I'll start with some confessions: the photo above I put deliberately to improve my rake and SEO. I know that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences awards ceremony, known as the Oscars, or even "The Academy Awards or The Oscars", can be a "fake" ceremony, but I watch it every year. So I can consider myself an "authority on the subject".
And I'm posting, today, which is the day of the awards, this text, in the hope that it will be successful.
Let's go. I will put here some curiosities about the ceremony. How the voting works, about the figurine, the reader can Google it, since it is a very explored subject. And I would rather not be repetitive.
But what is the Oscar? Making a summary.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Awards, better known as the Oscars, is one of the film industry's most prestigious awards ceremonies. The event was created in 1929 by the Hollywood Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, an organization composed of professionals from the United States film industry.
The idea of creating the award came in 1927, when a group of film studio executives decided to found the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, aiming to improve the industry's image after a series of scandals involving the world of cinema. The first Academy Awards ceremony took place the following year, on May 16, 1929, at the Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles.
Since then, the Academy Awards have become an eagerly awaited annual event by industry insiders, critics, and audiences alike. The ceremony is usually held in late February or early March and is broadcast live on television to millions of people around the world.
The Oscars are organized by the Hollywood Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which has more than 9,000 members, including actors, directors, producers, screenwriters, and other film industry professionals. Academy members are responsible for voting on the nominees and winners in each category, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Adapted Screenplay, among others.
Who are the biggest Oscar winners? What prizes have they won?
Film: "Ben-Hur" (1959), "Titanic" (1997) and "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" (2003) each won 11 Oscars, making them the most awarded films in Oscar history.
Director: John Ford is the most awarded director in Oscar history, having won four times for Best Director for "The Windfall" (1940), "The Grapes of Wrath" (1941), "How Green Was My Valley " (1942) and "The Quiet Man" (1952).
Actor: Katharine Hepburn is the most awarded actress in Oscar history, having won four Best Actress statuettes for "Morning Glory" (1933), "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" (1967), "The Lion in Winter" (1968 ) and "In the Age of Ragtime" (1981). The most awarded actor is Daniel Day-Lewis, with three wins for Best Actor for "My Left Foot" (1989), "Black Blood" (2007) and "Lincoln" (2012).
Supporting Actor: Walter Brennan, Jack Nicholson, are the most awarded actors in the Best Supporting Actor category, each with three wins.
Original Screenplay and Adapted Screenplay: The most awarded screenwriter in the Best Original Screenplay category is Woody Allen, with three wins for "Angry Groom, Nervous Bride" (1977), "Hannah and Her Sisters" (1986) and "Midnight in Paris" (2011). In the category of Best Adapted Screenplay, the most awarded screenwriter is Francis Ford Coppola, with two awards for "The Godfather" (1972) and "The Godfather II" (1974).
Those are just a few of the biggest Oscar winners over the years, but there are many other films and people who have also left their mark on the history of the awards show.
If any of the data above is wrong, please let me know in the comments. I had to do a quick, not deep search for the topic.
Some curiosities:
I will refrain from talking about the Will Smith slap.
And I will focus on the most recent ones.
The Oscar ceremony is known for being an event full of sophistication and emotion, but it can also present curious and even funny moments. Here are some examples of curious events that happened at past Oscar ceremonies:
The most retweeted selfie in history: In 2014, during the Oscar ceremony, host Ellen DeGeneres took a selfie with several celebrities who were sitting in the front row, including Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, Angelina Jolie, Meryl Streep and Brad Pitt. The image ended up becoming the most retweeted selfie in history, with over 3.4 million retweets.
The exchange of envelopes: in 2017, during the Oscar ceremony, there was a huge mistake in the delivery of the award for Best Picture. Host Faye Dunaway and actor Warren Beatty received the wrong envelope and mistakenly announced that "La La Land" had won the award, when in fact the winner was "Moonlight". It was an awkward and unexpected moment that shocked the audience and became one of the most memorable events in Oscar history.
Iconic Dresses: The Oscars are also known for showcasing some of the most iconic dresses in the fashion world. From Björk's famous 2001 dress (which looked like a swan), to Halle Berry's "naked" black dress in 2002, to Audrey Hepburn's pale pink dress in 1954, many unforgettable models have walked the Oscars red carpet.
Marlon Brando Turns Down the Award: In 1973, Marlon Brando was awarded the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in "The Godfather," but he turned down the award as a form of protest against Hollywood's treatment of Native Americans. Instead of appearing at the ceremony, he sent a Native American actress named Sacheen Littlefeather to decline the award on her behalf.
The shortest ceremony in history: In 1959, the Oscar ceremony was the shortest in history, lasting just 1 hour and 40 minutes. This happened because the ceremony was pre-recorded and then broadcast on television instead of being broadcast live. It was a very different event than viewers are used to today.
Jennifer Lawrence's ripped dress in 2013: As she walked up the stairs to accept the Best Actress award for "Silver Linings Playbook", Jennifer Lawrence tripped over her dress and ended up ripping the back. She had to quickly compose herself before delivering her acceptance speech, but the situation was still quite awkward.
Michael Moore's controversial speech in 2003: When he received the award for Best Documentary for "Shots at Columbine", filmmaker Michael Moore gave a controversial speech in which he criticized the President of the United States, George W. Bush, and the invasion of Iraq. His speech drew a mix of applause and boos from the audience.
Roberto Benigni's offensive speech in 1999: When he won Best Foreign Language Film for "Life is Beautiful", actor and director Roberto Benigni got so excited that he climbed onto the audience's chairs and started talking in Italian nonstop. While his excitement was infectious, some of his jokes and gestures were seen as offensive and inappropriate.
Jennifer Lawrence's Fall in 2013: In addition to the ripped dress incident, Jennifer Lawrence also fell on the red carpet while heading to the Academy Awards ceremony. Although she quickly got up and laughed at the situation, it was an awkward moment for the actress.
And within these curiosities, were there moments like that, someone else's embarrassment at the Oscars?
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences awards have had some controversial moments, with some winners' choices being deemed unfair or inappropriate. Here are some of the biggest injustices of the Oscars:
No Black Actors and Filmmakers Nominated: In many years, the Academy has not nominated a black actor or filmmaker in any major category. This led to protests and criticism of the lack of diversity in the awards.
Forget iconic films: Several films considered classics of cinema were ignored by the Academy. Some examples include "Citizen Kane" in 1942, "The Godfather" in 1973 and "E.T. - The Extra-Terrestrial" in 1983.
Ignore foreign cinema: Despite having a specific category for foreign language films, the Academy generally does not recognize foreign productions in other major categories. For many years, critically and publicly acclaimed foreign films have been ignored by the Oscars.
Awarding the wrong movie: Sometimes the movie that wins the Best Picture Oscar isn't necessarily the critics' or audiences' favorite. This led to some controversial choices, such as "Crash - No Limite" winning the award in 2006, over favorite "Brokeback Mountain".
Excluding women from the film industry: Women filmmakers have historically been underrepresented in the film industry, which is reflected in the choices of Oscar winners. For example, to date, only one woman has won Best Director – Kathryn Bigelow, for "The Hurt Locker" in 2010.
Those are just a few of the biggest injustices at the Oscars over the years. As the film industry becomes more diverse and inclusive, it is hoped that the Academy will consider these criticisms and work to correct these shortcomings.
And a subject that does not leave the social networks: why the audience of the Oscar ceremony has been falling?
There are several reasons why Oscar attendance has been dropping recently. Here are some of them:
Length of Ceremony: The Oscar ceremony typically lasts about three and a half hours, which can be a long time for many viewers. Some may find it difficult to find time to watch the entire ceremony, especially in an age when so many other entertainment options are available (really, sometimes it's sleepy).
Absence of big productions: Recently, the Oscar ceremony has been criticized for not nominating or awarding films that attract large audiences. That may have put off some moviegoers who prefer to watch more mainstream movies (films like "Saving Private Ryan," losing Best Picture to "Shakespeare in Love" in 1999, really?)
Changing TV viewing: With the increase in streaming options and the popularity of on-demand TV services, many people now prefer to watch TV at their time and on their terms. This may have led to a decrease in the Oscar ceremony's live audience.
Controversies: Recently, the Oscar ceremony has also been the subject of controversies, such as the lack of diversity among the nominees and how the Academy deals with these issues. These controversies may have alienated some viewers who disagree with the Academy's decisions.
Pandemic: In 2020 and 2021, the Oscar ceremony was postponed and had a different format due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While it was a way to keep the ceremony going during a difficult time, the different format may have affected viewership and public interest.
These are some reasons why Oscar audiences have dropped recently. However, it is important to remember that the ceremony remains an important event in the film industry and many people still look forward to it every year.
And the reader, do you watch the Oscars?
Is there a film you would like to see awarded?
If so, don't miss the chance to check out the full list of Oscar winners and share your opinion in the comments below: which movie do you think was deserving of the Best Picture award?
Links:
Sources:
You can research the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Awards Ceremony by visiting the following links:
Comments