Wordsmith.org
Posted By: wow New Zealand Sweep !!! - 03/01/04 04:09 AM
Eleven Oscars for the New Zealanders - tying Titanic and Ben Hur for most Oscars.
Congratulations to our friends - they must surely be - for this night - on top of the world.

Posted By: sjmaxq Re: New Zealand Sweep !!! - 03/01/04 04:29 AM
Indeed - full credit to Peter, it was trilogy of two halves, and the best team won on the night.

Posted By: Father Steve Re: New Zealand Sweep !!! - 03/01/04 05:00 AM
Someone needs to tell Joan Rivers that there is no "D" in "congratulations."


Posted By: Jackie Re: New Zealand Sweep !!! - 03/01/04 01:28 PM
Obviously Mr. Jackson did a bang-up job with this movie. I enjoyed hearing the NZ accent! I watched the Oscars for the first time in, oh, a decade or two--it had seemed to be brought to my attention in one medium (is that the correct singular of media when you're speaking of news media?) or another practically every time I turned around. Also, I wanted to see the little girl from Whale Rider. The poor thing seemed embarrassed to death when one of the announcing hosts dragged her over to be introduced to some actor whom he had just told millions that she considered a "stud", or some such thing. I had known there wasn't much chance that a child would win, but I thought it was neat that she got nominated. I haven't seen the movie that the actress--oh, Charlize Theron--was in who won, but from the clips shown she was pretty amazing. I liked her acceptance speech, esp. where she thanked her mom for all the sacrifices, and they were both crying.

But I can't help thinking: look at all that glitz, glamour, and hoopla, for what? A movie. A form of entertainment. That in 20 years or less no one will remember. Yes, he worked hard. Yes, he has wonderful talent. But at the end of the day, what will it matter? I really wonder what the total cost of the Academy Awards would be, if someone added up not only the cost of the production itself, but things such as what the stars paid for their clothing and transportation. (One of the things that brought the Oscars to my attention was a clip on the kinds of cars they like to rent to get there.)

I don't mean to be a spoilsport. Sure, they can have this recognition of their achievement. But I couldn't help thinking that it would be nice if we could also do something like this for people who, say, make breakthroughs in medical treatment. Yes, there are the Nobel prizes, but.

Posted By: Buffalo Shrdlu Re: Frito... - 03/01/04 01:34 PM
for what? A movie.

and in the case of LOTR-RotK, a poor adaptation at that...

Posted By: Capfka Re: Frito... - 03/01/04 02:51 PM
Hollywoodising it was the ONLY hope it had of winning one Oscar, never mind 11 of the little beggars. They don't give prizes for sticking to the original plot. And if you think that they do, then you've clearly lost it.

Posted By: Buffalo Shrdlu Re: Frito... - 03/01/04 03:43 PM
I don't give a shit about the prizes...

Posted By: jheem Re: Frito... - 03/01/04 03:57 PM
What prizes?

Posted By: Buffalo Shrdlu Re: Frito... - 03/01/04 04:16 PM
the Oscars, etc...

Posted By: WhitmanO'Neill Re: Frodo lives!... - 03/01/04 04:40 PM
Kudos to the cast and crew of LOTR (and, of course, to J.R.R. Tolkien, without whom none of this would have been possible [remember him? ]).

Posted By: Faldage Re: Frodo lives!... - 03/01/04 04:49 PM
Kudos to the cast and crew of LOTR

Do they have to split it up between (or would you prefer 'among') them?

Posted By: Buffalo Shrdlu Re: Frodo lives!... - 03/01/04 05:20 PM
remember him?

I do, did Peter Jackson?



Posted By: shanks Re: Frodo lives!... - 03/01/04 07:01 PM
I saw a post-Oscars party-doorstepping by the Beeb (at the Vanity Fair party, I think), where (Sir) Ian McKellen seemed exceedingly tired and emotional (remember that euphemism?). It was around 0900 this morning (GMT), and he explained that though there were 11 awards, there actually 27 statuettes of Uncle Oscar handed out, so that they could be shared. And the trilogy had already won some 6 or so gongs for the first two films - though not the glamorous ones. All in all, therefore, Jackson and co. have about 33 Uncle Oscars to share between them - not exactly enough for a cast and crew of thousands, but slightly better odds.

cheer

the sunshine warrior

ps. And to complete all the (film and other) reference, I almost referred to McKellen as 'another splendid bugger'.

Posted By: Capfka Re: Frodo lives!... - 03/01/04 07:22 PM
Well, in one sense, at least, it would have been appropriate!

Posted By: gift horse Re: New Zealand Sweep !!! - 03/01/04 10:06 PM
Congrats, indeed! Despite it's deviation from the books, I enjoyed the trilogy immensely. I watched the Oscars last night and -- like a total loon -- talked aloud to the television; warning the Academy not to slight LOTR's again. Must have worked.

BTW, I read some time ago that Peter Jackson is trying to get the rights to The Hobbit, so he can make it into a film as well. According to the article, Sir Ian McKellan is quite willing to play Gandalf again. He said he preferred Gandalf the Grey to Gandalf the White at any rate.

Posted By: sjmaxq Re: New Zealand Sweep !!! - 03/01/04 10:27 PM
>BTW, I read some time ago that Peter Jackson is trying to get the rights to The Hobbit,


Now that he has the gongs, he can drop the "Peter Jackson" alias, and go by his real name - Melkor.


Posted By: Zed Re: New Zealand Sweep !!! - 03/02/04 12:01 AM
Can you imagine if they had stuck exactly to the books.
18 years of filming and 47 hours of movie. (63 hours for the extended version.)
And the dvd extras would show footage of Liv Tylers (sp??)grandchildren and Ian McKellan's nursing home.


Posted By: Fiberbabe Re: New Zealand Sweep !!! - 03/02/04 12:31 AM
It suddenly occurs to me that New Zealand as an entity didn't exactly sweep... Keisha didn't get nothin' but an introduction to Johnny Depp. Not that I'd turn up my nose, but.

Posted By: Buffalo Shrdlu Re: who's making the popcorn? - 03/02/04 01:05 AM
18 years of filming and 47 hours of movie. (63 hours for the extended version.)

I'm there!!

Posted By: Father Steve Hollywoodising - 03/02/04 04:02 AM
Hollywoodising it was the ONLY hope it had of winning one Oscar

God'll getcha for this, Capfka.



Posted By: Capfka Re: Hollywoodising - 03/02/04 07:10 AM
Oh, I think my card was marked a long time ago, Padre. I've been investing in the asbestos suit manufacturers for years now ...

© Wordsmith.org