Why Did "Brokeback Mountain" lose the Acadamy Award?

[Studlover]

Are the Oscars for themes of films or performances given in films? If Oscar is supposed to be a social crusade for justice and the American way of life (oo-rah!), then they blew it by not 'breaking the gay barrier' and giving it to "Brokeback Mountain." If it's for performance - then I'm satisfied with Phillip Seymour Hoffmann getting it for "Capote" (gay!) and "Crash" getting it for showing that even the most 'liberal' White can be fundamentally a racist...as can Blacks...and the most rednecked can have liberal streaks. All the films were worth seeing.

Another point is that the Acadamy Awards are all about it all being a lot of self-congratulation by the in-crowd. I've wondered why those of us in other professions don't have an annual stroking ceremony to honor the best...or don't we like to be recognized for a job well done also...?
Studlover

[bobov]

I suspect that being opposed to racism is less controversial than being opposed to homophobia. Crash was the mainstream choice.

Also, as a bisexual, I have reservations about Brokeback. Making the lovers Marlboro Men in Marlboro Country seemed to me to be pandering. The film was saying that these were not only real men, but macho real men who, by the way, just happened to be gay. Would the story have been as well received if both characters were NYC hairdressers? I think not. I took the setting, both geographically and culturally, as an apology for the men's gayness. Not quite the bold statement one would wish.

Of course, the film still played to a relatively small audience, and I've heard several straight men sniggering that they would never see such a film, so I suppose it was bold in its national context. Many of us find it hard to imagine how widespread is the dislike of homosexuality. Even many liberals who defend homosexuals' civil rights, and believe we should be safe from persecution, still find homosexuality disgusting and wouldn't want a homosexual friend. So Crash wins.

[Studlover]

I suspect that being opposed to racism is less controversial than being opposed to homophobia. Crash was the mainstream choice.

Also, as a bisexual, I have reservations about Brokeback. Making the lovers Marlboro Men in Marlboro Country seemed to me to be pandering. The film was saying that these were not only real men, but macho real men who, by the way, just happened to be gay. Would the story have been as well received if both characters were NYC hairdressers? I think not. I took the setting, both geographically and culturally, as an apology for the men's gayness. Not quite the bold statement one would wish.

Of course, the film still played to a relatively small audience, and I've heard several straight men sniggering that they would never see such a film, so I suppose it was bold in its national context. Many of us find it hard to imagine how widespread is the dislike of homosexuality. Even many liberals who defend homosexuals' civil rights, and believe we should be safe from persecution, still find homosexuality disgusting and wouldn't want a homosexual friend. So Crash wins.

If you look at the performance and the acting skills displayed, then Phillip Seymore Hoffmann won hands down. He is one hellulva character actor and its high time he is recognized. The Oscars are Hollywoods equivalent to the Miss America contest.
Studlover

[Blaise]

"Message” or propaganda films rarely mean much to me. They quickly dissolve into background. I know that white liberals can be racist. I have known actual gay cowboys. I have seen guys kiss in a sexual way. I know that multinational companies use poor people to assess their products. I have not seen most of the film nominated for Oscars this year. I probably will see some of them, but not because they have a message to inflict on me. Still, I rarely see any films. The Intentional Fallacy applies to cinema just as it does to literature. Does anyone want to waste time again watching Look Who's Coming to Dinner or other old message films? I don't.

My film for the year was Woody Allen’s superb Match Point. I saw it three times.

[bobov]

P.S. Hoffmann was superb in Capote. Of course, he was playing a unique character in a unique situation, so that was a movie not easily imitated by the other studios.

Most professions and businesses have awards. They're just unknown to people outside those professions and businesses. Read any trade press and you'll see references to their awards. The heart of show biz is publicity, which is why you hear so much about the Oscars.

"Message" films seldom last. I agree entirely with Old Softee there. Brokeback is said by its supporters to be the rare message film that also tells an artful and engaging story.

Congratulations on having "seen guys kiss in a sexual way." Kiss what? Mouth, penis, or somewhere else? You've led a colorful life.

[Dave]

by the way - If you look up IMDB's page for Phillip Seymor Hoffman, it lists him in 40 shows and movies starting in 1991. He's a character actor not a leading man.
He looks like Truman Capote

[Blaise]

by the way - If you look up IMDB's page for Phillip Seymor Hoffman, it lists him in 40 shows and movies starting in 1991. He's a character actor not a leading man.
He looks like Truman Capote

The development of prizes and competition for intellectual achievements is out of hand. Literary and scientific prizes may or may not support achievement. I don’t know.

Of course, the Oscars are a promotional device to get people to watch movies. All the films nominated are probably worth seeing.

[Sac_mec]

I've not yet seen 'Brokeback Mountain' but possibly will. It has swept the boards in Europe in Film Awards which shows a difference in attitudes amongst the Oscar judges and the current Establishment political mood in the US.
For various reasons I've only been able to see one film at a Cinema this year
and that deserves very high praise.
The English title to the film is Motorcycle Diaries which was a joint Argentinian/English production filmed in Spanish and subtitled in US English.
It's all about a true story of a Motorcycle ride on a Norton 500 from Argentina to Peru. Robert Redford is the producer and the stars are Rodrigo De La Serna
and Gael Garcia Bernal. The film is set in the early/mid 1950s and it is a moving and beautiful film. The final credit reveals a little more about the impact of this real event on South American history. The European distributor is Pathe.
Art house maybe, but an extremely good film that will "immerse you" in it.

[Blaise]

I've not yet seen 'Brokeback Mountain' but possibly will. It has swept the boards in Europe in Film Awards which shows a difference in attitudes amongst the Oscar judges and the current Establishment political mood in the US.
For various reasons I've only been able to see one film at a Cinema this year
and that deserves very high praise.
The English title to the film is Motorcycle Diaries which was a joint Argentinian/English production filmed in Spanish and subtitled in US English.
It's all about a true story of a Motorcycle ride on a Norton 500 from Argentina to Peru. Robert Redford is the producer and the stars are Rodrigo De La Serna
and Gael Garcia Bernal. The film is set in the early/mid 1950s and it is a moving and beautiful film. The final credit reveals a little more about the impact of this real event on South American history. The European distributor is Pathe.
Art house maybe, but an extremely good film that will "immerse you" in it.

Diarios de motocicleta is on my list of films to see (and probably purchase). The Cuban revolution unfortunately turned out to be a brutal illusion, even with its positive achievement. However, Ernesto 'Che' Guevara turned out to be completely incompetent as a guerilla warrior in Bolivar. He did not connect with the people he intended to help.

[A-1]

Are the Oscars for themes of films or performances given in films? If Oscar is supposed to be a social crusade for justice and the American way of life (oo-rah!), then they blew it by not 'breaking the gay barrier' and giving it to "Brokeback Mountain." If it's for performance - then I'm satisfied with Phillip Seymour Hoffmann getting it for "Capote" (gay!) and "Crash" getting it for showing that even the most 'liberal' White can be fundamentally a racist...as can Blacks...and the most rednecked can have liberal streaks. All the films were worth seeing.

Another point is that the Acadamy Awards are all about it all being a lot of self-congratulation by the in-crowd. I've wondered why those of us in other professions don't have an annual stroking ceremony to honor the best...or don't we like to be recognized for a job well done also...?
Studlover

I suppose that the film was all right. But, if you are Gay, it was outstanding.

But, was it was the equivalent of the tear-jerker Love Story?

Again, probably not, unless you are Gay.

It was no Dog Day Afternoon nor Midnight Cowboy.

The film should have had more recognition, but with society being what it is, what happened does not surprise me.

A-1

[Riverwind]

If you look at what movie got the Academy Award for best movie for the last how ever many years, about half of them you will have never herd of or seen.
This is not uncommon in tinsel town; remember the Academy Awards are not for the public's approval but for self-gratification.

What really suprises me is when the Academy actually gives the award to a movie that the public's actually has seen and approves of their decision.

Having grown up in LA, actually about 2 miles from Universal Studios, you have the occasion to see these "stars" around town, everyone I ever saw was so impressed with him/herself as to be totally unaware of what was going on around them.

So don't let it bother you that they picked the wrong movie, remember our vote does not count.

River

[Blaise]

The hottest gay film has to be the 1959 Ben Hur with its passionate scenes between Charlton Heston and Stephen Boyd. The film did win an academy award.

[Paolo]

by the way - If you look up IMDB's page for Phillip Seymor Hoffman, it lists him in 40 shows and movies starting in 1991. He's a character actor not a leading man.
He looks like Truman Capote

He sounds like him, too.
In the early 90's, ABC TV ran Capote's "A Christmas Memory" which was narrated by Capote himself. I think it was filmed in 1962 or something. Capote died in 1984 of complications of alcoholism. What's creepy is the boy actor who played little Capote sounded like him, too. Donnie Melvin was his name.
I'll admit, I haven't seen the notorious Cowboy flick yet, and I don't plan to. Capote was an awesome movie, though.

[Slammr]

I haven't seen "Brokeback," usually waiting these days for the DVD. I did see "Crash" on DVD. It was OK, but I would never have considered it to be worthy of an Oscar. But when the gave the Oscar to "Forest Gump" over "Pulp Fiction" and "Natural Born Killers" and to "Shakespeare in Love" over "Saving Pvt. Ryan," (Actually, my favorite movie that year was "Thin Red Line). I decided the Oscars were a farce, anyway.

Funny thing is: I had to watch three of the aforementioned movies, Thin Red Line, Natural Born Killers, and Pulp Fiction several times before I decided I liked them. Now, I think all three are outstanding movies.

[Losethem]

Only thing I have to say about Brokeback Mountain is, "So many sheep, so little time..."