‘Crash’ vs. ‘Brokeback’ debate is still not over

KENNETH TURAN’S conclusion that “Brokeback Mountain” lost to “Crash” as best picture because the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences decided to “play it safe” [“ ‘Brokeback’ Dreams Crash and Burn as the Academy’s Voters Play It Safe,” March 6] fails to acknowledge the very real possibility that “Crash” was simply a better picture.

It would be wrong to vote for a picture because it had a gay theme as it would be to not vote for it for the same reason. Most of us who saw both pictures felt that the better picture did win.

If the academy was as image conscious and homophobic as Turan implies, then how can he explain Ang Lee’s best director award or the adapted screenplay Oscars to Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana for the same gay-themed film?

BARRY S. RUBIN

Beverly Hills

*

WHEN I saw Kenneth Turan’s article about why “Crash” won and “Brokeback Mountain” did not, I finally had the words I needed to replace my infuriated string of expletives about the result. Kenneth nailed the issue in one brief article, and I thank him for being an intellectual voice of reason in Hollywood.

MATT VANCE

Northridge

*

IN 1971, “A Clockwork Orange” was a powerful, taboo-breaking, necessary film. Yet somehow it did not win best picture. “The French Connection” took home the prize. Hollywood was obviously more comfortable acknowledging modern-day New York cops and European drug smugglers than futuristic British youths who enjoy taking part in extreme hooliganism.

Pu-leeese. “Brokeback Mountain” is a “powerful, taboo-breaking, necessary” film. But stringing those words together in the same sentence doesn’t always equal “best.” “Crash” won because it is deserving, not because it had the most magazine covers.

JEANNE DONOVAN

Lake Forest

*

ALL the nominated films were worthy films dealing with serious issues, but “Brokeback Mountain” combined serious discussion of a current issue with excellent and emotionally compelling filmmaking, and caused a historic social dialogue. The academy failed to endorse a vital film that exemplifies the best reasons why films are made.

BETH CONLIN

Brookline, Mass.