This year's Oscars show credited the Horror genre as the most popular in the industry, honored Roger Corman at the Governor's Ball and featured a montage-tribute to horror movies. So, a red-letter night for our genre and industry! Flashing back on all the fresh faces that first emerged to be slashed and splattered across the silver screen was a real eye-opener. To be reminded that many A-list stars began their auspicious careers in horror projects was a terrific thing to see.
Sad to say there was no obit in the farewell reel for veteran actor (and iconic Count Yorga) Robert Quarry. Bob was much more than just a horror icon. He was a talented stage actor, gourmet chef and Bon vivant. He was also a razor sharp, bellowing wit and a best friend of his contemporary, Katherine Hepburn. He had such a big, undeniable voice in life. It was odd that the Academy would leave him silent, overlooking him in their good-byes. He was a friend of mine and I hoped he'd be remembered. Well, I'll never forget him.
Perhaps the most real-life-horrifying point in the show for me was when producer Elinor Burkett pulled a Kanye West, rushing the stage and bushwacking her director Roger Ross Williams in the midst of his acceptance speech for Best Documentary Short. When I realized - a) what she was doing and b) that I couldn't understand what the f#*k she was talking about, I put my fingers in my ears, squinted and recited the alphabet until friends assured me she was through. I was just mortified. How anyone could interrupt a person's once in a lifetime triumph is just awe inspiring. Well, congrats on winning for MUSIC BY PRUDENCE, Mr. Williams! That's YOUR statue. I hope Ms. Burkett is thrown out of every party in Hollywood. She should be forced to sit alone in her sparkly purple trash bag and eat stale pie at Ships Coffee Shop until she learns her lesson.
[Note: There's interesting inside info about this flap here: MTV MUSIC Apparently Burkett was removed as producer from the project nearly a year ago - sheesh! She's even worse than I'd imagined]
Congrats to Katheryn Bigelow - Best Director! I was pulling for her all the way. Also a big YAY to Barney Burman, Mindy Hall and Joel Harlow for Best Makeup. And a special hats-off to THE COVE, A documentary so profoundly disturbing that I still haven't been able to bring myself to watch it. But, being familiar with the subject matter and hearing of how viewing it affected people I respect, I am confident it deserved its Oscar. So who in our family will get one next year?
Also missing from the obit reel: Bea Arthur, Farraw Fawcett, Richard Todd, James Whitmore, Pat Hingle, Gene Kelley, and Carl Ballantine.
ReplyDeleteBOOOOOO!
I wish the shades of all of 'em had shown up and destroyed the place, like some scene out of Poltergeist!