and put back the writing awards!

Well, sure, we all know about how the show goes (gave new meaning to the word lugubrious, even with Bob Hope), and how a lot of it is just a bunch of political posturing...but having been involved with the biz I always watch.

And, wow, actually the writing awards are still there, "Best Original Screenplay" and "Best Screenplay from an Adapted Source", I just didn't put them in because, as a writer, I've always had an attitude about Hollywood because film is not a writer's medium. As soon as the script is turned over, the directors and producers do whatever they want with it, and screenwriters joke that there's a special bar in L.A. after productrions wrap where all the screenwriters go "after getting f***** again." Unlike in the legitimate theatre where the playwright's words are treated with the respect of scripture, no changes without the playwright's consent (except, perhaps, for a minor word, here, or a phrase, there). Only one screenwriter achieved the type of respect where he, more or less, had control over his scripts, the master Paddy Chayefsky (who died too young...Network, Marty, others). The only other writers who have script control are auteurs like Woody Allen, but their numbers are slim indeed (look to Annie Hall for a prime example of good film-writing, folks!). There has been somewhat of a gain in respect, finanacially, for screenwriters over the last several years, however. Some established writers now command $1-$2 million a script. Up until about four or five years ago, while the producers, directors, and stars were earning megamillions, most writers were lucky to be thrown $100,000 bucks or so for a script.

So here's my omitted picks (selected by who I think will win, not my personal choice...if I had my druthers I'd give The Lord of the Rings all 13 awards it's up for):

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Christopher Nolan, Memento

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: Jackson, Walsh, Boyens; The Lord of the Rings

(now excuse me while I take my overly-kinetic husky/collie, Milo, for a walk on the beach...)