I heard thanks and awards go out to, Canada, Argentina, Venezuela, Mexico, United Kingdom, Bulgaria, France and Spain. This doesn't include the Foreign Language nominees. Thanks for clearing up the Foreign Film versus Foreign Language Film category. That's been changed and I am guessing that I wasn't the only one miffed at these U.S awards going abroad.
It would be nice if the award show could actually stay within three hours. They joke, poke fun and complain about how long the Oscar Show is and then go across the street to thank the people sitting in a movie theater for their support. The bit is cute, but it took twelve minutes. You want to shorten the show even more, get rid of the Foreign Language Award. No one in the U.S. truly cares about that award. Give it away during one of the commercials and tell us what we missed when we come back. Same for short subjects, documentaries and such. These are categories where we go to the bathroom or make a sandwich. "Dunkirk" won three Oscars; Sound Editing, Sound Mixing and Editing. The same team received the award for each. Usually the sound mixing and sound editing awards go to the same film and team. Why did we split those awards again? Combine them back! If the "Dunkirk" team was smart, they would have thanked everyone during the first award and gone up and won the Jet Ski with the second or third award.
Limit the acceptance speeches for the early awards to one person accepting on behalf of the film. Give them a minute and move on. Seriously, text everyone your thanks and buy them a drink at the after party. In Memoriam? When did the singer become more important than those that have inspired us over the years passing? I was going to be pissed off because a friend of mine's father passed and he was left out. I am speaking about Richard Venture. Look him up, his credits were definitely worth a mention. He played Al Pacino's brother in the Academy Award winning film, "Scent of a Woman," "Clint Eastwood's commanding officer in "Heartbreak Ridge," the American Ambassador in the Academy Award winning film "Missing." Here's a man and name you may not recognize but a face that has played with some of the greatest names in Hollywood. However, the Academy also forgot to mention Oscar winner Dorothy Malone, the Director of three Bond films and the Academy Award nominated film "Alfie, Lewis Gilbert and "Poltergist" director Tobe Hooper. Holy crap, Batman! Who screwed this up?
Someone was upset David Ogden Stiers was left out, but he died two days before and in 2018. It's supposed to be those we lost in 2017. You can bitch about David next year if they leave him off. Adam West was a studio contract player before he became television's Batman and Batman had at least two movies starring Adam West.
Anyway, it got me to calm down when I saw others were omitted and not just Richard Venture. I was a real fan of Richard's work and actually got to work with his talented son Tony on a movie as well as hear his band play at clubs from time to time. I'm sorry for your loss, Tony and even if the Academy Awards didn't do it, I want everyone to know another talented actor was lost in 2017.
Not to brag, but all my selections posted last week were correct. I'm glad the award season is over and I can get back to the usual grind.
Next week I'll be writing about the paperwork that needs to be filed by filmmakers using the Ultra Low Budget.
Until then, see you at the movies!
Bob
