My Opera
THE ARTIST big winner
Monday, February 27, 2012 8:15:51 AM
So THE ARTIST has won just about every award possible? Why?
I won't pretend that it's everyone's cup of tea. I know people who didn't enjoy it at all. But really it pushes so many different kind of buttons that it's not really so surprising.
For those who like the cockles of their hearts warmed, it'll do that, with just the right mix of melodrama, romance and dog-antics.
For those keen on technical prowess, it'll do that too, with superb black and white cinematography and sumptuous lighting as well as very convincing period design. It really looks like the 1920's, not like 2012.
And for those like me who are just total film history buffs it's really clever, a genuinely insightful take on film history, delivered with charm and grace.
I'm really glad it won.
It is a bit sui generis though, so it's not necessarily any indication of Hazanavicius's future possibilities.
On another note the other big winner Scorsese's Hugo, I haven't seen. I didn't go because I have been so disappointed in recent 3D films, the hideous colours and jarring graphics. Burton's Alice in Wonderland was a vile example. (Oh what a dreadful script, horrible. What was Burton thinking? He should have wiped his arse on that script, not made it into a film). It gave me a headache and the 3D was nothing to write home about. As for Hugo, I still find Méliès astonishingly amazing today, as I have a DVD with clips of his old films even that stuns me he was so inventive and clever, imaginative and fun. I don't think I need 3D to bring his work to life. Probably if it wasn't 3D I'd go and see it. We'll see.
A pity Gary Oldman came up empty handed but it was a tough choice.I do think Hoyte Van Hoytema for Tinker Tailor, Soldier Spy should have won for cinematography though. He wasn't even nominated - what was that about? He's an amazing DP, loved Let the Right One in, his clear cold twilit suburban images were so unsettling yet so prosaic. Genius.
I suppose it was to be expected that there was no nomination for Melanchola after von Trier put his foot in it at Cannes, but it is a pity. It certainly could have got Best Original Screenplay, or Best Supporting Actress for the marvellous Charlotte Gainsbourg. Oh well.
I've said all this yet I don't care about awards at all. Go figure.
Before I forget, here is an interesting article about Tinker tailor Soldier Spy:
http://shootingpeople.org/blog/2012/02/tinker-tailor-soldier-why/
I won't pretend that it's everyone's cup of tea. I know people who didn't enjoy it at all. But really it pushes so many different kind of buttons that it's not really so surprising.
For those who like the cockles of their hearts warmed, it'll do that, with just the right mix of melodrama, romance and dog-antics.
For those keen on technical prowess, it'll do that too, with superb black and white cinematography and sumptuous lighting as well as very convincing period design. It really looks like the 1920's, not like 2012.
And for those like me who are just total film history buffs it's really clever, a genuinely insightful take on film history, delivered with charm and grace.
I'm really glad it won.
It is a bit sui generis though, so it's not necessarily any indication of Hazanavicius's future possibilities.
On another note the other big winner Scorsese's Hugo, I haven't seen. I didn't go because I have been so disappointed in recent 3D films, the hideous colours and jarring graphics. Burton's Alice in Wonderland was a vile example. (Oh what a dreadful script, horrible. What was Burton thinking? He should have wiped his arse on that script, not made it into a film). It gave me a headache and the 3D was nothing to write home about. As for Hugo, I still find Méliès astonishingly amazing today, as I have a DVD with clips of his old films even that stuns me he was so inventive and clever, imaginative and fun. I don't think I need 3D to bring his work to life. Probably if it wasn't 3D I'd go and see it. We'll see.
A pity Gary Oldman came up empty handed but it was a tough choice.I do think Hoyte Van Hoytema for Tinker Tailor, Soldier Spy should have won for cinematography though. He wasn't even nominated - what was that about? He's an amazing DP, loved Let the Right One in, his clear cold twilit suburban images were so unsettling yet so prosaic. Genius.
I suppose it was to be expected that there was no nomination for Melanchola after von Trier put his foot in it at Cannes, but it is a pity. It certainly could have got Best Original Screenplay, or Best Supporting Actress for the marvellous Charlotte Gainsbourg. Oh well.
I've said all this yet I don't care about awards at all. Go figure.
Before I forget, here is an interesting article about Tinker tailor Soldier Spy:
http://shootingpeople.org/blog/2012/02/tinker-tailor-soldier-why/
