Oscar’s No Award Winner
Movies have gotten a lot worse since the last few decades. I went to the movies three times last year, and after watching the dizzying kaleidoscopic changes of the scene every two seconds, I vowed never to torture myself by going to another “new” movie.
Chances are you were among the one billion people around the world who watched the 65th Academy Awards on ABC-TV on Tuesday night. And, if you’re like most people who’ve tuned into it over the years, you’ve probably found it a bit long and a bit boring.
Personally, I rarely watch the show largely because I rarely go to the movies these days. I’d rather watch the great old movies from the ’30s, ’40s and ’50s, remember, the ones that don’t have off-color comments, lewd gestures and explicit sex scenes.
But, because my spouse opted to videotape the TV show, even though neither of us had seen even one of the award-nominated movies, I flipped through the three-plus hour show, mostly in fast-forward. . The way I see it, why should I waste my time watching movies I don’t like (I’ve seen enough to make that judgment over the last 30 years) when I have dozens of titles I like on videotape like titles by Bing Crosby including “Pennies From Heaven” and “Going My Way” as well as “Gunga Din” and “Beau Geste”, well, you get the idea.
Actually, I quite like Clint Eastwood; he certainly deserves congratulations on his achievements as an actor. The problem is that we shower the best of Hollywood (including legitimate theater and now cable TV) with artificial means; Invented because the awards are calculated to increase the box office so that actors and moguls can earn even more money than they do now. Perhaps the original awards were meant to honor the work of actors and others, but today it’s just “show business.”
If Hollywood can do it, why can’t everyone else? I bet if you were pressed you could point out some long-unrecognized co-worker for doing a landlord’s job. I know there are people here at The Hour in every department who deserve accolades for Best Reporter, Best Editor, Best Journalist, Best Publicist, Best Circulation Promoter, Best Computer Operator, Best Manager, and Best Clerk.
The truth is, I have little respect for most awards anyway, not because the people who win them don’t deserve them, but because of the people who don’t receive them, often those who aren’t even considered. Awards are usually given primarily to promote something other than the recipient (if you’re in the insurance business and want to increase profits in the accident business, give an award to a safe driver; it helps promote the industry and perhaps reduce accidents and claims.
Just think. How many awards have you received? What about your co-workers who sing without recognition? Sure we all get salaries, but so does Clint!
If we’re going to award prizes, with all the fuss that goes with them, why not give them to people we can hold up as examples of a worthy ideal we’d all like to strive for?
Doctor, lawyer or Indian chief, we all need recognition. But if we can only honor a few, let us honor those who reflect our best and truest values. Let’s not forget the little one.
