Watching the Oscars
 

Just wondering who here, if any, actually watches the entire Oscar Broadcast? Or do most of you just watch bits and pieces? I, sadly, watch the whole damn thing. Of course I may channel surf during the song renditions, but I watch over 90% of the thing. I'm not entirely sure why I do it either since I have mixed feelings about the Oscars. I guess I am just a glutton for punishment.

what's all this negative talk...i watch every minute and usually love every minute. i saw all the Golden's and Grammy's, so what's wrong with that?

I'm with you. I watch and enjoy the show every year, guilt-free.

Watch the thing every year, end to end. Even bought my Replay mostly for the purpose of recording this one show each year.

That said, it just has not been up to snuff these past years. I never really knew how important the musical numbers were to the entertainment value of the thing.

For instance, here's my top four favorite Oscar moments from years past:

1. Ann Reinking in overdramatic mode singing "Against All Odds."
2. Telly Savalas, Dom DeLouise and Pat Morita opening the show with a musical salute to the nominees to the tune of "Fugue for Tinhorns."
3. Rob Lowe and Snow White opening the show.
4. The Muppets giving away an award but unable to open the envelope.


Oh Debbie Allen...how you are missed.

With Chris Rock hosting? I highly doubt I'll watch it all. I may mute it until the presenters come out, and what not.

The Rob Lowe/Snow White moment will be forever burned in my memory.

Don't forget about David Niven and the streaker (along with his shortcomings). :)

Oh, and I watch the whole thing every year.

Yes, I watch every minute. (Unfortunately missed the infamous Snow White/Rob Lowe thing that year, though because of personal distractions.) While certain portions of the show drag, it's always fun, especially catching some of the unguarded reactions.

I watch it and enjoy it, though I usually go do something else while the Best Songs are played.

This and the Tony Awards are the only awards shows I watch - and I must admit, this one is a challenge to one's endurance. It's not a question of how <i>good</i> the show will be, more a question of how <i>not as bad as I expected</i> it might be.

My fiance and I will grill some steaks, open a bottle of red, and watch the whole this with big bowls of popcorn.

I'm going to watch it all. I'm also watching the Independent Spirit Awards tonight on Bravo, 10/9 Central. http://www.bravotv.com/Events_&_Specials/

In fact, I think I'll start a new thread for those who aren't aware that they're on tonight.

-JP

Yup, I'll be watching. Will DVDTalk have a live Oscar chat this year?

I will be watching bits and pieces at most.

I usually want to watch the Oscars. But for some reason save for, I think, once in the last 6 years, I always find myself busy and unable to watch the thing. I do enjoy the glitzy hollywoodness of it all though. Unfortunately, this sunday I'll be missing the program again.

Funny thing is I seem to never have this problem with the golden globes. Though that show is actually usually more entertaining because it's shorter and all the celebs are drinking.

can't stand award shows
much easier to spend 2 minutes the next day online reading all the results. shit, the award shows don't even cover all the awards

I recently picked up the network channels on my dish just FOR the Oscars as well as sports championships. I'll be watching this year for the first time in several years.

Alas, I think viewership will be way down this year.
 

Mostly because the major nominees don't include movies that the general public, movie critics and AMPAS members all want to see in a big way. Indeed, none of the Best Picture nominees have even broken the US$100 million box office revenue barrier in first-run release yet! :(

Compare this to the list of blockbuster moneymakers for 2004: Shrek 2, Spider-Man 2, The Passion of the Christ and The Incredibles, all of which aren't nominated in the major categories; The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King was nominated for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay along with a list of lesser nominations and won them all.

Possibly viewership will be down a bit. The Chris Rock thing will help, and I'm sure many watch the awards regardless of who is nominated, just to see the stars and clothing. Anyone know what the viewship for the awards in 1997 were? Were they drastically down? Cause I recall then that besides Jerry Maguire, none of the films were big box office hits either. This year is somewhat comparable to that one (granted, Maguire was a bigger hit then any of these films, but I doubt that one film would've driven Oscar viewship anymore then the lot we have this year).

I'll try my best to sit through the whole thing.

I don't think I've ever watched it all the way through. Wasn't planning on watching it this year.

Been planning a night with the spouse for two weeks. Went out and watched all the Oscar movies at the theaters we could stand this weekend. Then we printed ourselves out a Oscar selection sheet and selected who we thought would win.

We've already been arguing about who will win and who should win, and then there's the "I've won seven time in the past eight years..." speech I end up giving. Think I'll brew a pot of tea and enjoy the show. Really hoping Chris Rock does a good job and maybe...just maybe he'll give us a few great one liners to remember for a life time.

Star Jones :yack:

I will probably watch about 80%. I tried to sit down and watch the past two years, and fell asleep both times.

Hope it's a *little* edgier with Chris Rock with year.

I'm really interested in seeing Chris Rock's opening monologue. But other than that, I'll just be fast forwarding to see the acceptance speeches. (I'm taping it since it doesn't start until 3 AM in here in Holland)

I watch the whole show and even record it so I can have it for the future. You never know when something cool might happen.

The weird thing is: I'm not black, gay, or into fashion. Guess Chris Rock is wrong. :)

I'm just into movies and like seeing all things dealing with film.

My Wife and I always watch the Oscars. And this year will be a treat for us because we will be watching them in HD.

Ian

Of course it's Hollywood politics at it's worst, and aside from being the most pretentious, overrated, worthless piece of shit awards show on television...it does have it's moments.

I just wish Chris Rock would've gotten to host it before all the FCC crackdowns and 5-second delays bullshit.

And yeah, I'll probably watch most of it.

i am in.. as always.

Oh my god, get those nominees OFF THE STAGE! Makes it look like a game show. Yeesh.

First official post-ceremony comment: yawn. Expected Chris Rock to blow, and he pretty much did. Seems like they kept him off camera quite a bit. I did like the "Whoopi" joke though.

Let Robin Williams host. Again? Has he hosted before?

Don't they normally do a special part where they show like a montage or something? Like, I don't know, they have a theme and then show clips from lots of movies and stuff? Pretty disapointed there wasn't one. That's the only thing worth watching really.

Chris Rock was great. We were rolling.

The awards were mostly well chosen, so that's good.

The songs were crap. Beyonce is a bore.

I didn't like the idea of the changes to the format but the brisk pace and shorter length actually worked for me, so thumbs up to those too.

I would like clips for the documentary feature award, however.

Oh, and Sean Penn is a self-serious idiot who apparently wouldn't know a joke if he married one (oh wait, he did in the 80s) Aside from some of his fine performances, the man is a moron.

ETA: They did Scorsese a favor. If his filmography had a note that The Aviator was the film he won best director for it would have been a joke. He needs to start making passionate, provocative, personal films again.

I agree with everything that you wrote except for the Beyonce thing...nothing wrong with lookin' at some eye candy :drool:

Can't agree with you on the Aviator. I think Scorcese and the film got screwed. But that's probably because I didn't love MDB as much as some others.

I was right about MDB winning all the major awards, so happy about that (and won some $$ as well). Best part about the show was the Terminator theme playing during the end credits. :up: Liked the Johnny Carson bit as well.

Poor Marty

My impressions of the broadcast:

Pretty lacklustre overall. No great moments that'll wind up in the final Oscar reel - even the Foxx acceptance was just a rehash of his GG acceptance without the emotion. I guess he expected to win so he wasn't overwhelmed by it.

The thing where they give some of the awards in the aisles, some in the men's room, some out in the parking lot, etc., was really insulting to the winners. I was hoping someone would have refused to accept their award in the aisle. And bringing up all of the nominees in some categories to the stage so the losers would have to just stand there off to the side once they lost? Despicable. I don't know whose idea that was but I'm glad the producer/director is retiring.

I expected M$B to take top honours but was hoping The Aviator would win Director and Picture - it was flawed but not as flawed as M$B was - Marty will probably just get a lifetime achievement award some day rather than a real Oscar. Of course, it would be easier for the Academy to give him an award if he'd make another masterpiece - but of course, he's made three or four and that's three or four more than most directors - I think if he didn't win for Goodfellas after getting passed over for Taxi Driver and Raging Bull then he'll never win one. Who's a paisan gotta badabing to get a frikkin' Oscar?

There *was* a montage of films of Oscar's past. I guess you were in the bathroom at that point or something.

The songs this year kinda sucked, but at least the best of the bunch won. And that acceptance speech was the best of the night - the songwriter sang a little, said thanks and ciao and was outtathere. Classy.

Otherwise there wasn't anything to report really - no big emotional acceptances, no snafus, no comedy - proving once again that the Independent Spirit Awards is really the show to watch every year. Lots of great stuff there - I think they're re-running it all this week on Bravo.

Oscar night at the Apollo.

I like how they filled their Spanish quota in a matter of five minutes by sticking cruz, selema and other spanish person in that five minute slot with the song.

Prince? wtf. Beyonce was just annoying. Penn was a pain. The expected winners were all there.

That bit at the start? Hardly counts in my eyes.

I think a montage just adds superficially to the length, and it ends up being pretty much the same stuff every year. I think if it is a special year, 75th or 80th awards etc, then they could put together a nice montage, but every year seems like needless repetition. I was surprised they didn't do a small montage of each Best Picture nominee, but again, that usually ends up bloating the show's length too much. No Irving Thalberg Award either; maybe because they gave out the Humanitarian Award instead.

And Chris Rock needs to send Sean Penn a check for $80 so he can buy a sense of humor.