Oscar subjectivity/ injustice: K. HEPBURN, Peter O'TOOLE, STREISAND

[UTUSN]

This is prompted by The Lion in Winter on TCM just now over. It's a movie that never drew me in the first place, and the HEPster has never appealed to me ever in the slightest. Today I gave it the last half hour's chance. Meh, some of her and O'TOOLE's chewing up the voiceboxes sounded false in my tin ear, certainly more from her than from him.

So here's the thing: How in pale, grey Hades could there EVER be a tie for the Oscar?!1 If anytime a hugh new star actually was near the start of a great career and deserved the thing, it was STREISAND. I still remember her acceptance speech discomfit at having to share it while claiming to be flattered to share it with the old warhorse who didn't deign to show up but probably sat curled at her fireplace gloating in her power.

But on with the subjectivity and probable meaningless of awards: Years later the Babster herself took an Oscar for co-writing a song. I've never really been able to swallow that one, either. What, she hummed a harmonic or two to whassisname the principal writer, but got equal credit?!1 It's done a lot, ain't it?!1

But for further injustice: O'TOOLE's not having gotten one. It was touching several years ago when the producers of the so-called Academy offered to GIVE him ("bestow&quot an honorary one, and he refused, saying, (something like) "No, I still might have time left to EARN one?!1" It was clear that the "Academy" wanted to trade off his talent and glamor for their own pissant USING him.

What about Doris DAY, but she's a LIMBOsevic-fan/wingnut. Several years ago LIMBO bragged that DAY is a fan and would call his mother and he said, "Doris, call ME!1"


Oh, then, there's Lauren BACALL, who the whole yakking universe assured everybody that she had the Best Supporting locked up (Mirror/Two Faces), and above all SHE certainly thought she had. When she lost, her disappointment was all over the floor.

[Canis Mala]

2. I thought Bacall was a shoo-in...

O'Toole, Burton, Cary Grant - There are lots who shoulda, but didn't win.

In the modern era, it's amazing to me that Tom Cruise hasn't won - especially for things like Born on the Fourth of July and Magnolia. Even though he's not so popular among critics.

Harrison Ford has been in or been the lead of 8 movies that were either nominated or won best picture, and yet he's never had a nomination.

O'Toole is probably the biggest star still working never to win. It's hard for me to believe that Richard Burton never won because just about every movie he made was Oscar worthy.


Glenn Close is probably the best actress to have never won although she's had 5 noms. She might win this year, finally, for playing a lesbian pretending to be a man.

It's hard to believe there was a tie between Streisand and Hepburn, but I love Kate in Lion, so I can't sympathize much with you.

For years I thought it was a breat embarassment to the academy that Eastwood, Mel and Costner had all won Best Director, but not Scorsese. They fixed that one.

The best directors and actors working today, I think, don't really care. I'd like to think I wouldn't.

[UTUSN]

3. Wowie Zowie!1 You GET me!1 You *really* GET me!1 Thanks for that, sincerely!1 n/t