Oscars: A Fair Judge? article

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Critics allege that the Oscar juries are markedly conservative in their view, declaring only the widely accepted and politically correct films as winners, writes Aniruddha Basu

It’s that time of the year again, when filmdom’s highest jury will pronounce its verdict on the best cinematic offerings for the year. The contenders for Best Picture seem evenly balanced across a range of genres, from the charming teenage comedy/drama (Juno), to the Coen Brothers’ No country for old men, from psychological drama (Atonement) to George Clooney’s legal eagle Michael Clayton. Then there’s also the lengthy, dark and offbeat epic There will be Blood, starring Daniel Day Lewis.

And while anticipation is ripe amongst filmbuffs and Oscar aficionados, its time to ask the familiar question‘¦will the Oscars once again go for the non-contentious epic (Titanic, Gladiator, Saving Private Ryan). Or will it spring up a surprise this time around?

Critics allege that the Oscar juries are markedly conservative in their view, declaring only the widely accepted and politically correct films as winners. That allegation may have some substance as many widely acknowledged masterpieces have not been given the Red Carpet treatment. Films like Stanley Kubrick’s Clockwork Orange, or Sam Peckinpah’s Straw Dogs failed to generate Oscar buzz in the 1970s. More recently, Mel Gibson’s controversial The Passion of the Christ received nominations not in the categories of Best Picture or Director, but in the technical categories of cinematography, makeup and score. On the flip side, some of the winners are respectable productions, that definitely does not stand the test of time. Case in point: James Cameron’s Titanic that swept all the major categories. And who can forget that Martin Scorcese won Best Director not for Taxi Driver or Raging Bull, two of Hollwood’s all time-best, but for Departed, a film that while being entertaining and cleverly scripted can’t exactly boast of originality. (It’s a remake of a Hong-Kong film, Infernal Affairs, that is even better that Scorcese’s remake)

Then Michael Moore’s anti-Bush classic Farenheit 9/11 took Cannes by storm, but the Oscars gave it the cold shoulder. Even this year, we already have a notable omission. The Romanian film, 4 months, three weeks and 2 days, won the Palme d’Or, garnered international acclaim, but failed to make it to the best foreign film category at the Oscars.

The Academy Awards have also had its share of controversies over the Best Director and Actor category. Marlon Brando’s (in)famous snubbing of Academy Award protocol , when he sent an unknown face to pick up his best actor award for The Godfather, is now part of movie folklore. Then director Elia Kazan’s lifetime achievement award in 1999 also generated heat as literally half the distinguished audience present did not even acknowledge the award and kept sitting quietly throughout that part of the ceremony.. Kazan had created a furor in the 1950s due to his testimony to Senator Mc Carthy, that led to the ouster of pro-communist actors and directors, many of then Kazan’s friends. The fact that he had made many of the greatest Hollywood films in his time, ranging from On the Waterfront (1954) to The Last Tycoon (1976), got overshadowed in the political debate.

It’s still a bit premature for me to give my two pennyworth’s on the best film of the year. I am yet to see No Country for Old men and Atonement. But based on what I have seen this far, I am almost hoping against hope that Juno gets it. Its really a charming little piece, but the Academy will probably consider it too lightweight. But based on the buzz factor, my guess is that the Oscar will go to either the Coen Brothers, or There will be Blood (with the latter getting a bit of the edge). Also, it’ll be interesting to see if the writer’s strike will tone things down a bit at the ceremony. Though I think that’s unlikely given the astronomical budgeting and the interminable list of attractive stars who will grace the Red Carpet.

On a more sober note, its sad that the prestigious award has once again eluded India.