplay, but not a win. The win will go to Hazanavicius at this point, I’d think. I’d say it’s a shoe-in for a best pic nom and I think has a chance to win, if only because he hasn’t made a great film for 15 years.
I agree with the podcast: all things considered, if “MoneyHorse” existed, it would STEAMROLL to a victory. Game set and match.
I see an easy nomination for Paris for screenplay, but not a win. The win will go to Hazanavicius at this point, I’d think. I’d say it’s a shoe-in for a best pic nom and I think has a chance to win, if only because he hasn’t made a great film for 15 years.
I agree with the podcast: all things considered, if “MoneyHorse” existed, it would STEAMROLL to a victory. Game set and match.
Just saw Midnight in Paris, also. One of my favorite films so far this year.
Just saw Midnight in Paris, also. One of my favorite films so far this year.
Midnight in Paris felt repetitive as the movie wore on.
Midnight in Paris felt repetitive as the movie wore on.
Just saw Midnight in Paris… among Allen’s great ones, for sure, but can’t escape the feeling he’s been selling himself out to Europe producers… I found Brody’s bit deliciously over the top, Cotillard probably the best among the cast… Locked for Globe noms for Comedy and Comedy Lead Actor, but have a lot of issues to see the AMPAS going for it at the Oscars. Cinematography and Costume noms are probably in order already, pending on competition, but this ain’t going to be “Bullets over Broadway” – Oscar wise. Oh, and of course, Original Screenplay nom, probably win.
Just saw Midnight in Paris… among Allen’s great ones, for sure, but can’t escape the feeling he’s been selling himself out to Europe producers… I found Brody’s bit deliciously over the top, Cotillard probably the best among the cast… Locked for Globe noms for Comedy and Comedy Lead Actor, but have a lot of issues to see the AMPAS going for it at the Oscars. Cinematography and Costume noms are probably in order already, pending on competition, but this ain’t going to be “Bullets over Broadway” – Oscar wise. Oh, and of course, Original Screenplay nom, probably win.