Making Colin Firth giggle

  I watched the Oscars last night and yes I know I’m a couple of weeks behind. As a UK resident I have the choice of either staying awake until about 4 in the morning or do as I’ve done and download that bitch. After all I still have to sit through all the sponsorship messages, which always seem odd as they’re voiced by the same announcer who covers the entire show. So from a deep intellectual “This is Colin Firth’s first academy award and second nomination” to the same voice saying “Diet Coke, add some surprise to life.” Okay so I can’t remember the slogan but it was something equally horrible.

  My dad never watches award shows. He’s a big fan of comedy so I thought he might like to know the winners of the British comedy awards and still he felt the need to tell us his hatred of these events. And I can see why. As someone who is interested in films and did a Media Production degree I like to do my best to keep track of who’s important at the moment and what films are being awarded. But there is a very large amount of patting backs. Patting your own backs, patting the backs of fellow film makers and patting the backs of actors whose last film was 50 years ago. Actually let me correct that, kissing the arse of an actor from 50 years ago.

  This sort of attitude is no more rife than in the Oscars, because Americans always love to take things to whole new levels. Yes, awards shows are for giving recognition for a job well done and rightly so. But for the Oscars this isn’t enough. Oh no. Because if you get an Oscar, apparently it means being a permanent guest. “Gone with the Wind”, “Titanic” and “The Lord of The Rings” were all given lengthy mentions and applauded for the 1000^th time.

  Then the Oscars themselves get discussed.  How it started, when it started, who hosted it in ’63. There’s also this overwhelming need they have to make a show out of everything. Last year it wasn’t enough to simply play sections of the nominated scores, they had to have dancers prancing awkwardly across the stage. It’s too much. Why not cut all the unnecessary history lessons and show tunes and actually spend some time, oh I don’t know, maybe giving more time to the people who are actually being awarded this year?

  There’s plenty to moan about when the Oscars come around (just the mention of last year’s “Best Film Editing” category is enough to send me in to a fit of rage). For example why keep separating Actors and Actresses? No other categories are split between male and female. I’d like to think we’re at a point in time where women can be seen as equals. In fact I have an idea. Why not put men and women together in an acting category but create a “Best Female Director” category, since the majority of directing jobs belong to men, it would be good for more female Directors to be recognised.

  But don’t think the whole event is a squeamish thank-athon it’s worth watching just for Kirk Douglas moaning at Hugh Jackman and making Colin Firth giggle.