The changing Oscar rules are still a hot topic these days. At an Academy screening of Cheri last weekend (more on that anon) some members wanted to be consulted while others feel that the Board of Governors did its job. One member who sees everything and votes with the foreign branch doesn't care at all. Just who are the folks who vote for these crucial decisions? The Academy's official governors list is on the jump.
Variety editor-in-chief Tim Gray weighs in. So does the LAT's Patrick Goldstein twice the NYT's David Carr Time's Richard Corliss and In Contention's Kris Tapley.
A friend sent me this list of ten films from 1999:
All About My Mother
Being John Malkovich
Boys Don't Cry
Election
Eyes Wide Shut
Fight Club
Magnolia
The Matrix
The Talented Mr. Ripley
Topsy Turvy
Here are the five best picture candidates that year:
American Beauty
The Cider House Rules
The Green Mile
The Insider
The Sixth Sense
That year the Academy voted for mainstream soft lobs down the middle over higher brow fare. Some of the movies on the long 1999 list (Fight Club Eyes Wide Shut) were tainted by failure at the time (and look better in hindsight) while others came from directors who hadn't yet earned admission into the Academy insiders club. Boys Don't Cry earned a deserved Best Actress win for Hilary Swank. Others landed nominations in other categories.
What makes so many people uncomfortable is the unknown. How will it work? Were these monumental changes made for the right reasons (commerce or art)? And will the changes achieve the desired goals? I totally approve of moving the honorary Oscars to a separate awards show where everyone will get more time. And I will have to deal I admit with no longer being an Oscar expert. Ten movies vying for best picture levels the Oscar prognosticator playing field: now everybody knows nothing.
Home : Meet the Academy : History & Organization : Board of GovernorsBoard of Governors 2008–2009The Board of Governors consists of representatives from each of the 15 Academy branches. All branches are represented on the Board by three governors except the Makeup Artists & Hairstylists Branch created in 2006 which has one representative.The Board of Governors is responsible for corporate management control and general policies. The Board of Governors also appoints an executive director to supervise the administrative activities of the Academy. Executive Director Bruce Davis and his staff of over 200 conduct the Academy’s day-to-day business.OfficersPresident – Sid Ganis Public Relations BranchPrior to establishing his production company Out of the Blue... Entertainment Mr. Ganis served terms as a marketing executive at Sony Pictures Entertainment Paramount Pictures and Lucasfilm Ltd.First Vice President – Robert Rehme Executives BranchA former president of Universal Pictures and CEO of New World Mr. Rehme has served two separate terms as president of the Academy. His producing credits include “Patriot Games” and “Flight of the Intruder.”Vice President – Kathleen Kennedy Producers BranchMs. Kennedy has received six Best Picture nominations as producer. Her credits include “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial” and “Munich.”Vice President – Hawk Koch Producers BranchThe only second-generation Academy governor Mr. Koch’s producing credits include “Gorky Park” and “Losing Isaiah.”Treasurer – Tom Sherak Executives BranchMr. Sherak is the former chairman of the 20th Century Fox Domestic Film Group and was a partner at Revolution Studios.Secretary – Cheryl Boone Isaacs Public Relations BranchMs. Isaacs is a public relations executive and the former head of publicity at Paramount Pictures. She also served as president of theatrical marketing for New Line Cinema.Executive Director – Bruce DavisBoard of GovernorsDede AllenFilm Editors BranchMichael AptedDocumentary BranchCraig BarronVisual Effects BranchEd Begley Jr.Actors BranchCurt BehlmerSound BranchCarl BellShort Films and Feature Animation BranchAnnette BeningActors BranchJon BloomShort Films and Feature Animation BranchRosemary BrandenburgArt Directors BranchJames L. BrooksWriters BranchBruce BroughtonMusic BranchDonn CambernFilm Editors BranchMartha CoolidgeDirectors BranchCaleb DeschanelCinematographers BranchRichard EdlundVisual Effects BranchLeonard EngelmanMakeup BranchRobert EpsteinDocumentary BranchCharles FoxMusic BranchJim GianopulosExecutives BranchMark GoldblattFilm Editors BranchDon HallSound BranchArthur HamiltonMusic BranchCurtis HansonDirectors BranchMark JohnsonProducers BranchJeffrey KurlandArt Directors BranchJohn LasseterShort Films and Feature Animation BranchMarvin LevyPublic Relations BranchPaul MazurskyDirectors BranchKevin O’ConnellSound BranchJeannine OppewallArt Directors BranchRichard PearceDocumentary BranchFrank PiersonWriters BranchPhil RobinsonWriters BranchOwen RoizmanCinematographers BranchBill TaylorVisual Effects BranchHenry WinklerActors BranchVilmos ZsigmondCinematographers Branch
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