The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced that it will double the number of films it nominates for the best picture Oscar next year.
But is this good for the art, or is it just a marketing ploy and a mistake? We’re looking at all the perspectives.
We start with
The Los Angeles Times, who says the award show was failing and the Academy’s doing it to bring in more dollar signs.
“This year, amid one of the worst advertising recessions in decades, several sponsors bailed on the broadcast… Widening the field of movies jockeying for the big prize from five to 10 should help attract more viewers, and potentially more advertisers to the show.”
MSNBC’s Morning Joe agrees, saying nobody was interested in the films the academy had been nominating.
“Well, the thing is, look at the films they nominated last year, three people went to see them… Do you remember the year Saving Private Ryan didn’t get best picture? Shakespeare in Love beat it out… Please stop it!”However In Connection says widening the nomination pool just to include more popular films compromises the integrity of the process.
“Steven, I didn’t sell out son, I bought in… keep that in mind.”HecklerSpray.com pokes fun at the move with its headline “Oscars: Every Film Ever To Get Nominated For Best Picture Now” but The Business Insider takes a serious look at the decision, asking is it really good business?
“Adding more nominees is like printing up currency and thinking you'll get wealthier. The Academy is engaged in Zimbabwe-nomics, and what they'll end up doing is inflating away the value of a nomination, getting them nowhere.”Finally ABC’s local Hollywood affiliate (
KABC) brings us this from the Academy who disagrees, saying the award will be worth as much as ever.”
“To be on of ten nominees out of 300 is still pretty special, so I do not think it will dilute what we are doing in any way. Quite the opposite, I think it just enhances, broadens it.”Copy the code and paste it to your blog or website:
