Last year’s Oscar show was so bad, under the direction of young Hollywood hosts James Franco and Anne Hathaway, there was a rush to turn to the old ways, with Billy Crystal enlisted to host a ninth time.
Well that didn’t work any better. And it fact it could have been even worse. The idea of inserting a host into Oscar pictures ma have been new once, but not any more. And the musical number? Flatter than ever.
Still that was an attempt at entertaining, which is more than what most of the Oscars is any more. There are so many superfluous things like films trying to convince us how great movies are – if we didn’t think that we wouldn’t be watching. Cut some of those and you’ll have time for award recipients to actually say their speeches.
And why did categories get shifted around so much? It’s an article of faith that a supporting actor award is thrown out first so audiences can have something to hold on to as things get dull. This year, they saved even that until later.
Is there a need for a Cirque du Soleil performance on a night that runs long, when you’re not playing either best song nominee? It’s possible to streamline the show by reducing the bloat and just handing out statues. Other shows have done that and been over in a couple of hours.
The Grammys will probably overtake the Oscars this year in the ratings, and it’s a testament to not changing with the times.