April 25, 2021 ~ Oscar Sunday
Tonight is the night of nights in the film industry. It is the live presentation, to the best of the best, of the Academy Award of Merit. The prize of prizes is a gold-plated statuette – a knight holding a sword and standing on a reel of film – otherwise known as an Oscar. If you are fortunate enough to get one – you have done well. Extremely well.
There are theories about the origin of the name of the statuette … but none are certain. The most likely theory is that the statuette was named after the uncle (Oscar) of a librarian who worked at the Academy. Who knows? I had a cat named Oscar. Good name.
It was ninety-four years ago when Louis B. Mayer, head of MGM studios, founded the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The first Academy Award ceremony took place two years later at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel on May 16, 1929. My parents were mere infants at that time. Tickets for that first ceremony and private dinner cost $5 each and was hosted by Douglas Fairbanks. It lasted a whopping 15 minutes.
In comparison, tonight’s festivities began three hours ago with the Pre-Red Carpet camera interviews, followed by the Red Carpet arrivals and in another hour the real show begins … which will last 3 or so hours itself and then the arrival at the “After” parties will be aired and then the network will do a rehash of who won and critique what people wore. My how times have changed! I haven’t turned it on yet … as I haven’t seen any of the films up for awards. Last year was, undoubtedly, an odd year for movie-goers.
I do know that an octopus film is up for an award. I’m always an underdog for animals. I hope the octopod wins! … “And the Oscar goes to … THE OCTOPUS!”
I grew up on movies. I’m a sucker for a good movie. I’m a sucker for a bad movie! I’m particularly partial to a musical … and nothing compares to a musical from the ’40s-’60s. And no one can beat my boyfriend, Gene Kelly, in his dancing prowess. Sashay and jete over, Fred, as Gene was more to my liking in his athleticism and charming cuteness.
When I grew up we had a finished basement in our home. It was a great place – cool on hot Chicago summer days and cozy on cold winter nights. No one else seemed to use that basement as much as I did. There was a long counter with stools – plenty of room to craft, color, paint, assemble puzzles and eat popcorn while watching TV shows or movies. The TV down there was a red boxy thing with a green circular screen – black and white, of course. We didn’t get a color TV until I was about 8. But, no matter, there was never a happier camper than me, on any given day, to be downstairs watching the likes of Esther Williams – diving her way into pools or doing acrobatic underwater stunts in Million Dollar Mermaid, or watching Lucy and Desi collecting rocks in their Long, Long Trailer or Gene dancing with Debbie and Donald in Singin’ in the Rain.
Once a year, I’d walk three houses down the street and sit on the living room floor of the neighbors’, with their white fluffy cat on my lap, and watch – mesmerized – The Wizard of Oz. They had a color TV and omg … it was fabulous! It has always been one of my favorite movies and it holds a special place in my heart as it was my Grandmother’s introduction to the movie industry. It was the first movie she ever saw – and she was 34 years old. I can’t imagine living half my life without seeing a movie!
Judy Garland was only 16 at the time of the filming in 1938. She won a special Juvenile Academy Award for her portrayal of Dorothy Gale in that film. (That category has been long gone.) As good and iconic as that film is and was … it did not win best picture that year. Another, little film, known as Gone With the Wind, beat it out. And for what it’s worth … the last living actor from the (TWoO) film passed away in 2020. He was one of the Lollipop Guild munchkins.
When I was in high school I had the option, senior year, of taking English Lit or Film Study. Duh! It was an amazing and enlightening class. Along with making our own movies (boy, I wish I still had that masterpiece!) we were introduced to the classics … The Seventh Seal, Citizen Kane, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, The Maltese Falcon, The Graduate, Rear Window and so many others. We watched Westerns and Musicals, Documentaries, Dramas and Mysteries. I was the envy of my friends who were reading “Beowulf” or the “Canterbury Tales”.
The worst films we watched were the documentaries of the concentration camps during WWII. Anyone who thinks these atrocities didn’t happen or that it was “ok” needs to see those films. Horrifically horrific. Those films haunt me to this day.
When I was a pre-teen I’d sneak downstairs late on Saturday nights, while the rest of the family slept, and sit close to the screen with the volume on low and watch movies that I wasn’t supposed to (sorry mom). Those usually were some sort of sci-fi or campy, low-budget horror movies. The last one I remember watching was The Tingler. It was a combo sci-fi/horror flick about a large centipede that wiggled its way into a person’s body (through their ear? nostril? eye? I now don’t remember but it was heinously awful!) and wrapped itself around a person’s spine. It’s a wonder I ever got near my Creepy Crawler machine after that! That one did me in and I stopped watching the late night movies after that. Too scary! And forget watching those Saturday night late movies while I was babysitting as a teen! NO way in hell! Well, I actually did watch a few – but learned my lesson quickly! After watching one too many, I was sure The Creature from the Black Lagoon was hiding in some closet or under a kid’s bed or that Vincent Price would be sitting in a nearby chair, at any given moment, with a monkey’s paw on his shoulder.
I’m all for a good musical or drama or rom-com (or yes, Hallmark movie) … but the ones I love the most are the action-packed/ridiculous … especially the ones with dinosaurs and people. Giant iguanas and lizards licking plastic mannequins always brings me a smile. Imagine how my heart stopped when I watched Jurassic Park for the first time! If there is any movie playing on TV portraying humans and humanity in peril – I’m your girl! Get off the couch – it’s ME time! I will drop everything and watch (or at least record) any movie involving a natural disaster … Volcano … 2012 … Earthquake … Sharknado! Poseiden Adventure still can give me chills. I can’t hold my breath! Shelley Winters had amazing lung power! Throw in aliens and I’m there for Mars Attacks … ET … Independence Day … The War of the Worlds (1953 version), Star Wars or any other Close Encounter (s of the Third Kind).
There’s a title on the tube with a giant animal in it? Pop me some popcorn! I’m all in for anything Godzilla … King Kong … or Jaws! And if they are battling each other – even better but I’ll always root for Godzilla! Lizards over apes any day … sharks, too. And for that matter … I’ll watch any animal movie. Milo and Otis is the reason we got a pug! And how did they find all those animals that talked in Babe?
How many times have I watched Legally Blonde … Groundhog Day … Runaway Bride … The Help? … Christmas Vacation? Dozens! I’m a sucker for anything funny, romantic, sweet or redeeming. I’ll stay up late to root on any underdog or unknown Prince Charming. I even love animation … Rio … Shrek (all of them) … Monsters, Inc. All so very good!
When my kids were little we told them that my dad played Conrad Birdie in Bye, Bye Birdie. I’m not sure how it got started … but my dad was an extra in a couple of films (Babe – the baseball movie – and Home Alone) and it just kind of took off from there. Anyway, I chuckle as all the grandkids thought Gpa Jack was Conrad until they all were well into their teens (or older)!
Today I turned on the TV to have “something on” and was sucked into the Land of the Lost. I saw a dinosaur running after Will Ferrell and I was hooked! So what if I was in my pajamas until 1pm! It was Sunday! The flick was so insanely inane with junior high school level humor … I loved it! It was fabulous in all of it’s ridiculousness. I can always count on those movies to provide me with a few good laughs. And who doesn’t benefit from that? As I’m typing I’m watching Night at the Museum. I love these kinds of transportive movies for their simple entertainment. Movies like Jumanji, Zathura, Bedtime Stories … I don’t have to think – just enjoy! They are a wonderful escape from everyday life.
My sister-in-law sent me socks that I received yesterday. She knows me well. On one of the cozy foot coverings is – “If you can see this” … and on the other is “Don’t bother me – I’m watching a Hallmark movie.” So true. Friends gave me a shirt with the same message on it as a holiday gift. They, too, know me well!
I like the Oscars in all their glory and pomp and fanfare … the glitz, the glamour, the ceremony. Do I watch most of the films … or any of them … that are nominated? Not usually. I’ve seen my share of award winners but I tend to like what I like … the funny, romantic, disaster and zany. I’ll take them over the artsy/deep/contemplative ones, every time.
Jon Williams (composer) holds the title of the most nominations (of any living person) … 52. He has won 5 of those times. Walt Disney had 59 nominations and won 22 times. (Holy Mickey!) Meryl Streep has been nominated the most times as an actress … 21 times. She’s won 3 times (I thought it was more!). Katharine Hepburn holds the record of most wins for an actress at 4. Jack Nicholson and Daniel Day-Lewis share the awards most won for an actor – both have won 3. There are three movies that have won the most awards in one night (11) … Ben-Hur, Titanic, and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
And though I don’t always like who or what wins, that doesn’t stop me from watching the show. And as it just turned on – I need to go. If I were there, I’d be wearing a floor length, halter-neck gown … bronze pailettes (big sequins) over the bodice and a flowing beaded organza gown – likely with some crystals on it, too. Since I don’t own such a thing and it’s just me and Bea (my chihuahua) on my couch … I’ve opted for the chocolate yoga pants, eggplant fisherman’s sweater and pink fluffy slippers ensemble. I did, however, apply a bit of gold glitter eyeliner earlier. A girl’s gotta dress up for these things!