Oscar Fallout
Compiled by Lukas Kendall
Another year, another round of letters upset about the Oscars. Listen,
what did you expect? If we film music fans were voting for best costume
design, we'd have really pedestrian choices that would outrage aficionados
of costume design. So there.
Still, two complaints I fully agree with:
From: DRFAN9000@aol.com
Don't you think that if one commissions a composer to write a theme
for show, that it makes sense to play his theme during the show at some
point? To me, this was the most baffling aspect of The Academy Awards last
night.
I was wondering where Goldsmith's "Fanfare for Oscar" went.
I didn't hear it once. Last year, it was introduced as something that would
the theme for the Oscars every year.
From: "A Hamilton" <brisco32@hotmail.com>
When it was announced that Debbie Allen's dancers would once again
be interpreting the dramatic film score nominees, I turned to my wife and
said "That's what we need to see, some guy tap dancing to Saving Private
Ryan." Hey, I was kidding! I never dreamed that moments later that's
exactly what would happen! There are no words to express how ridiculous
this was. I'm not one to fall for millenium hysteria but this may be one
of the signs of the Apocalypse. Every year we complain about the inappropriate
dance numbers and every year we get more. It's time to just admit it: dancing
and Oscars are strange bedfellows, and shouldn't mix. Just say no!
Oh man, this was worse than the year they danced to The Fugitive.
From: "Simon Husberg" <s.husberg@telia.com>
Well, well, well. I must say that the Oscars was a disappointment.
I feel sorry for Jerry Goldsmith, it was kind of his turn. Warbeck´s
score was great but Mr. Goldsmith´s score for Mulan was even better.
In the drama cathegory (and the entire gala) there was a overwhelming "Il
Postino Effect" (as I was afraid off). When there´s a close
race the Academy seems to give the award to Italy (like with Il Postino).
Why? I think the winner should have been John Williams. Not just because
he is John Williams, but because I think he produced a beautiful stylebreaking
score for Saving Private Ryan. Probably Maestro Williams didn´t win
because he will have something to collect from the Academy next year...
From: Matt Hulkkonen, GRIZZBEAR1@aol.com
The Oscars are such a joke. I understand that there is a trend within
the academy to vote for artsy films and even their music, but this is absolutely
ridiculous! I also understand that many of you at FSM did not particularly
like the score to "Saving Private Ryan" but i also think, based
on what i have seen, that MANY people loved the music. I like John Williams
as much as the next person but he does not deserve the oscar because he
is who he is.....He desrves it for "Private Ryan" because it's
the best score. This is 2 years in a row. Horner's score to Titanic was
good, but as many have said, it wasnt Oscar material. Horner deserved it
for "Braveheart" and he desrved it for "Apollo 13",
and perhaps thats why he won last year. Maybe Williams "got snubbed"
because he has already won the award, or because he is a foregone conclusion
for next year with his upcoming score for "Phantom Menace". Whatever
the case is, it's wrong. Lame.....Very lame.
Finally, this letter outlined the author's "four worst" Oscar
winning scores:
From: TOMASPDOUG@webtv.net (THOMAS DOUGLAS)
1. MIDNIGHT EXPRESS---GIORGIO MORODER
I believe that since John Williams won the year before for Star
Wars, he had no chance of a another Oscar, for the great score to Superman.
The score to Midnight Express is such a unmemorble I today or anyone
in the world except Giorgio Moroder can hum a tune from his score. A score
should be long lasting such as Superman, or the score to the Wizard of
Oz.
2. FAME--MICHAEL GORE
While I liked the song score to Fame, the Academy voters just mark
their ballots because the remember the songs from this movie.
I still believe today the songs won this catagory for Michael Gore.
This one almost made me kick my tv when I heard Fame the winner!
3. CHARIOTS OF FIRE--VANGELIS
I know, I know this one is in the catagory of pretty theme song,
so lets vote for the whole score. I to still this day do like the theme
from Chariots of Fire, but the rest of his score to COSMOS, oh I mean Chariots
of Fire. REHASH
4. `ROUND MIDNIGHT--HERBIE HANCOCK
This score was so bad of a choice, the Music Branch added a codicil
to their eligibility requirements excluding future "scores diluted
by the use of tracked or preexisting music."
With this in mind, I've made a list of the must disputable Oscar score
winners of the past quarter-century -- pick
the one you would like to "undo" the most!
MailBag@filmscoremonthly.com
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