Tomorrow is the day of the gay Superball, otherwise known as the Academy Awards. I unabashedly love the Oscars, though I certainly don’t believe in the Oscars as an infallible indicator of ultimate merit. How can you possibly take seriously an institution that allegedly honors the greatest achievements in Hollywood film, yet never saw fit to confer a competitive award on Alfred Hitchcock or Barbara Stanwyck (who each did go on to receive late-in-life honorary awards)?
Not only do the best films rarely win; frequently, they’re not even nominated. That happened once again this year. Quentin Tarantino, the director of the year’s best Hollywood film, Django Unchained, was snubbed. (Trust me, he won’t win until he gets boring — as was the case with Martin Scorsese when he finally won). And 2012’s greatest cinematic achievement, the darkly mesmerizing film The Turin Horse by the Hungarian master filmmaker Bela Tarr, was all too predictably shut out.
Nevertheless, in spite of all the crap that Oscar frequently sanctifies and all the greatness it routinely ignores, I’m an Oscar fan. While I do cheer for my favorites in each category, what I mostly enjoy is the ritual and the spectacle of the damn thing. I love the fashion show element and take much delight in both the legitimately stunning gowns and the most wackily demented ensembles (Bjork’s legendary swan dress and many of Cher’s 80s- and 90s-era costumes being among the highlights in the latter category).
I also love the idea that it’s a live show and anything can happen. There’s always a chance that a fascinating entertainment debacle like the infamous Rob Lowe and Snow White duet might occur. Or that a celebrity may do or say something ranging from the deeply embarrassing (Jack Palance’s onstage push-ups) to the thrillingly outrageous (Marlon Brandon sending the Indian to collect his Godfather award).
In honor of the Oscars, I’m posting the YouTube below, in which an actor brilliantly impersonates 75 best supporting actress winners in less than 6 minutes. I think it’s inspired and totally hil-air, but a warning — the dude is seriously manic and, at least in the intro, pretty hard to take. But if you can get past the intro you might enjoy both the guy’s artistry and his unabashed fandom. Speaking as a film geek, I certainly do!
