By Arlene R. Weiss-All Rights Reserved © Copyright February 25-28, 2013
The 85th Academy Awards® ceremony brought all of their customary sparkle and razzle dazzle to Hollywood’s Dolby Theater, which played host to the Oscars® ceremony this year, and were held on Sunday, February 24, 2013.
The proceedings were broadcast live around the world on the ABC® Television Network. There were many wonderful surprises and especially, lots of glitz, glamour, and this time around, lots of music, as the motion picture industry honored its own in what is still, the biggest, most momentous, and most prestigious award ceremony in the film industry.
Music played a much more prominent role and was much honored at this 85th,illustrious Oscar® ceremony and live broadcast, because for the very first time, The Academy Awards® had a theme, “Celebrating Music In Film”.
British chanteuse Adele’s stellar singing and songwriting talents helped the title track and theme song from the 23rd James Bond film “Skyfall” win the Academy Award® for Best Original Song, becoming the very first Bond film nominated song, to finally, at last, win the coveted gold statuette for the 007 film franchise.
This is the fourth time that a Bond film song has been nominated for Best Original Song, but the three previous Bond film songwriting nominees Paul and Linda McCartney for the title track from 1973’s “Live And Let Die”, the late Marvin Hamlisch and Carole Bayer Sager for “Nobody Does It Better” from 1977’s “The Spy Who Loved Me”, and Bill Conti and Mick Leeson for the title song from 1981’s “For Your Eyes Only”, all failed to win.
This fourth nomination indeed, certainly proved to be the charm, elevated by Adele’s sterling musical gifts, along with “Skyfall’s” co-writer, Adele’s longtime collaborator, producer and co-writer Paul Epworth who also took home an Oscar® along with the British songstress as the two co-penned the song together.
Film Composer Mychael Danna won the Oscar® for Best Original Score, for his enigmatic and ethereal score which he composed for Director Ang Lee’s “Life Of Pi”.
Odds on favorite actress Anne Hathaway won the Academy Award® for Best Supporting Actress for her anguished and emotionally heart wrenching performance as Fantine in the motion picture adaptation of the Broadway musical, “Les Miserables”. The epic musical garnered three Oscars®, additionally winning gold statues in the categories of Best Sound Mixing and in Best Makeup and Hairstyling.
“Searching For Sugarman” which chronicles the real life story of eclectic Detroit 70’s folk singer, songwriter, and guitarist Sixto Rodriguez won the Oscar® for Best Documentary.
Former Bond girl from 2002’s “Die Another Day” and Best Actress Oscar® winner for 2001’s “Monster’s Ball” Halle Berry, looking positively radiant and stunning, introduced the much anticipated “Tribute To 50 Years Of James Bond” in celebration of this year’s 50th anniversary of the James Bond films. As the twangy guitar voicings of Monty Norman’s signature James Bond theme played, a multitude of movie clips unfolded showcasing the many iconic Bond films, actors, gadgets, special effects, and Bond girls.
Then the legendary Dame Shirley Bassey took the stage to belt out perhaps the most infamous and iconic Bond film tune, the title track to 1964’s “Goldfinger”. The 76 years young Welsh/British diva all but stole the show with her phenomenal, spell binding performance exuding enough electricity and pyrotechnics with her mind blowing vocal prowess to light up all of the Dolby Theater.
Dame Shirley, who looked absolutely fabulous, personifying sophistication and the timeless glamour and class of music and Hollywood, oozed sass, class, and lots of brass, as she was backed by the heralding horns and trumpets of the Oscar® orchestra conducted by longtime Oscar® Music Director William Ross.
Singing and albeit announcing the first unforgettable lyric and title of the song, “Goldfinger”, Bassey commanded the stage as her dynamic and majestic, powerhouse vocals crescendoed along with the song as it reached its celebrated climax in which Bassey effortlessly held and roared like a regal musical lioness, the final cataclysmic notes and lyrics of the song, “He loves gold”, quite befitting the Oscars®! Bassey’s bravura performance brought the Oscar® audience to its feet with ovations and cheers.
The tribute to 007 continued with the amazing Adele, who then took the stage to perform her Oscar® winning song, “Skyfall”. Though her performance lacked the charisma, commanding presence, and exuberance of Bassey’s tour de force, and at times Adele seemed somewhat off key and listless, it was a respectable, if somewhat lackluster rendition of the song, which has become the biggest selling hit for a James Bond film theme song to date, reaching 1.6 million downloads according to “Billboard” and “Soundscan”.
Adele’s performance, though, one of the most highly anticipated of the evening, was a tad disappointing. The songstress however, seemed much more enthused and animated when accepting her Oscar® gold, even joyously kissing the golden statue as she gushed with delight and warm appreciation in her gracious acceptance speech.
The Oscars® also reeled out a “Tribute To Musicals”. Catherine Zeta-Jones who previously won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar® for 2002’s film adaptation of the Broadway musical hit “Chicago”, performed a knockout rendition of the sexy and slinky “All That Jazz” from the movie musical. Jennifer Hudson looking just gorgeous in her array of gowns throughout the Oscar® ceremony, who previously won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar® for 2006’s film adaptation of the Broadway musical hit “Dreamgirls” performed a spectacular rendition of her signature song from the silver screen musical, the emotionally moving and soaring “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” eliciting standing ovations from the Oscar® crowd.
For the big finale, the always wonderful, amazingly gifted, and incomparable Hugh Jackman eloquently sang a few brief verses from “Suddenly” which was nominated at this year’s awards for Best Original Song from the film adaptation of the Broadway epic musical “Les Miserables” in which he stars and was nominated for Best Actor, as the heroic Jean Valjean. Jackman’s “Les Mis” co-star, Best Supporting Actress Oscar® winner Anne Hathaway then sang the main lyric line from her heart breaking anthem, “I Dreamed A Dream”. Their cast mates then joined them on stage to stop the show singing the resounding and resolute “One Day More” bringing the Oscar® audience once more to cheers of applause and standing ovations.
Some of the most poignant musical moments of the evening were during this year’s Oscars® “In Memorium” homage to the passing of many of film’s great actors, actresses and filmmakers. As clips played showcasing and paying final tribute to the loss of many film greats this past year, ending with the late Marvin Hamlisch, the legendary Barbra Streisand paid an emotionally understated, touching tribute to Hamlisch, singing one of her most iconic songs, the title song from her 1973 motion picture, “The Way We Were”. Hamlisch composed the music for the song along with lyricists Alan and Marilyn Bergman and it won the Academy Award® for Best Original Song. Streisand’s musical homage evoked the deep affection and regard she holds for the late film composer, who was also her longtime Musical Director for her recent live tours, and her good friend.
Even controversial first time Oscars® host, comedian Seth MacFarlane dropped the sarcastic snark, insults, and bad taste for a few moments during his opening musical medley and monologue. First MacFarlane romantically crooned 1936’s Oscar® winner for Best Original Song, “The Way You Look Tonight” from the musical film “Swing Time” as the amazingly gifted Channing Tatum and Charlize Theron were positively dreamy in their effortless, floating on a cloudlike, sublime ballroom dancing duet, making “Swing Time’s” stars, the great Fred Astaire and Ginger Rodgers more than proud.
MacFarlane also shined when Daniel Radcliffe and Joseph Gordon-Levitt joined him to sing and tap dance along to the exuberant Best Original Song winner, “High Hopes” from 1959’s Frank Sinatra comedy, “A Hole In The Head”.
These moments were imbued with style, class, and beauty and were the only high points to MacFarlane’s otherwise scattershot misogynist, racist, overtly offensive, crude and rude fest. He would have done well to have kept the show going along the same classy lines, but instead pandered to the lowest common denominator in a manner totally unfit for the class, sophistication and intelligence befitting such a prestigious event. After the awards, predominately negative feedback from movie industry peers, fans on social media, and press have already resulted in MacFarlane announcing that he will not be returning to host the Oscars®.
One of the big non musical highlights of the night was when most of the cast of this year’s biggest movie moneymaker, “The Avengers” donned ties and tuxes and took to the stage to present the award for Best Cinematography.
Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, and Samuel L. Jackson all looking positively dashing and stylishly debonair, used the opportunity to playfully and affectionately rib one another, not much unlike Downey’s Tony Stark/Iron Man character does to his superhero friends and allies in the movie. It was a nice tip of the hat from The Academy Awards® and the actors’ peers that the billion dollar plus earning popcorn blockbuster, though not an Oscar® winner, still helped to shore up Hollywood’s overall bottom line by virtue of its huge box office and critical success, bringing people back to movie theaters in droves during 2012, with fans already lining up in anticipation for “The Avengers’” sequel, thereby ensuring and keeping the tinsel town production line afloat and vital for all film production and filmmakers.
Oscar® winner, film composer Mychael Danna was in good company as “Life Of Pi” proved to be a big winner of the night. Despite early predictions that Director Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln” would land the most awards, and that nominee Spielberg would win for Best Director, instead “Life Of Pi’s” Director Ang Lee garnered Oscar® gold’s prestigious honor, winning the Academy Award® for Best Director. “Life Of Pi” also won for Best Visual Effects and Best Cinematography.
Ben Affleck’s critically praised political lightening rod, “Argo”, which had already taken home a slew of awards at the SAG Awards® and the Golden Globe Awards® after the Academy Awards® notoriously snubbed and slighted Affleck by not nominating him in the Best Director category, won the most esteemed Oscar® for Best Picture, as well as garnering an armful of awards in the categories of Best Writing: Adapted Screenplay and Best Film Editing.
Affleck surely was beaming with well deserved pride, especially when his film was also honored by the First Lady herself, Michelle Obama. In a live satellite link from the White House, the First Lady read the Best Picture Nominees with Best Picture Oscar® presenter Jack Nicholson. Then Michelle Obama announced “Argo” as the winner for Best Picture after she gave a just beautiful and very meaningful introduction regaling the importance of the arts and especially movies, stating, “Every day, through engagement in the arts, our children learn to open their imagination, to dream just a little bigger, and to strive every day to reach those dreams. And I want to thank all of you here tonight for being part of that vitally important work.”
Best Actor favorite to win Daniel Day-Lewis didn’t disappoint becoming the only actor in the history of the Oscars® to now have won three Best Actor trophies, as the Academy honored him with Oscar® gold, winning for Best Actor for his virtuous, understated portrait in the title role of “Lincoln”.
The glowing and much liked Jennifer Lawrence won the award for Best Actress for her unwavering performance in “Silver Linings Playbook”. Though she tripped over her gorgeous but very long gown, falling on the stairs as she approached the podium to accept her award, she handled the momentary lapse with warm humor and good natured aplomb.
The Oscar® for Best Supporting Actor went to the always incomparable and just wonderful Christoph Waltz who all but stole Director Quentin Tarantino’s spaghetti western “Django Unchained”, (as well as stealing nearly everything else he appears in!), as the title character’s mentor and friend, Dr. King Schultz.
To read the complete list of all of this year’s winners for the 85th Academy Awards®, go to the Official website for the Academy Awards®.
For the first time ever, the Oscars® are now posting the entire Official 85th Academy Awards® ceremony online for folks who missed the live broadcast or who wish to watch it again, at the link below.
You can also view all the pre-show and post-show Oscar® interviews and backstage dish with the nominees and winners, view slideshows of all the A-List red carpet fashionista glamour, gowns, and tuxes, and experience all the highlights, musical numbers, presenters, winners’ acceptance speeches, and most memorable Oscar® moments at….
On the Official Oscars® Facebook
On the Official Oscars® YouTube
On the Official Oscars® Twitter
Many Congratulations and Best Wishes to both of this year’s Oscar® winning songwriters Adele and Paul Epworth, to film composer Mychael Danna, and to all of this year’s Academy Awards® winners!
© Copyright February 25-28, 2013 By Arlene R. Weiss-All Rights Reserved
