There have been a number of instances all through Oscar historical past the place nobody appeared to know the way the present would go on. In 1938 a large flood in Los Angeles pushed the ceremony again by every week; in 1968 and 1981, the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. and tried assassination of Ronald Reagan compelled delays. Present occasions typically drive the producers to scramble, from the 2018 present’s efforts to deal with the #MeToo motion to the ban on formal apparel on the 1942 Oscars, proper at first of World Conflict II.
In 2003 one other battle was looming—america invaded Iraq simply days earlier than the March 23 Academy Awards, and in contrast to throughout World Conflict II, there was no rallying across the flag taking place in Hollywood. As an alternative the 2003 Oscars started with a obscure montage in regards to the “spirit of America” that aired throughout the pink carpet, and throughout the ceremony an extended checklist of celebrities name for peace or a swift decision to battle. In fact, not everybody’s anti-war message was acquired the identical; Michael Moore’s notorious speech accepting the best-documentary Oscar for Bowling for Columbine was met with scattered loud boos, despite the fact that he earned a standing ovation whereas making his method to the stage.
On this week’s Little Gold Males podcast, the hosts revisit the 2003 awards with returning visitors Joe Reid and Chris Feil of the This Had Oscar Buzz podcast. As David Canfield reported in his current function on the 2003 race and The Hours, it was maybe the height of the Harvey Weinstein period, with three of the 5 best-picture nominees coming from Miramax. However with the revelation of his crimes nonetheless years away, the awards that 12 months performed host to different controversies, from the Michael Moore speech to the best-director win for Roman Polanski, who had fled the US many years earlier than attributable to reconsideration of his statutory rape plea deal. On the identical time, it was a remarkably enjoyable ceremony, and opulent by at the moment’s requirements: montage after montage celebrated what was then 75 years of Oscar historical past, Peter O’Toole accepted his honorary award proper there in the course of the telecast, and the entire thing paused for 10 minutes for an Oscar Household Album second launched by Olivia de Havilland. Fifty-nine Oscar-winning actors sat elbow to elbow onstage, providing the spectacle of Meryl Streep grinning at Barbra Streisand and permitting us all to marvel what Daniel Day-Lewis and de Havilland might need chatted about whereas sitting subsequent to one another. The Oscars completely by no means find time for that form of factor anymore—however with the a centesimal anniversary quick approaching, perhaps now could be the time to rethink?
Take heed to this week’s episode, which additionally consists of dialogue of the current BAFTA and DGA winners, above. E-mail the hosts at littlegoldmen@vf.com, and subscribe to the podcast on Apple or anyplace else you get your podcasts.
Take heed to Vainness Honest’s Little Gold Males podcast now.
