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October 28, 2009
AMPAS Governor's Awards
Quietly creeping up on us is the Governor's Awards, this year's spin-off of the honorary awards traditionally featured during the Oscar telecast.
This show, which will be taped but not televised, is in the ballroom at Hollywood & Highland where the Governor's Ball is done each year (since the Kodak). The honorees this year are John Calley, Roger Corman, Lauren Bacall, and the great cinematographer, Gordon Willis.
The only reason it is now on my radar at all is that I looked it up after being reminded that it was happening after I tried to schedule something with a friend who is obliged to attend. That's a little quiet when you consider The Academy is honoring 4 true legends.
Sadly, Calley is not expected to attend due to health issues. And the price per ticket is scaring away some who you would expect to be in the ballroom... $350 a head for dinner.
Posted by dpoland at October 28, 2009 01:59 PM
Comments
Strange as this may sound, and with much respect Mr. Calley, Mr. Corman and Ms. Bacall, you can understand how and why they have never been awarded Oscars (and that is not to say that they have never deserved one).
Like so many great executives, Calley gave the green light so other people could play and he stood back and watched them reap the gold. Corman was always too much of an outsider and Bacall, legend that she is, has rarely had the great screen roles.
Which brings me to Mr. Willis. How on earth has he only ever been nominated twice? But then, in both years, the winners were indeed worthy (if in the case of Dean Semler for Dances With Wolves, a tad predictable), but Zelig? Wonderful work. And that is not even mentioning the obvious two giants from the 70s. However, it is for All The President's Men that I think he should have been a lock. But then, Haskell Wexler won with Bound for Glory, and I would not argue with that.
A pity to hear that John Calley is unwell. Any interviews I have ever seen of him (esp. about Kubrick), he has always come across as very, very intelligent and pleasant company.
Posted by: The Pope ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.mcnblogs.com/thehotblog/nav-commenters.gif)
at October 28, 2009 02:42 PM
The fact that Corman may be an "outsider" should not disqualify him from the honor. Hell, if that were the case, no foreign director or actor should ever win. Calley deserves it if for no other reason than the extraordinary run of films he green-lit at Warners in the early 70s. And as for Bacall, she's been a star for 60 years, and, with some obvious help from Howard Hawks, gave us a new kind of insolent leading lady in an era dominated by the demure likes of Greer Garson, Ingrid Bergman and Olivia DeHavilland. All three of them are beyond worthy and totally overdue.
Posted by: Cadavra at October 28, 2009 05:41 PM
It was said that Willis didn't get nominated more because 1) you couldn't see people's eyes and 2) he was based in NY (!). As for Bacall, it is definitely a case of the sum greater than the parts. Ideally they'll get Barbra Streisand, her "Mirror Has Two Faces" director to present her award. (Besides, almost every major co-star of hers is gone!)
Posted by: samguy at October 28, 2009 10:39 PM
Wow, this is kind of infuriating to me. I know I'm in the extreme minority on this one, but I would rather watch the awards show with Bacall, Corman, and Willis than the snoozefest in a few months.
Wasn't Willis also considered to be extremely difficult to work with and unlikeable? Not that plenty of those people didn't win plenty of awards...
Posted by: jeffmcm at October 28, 2009 11:39 PM
Cadavra,
I think that perhaps my point was loss in the length of my post. I completely agree with you that all of the people who are being honored this year are worthy of being so (and have been so in the past). I was just trying to put in context why it is explicable that they have not been awarded before: Corman was an "outsider," Calley was an "executive" but that in no way makes their work any less valid. In fact, I think it may say more about the Academy and their conservatism than the merits of this year's four.
Yes, Jeffmcm, I heard the same about Gordon Willis. People have called him Rembrandt, but he had a reputation for not respecting actors and what percentage of the Academy is made up of actors? Still doesn't detract from the fact that he is a hands-down genius.
Posted by: The Pope at October 29, 2009 12:36 AM
I would love to see Willis's (lone?) directorial effort, WINDOWS, with Talia Shire about a crazy lesbian stalker.
One of those movies that for all intents and purposes DOESN'T EXIST ANYMORE, as it's impossible to find, certainly not on DVD, but I don't ever remember it being on cable or VHS, like, ever.
Posted by: LexG at October 29, 2009 03:46 AM
Lex, sincerely, you missed nothing. I saw it when it came out and it's dreadful; essentially a stalker/slasher film in fancy-dress clothes.
Posted by: Cadavra at October 29, 2009 02:10 PM
Cadavra: Ditto.
Posted by: Joe Leydon at October 29, 2009 04:35 PM
Whatever Willis' rep was, and his alleged treatment of actors, don't forget that he would have been nominated by his fellow cinematographers. So I still stand by my reasoning as to the serious lack of nominations for him.
Posted by: samguy at October 29, 2009 09:59 PM
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