The Reasons I Love The Oscars ®

Well, it's not the dresses or the tuxes, and it's not even the actors. It's the recognition, it's the pinnacle, it's the epitome (which I like to pronounce ep-i-tome (hard O!) on purpose, ha!) of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

The actors are nice, but I'm going to see them ad nauseum repeated on every news broadcast, info-tainment program, entertainment-style blog, and magazine cover. I LOVE, actually I FLOVE (you know what the "F" is for) the real awards - the Arts and Science of Motion Pictures. I love the costumes (Edith Head), I love the makeup (Rick Baker), I love the score (okay, I AM sick of John Williams), I love the art direction, I love the writing, I FLOVE the animators. I love seeing artists, real artists choke up over being recognized in front of an international audience. Their peers have chosen them, the people who know what sound editing, and cinematography, and visual effects really are, and really mean to the ultimate success of a motion picture. (Don't you love that expression "motion picture"? stop and think about it!).

In April of 1979 I was at Dorval Airport waiting for a friend to arrive from Edmonton, at the other arrival gate we noticed a group of about 30 people with a camera or two manned by CBC staffers, so forget our friend, we're watching this gate..... Well two (not-movie-star-style) people start down the escalator carrying gym bags, the crowd goes wild, we get in close.... They open the gym bags and lift out an Oscar ® each.... They are mobbed as they hit the floor, they hold out the Oscars ®, never letting go, Oscar ® firm in grip, I get in close, maybe 3-4 feet away.... They are impressive, no, they are FIMPRESSIVE!!!!! OH MY GOD..... It is John Weldon and Eunice MacAulay fresh from Los Angeles, fresh from winning for Best Animated Short ("Special Delivery", NFB).... I want one, I want one SO BAD. Years later I finally consider what categories I might eventually be eligible in... hmmmm... original screenplay?? animated short? live-action short? documentary short? (note: does not play well with others).

Sigh..... I have been writing an Academy Award acceptance speech since 1979, all I have to do is be involved in an Oscar ® -winning film! I love the Oscars ® . I love them when they are right, I love them when they are wrong, I love the great hosts, I love the bad hosts, I love the poignant moments, I love the cheesy dance numbers. I love the sweat on the brows. I especially love all the awards that most people claim are filler. I LOVE Motion Picture Artists and Scientists having their moment in the spotlight (I do hate the orchestra waving them off, or the one person on a team hogging the microphone.)....

This is the Artists' Super Bowl/Olympics/World Cup all wrapped in one. Oh yeah, it's the Oscars ® !!! (TM, right?)

I love the tears, I love the joy, I FLOVE the Oscars ®. Ask me about them, anytime....

Marion Pennell

http://mari0n.com (the "0" is a zero, not a capital "O" - that makes me look fat)

p.s. if you need a painting for set decoration in your upcoming film????