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From: Jillian
I have heard that The Gangs of New York may be one of a couple of films that has a chance to win the next Oscar. If U2 manages to win the Oscar for "The Hands That Built America," "Best Song"...which member will make the speech? Will it be the new acting sensation...Mr. Mullen? If Bono speaks can they make the show 4 hrs. instead of 3 hr. 45 mins.? Will Adam show up...or be in Mongolia? Can they invent a 4 blade razor in time for Edge to speak?...your thoughts?
Dear Jillian:
Matt and I have been talking about whether or not "The Hands That Built America" is even eligible for an Oscar this year. He sent me a quote from the Official Academy Awards Rule Book (which rivals the Oxford English Dictionary in terms of length). It reads:
"4. The work must be recorded for use in the film prior to any other usage including public performance or exploitation through any of the media whatsoever."
My feeling is that it is eligible because it was delivered to direction Martin Scorsese before it came out on the U2 Best Of CD. But Academy rule-makers are notoriously anal about little things and they might be kept out on a technicality.
Having said that...
The Oscar Buzz season began this year earlier than ever with the National Board of Review announcing their award winners this week, and you are correct in commenting on The Gangs Of New York being among the favorites for multiple nominations. U2 appear to have finally hitched their wagon to a quality film. They were saddened last year when Tomb Raider did not exactly swell under the weight of critical adoration. And as "Elevation" was not an original song written for the film, it was ineligible. They were not nominated for "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" either. Batman Forever was not exactly Oscar bait (though when viewed with the next installment Batman & Robin, Batman Forever is Battleship Potemkin in comparison. George Clooney: I killed the most lucrative franchise in film history!)
As the Oscars in general, and the Best Song category in particular are never exactly contests of quality, we can expect several givens. 1) Phil Collins and/or Sting and/or Randy Newman and/or Dianne Warren will be nominated, even if their song appeared in a tiny South Yemen documentary about the dung beetle. 2) Every artist who is nominated almost always appears to perform the song. These performances are never compelling and often take place one after the other in a medley-type arrangement. The viewing audience for the Oscars is often quoted in the one billion range worldwide. These numbers of people listening and watching would probably make Bono's head explode if he thought about them. You don't say "no" to a billion possible consumers.
As Bono has never said "no" to even a half dozen people listening to his latest cause (on his recent trip through the U.S. Midwest, he's held "summits" in a Dennys, a John Deere dealership, and the bathroom at an Exxon), the producers of the Oscar telecast have already notified Principle Management that if nominated, Bono will not be allowed to make any political statements, a la Susan Sarandon, Kim Basinger, Tim Robbins or Vanessa Redgrave. More shocking than this ruling, is that if U2 does in fact win an Oscar for Best Song, Bono would be prohibited from delivering an acceptance speech. This is only the fifth time that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as made such a ruling. He joins such luminaries as:
Jessie Jackson -- No one would know if he's simply talking about what he had for breakfast, what with that rhyming non-enunciation vocal style he's perfected.
Roberto Benigni -- who wore out his welcome in record time by walking up to accept his Best Actor prize in 1999 on the backs of the auditorium chairs, mussing Mr. Spielberg's hair in the process. You do not touch Mr. Spielberg, even if you are "filled with tumult."
Marlon Brando -- who refused his Best Actor statue for The Godfather by sending up an out-of-work actress named Maria Cruz, pretending to be Native American Sacheen Littlefeather to decry Hollywood's depiction of Indians (a view that has much merit). Nowadays, all of Mr. Brando's interviews seem to end up being about fuels of the future.
Stevie Wonder -- who is just about the only person who can talk more than Bono, although with his visual ability, he has an extra excuse. In Stevie's case, the producers can go to commercial and he'll be none the wiser.
In conclusion, I would look for Larry to accept the award on behalf of the band. He is getting a bit bigheaded about his acting ability, and he could clearly keep his speech under the allotted 45 seconds. Plus he's easy on the eyes, and we could cut to the audience and see the different starlets licking their chops as he speaks in that delightfully funny Irish accent.
I have heard that The Gangs of New York may be one of a couple of films that has a chance to win the next Oscar. If U2 manages to win the Oscar for "The Hands That Built America," "Best Song"...which member will make the speech? Will it be the new acting sensation...Mr. Mullen? If Bono speaks can they make the show 4 hrs. instead of 3 hr. 45 mins.? Will Adam show up...or be in Mongolia? Can they invent a 4 blade razor in time for Edge to speak?...your thoughts?
Dear Jillian:
Matt and I have been talking about whether or not "The Hands That Built America" is even eligible for an Oscar this year. He sent me a quote from the Official Academy Awards Rule Book (which rivals the Oxford English Dictionary in terms of length). It reads:
"4. The work must be recorded for use in the film prior to any other usage including public performance or exploitation through any of the media whatsoever."
My feeling is that it is eligible because it was delivered to direction Martin Scorsese before it came out on the U2 Best Of CD. But Academy rule-makers are notoriously anal about little things and they might be kept out on a technicality.
Having said that...
The Oscar Buzz season began this year earlier than ever with the National Board of Review announcing their award winners this week, and you are correct in commenting on The Gangs Of New York being among the favorites for multiple nominations. U2 appear to have finally hitched their wagon to a quality film. They were saddened last year when Tomb Raider did not exactly swell under the weight of critical adoration. And as "Elevation" was not an original song written for the film, it was ineligible. They were not nominated for "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" either. Batman Forever was not exactly Oscar bait (though when viewed with the next installment Batman & Robin, Batman Forever is Battleship Potemkin in comparison. George Clooney: I killed the most lucrative franchise in film history!)
As the Oscars in general, and the Best Song category in particular are never exactly contests of quality, we can expect several givens. 1) Phil Collins and/or Sting and/or Randy Newman and/or Dianne Warren will be nominated, even if their song appeared in a tiny South Yemen documentary about the dung beetle. 2) Every artist who is nominated almost always appears to perform the song. These performances are never compelling and often take place one after the other in a medley-type arrangement. The viewing audience for the Oscars is often quoted in the one billion range worldwide. These numbers of people listening and watching would probably make Bono's head explode if he thought about them. You don't say "no" to a billion possible consumers.
As Bono has never said "no" to even a half dozen people listening to his latest cause (on his recent trip through the U.S. Midwest, he's held "summits" in a Dennys, a John Deere dealership, and the bathroom at an Exxon), the producers of the Oscar telecast have already notified Principle Management that if nominated, Bono will not be allowed to make any political statements, a la Susan Sarandon, Kim Basinger, Tim Robbins or Vanessa Redgrave. More shocking than this ruling, is that if U2 does in fact win an Oscar for Best Song, Bono would be prohibited from delivering an acceptance speech. This is only the fifth time that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as made such a ruling. He joins such luminaries as:
Jessie Jackson -- No one would know if he's simply talking about what he had for breakfast, what with that rhyming non-enunciation vocal style he's perfected.
Roberto Benigni -- who wore out his welcome in record time by walking up to accept his Best Actor prize in 1999 on the backs of the auditorium chairs, mussing Mr. Spielberg's hair in the process. You do not touch Mr. Spielberg, even if you are "filled with tumult."
Marlon Brando -- who refused his Best Actor statue for The Godfather by sending up an out-of-work actress named Maria Cruz, pretending to be Native American Sacheen Littlefeather to decry Hollywood's depiction of Indians (a view that has much merit). Nowadays, all of Mr. Brando's interviews seem to end up being about fuels of the future.
Stevie Wonder -- who is just about the only person who can talk more than Bono, although with his visual ability, he has an extra excuse. In Stevie's case, the producers can go to commercial and he'll be none the wiser.
In conclusion, I would look for Larry to accept the award on behalf of the band. He is getting a bit bigheaded about his acting ability, and he could clearly keep his speech under the allotted 45 seconds. Plus he's easy on the eyes, and we could cut to the audience and see the different starlets licking their chops as he speaks in that delightfully funny Irish accent.
Answer Guy
