Pole Dancing In The Dark

Brokeback Crash

The Wah Awards

From IMDB yesterday:

'Brokeback' Author Slams Oscars

Brokeback Mountain author Annie Proulx has slated the Academy Awards for giving the Best Picture Oscar to Crash at this year's presentation ceremony. In an essay published by British newspaper The Guardian, Proulx describes voters as "out of touch" and "segregated" from current issues, and insists they were easily influenced by Crash's production company Lions Gate Entertainment. She writes, "Roughly 6,000 film industry voters, most in the Los Angeles area, many living cloistered lives behind wrought-iron gates or in deluxe rest homes, out of touch not only with the shifting larger culture and the yeasty ferment that is America these days, but also out of touch with their own segregated city, decide which films are good. And rumor has it that Lions Gate inundated the academy voters with DVD copies of 'Trash' - excuse me, Crash - a few weeks before the ballot deadline. Next year we can look to the awards for controversial themes on the punishment of adulterers with a branding iron in the shape of the letter A, runaway slaves, and the debate over free silver."

Blah blah blah... wah

And from NY Times:

Upset 'Brokeback' Fans Advertise Their Feelings
But after "Brokeback Mountain" lost the best picture Oscar to "Crash," more than 800 fans — participants in an online discussion group known as the Ultimate Brokeback Forum — chipped in more than $24,000 to buy a full-page ad in Daily Variety. The ad, which ran Friday, thanked the makers of the movie "for transforming countless lives through the most honored film of the year."

"I felt we had to do something," said Dave Cullen, a journalist in Denver who bought the ad after setting up several Brokeback sites, at addresses including brokeback.davecullen.com. "People were distraught, upset, angry; they couldn't believe it."

No, I haven’t seen the movie… either of them in fact. I’ve pretty much stayed away from the movie theaters as much as possible for two reasons. 1. They are over priced and 2. The ambiance sucks most massively. Ok, there is a third reason… the hubster. He is a movie junky who knows his stuff when it comes to setting up his own home theater. If we were to buy a bigger widescreen HD projection TV, we would have to move. Now, that isn’t necessarily bragging, it more the fact that the basement in our house is … cozy. So, when it comes to viewing movies, I prefer to wait until they are out on DVD or On Demand. Plus, with my rock concert damaged ears, it gives me the opportunity to watch movies with subtitles, so I don’t have to turn to the hubster every five minutes to ask him what was said. It’s amazing how fast you get used to them.

I have only made the exception to the movie theater rule about three times in the past year… (that I can recall). The Exorcism of Emily Rose – which was fortunately playing with subtitles for the hearing impaired at the local theater. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (a most disappointing experience) and … wait, four movies… I lied. Serenity (awesome) and Nochnoi Dozor (Night Watch – a movie that makes me wish I knew Russian fluently). So, there it is, the movie list.

Anyway, as I was saying. Is it just me, or are these idiots just being really sore losers? I wonder how many of them are still suffering from PESTS (just in case you have been living under a rock it’s “Post Election Stress and Trauma Syndrome”)? Face it people, Brokeback lost. Get over it.

“Proulx describes voters as "out of touch" and "segregated" from current issues, and insists they were easily influenced by Crash's production company Lions Gate Entertainment”

No honey, perhaps it is you and your ilk that is out of touch with current issues. Personally, I don’t give a shit to what someone’s sexuality is, and I don’t care for it being thrown constantly in my face. I have and had plenty of friends that are gay, but I don’t think that it defines them as a human being. They would be just as wonderful if they were straight. Who knows? But somehow to hold up this movie as ground breaking just because it depicts a couple of gay ranchers is bullshit, plain and simple. And perhaps instead of focusing on the homosexual issue, perhaps it is better to focus on the moral one – a man cheating on his wife. How is that any different than a half dozen other movies out there other than the “other woman” is now a man? It’s still cheating.

Also, I think there are bigger “current issues” that take up more importance in the voter’s minds. For instance, racism, and the different forms it takes. Such as was portrayed in Crash. That it isn’t just whites that are bigots. Bigatory comes in all sorts shapes, sizes, colors and backgrounds. Matter of fact, the venom spewing forth from Proulx’s mouth could also be construed as a form of bigotry. Bigotry against those who preferred Crash to your Trash – to use your own sour grape description.

Personally, I still have no overwhelming urge to watch either film because neither one appeals to me on any level. But I am less likely to watch Brokeback now due to the backlash of the writer, the director and the pathetic 800 fans that feel that the world should know their angst by publishing an ad… well, at least their ad was a more positive route, but still... gah.

Posted by Ethne at March 16, 2006 03:36 PM | TrackBack