If there was any year for a Bond picture to get a whole slew of nominations, this might be it:
BEVERLY HILLS, CA – The 85th Academy Awards® will include a tribute to the James Bond movie franchise, which is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year, the telecast’s producers announced today.
“We are very happy to include a special sequence on our show saluting the Bond films on their 50th birthday,” said producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. “Starting with ‘Dr. No’ back in 1962, the 007 movies have become the longest-running motion picture franchise in history and a beloved global phenomenon.”
Why shouldn’t it get nominated? It’s one of the best reviewed films of the year. It made one of the highest bankrolls of the year. Plus in a year where many of the most eagerly anticipated films of the year disappointed, Skyfall exceeded expectations. Not to mention people often talk about nominations and awards going to actors and directors who are ‘due’, well there are few occasions where films themselves can be ‘due’ (the clean sweep of Return of the King is one good example) but it seems like this year you’ve got a well made, relevant bond film with strong performances and memorable themes that has achieved crossover appeal and that has entered the public consciousness. So it seems fair for it to be nominated in the 50th year of a major franchise that has made a huge contribution the British film industry AND that has had a big impact on film making in general.
Skyfall was one of the few critics-and-guests-only screenings I’ve been to that ended in a round of applause.
Don’t underestimate the British bloc getting it into BP.
Odds of Paul McCartney as surprise guest for Live and Let Die? High.
AWWWWWWWWWWW FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!! SF for the win!
Worst Bond movie: Diamonds are Forever
Best: Dr. No
Tero, you’re a hoot.
Skyfall <3
Can we get Tero to produce the Oscar ceremonies from now on? PaulH can pick the presenters. That’s your ratings bonanza right there. 😀
That’ll make up for the Brokeback homophobia, Tero.
+ RATINGS!!!
I can totally see this happen.
Seth McFarlane: “And now, ladies and gentlemen – Craig, Daniel Craig”
Daniel walks on stage during Bond theme.
“Ian Fleming… fifty years… Skyfall…”
Add joke, Craig grins.
“And to perform an Academy Award nominated theme song from the film The Spy Who Loved Me, here’s Carly Simon…”
Lights go on behind Craig, screen opens up with footage from Dr. No first.
“Nobody does it better,
Makes me feel sad for the rest…”
After about a minute Pierce Brosnan and Timothy Dalton walk on stage hand in hand and they kiss passionately. Simon keeps on singing and the clips play on screen.
Enter Sean Connery and Roger Moore. Connery gives Moore a handjob. Moore keeps yelling: “shaken, not stirred, shaken, not stirred”. George Lazenby blows Moore while jerking off.
“Baby, you’re the best,
Darlin’, you’re the best,
Baby, you’re the best.”
All cum simultaneously. End of Bond tribute.
Yeah. I know it’s a cliché, but…
If Carly Simon sings Nobody Does It Better and Katy Perry is nominated for (and sings) Wide Awake, I don’t care whom the awards go to. My night will be made.
My guess is quite clichéd, but I think that Carly Simon will play Nobody Does It Better during the montage. Academy can remind people that, hey, we HAVE nominated Bond films before.
Yep… I feel pretty confident that Skyfall is going to get nominated for Best Picture now.
That John Hughes tribute didn’t make any sense at all. I mean, Elizabeth Taylor and other legendary Hollywood stars didn’t get a special tribute, but John Hughes somehow did? Sure, he was only 59 when he died and he wrote & directed a couple of classic ’80s teen movies, but those are hardly reasons for a getting a special tribute.
Considering they made a special John Hughes montage three years ago, there is nothing wrong with this.
Yay! This has made my day! Was just wondering if they would acknowledge the 50th anniversary (!!!) this morning.
One thing, Bond films lost so much when John Barry stepped down. David Arnold was not a replacement. A major thing in Bond world is the music.
Well, half the Bond films are quite awful, say, 5 are really great, on masterpiece level (On Her Majesty’s Secret Service!!!)
Hey, that’s my favorite! *high five*
Well, all that love it was getting from guilds now makes a lot of sense.
SKYFALL DESERVES A BEST PICTURE NOMINATION. WHAT MORE DOES A FILM HAVE TO DO. IT HAS OVER 280 REVIEWS ON ROTTEN TOMATOES WITH A 92% AND IT’S MADE OVER A BILLION DOLLARS.
SO FROM CRITICS TO AUDIENCES ALIKE IT IS ONE OF THIS YEARS VERY BEST. COME ON ACADEMY IT’S TIME. THE MOVEMENT TO HAVE MORE THAN 5 BEST PIC NOMS WAS TO ALLOW THE MORE MAINSTREAM FILM IN. SKYFALL IS THE PERFECT FIT FOR JUST THAT FILM.
Well, half the Bond films are quite awful, say, 5 are really great, on masterpiece level (On Her Majesty’s Secret Service!!!) and 5 are some of the worst films ever made (Moonraker, anyone?). Even Daniel Craig’s series is a bit problematic, seeing as Quantum of Solace is nowhere near Casino Royale or Skyfall. But at least these newer films don’t have invisible cars or whatever.
At least two current directors vocally wanted to make a Bond film, Spielberg and Tarantino – both will be watching this tribute in the audience. Dayum.
a once-in-a-lifetime happening; a Bond film actually getting Oscar nominations
Hardly once-in-a-lifetime. Maybe once in yours, PaulH. How many have there been since you were born, one?
AMPAS is merely the latest sucker to fall for this big “50 years of 007″ push that many institutions and members of the media have already (sky)fallen for.
Or maybe they just want to celebrate one of the most successful film franchises of all time on its half-centenary, particularly after its most successful installment by far has just been released?
This 50th anniversary thing, treating it like the Queen’s jubilee, is kinda silly.
James Bond has done far more for me than the fucking Royal family ever has done or will do. I’ve enjoyed some of his films. I’ve resented every day they’ve wasted UK taxpayers’ money, and UK taxpayers’ air.
I really like Bond movie but they’re pretty bad all around. This 50th anniversary thing, treating it like the Queen’s jubilee, is kinda silly. I mean the fans should acknowledge it and they have but this is already beating a dead horse. Even SKYFALL isn’t a great movie. It’s got lots of subpar elements, especially that one chick. I actually thought some of the stuff around Bardem’s character was too unrealistic, even for Bond.
This reminds me of the time they had to have a tribute to John Hughes after everyone else had a tribute to John Hughes. They just insist on being hokey with the Oscar telecasts I guess.
Now, dig up Sean Connery from whatever foxhole he’s hiding at. AMPAS – if anyone – can do it. I suspect that he’s in Scotland.
They can set up a sting, a match between Andy Murray and a blancmange. That’ll get him.
Tero – If they couldn’t dig up Connery for the role that Albert Finney played (clearly written for Sean; I mean, when otherwise has 007 seemed to come from Scotland?) I doubt they’ll get him to the Kodak.
Ryan – Not at all. AMPAS is merely the latest sucker to fall for this big “50 years of 007” push that many institutions and members of the media have already (sky)fallen for. I suspect that MGM’s negotiations with Sony to revive the franchise when it seemed on the edge of discontinuing – and as you’ll remember, those negotiations ended with no deal several times – included this 50 years push thing. (Most sources are so lazy that they just say “James Bond was invented 50 years ago” – you know, pissing on Ian Fleming’s grave.)
I don’t have to tell you that when entertainment negotiations stall, everyone involved just expands the future pie – e.g. add another season of Mad Men, add another unnecessary Hobbit movie – and this “50 years of Bond” thing is just Sony’s agreed-upon piece. Kudos that they got AMPAS to play ball, but a billion dollars later I don’t think they much care if the film gets a BP nod. (OTOH, if they *do* miraculously pull that off, of course they’ll have to re-edit the Oscar-night montage to include that little bit of info.)
Gonna me good use of the mute button on my tv and read what the commenters at AD are saying. Imagine if Sally Field has received her 3rd Oscar at this point in the night, nobody will care.
Skyfall is still making a lot of money and it comes out on DVD/BD next month. In my country it has been the biggest moneymaker in over 8 years.
They want Global audience, Bond is gonna give it to them.
Now, dig up Sean Connery from whatever foxhole he’s hiding at. AMPAS – if anyone – can do it. I suspect that he’s in Scotland.
At least Skyfall is a good movie, deserving a possible BP nomination
I guess we can breathe a sigh of relief that the tribute – and presumed nominations – will be accompanied with a film that does justice to the franchise.
Could James Bond arrive at the Dolby Theatre by jumping out of a helicopter, descending on a Union Jack parachute? (again).
Awesome! Finally Bond is getting some attention (recognition). It has been such a great influence in movie history. For example Indiana Jones was based on being a Bond with archeology, cause Spielberg didn’t get the chance to make an actual Bond film. So I’m glad it’s getting attention and if Skyfall gets some extra nominations, so be it. Skyfall was a great picture. I’m still hoping Javier Bardem gets into the supporting actor category! Best film isn’t gonna happen.
*groans*
I knew it! Like I said yesterday, mark my words the British block of AMPAS is going to rally together and vote in SKYFALL for BP. James Bond is viewed now as a national treasure, a British institution. For BAFTA the film will be nominated for:Best British film, best director, best actor (Craig), best actress (Dench), best supp actor (Bardem), best supp actress (Harris), best cinematography, best score, best editing, best song, etc.
Skids, meet grease. Because the skids are certainly being greased for a once-in-a-lifetime happening; a Bond film actually getting Oscar nominations.
Because the skids are certainly being greased for a once-in-a-lifetime happening; a Bond film actually getting Oscar nominations.
yeah, pretty sly of the Academy to wait to make this announcement on the day when 95% of ballots have already been turned in. That way nobody will suspect how much they’re trying to influence voters with this tribute. Lucky coincidence that it’s Bond’s 50th anniversary so they can pretend that’s their excuse.