Falling Slowly
February 24th, 2008
How good is this. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, aka the Oscar Hut, gave that well-deserved ‘best song’ Oscar tonight to Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová for “Falling Slowly,” the lead song from that lovely little movie Once. And for the first time I can remember they brought a winner BACK on stage after they’d been ushered off (Markéta) so she could make her remarks — Hansard had made his, then they cut away fast so her comments were cut off. Not only a nice decision by the Academy members — a very classy moment for a well-deserved award.
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4 Comments Add your own
1. Lois Lovell | February 25th, 2008 at 7:19 am
Yes, Lisa, the Academy was classy in bringing Marketa Irglove back to the mike–but earlier, in going to the stage, on stage, and leaving the stage, did you ever witness such unattractive, arrogant, self-absorption as that in fellow winner Glen Hansard–he completely ignored Marketa in HIS moment–Jon Stewart was riveted by his display and commented on Hansard’s arrogance. Go, Jon!
2. Lois Lovell | February 25th, 2008 at 7:22 am
I am sorry, Leah (not Lisa)–I misspoke
3. REG CROWDER | May 8th, 2008 at 7:35 am
Leah,
It is good to hear of a happy ending involving the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences when the highly-paid and pampered executives of the Academy are involved. It seems it must always fall to the members of the Academy, the creative people, to make up for the bad manners and dishonesty of the “suits.”
Your story reminded me of 75th Academy Awards in which Michael Moore received an Oscar for his documentary, “Bowling for Columbine.” The executives of AMPAS, the hired “suits,” not the members, had given microphones to stage hands with instructions to “boo” Michael Moore.
A link to one account:
http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/274/
The scene as the reporter described it:
“Most of the Hollywood audience smiled and applauded, but stagehands, who were close to the microphones, booed loudly, making it appear to a television listener that Moore’s criticism of President Bush was not well received.”
Confused by the “boos” that came seemingly from nowhere, more and more Academy members (not the hired hands) joined in the applause. But then producer Gil Cates and director Louis Horvitz gave the order to cut Moore off and he was drowned out by the music.
But the members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences conducted themselves honorably and with a proper regard for artistic achievement.
Thus shall it always be.
Before I forget, there is one other thing to remember about that incident. CNN broadcast the Academy awards more than once for the benefit of different time zones. An anlaysis of the audio from the east coast CNN broadcast and the west coast CNN broadcast showed that CNN had manipulated the audio to make the “boos” for Michael Moore louder than they really were.
REG CROWDER
Freelance Business Journalist
London, UK & Brittany, France
http://www.RegCrowder.com
http://www.journalistdirectory.com/journalist/TgTQ/REG-CROWDER
4. lievrouw | May 30th, 2008 at 10:53 am
Thanks for this Reg — I know several Academy members (mainly in the technical groups) and they’re incredibly dedicated and professional, with a very healthy respect for real creativity and accomplishment. Your anecdote really throws into relief the perennial gulf between the suits and those who actually know how to make things. LL
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