While it's hard to have too much sympathy for people whose red-carpet, black-tie lives we can only barely imagine, let's take a moment to put ourselves inside the lives of the people at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. As Locke wrote on Wednesday, facing declining ratings for the Oscars (and a correlating reduction in revenue) the Academy's looking for a way to raise a little excitement around next year's Oscars -- and, today, announced that they'd be doubling the number of Best Picture nominees from 5 to 10.
Now, this is hardly unprecedented -- from the first best Picture Academy Awards in 1929 up until 1944, the Oscars would have a variable number of Best Picture nominees, from as few as 3 to as many as 11 -- but, on the other hand, once you've been doing something for 65 years, you have to think it's become a bit of a tradition, and traditions are hard to change. There's already been howling in the film commentary community about this; some awards-loving journalists have already drafted the shortlist of the 10 possible nominees for 2009's Oscars, peering far into the future -- which, to me, is like trying to handicap a high school football championship based on baby pictures. Others are bemoaning the 'Attaboy' Oscars, arguing that making the pool of possible contenders so broad will only sap the meaning of the Best Picture race. Other think the Academy's making a naked play to open up the Best Picture race so that strong dramas like Revolutionary Road can squeeze into a broader field, and making room for commercially successful -- but still well-made -- films like The Dark Knight or Wall*E, and by getting a few moneymakers people have actually seen into the race, get viewers more enthused by the Oscars telecast. I don't think this is a great plan (and there will be some explanation of 'why' below), but it did make me think about ways to liven up the Oscars, and wonder what your thoughts were on the subject -- which you can share after my proposals, some of which might actually work without turning the Academy Awards into the MTV Movie Awards.
1) Everyone into the Pool
Many long-time Oscar watchers have scoffed at the Academy's doubling, noting that having 10 Best Picture nominees won't juice the excitement, since the five Best Director nominees will be the front -runners. That's probably true -- the odds of winning Best Picture but not Best Director have wound up being, over the years, statistically about the same as you seeing a unicorn at the Safeway -- so why not expand a group of the top races -- Picture, the four Acting awards, Director, Original and Adapted Screenplay and a few others -- to 8 films instead of five? It would make the show a little longer -- cut a montage or two and you'd be able to get through it -- and it would bring more ratings-building starpower into the equation, too. Of course, that's no guarantee that people would have seen the nominated films and work, so that's part of proposal #2 ...
2) Make the Year a Year Long ...
Right now, the rules for the Oscars state that a film has to play in one theater in both L.A. and New York for a week before the end of the year ... which leads to a host of films doing miniscule, qualifying-run openings during December on the coasts. Worse, the industry's desire to be part of the Oscar race means that any film considered worthy of Oscar contention is held back as long as possible meaning that from November to New Year's there's nothing but film after film -- good films, in many cases -- crowded for attention back to back and trampling each other. Why not make a new Oscar rule -- and, really, this would work with any even number of Best Picture nominees -- that at least 50% of the nominees must be released between January and September? It would put serous films in theaters throughout the year, not just during the winter holidays ... and maybe reduce the twin phenomena of the end-of-year Oscar-race logjam and the dead zones for serious movies that can happen during the first two thirds of the year. I'm not saying this would be easy for studios -- but it would shake up their bad habits. As would ...
3) From Sea to Shining Sea
... Asking the legitimate question of why L.A. and New York should have the fun when it comes to Oscar nomination season -- can't we spread the love around a little bit? When many films get nominated with the current system, the vast majority of people haven't even had the chance to see them anywhere outside of Manhattan and Beverly Hills. Why not change the Oscar rules to say that a film, to be nominated, has to play in at least 20 cities on a big screen? A lot of smaller studios would find it tricky to do this financially --so, maybe, include Film Festival screenings towards half of that qualifying 20-city number as well; there's a new Film Festival somewhere in America at least once a week, if not more. And, ultimately, if the Academy and the studios want people throughout America to care about Oscar-worthy films, then they've got to make it easier for people throughout America to see them.
At first, I kind of recoiled at the idea of 10 Best Picture nominees, thinking 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it.' But if the Oscars is broke -- excuse me, are broke -- then the doubling of the Best Picture nominees is at least trying something new. I think there's other things that could be done, as well; what I'm wondering is what you'd like to see -- what fixes do the Oscars need, or would liven things up, in your mind -- awards for new talent? Fewer awards? Letting the public know the vote tallies after the fact? Cage fighting? If -- and, again I think that's a big 'if' -- Oscar's golden glow is a little tarnished, what needs to be done so he -- and Hollywood's biggest night-- can shine again?
I think your ideas are great! You are correct, I've usually seen maybe 1 or 2 movies in the Best Picture category when the Academy Awards are on, so it's really not that interesting to me since I have no idea who I think should win. Really I think they should have a website poll or something where people could vote on proposed changes. It's like they are catering to 50 year olds instead of those of us born in the 70's or later. Maybe that's why it's become so boring? Honestly, as cheesy as it is I'd rather watch the MTV movie awards than the Oscars any year! At least there are movies I've heard of and lots of laughs. Perhaps the Oscars should add a Best Fight category...that would really loosen up those old geezers!
Posted by: kristin | June 29, 2009 at 10:07 AM