It All Started With A Book
So Brokeback Mountain didn't make a grand sweep. I'm still trying to get over the disappointment. Especially since I haven't had the opportunity to enjoy Crash yet and am terribly biased in my choice of 'Best Motion Picture'. But there are some consolations.
Ang Lee's triumph, for one. If only one person from the Brokeback team landed an Oscar I would have wanted it to be him. He truly deserved it for (as Proulx) herself put, 'making the screen better than the page'. Courage, faith and love. That's what he truly won the Oscar for.
The other sweet moment was Larry McMurtry's speech, in which he reminded the hundreds of millions of Brokeback fans that it was a book first. I felt a deep gratitude towards him for acknowledging the invisible and often forgotten creators of the many magnificent adapted screenplays, and for also paying tribute to the wonderful culture of the books.
And as I watched the nominees for the Best Foreign Language Film category, I made a little wish that one day, Malaysian filmakers the likes of Yasmin Ahmad will see their works of art vying for the golden statue. Who knows? Sometimes wishes do come true.
Ang Lee's triumph, for one. If only one person from the Brokeback team landed an Oscar I would have wanted it to be him. He truly deserved it for (as Proulx) herself put, 'making the screen better than the page'. Courage, faith and love. That's what he truly won the Oscar for.
The other sweet moment was Larry McMurtry's speech, in which he reminded the hundreds of millions of Brokeback fans that it was a book first. I felt a deep gratitude towards him for acknowledging the invisible and often forgotten creators of the many magnificent adapted screenplays, and for also paying tribute to the wonderful culture of the books.
And as I watched the nominees for the Best Foreign Language Film category, I made a little wish that one day, Malaysian filmakers the likes of Yasmin Ahmad will see their works of art vying for the golden statue. Who knows? Sometimes wishes do come true.
posted by starlight at 4:20 PM
3 Comments:
Actually Larry McMurthy's quite a guy, you'll know what I mean if you've read his book Lonesome Dove(among others). We did it at our book club and everyone came out loving the book. So he himself is a writer who thought up characters that stay with us.
Cheers,
Uma
Actually, I think that Ang Lee really is the ONLY nomination from the movie deserving of an Oscar.
Nothing against Heath and Jake, but their performance, albeit good, weren't of enough calibre to make the major leagues. Michelle's was better, but again, not Oscar worthy.
Haven't watched the Oscars yet, but am so glad that McMurtry took the effort to shine the spotlight on Annie Proulx. It's really been bugging me how people have been discussing the film with obvious ignorance of the fact that it's an adapted screenplay.
uma - just added Lonesome Dove to my 'Must Read' list. It's sitting at number 50-something. Will probably only get around to reading it next year!!
spot - i think heath's performance was great but perhaps the role itself paled in comparison to that of truman capote. like if it was between monster and walk the line, i think charlize would have won the oscar instead of reese. michelle was good considering her only other 'memorable' role was in dawson's creek. and yes, it was bugging me too that people were ignoring the book...or even unaware that it was an adaptation!! god bless mcmurthy!
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