More Oscar Troubles

(A question from someone who doesn’t work in the business and who loves movies but thinks they’re not essential to his survival):

Why is it that the motion picture industry can produce marvelous, tightly edited films and yet can’t do the same with its award ceremony?

Did we really need to see yet another stupid production number and lame stunts (Flying Pee-wee Herman--it’s a pity they didn’t crash the little twerp into the ceiling. Now that would be something to see!) to attract and keep an audience for the Oscar telecast?

Why not cut the bull and show us more clips of the films? Most of us haven’t seen all the films nominated and a one- or two-minute clip would help us understand why a film (actor, director, screenwriter, art director, costume designer, etc.) was nominated. (And, by the way, we might go out and see the movie or rent/buy the cassette.)

By including irrelevant material, the producers are telling us the award presentations aren’t important enough to warrant our attention.

Hmmm. . . .

KENN FONG

Oakland