Brokeback Mountain,Syriana,Good Night and Good Luck

[Greg Gross]

Mr. Clooney told the press today that he does not think there will be any awards

for his films this year. In my opinion two wonderful films went by the wayside for

Brokeback Mountain. Mr. Clooney I feel your pain and yet you were humble and

just stated that you hoped people would still go to see your films. Well Mr. Clooney

we love you in Harrisburg and we love your films and by god sir we'll vote for you.

We will go to see your films. My god this is such a god awful heartbreaking business

to be in. People poor their hearts out,mortgage houses(re-)to finance films,spend un-

told hours in pre-production,production. Only have their films in the spotlight for brief

moments and walk away losers. Mr. Clooney thank you so much for giving us two won-

derful films this year. Some how I get the feeling that if I would have made a film about

pitt bulls feeding on neighborhood kids,I could have won an Oscar this year. I believe that

would have been contraversial enough for them to vote on. I'm a very disapointed student

cinematographer concerning the Academy Awards this year.

 

Greg Gross

 

I must say though that I am happy for Ang Lee and for his recognition.

 

Greg Gross

[Brad Grimmett]

I think the nomination itself is good recognition. I don't feel bad for George at all. He made a good film and has been recognized for it.

[Ryan Bajornas]

many more people than mr. clooney pour their hearts out into their movies. and they're spending just as much time making their movies, and often every dime they have, and many of these movies aren't even seen by more than a handful of people. so quit feeling sorry for mr. clooney just because you think controversial topics trump any ordinary masterpiece. believe me, mr. clooney is not in pain.

[Max Jacoby]

There is the wider issue of awards in general. Although it is nice to win a prize and thereby recognition for one's work, sometimes people forget that what we do is art, not a sports competition. The film that wins is not 'better' than the other nominated ones, nor the ones that did not even get nominated. I feel this is especially true for the Academy Awards where a certain type of 'prestige' film tend to be very popular with the voters. If you look back at previous awards you will realize the huge number of glaring omitions. So many great directors never won, or even got nominated.

[Greg Gross]

Thanks for your posts,I enjoyed them. Obviously we are dealing with a

contraversial subject and we'll see various opinions. Okay grimmet,I'm

happy also,at least George was nominated.

 

Greg Gross

[Jason Maeda]

it's spelled "controversial".

 

jk :ph34r:

[Greg Gross]

Yes,

Thank you for spelling check. Can you provide a regular spelling check on forum?

I would appreciate it very much and thanks again!

 

Greg Gross

[Jason Maeda]

no problem.

jk :ph34r:

[Greg Gross]

National syndicated radio(talk show host) Glen Beck reported today that the academy has

stated that this was a year where they felt they should address social issues. He reported

earnings for Brokeback Mountain as follows:

December 2005- $15 million

January 2006- $51 million

Present Time- $72 million

He feels that the film was not worthy of an academy award. So who's he? My only problem

is that I feel that the story was not strong enough. This is just FYI post on one man's criticism

of the film. I have no idea if his facts are truthful, I think he's correct. He said also that he felt

it did not gross enough to be considered. I believe the academy looks at a lot more and not just

earnings. He calls the film "Broken Cowboys" which I think is a little rude. I love women very much,

but I believe there's room enough for everyone in this world.I do not discriminate.

 

Greg Gross

[James Steven Beverly]

I would feel better about it if it didn't feel like some politically correct bandwagon people are jumping on to delude themselves into believing their enlightened. It seems to me to vote for a movie smply because it's gay themed is almost as insulting as to NOT vote for a movie simply because it's gay themed. As for feeling sorry for someone because they didn't get an award, if art needs to get an award to be worth something then we have more problems as a society that the Academy Awards. There are lists of people that will live as icons in the annuals of film history that never won an Academy Award among them, Charlie Chaplin, Cary Grant and Humphry Bogart and film masterpieces that lost to other films. Just look at the 1939 Outstanding Production catigory.

 

Dark Victory (Warner Bros.-First National)

Gone With the Wind (Selznick International Pictures; MGM) (which won)

Goodbye, Mr. Chips (MGM)

Love Affair (RKO Radio)

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (Columbia)

Ninotchka (MGM)

Of Mice and Men (Hal Roach; United Artists)

Stagecoach (Walter Wanger; United Artists)

The Wizard of Oz (MGM)

Wuthering Heights (Goldwyn; United Artists)

 

Whenever you loose an award remember this list. Awards mean nothing.

 

Here is an interesting link of Oscar lists and info www.eudesign.com/oscars/osc-curi.htm

Edited February 24, 2006 by Capt.Video

[Bill Totolo]

Re: "Brokeback Mountain"

 

If a film can move people in their hearts and minds while attempting to bridge the gap that prevents us from accepting each other and lead us closer to tolerance, I think that film deserves an award.

 

Isn't this the goal of all great art (to provide a moving experience)?

 

Doesn't this film transcend its genre, doesn't it transcend film as entertainment?

[Mark Allen]

You might find this article of interest:

 

http://www.slate.com/id/2136723/

 

Keep in mind that the Academy is not a group of divine beings - they are just a bunch of people who have worked in the industry - mostly on or in connection with studio in office or corporate capacities. The majority of them are "older" rather than "younger."

 

There is a great story of one filmmaker who found out who all these members were and went out and interviewed as many of them as he could and then made movies specifically for them and won some Academy Awards as a result.

 

And it's always sentimental and it's often off the mark. It is true though that it is one of the few things that can help give a movie longevity.

 

 

I think the best thing to do is if you love a movie you've seen - promote it yourself. Help the filmmakers just by letting people know you loved it and why. Viral marketing is going to be the paradigm shift of the independent market. It's the only way to compete with 30 to 50 million budgets.

 

Will it lead to Academy Awards? Perhaps - Pieces of April (from InDigEnt, shot on DV) had an actor nominated. But most importantly - it will lead to awareness of the film and filmmaker.

[Bill Totolo]

I don't know, when I read articles like this it's no wonder the public misses the point.

 

Thanks for pointing me to that article, but I think it's more indicative of the author's opinion than anything else.

 

What is his argument, that Hollywood shouldn't award excellence, that it should only reward films that have the highest grosses? He argues these films are not reflective of the "business" of Hollywood. What, I wonder, would he suggest?

 

The five nominated films are: Brokeback Mountain, Capote, Crash, Munich, and Good Night, and Good Luck.

 

Are these not a fair representation of films deserving an award? Everyone may have a film or two to suggest but it's not like "Fun with Dick and Jane" or "Yours mine and Ours" is being nominated.

 

Finally, is there anyone who isn't aware it's self promotional? What award show isn't?

 

Oh well.

 

----------------

 

A reply in the Slate Forum:

 

Subject: Good is good

From: SaStudent

Date: Feb 21 2006 7:24PM

 

If Exxon et. al. offered an award for best oil painting, would the fact that oil companies don't profit from oil paints mean the artists had not created good works of art?

[Greg Gross]

For Capt. video,

Yes, how about Cary Grant? That has always been a sad point with me. Last week "Goodbye Mr.

Chips" was my good movie of the week to watch. I'm sitting here at 58yrs.(ex-vietnam ranger) with

tears coming down my face as I lived the story. I felt like I was an extra watching it happen. Well it

got no award but it has longevity. I enjoyed viewing your list of films and reviewing them in my mind.

Thanks for good post and I enjoyed it. All posts were good and I enjoyed them.

 

Greg Gross

 

Mr. Douglas,

Thanks for link to article by Edward J. Epstein. I enjoyed reading it

very much.

 

Greg Gross

[Brad Grimmett]

Glen Beck reported

earnings for Brokeback Mountain as follows:

December 2005- $15 million

January 2006- $51 million

Present Time- $72 million

He feels that the film was not worthy of an academy award. So who's he? He said also that he felt

it did not gross enough to be considered.

 

Greg Gross

So by this "it didn't gross enough to be considered" argument, this guy is saying that none of the films that are nominated for best picture this year should have been nominated. I'm sure he didn't bother to do the research (which took 2 minutes by the way) regarding how much the nominated films have grossed.

Here's the tally to date according to boxofficemojo.com:

 

Brokeback Mountain-73 million

Crash-53 million

Munich-45 million

Good Night and Good Luck-29 million

Capote-22 million

 

As you can see, Brokeback Mountain is the highest grossing nominee for Best Picture this year. So if you reverse his argument, he's basically saying that the highest grossing film should win.....so I guess he's rooting for Brokeback Mountain to win. It's funny that the criticism of the film was one of the big reasons it's grossed as much as it has. The very people who are against the movie are directly influencing more people to go see it by constantly giving it free publicity. Personally, I think this is great. I tend to root for the underdog a lot of times, so I think it's great to see an underdog overperform.

Another strange part of this guys argument is that 73 million is a pretty good haul for a movie of this size. The budget was only 14 million. A 450% profit is better than most of the movies released in 2005. Sure, King Kong has made 216 million so far, but it's budget was 200 million. In other words, I just don't see how Brokeback's gross could have been much better.

Sorry to ramble on, but sometimes when I hear a really stupid argument I have to break it down and show it for what it is......stupid.

This isn't directed at you Greg, it's directed at Glen Beck's statement.

[James Steven Beverly]

You and I are of the same era. I'm a bit younger than you and was fortunate enough to not have had to fight. I'm sure your expirences have made you much more sensitive to the human condition in a way I can never know. I can also see how "Goodbye Mr. Chips" would have stuck a meaningful cord in you. It's amazing that a movie made in another country, 7 years before you were born can affect someone like you, a man who has seen something of life, so profoundly. That is art and no award could ever enhance or deminish that kind of power. This is the true magic of movies. If my work can ever have that effect on someone I will think my life was not wasted and my debt for being given life, payed.

[Greg Gross]

Yes the true magic of movies. Thank you Capt. video.

 

Greg Gross

[Greg Gross]

grimmett,

 

Yes sir your point well taken here. I was sitting here doing some storyboards and

working on a shooting schedule for a film, I want to shoot this spring. Glen Beck was

playing in the background on talk radio. The funny thing is in the back of my mind

this small voice was saying,is this guy really promoting Brokeback Mountain? It really

pissed me off when he called it Broken Cowboys. I always try to respect another man's

film and try to see it through the filmmaker's eyes. Filmmaking can be so much hard work

and sometimes heartbreaking. For some reason I always think about the hard work one

puts into making a film. I did not care for Beck's rudeness. If he really meant what he said

its just possible that he defeated himself and promoted the film. I was really not aware of

the gross earnings for the films that you mentioned in your post.

 

Greg Gross

[James Steven Beverly]

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role

Winner: George Clooney for Syriana (2005)-(IMDB)

 

And you were worried!