reason #539 to hate hollywood
Yesterday, the Independent Spirit Award nominees were announced. The prestigious award honors those who, through grit and determination, found a way to make movies outside the studio system where financing is scant.
Nominees for top honors this year include Jonathan Demme (director of the megahits Silence of the Lambs and Philadelphia), Jenny Lumet (daughter Sidney Lumet, director of the megahits The Verdict and Dog Day Afternoon) Anne Hathaway (star of the megahit The Devil Wears Prada, and megabomb Get Smart) and Debra Winger (star of the megahits Urban Cowboy and An Officer and a Gentleman).
Those names represent the very essence of studio independence, don't you think?
This just whets my appetite for the annual Academy Award jerk-off festival.
posted by The Unbearable Banishment at
7:46 AM
9 Comments:
you're only up to reason #539?
have a cousin-lette who was just notified her indie short film was declined for viewing at Sundance. same thing... the not-really-independent-and-broke regulars get the invites while the true indies have to just watch ... [sigh]
i'm with you on this one all the way.
It's hip to be indie and of course that attracts the well-heeled and not at all indie. It's like anything else. When the geeky kids come up with something that turns out to be cool, the cool kids co-opt it.
if they REALLY wanted to be hip and indie, then the big name folks would produce, direct, etc under pseudonyms...
I don't think that word means what they think it means. I got a solicitous e-mail from Warner Music Groups "Independent" subsidiary this morning. Just what exactly is independent about any act of Warner's roster.
gnu: Only 539 because I'm trying to take a more Zen approach to life.
annie: My old NYC neighborhood the Lower East Side suffered the exact same fate.
daisy: I never thought of that angle but it's an excellent idea. You're an idea girl!
free: The big guys co-opted the term Independent. It is now meaningless.
star of the megahits Urban Cowboy and An Officer and a Gentleman).
Wha.......? Megahits? Do we live in the same universe?
In my esteemed opinion (whatever that's worth....hollywood = tripe. Pure and simple.
rob: Megahit meaning $$$, not artistic achievement.
*sigh*
Possible post in your future ca. Feb. 2009 - a methodical list of those who were snubbed. I haven't enjoyed the Oscars since Scorcese got snubbed for Costner's Dances With White Liberalism, I mean Wolves.
Still, this could be van Sant's year, and he did make Drugstore Cowboy, one of the best independent films ever made.
peace,
SA
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