Newsweek: Will Oscar Listen? Fahrenheit 9/11 v. The Passion of Christ

[Tesibria]

'Fahrenheit 9/11' and 'The Passion' were the most electrifying movies of the year. Will Hollywood honor one—or snub the other—to make a point?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6257067/site/newsweek/

Oct. 25 issue - Millions of people surely believe that Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" and Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11" deserve best-picture Oscar nominations. Unfortunately, most of them don't vote for the Academy Awards. Despite shattering box-office records and dominating headlines for months, these two films face real obstacles in the race for Hollywood's top prize. Of the many high-placed studio executives, producers, Oscar strategists, publicists and Academy members interviewed for this story, most think that "Fahrenheit's" chances depend on the results of the presidential election, and all say that a "Passion" best-picture nod is almost unthinkable. Hollywood, with its Jewish roots, did not experience "The Passion" as a transcendent religious and emotional event, as so many other viewers did. Some haven't forgiven Gibson for even making the film, let alone forgotten his father, Hutton, and his inflammatory statements about the history of the Jews. "I'll tell you why 'The Passion' won't be nominated," snaps one industry executive. "Happily, there are too many people in the Academy who believe the Holocaust actually happened."

.....

Moore's "Fahrenheit" is facing an entirely different problem. Its anti-Bush, antiwar content plays like gangbusters in liberal Hollywood, but even people who love it wonder if it rises to the level of artistry and timelessness worthy of a best-picture nomination. "Even if they think Moore's the modern equivalent of Thomas Paine," says one executive, "that doesn't mean they think it's great filmmaking." The movie was considered almost certain to win the best-documentary Oscar until Moore decided he would rather broadcast the movie on pay-per-view television the night before the election, making it ineligible in that category, and put his chips on a best-picture bid instead. "It's thumbing your nose at a sure thing," says one rival. "Even I don't have that much gall." If Moore's gamble pays off, it could become the first documentary in history to get a best-picture nomination. It's already the highest-grossing doc ever—$119 million—and sold $4.7 million in DVDs its first week of release.

Most insiders believe its fate is inextricably tied to the election—but they can't agree on whether a Bush or a Kerry win helps Moore the most. "If John Kerry wins, 'Fahrenheit' gets nominated," says one exec. "Then it becomes 'the movie that changed the course of American history,' and the perception will be that Moore contributed to Bush's loss." Or not. "Its chances are zero if Kerry wins, because then the protest is over and everybody feels better," says another source. And, says one Academy member, "If Kerry loses, it gets nominated as a big 'f-- you' to Bush."


....more....http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6257067/site/newsweek/

[NMDemDist2]

1. i thought MM had taken it out of Oscar running by releasing the DVD

and trying to get it on PPV?

[tinanator]

2. removed from Best Documentary

and he doesnt need another one of those. If Kill Bill wont get Best Picture (being the best movie ever made;) ) then Farenheit certainly should. Good Luck Michael.
Any word about supporting actors? :P

[charlie]

3. There it is

Three paragraphs that make it clear as glass that the Oscars have fuck-all to do with the quality of a film. I haven't the faintest idea why public attention is held in thrall of this high school pageantry year after year.

[HawkerHurricane]

4. That's always been true.

Or at least since the 1950's.

I found out when Annie Hall beat Star Wars for best picture.

It was confirmed to me when 'Hoop Dreams' didn't win best documentary because 'It's already made enough money'.

Oscar's are often about what you did last year but didn't get a award for... "You were great in <blank>, but we didn't nominate you because we needed to give one to what's his name because he was overdue, you were mediocre this year but because we snubbed you last year we'll give you one anyway""o, you like me!"

I only check out the oscars to see who was nominated, and I'll look the day after (never watch the show) to see who got snubbed.