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Post by foxie on Jan 28, 2013 8:20:29 GMT -5
Very disappointing but not really surprising anymore.  I was surprised when Ken Howard and whoever were talking about the new combo group and they said it was something like 150,000 voting members! Yikes! If the woman who did that video I posted a few days ago is an example I'm not surprised LM & Hugh didn't win. I may watch the BAFTAs only because they don't waste time on a lot of schtick and get on with it in a nicely amusing way. But I'm only going to watch the Oscars until the Les Miserables cast do whatever it is they are going to do for that musical tribute number. I hope we know whether or not Hugh is going to perform Suddenly live because that is the only other thing I will stay for. I remember years ago, what a big night it used to be. Kind of like what the super bowl is now for many, including snacks & popcorn. It's all changed too much for me. I prefer to just love the movies I love and enjoy them and then I won't give a fig what these awards voters do. Sue[/quote so dissapointed any other year he would have been a shoe in but a Golden Globe is special actually he should have gotten best actor for "the Fountain: |
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Post by karppool on Jan 28, 2013 10:27:32 GMT -5
Seriously....Argo for Best Ensemble? Loved Argo, but didn';t think they had a chance in this category. I'm disgusted with these awards, b/c degree of challenge of the role seems not to be a consideration.
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Post by birchie on Jan 28, 2013 11:57:04 GMT -5
Great performances of the past that didn't win: Rosalind Russell in MOURNING BECOMES ELECTRA, Bette Davis in ALL ABOUT EVE, Marlon Brando in STREETCAR NAME DESIRE, Peter O'Toole in LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, Al Pacino in GODFATHER PART II, Liam Neeson in SCHINDLER'S LIST, Jimmy Stewart in MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON and IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE....to name a few. These performances are remembered by audiences and film historians, if not by the Academy. It's all subjective, of course, and some of the above would not have been my Oscar choice, but they are certainly remembered. You're so right, Kathy. Hugh and the movie will be remembered long after Argo, Silver Linings Playbook and even Lincoln have faded. Argo is a good movie but not timeless at all, SLP was OK, not memorable and there have been many memorable Lincolns so it will be part of that crowd. Hugh's performance is the Jean Valjean that will be thought about when someone mentions that character & this version of Les Miserables was so well done and so unique that it stands alone among all previous versions. So amazing to look back at those actors/roles & films that didn't win. I think they are so well remembered that we think of them as winning!!! I think Hugh and his Jean Valjean & this movie will be thought about in that light many years from now too! Thanks for posting these nuggets of info! Sue |
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Post by birchie on Jan 28, 2013 12:12:53 GMT -5
Knowing how the awards get shaped has changed my perspective of how important they are now. Hugh has given us a tour de force performance, in a role of a lifetime! It is a role which fuses his musical theatre and film talents -- what more can we ask for?? We also know how happy and how accomplished he felt about the role -- artistic fulfilment is what is important and I am glad that he seems to have obtained this from a very important film role. Peer recognition is of course important to some extent, but not when they are politically-tinted or when other things contrive so we do not get the things we want. There were many factors which led to the general negativity towards Les Miserables ( which I will no longer mention here) but they did contribute to the lack of aggressive push for honors for Hugh. Initially, I even thought that he was not getting a fair deal, even with Universal's own marketing department, because he didn't seem to be the center of their marketing push for the movie. But all water under the bridge! His Valjean role probably has become the standard by which he will view other key aritistic roles in the future. And he will share that feeling of achievement with us! We also have the theatre to look forward to - so we are very enriched by our just being Hugh Jackman fans! Can't ask for more!! Jo I'm sure we are more upset at this awards fiasco than he is. For me (and sounds like you too) it's the disillusionment upon watching the process up close and personal for the first time. I also agree about Universal, they could have done much more to promote both Hugh and the movie. I almost gagged last night when I saw what they used for the best ensemble/cast clip-that 30 second IDaD TV spot-UGH! And for Anne's clip again they just showed her singing that song. I would have hoped they would show part of One Day More or Do You Hear The People Sing for the ensemble and a clip of her either getting her hair cut, teeth pulled or the dying scene would have been more appropriate for the best female actor category. I think Universal over used IDaD to the point where people just tuned out when the trailer was shown on TV & in theaters. They could have used any of the ensemble numbers to better effect. I'll stop ranting now    You are right that we are the beneficiaries of a great performance and a great movie and that experience will last us a lifetime. We know Hugh gave his all and got enormous pleasure and personal as well as artistic fulfillment from doing this role/movie and as Kathy said he will be remembered for it. Also, as mentioned he will be rewarded by being offered great roles in the future so I am very happy for him. Sue |
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Post by cccartzee on Jan 28, 2013 12:20:34 GMT -5
Better to lose to DDL than to Bradley Cooper! Jo So true! Being nominated is it's own reward; many actors have won the Oscar and are never heard from again..F. Murray Abraham "Amadeus"...Adrien Brody "The Pianist"..last saw him in a Sprite commercial...I don't even know what the actor who won last year is now doing....so winning is not necessarily a career boost, but a nomination is definitely worth something. |
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Post by hu4601 on Jan 28, 2013 16:31:19 GMT -5
Seriously....Argo for Best Ensemble? Loved Argo, but didn';t think they had a chance in this category. I'm disgusted with these awards, b/c degree of challenge of the role seems not to be a consideration. I'm not sure how it could be done,but taking the "degree of difficulty" into account would be a fair way of judging. If it's good enough for Diving and Gymnastics(and possibly some other sports),why not for movies !! (LOL) |
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Post by jo on Jan 28, 2013 16:52:51 GMT -5
The recent surge in ARGO popularity ( SAG/ DGA/Golden Globes), now possibly eclipsing LINCOLN at the final stakes, stemmed from a backlash when Ben Affleck was ignored for Best Director nominations by the Oscars directors branch!
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Post by JH4HJ on Feb 11, 2013 15:05:26 GMT -5
I knew Daniel Day Lewis had won, so opted for Downton Abbey instead of watching the BAFTAs.
I do NOT "get" this Argo thing. I saw it. It was "OK" but I did not see anything "special" about it. I never thought it would even be a contender for, much less a winner of, any major awards. Did I miss something? Do I need to watch it again? Why don't I "see" what they see in this?
I sort of get the "Lincoln" thing - major historic figure, etc. but none of the other movies (except, maybe, Life of Pi - which I disqualify because SO much of it is computer generated) - NONE of them is in the same class as Les Mis. Have I lost all concept of "fairness" due to a fondness for Musical Theater in general, and Hugh in particular? I usually consider myself pretty objective about these awards, but this year has me "like totally" baffled.
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Post by carouselkathy on Feb 11, 2013 16:08:32 GMT -5
I've only seen LES MIS and LINCOLN, so I can't comment on the other films. A few of my friends have seen ARGO and SILVER LININGS. Their reactions were that those films were O.K., but nothing special. I can wait for the DVD's on those.
I'm still mad that ANNIE HALL won in 1977. I've re-watched it recently, and still don't like it. Can't believe that it beat THE TURNING POINT, JULIA, STAR WARS, and THE GOODBYE GIRL.
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Post by mamaleh on Feb 11, 2013 16:29:08 GMT -5
ANNIE HALL was considered to have captured the zeitgeist--the culture and changing times of the late 70s including the evolving nature of romantic relationships, women's careers, recreational drug use, etc., in a comedic way that appealed to adults. I remember reading that critics found it groundbreaking. Woody certainly didn't do any campaigning.
That's my best guess, anyway.
Ellen
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jo
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Post by jo on Feb 11, 2013 19:49:31 GMT -5
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Post by JH4HJ on Feb 12, 2013 0:26:37 GMT -5
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Post by mamaleh on Feb 12, 2013 12:19:45 GMT -5
Jo, I've tried to hear which Valjean song the guy is singing from the stands (second video), but can't make it out. Can you?
Ellen
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Post by njr on Feb 12, 2013 16:20:04 GMT -5
Jo, I've tried to hear which Valjean song the guy is singing from the stands (second video), but can't make it out. Can you? Ellen It sounded like Can You Hear The People Sing to me. Nancy |
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Post by jo on Feb 12, 2013 16:52:21 GMT -5
Lol - I can't make it out either ;D
Jo
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Post by marymagdalene on Feb 12, 2013 23:28:58 GMT -5
I can JUST make out "Can You Hear the People Sing?"
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Post by marymagdalene on Feb 12, 2013 23:35:08 GMT -5
I saw " Argo" and thought it was a good movie, but I think " Les Miz" has it beat HANDS DOWN!!! My Dad wanted to see " Argo" and I really did not, but I made a deal with him saying that if I take you to see " Les Miz," I will go see " Argo" with you... Dad was totally > and I saw some very subtle :'( action near the end of " Les Miz" out of the corner of my eye...  I kind of thought he would have that reaction...  Dad could NOT believe that was Hugh in the beginning!!! |
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Post by ocjackie on Feb 12, 2013 23:48:57 GMT -5
I've seen all four movies. I don't get the Argo win at all unless it was a popularity contest. Silver Linings Playbook really wasn't bad, but I was really wondering if it was award ready. A lot of people have played Lincoln. Yes I liked the movie and DDL should have been nominated, but who did the best acting job. It had to be Hugh. He did really play JVJ and I don't think anyone else could have done it better or even close. They say it was just a bad year for him to go up against Lincoln, but I don't think that there was any comparison. OK, I'll just shut up and go to sleep.
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Post by marymagdalene on Feb 13, 2013 0:01:51 GMT -5
Please do not shut up, ocjackie! We value your opinions, but we DO allow people to go to sleep! |
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Post by motuck on Feb 13, 2013 0:40:46 GMT -5
I have seen Lincoln and think DDL did a superb job. I still maintain that Hugh did a far better job with such an extraordinary role that was multifaceted. I also think Bradley Cooper did a fantastic job and a world of good for mental illness. As for Ben Affleck. I saw Argo and thought it was a good 'on the edge of your seat' movie but still didn't hold a candle to Les Miz. I am cynical enough to think that the going popularity of BA might get the movie more awards. He is so much more Hollywood than the others. At least IMO. Each time I have watched Les Miz (3 so far) and listen to both soundtracks, I just wonder how anyone can't see what I see about this movie. I am referring to the Academy voters. I don't think HJ will win, but he has my vote. It ain't over 'til it's over and I hope I am wrong.
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Post by mamaleh on Feb 20, 2013 0:36:40 GMT -5
Not exactly a nomination, but did anyone else catch that fun segment on the NY-Nj area WNBC-TV news tonight? Seems a local animal shelter named some of its adoptable pets after Oscar nominees. They showed a picture of Bradley Cooper above a big, dark dog; a shot of Anne Hathaway atop a portrait of a beautiful white cat with big eyes; and a picture of a grinning dog juxtaposed with a broadly smiling Hugh. That dog's nickname is 'Little Hugh Jackman." Cute bit; too bad I don't have a visual to go with it. I guess they couldn't find a dog or cat who looked like DDL. Ellen |
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Post by jo on Feb 20, 2013 16:51:48 GMT -5
Lyricist Herbert Kretzmer talks about his work in Les Miserables, including the origins of the new song, SUDDENLY, which is competing on Oscar Night for Best Song -- www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-et-mn-oscar-herbert-kretzmer-20130220,0,4011240.story ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Oscars 2013: Herbert Kretzmer dishes on 'Les Miz's' 'Suddenly' Kretzmer went for the ideas and feelings in his English-language lyrics for 'Les Misérables.' For the film version, he collaborated on the new 'Suddenly,' which is up for an Oscar.By Amy Dawes February 20, 2013, 5:30 a.m. To speak with Herbert Kretzmer, writer of the English-language lyrics for "Les Misérables," is uncannily like being let in on his creative process. He chooses his words — considering one, tossing it out, employing another, while muttering asides like "yes, that's better" — as if he were composing on the spot. Kretzmer was 60, and the longtime theater and television critic of the U.K.'s Daily Mail, when he took leave to tackle the "Les Misérables" project on a five-month deadline before the London debut of the musical in 1985. He's now 87, and last year he and French composers Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil collaborated once again, to add a new song to the musical — "Suddenly," sung in the movie by Hugh Jackman — which has been nominated for an Oscar. How did a new song come to be added to this very well-known musical so late in the game? The commercial benefits of a successful new song on a movie soundtrack speak for themselves. It's an obvious ploy to help sell a movie. But if you're making a serious movie, it should fulfill a dramatic purpose. [Director] Tom Hooper found that purpose deep in the pages of [Victor] Hugo's novel, just after Valjean has acquired the guardianship of little Cosette, when he feels what he's never felt before — a love for this child that is paternal and protective and overwhelming. It's the wonder of any parent gazing into the face of a newborn child. So I open my song, "Suddenly you're here/suddenly it starts/can two anxious hearts beat as one?" But there's a fear that comes with the challenge of caring for a fragile life, so I added these lines: "Trusting me the way you do/I'm so afraid of failing you."I've seen side-by-side comparisons of some of the original French-language lyrics and the ones you wrote, and they are markedly different, though the ideas and emotions are the same. I'm not a translator. I don't believe a song can be translated; it is something too ephemeral. You can't get hold of it with your fingers; it's like a collection of references and allusions. Some of the most memorable lines are the most mysterious. There's that striking moment in "I Dreamed a Dream" where these lines come in: "But the tigers come at night/with their voices soft as thunder." I remember the exact moment when those lines came to me: It was 2 or 3 in the morning and I was standing at the corner of the desk in my flat on Basil Street, looking over a couple of lines, about to go to bed, when those words just jumped into my mind. I'm still not entirely certain what they mean. Obviously, the tigers are the bad news, the troubles, but there's a resonance to those words that might not achieve the same effect in another language. Tom Stoppard said in a lecture that when he came across a great phrase, he'd simply drop the pencil, clap his hands together, and say "Thank you, Lord, keep 'em coming." That's what I thought of then. It was a gift from somewhere, and I'm grateful for it. When you approach your work, do you take on the responsibility of telling the whole story, the way a playwright or a screenwriter would? Absolutely. On the day I began work on "Les Misérables," which was March 1, 1985, I wrote out a slogan of three words and pinned it to the wall at the corner of my desk: "Tell the story." My job is to distill the essence of the novel in song, and to never stray from the mood and thrust of the original text. If we've succeeded, it's because we've stayed close to Hugo. Before you took on "Les Misérables," you wrote some enduring songs, such as "Yesterday When I Was Young" for Charles Aznavour. How would you say your career as a newspaperman prepared you? Journalism and lyric writing are compatible professions in that they involve the manipulation of language under great constraint. I tried to write a novel once, and though I finished it, I did not enjoy the experience; it was too free, in a way. Something in me psychically needs to express what I have to say in a tight situation. It's within that cage that I've looked for and found my freedom. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Some cynics have dissed the song Suddenly as being there purely for Oscar bait! Even if that were true, the rationale of the song and its placement in the movie speaks for its worthiness as a candidate for a Best Song Oscar. It served the dramatic purpose that Kretzmer refers to. I remember when the movie had just started filming and the new song was announced - many fans on IMDB started looking for that particular passage which inspired the new song. In the book, it wasn't just one or two sentences but pages of how Valjean and Cosette started to love each other and how their relationship blossomed as newly adoptive father and daughter. What have been most often quoted was the most stirring passage in that long Hugo narration -- "The bishop had taught him the meaning of virtue; Cosette had now taught him the meaning of love."And this is the summary-conclusion that Hugo offered from those pages : "This is a personal opinion, but to be wholly frank we must say that we can see no certainty that Jean Valjean, at the point he had reached when he came to love Cosette, would have been able to continue on the path of virtue without that moral support. He had been confronted by new aspects of the malice of men and the sufferings of society, limited aspects depicting only one side of the truth - the lot of women summed up in Fantine, public authority embodied in Javert. He had been sent back to prison, this time for a good deed. Renewed bitterness had assailed him, disgust and weariness, to the moment that even the memory of the bishop was perhaps at moments eclipsed. It must have certainly been reborn later, luminous and triumphant, but at that stage it was greatly diminished.
Who can be sure that Jean Valjean had not been on the verge of losing heart and giving up the struggle? In loving he recovered his strength. But the truth is that he was no less vulnerable than Cosette. He protected her and she sustained him. Thanks to him she could go forward into life, and thanks to her he could continue virtuous. He was the child's support and she his mainstay. Sublime, unfathomable marvel of the balance of destiny!"What other nominated songs served the same depiction with such strong purpose of how relationships in the storyline advanced? Oscar voters, hopefully, waken up to this aspect of how a new song is born -- not how well it is publicized or how immensely popular in pop culture the singer is Jo |
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