And the Winner is…

Once again its time for The Academy Awards, also know as the “Oscars”.
An annual presentation by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry.

H-m-m-m-m… I wonder what else is on?

I can’t seem to get all that worked up about Hollywood’s show for self-gratification and stroking of inflated egos.
There was a time it meant something, but that time has faded like the movie luminaries of days gone by.
Watching the commercials leading up to tonight’s presentation… Even they seem strained to find some value in a point of tuning in to watch.
Why bother?
Sound bites and video clips will be polluting the airwaves for weeks afterwards.

Maybe its because we don’t really have actors, actresses and directors with a collective body of works that reach into our hearts, minds and souls. There doesn’t seem to be any thought provoking story lines; nothing to feed grit, determination, joy and sorrow into our imaginations.
A while ago there was a mystique about those few individuals, where just enough information was provided to entice us to crave even more of the adaptation of their craft.

What we have now are “entertainers”, with some “name recognition”; cheap and scandalous publicity stunts and new levels of improper behavior.
Whereas the special effects can boggle the mind, there’s nothing left to feed the imagination. There is no longer a mystique, because somewhere in a tabloid or on the Internet, there are nude pictures and grocery lists of tawdry affairs and dealings… Pointing to the inevitable fact that these people have weaknesses and similarities pretty much like everybody else.

I guess I’m finding myself longing for those golden days when an actor or director’s name alone, would stop us in our tracks and there would be instant recognition or recollection of ALL their preceding good and spectacular works.
I miss the “Giants” of the film industry!
That handful of Legends!
Those few names that even today, across the generational pool of audiences everywhere are still recognized…








Bogart, Davis, Wayne, Hepburn, Hitchcock…
Just to mention a few…

These people were recognized for their work and dedication to their craft, not for how much their last project “raked in”, who they are currently sleeping with or what rehab they’re in…

Not one actress or actor today seems to carry that clout!
Some maybe come close, but it seems to be just out of their reach.
The only director… The only “Story Teller” that seems to focus attention to the craft of film making on a continuing bases would be Ron Howard!

Let’s not forget those rising stars of the entertainment field…
That get their big break, their “Breakout Piece of Work”… that show a spark of that seemingly long lost talent, commitment and promise to the craft…
Who unfortunately in some cases will be dead by next year from an accidental drug overdose or who were stalked and murdered by an obsessed fan.

What have we got this year?
Technical advances in the film industry… 3-D cartoons.
Technical advances are good. They provide an increase range of what can be done with the craft, imagination and the storyline.
Those technical advances should be a new “Tool” and not be the actual storyline!

So I guess the winner is, “The Process” and those actors, actresses and directors will be given their commemorative statuette for supporting that process.
We’ll listen to their acceptance speeches, as they thank a litany of faceless people, who they may or may not actually be able to pick out in a lineup and gawk at their costumes worn especially for the presentation or possible shock value.

In weeks to come new ad campaigns will ply us with, “Winner of…” or “Nominated for…” which will have to justify the price increase of a bucket of popcorn from seven to ten dollars… or get us to punch it in on Pay For View.

The winner may be The Process…
The runner up may just be the art...

“What does the Academy Award mean? I don't think it means much of anything.” Sally Field-1980