The Oscars are a long tradition of celebrating the best chosen by their peers. However the show itself is not drawing an audience like it used to. However they are hoping to change that with this year’s ceremony.
Academy president Sid Ganis used this year’s Nominees Luncheon to talk up changes to the upcoming ceremony. “Cinematographers, editors, composers. All of you guys. You’re in for a big surprise.” What sort of surprise? Lord only knows, but he promises that it will be truly different, that it’ll take “some risks,” and “Your categories are being presented in a completely different way. Heads up.”
So they are hoping to make some changes? Take some risks? Well the host is always a risk and sometimes its awesome, while other times it isn’t. Personally I think they should stick to hosts that have something to do with the industry. A TV Political Satirist might be great at his job, but what does he have to do with movies? I am looking forward to Hugh Jackman hosting this year’s event.
How about keeping it under 2 hours? I don’t mind the host doing their bit – that’s entertaining. And I don’t even mind hearing the nominated best songs being performed. But the solemn suspense built up from the scripted presentations and the long speeches.
But if they cheapen the show, will it take away from the value of the honour?
Maybe they could hire the announcer from the Price is Right and just tell the nominees to “Come on down” and they can stand at bidding row while a pretty assistant shows off a movie poster of the film they were in and then announce the winner. Some spirited music, a little jumping and they can even kiss Bob Barker as they take their statue and dance off to the media rooms for pictures and interviews.
If you are already not watching this show, what changes would it take to lure you into viewing?
I think The curios case of Benjamin Button is overrated, but I’m afraid it’s gonna win.
I have a question: This may be totally random, but was I the only person who thought No Country for Old Men was completely overrated? So not the best of 2007.
This is what the oscars should be this year: No fucking singing and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button wins all the awards it was nominated for except for cinematography (TDK needs that and the Joker needs his oscar)
20 bucks says they redo the entire awards show mTV style!!!! I guarantee it.
REason Oscars are boring is not just because of the nominees, it’s because it’s always the same ceremony every year no matter how “changed/updated” they say it is. No matter who the host is, it’s the same old song different day. They need to spice it up a bit, make it a bit less formal, more fun and interactive in a way. The Oscars get more and more retro as they years pass, it’s like become an old theater play for pete’s sake. It’s completely the opposite of progress, every year they take another step back, in the wrong direction.
Well, Hugh Jackman is hosting, there is a slight possibility that he will, at some point, remove his shirt, so I eagerly anticipate the telecast.
Oscars will never change.
Best thing they can do come Oscar time is ensure all nominees hava speech prepared, and get the winner to read it from the autocue once they take to the stage. this teary, 20 minute thank-eveybody-in-the-world stuff (a la halle Berry) is ridiculous.
Rodney, you may have been joking, but that last paragraph in your post is EXACTLY the kind of outside the box type of thinking the Oscar ceremony needs. I think your Price is Right example is a GREAT idea – at least for the “lesser” awards like Cinematography and sound design etc.
Seriously, I like that idea a lot. It would be a lot of fun.
Of course people might look at it as the awards show not taking the category very seriously. Still, good thinking.
True. We don’t know much about the nominated movies. Only do we catch glipmses from commercials and radio about the films. MTV Movie Awards are all eye candy. ‘Nuff said. (Oh yeah, one more thing, MTV bring back videos!)
Oh God!! Are you telling me that even the Oscars are going to be turned into what MTV has become. A channel that only dulled out retards can watch.
i hear ya, i can only stand mtv when im high
I do agree that if TDK got a nod, then more people would watch, I mean come on, THE READER?!?!! Over the awesome TDK, and the very overrated but still good Wall-e? That’s messed up, but I would at least have given TDK a nod, but it would kill me not to vote for it, but I got to be honest, I wouldn’t
I don’t really see them taking any RISKS. What would have been a risk, nominating The Dark Knight or WALL-E over The Reader.
I don’t think the Oscars are going to get much viewership this year and it’s a shame because if nobody is watching then there’s no real point in making such a big event out of it.
Fortunately for those ORGANIZING the Oscars, they are not the ones who decide what movies get nominated.
The Academy is made up of some 6000 industry professionals, and they didnt say that Dark Knight sucked, just that the movies they did choose were better qualified to win the category.
You want an Award Ceremony where they cater to a popularity game and CHOOSE winners based on what they want to sell, then go watch the MTV Awards.
@Rodney, don’t act for a second that the Academy does not favor certain directors/actors, even in cases where they don’t turn in an exceptional piece of work.
The Oscars will eventually be rendered irrelevant if cinematic snobbery overturns quality every year. Movies are *qualified* to win awards by way of the fact that an “Oscarish” director or actor took part in it. I think the more impressive cinematic achievements of the year belonged to The Dark Knight and Wall-E. With one you have a dramatic director take a genre film and transcend it past what any film of its type has done in the past, a mediocre supporting actor turning in one of the best villain performances since hannibal lector, and an ensemble cast that didn’t seem like they were fighting for screen time. With the other, you had an animated picture with two main characters who spoke little to no actual dialogue but still managed to capture the hearts of the viewers.
I believe that these two movies where this years best ACHIEVEMENTS.
hmmm that MTV awards comment was a bit unecessary,
I understand what SlashBeast is saying,
the decisions are predictable and/or boring, Nobody is watching the damn nominated movies
I understand that the Academy is comprised of 6000 industry “professionals” but they should really look into changing their voting process ’cause its a bit obvious that it sucks and nobody is really interested in their nominees.
The viewership is going down each year, The Oscars NEED to be commercially successful in order to exist, if not they would only mail the statues to the winners… They are on TV for a reason, ’cause they make money for the film industry (and advertisers I guess) but it won’t be very profitable if nobody is watching…
unfortunately evan they dont care really what you believe is better
@Evan right on! seriously. I completely and 100% agree with you.
And Button was too long of a movie, but it is a disgrace when people fail to see the beauty in the film.
Guys, I love TDK, you don’t know how much…….I wanted it for best picture of the year, but after seeing the nominees, with the exception of The Reader which wasn’t good, I would at least nominate TDK, but like I said, i have seen to much to vote for it. My vote goes to Milk or Slumdog
So they’re jazzing it up, huh?
Five bucks says one of the presenters will drive onto the stage in the Batmobile.
All the movies nominated blow.
Button was way to long.
Frost are you kidding me.
Milk is terrible, just because there are fags in it doesnt mean it good.
I have said it before and I will say it again. The problem with the oscars is that the same 5-7 movies dominate the entire show. These are movies that all came out within 2 months of each other at the end of the year so not many people have gotten a chance to see all of them.
THAT is why people don’t watch the Oscars. What is the point of watching if you haven’t seen any of the damn movies!
This is why TDK should have AT LEAST been nominated for more awards, people would watch the show if a movie they had seen and enjoyed was contending.
And to be honest, I have seen all of the best pic nominees except The Reader. TDK was way better than half of them if not all of them.
Bingo. I liked Slumdog Millionaire, but is it the best pic of the year? HELL NAW!
i wish people would shut the fuck up about TDK not getting nominated, so fucking what its a great movie , but your bitchin wont do a damn thing about it.
So its ok to have a film dominate more categories provided its the film you like?
You complain that 5-7 movies dominate so TDK should have got more nominations.
How about we just let the academy (all movie industry peers – not fans) nominate the films that they feel are best instead of overlooking quality to make sure everyone gets a fair shot.
Wow, you guys all need to relax! All I was saying is that if the Academy wants people to watch their show they should nominate some movies that people actually saw! Cause I got news for you, if people don’t watch the Oscars then it ain’t gonna be on for too much longer.
I am saying that there are plenty of great movies that came out in 2008 that deserved some more love. The Academy over-recognizes the 5-7 movies designated as “Oscar movies” and not the movies that took everyone by surprise like, i’m sorry, but The Dark Knight. Sure, there was a lot of hype surrounding the movie but did anyone think for a second that it would end up being the 2nd highest grossing film of all time?
I don’t see how making things different will get people to watch. Most people wont even know that anything will change. Even if the changes are good people who didn’t watch will forget by the time next years ceremony rolls around. What they need to do is find a way to make it a “must watch” for THIS year.
OH YA AND WHAT WOULD MAKE me watch award shows would be if they allowed rodney to host it like mystery science theatre and just be like “wtf thats a bad call ” lol or “kahn!” haha oh it would be better IMO haha
I always watch the show, but most of my friends don’t, it can get terribly boring really.
I have an idea if they want to increase the viewership: how about nominating movies people are actually seeing. I’m not saying go ahead and nominate Paul Blart: Mall Cop, but hardly ANYBODY has seen either The Reader or Frost/Nixon or Milk. I really believe that nominations for either WALL-E or The Dark Knight would’ve sparked some interest again in the Oscars.
My guess is that even less people are going to watch this year.
well i didnt like the reader and even if frank langella played nixon perfectly the movie IMO was not needed cause i had seen the original interviews….milk wasnt my cup of tea either but i guess penn was good as him….penn to me is wierd in some roles and thats what gets him nominated is the characters he plays not the way he plays him…..personally i have always hated the choices they pick ( dont get me wrong … every year can be like shawshank redemption but to be honest the oscars should go to who the people vote for…seems like the oscars are biased IMO.
There is nothing that any awards show could do to make me watch. They are incredibly boring and the results are posted on the movie blog, this is all I am interested in, who won.