Pulitzer Prize winning author Annie Proulx, whose short story about two star-crossed cowboys was adapted into 2005’s award-winning sensation "Brokeback Mountain," dished out a bitter, and hilarious, Oscar night commentary following the surprise shut out of acting awards for her love story.
Published in the Guardian a week after the Academy Awards show, Prouxl’s rant covers the gamut of the Oscar experience — from the anti-gay protesters outside the Kodak, to the self-important designer gown-clad attendees, to the "conservative heffalump academy voters" — but, most deliciously, relates the utter shock and disappointment in the "Brokeback" camp when their pic won only three Oscars ("And that was it, three awards, putting it on equal footing with "King Kong."").
And although the best of Prouxl’s quotable lines can’t top the vitriol of calling Best Pic winner "Crash" "Trash," here’s a selection of her admitted "Sour Grapes Rant."
On the merits of non-Oscars award shows:
"If you are looking for smart judging based on merit, skip the Academy Awards next year and pay attention to the Independent Spirit choices."
On the success of Lions Gate’s last minute "Crash" DVD campaign:
"Next year we can look to the awards for controversial themes on the punishment of adulterers with a branding iron in the shape of the letter A, runaway slaves, and the debate over free silver."
On host Jon Stewart‘s lukewarm reception:
"witty and quick, too witty, too quick, too eastern perhaps for the somewhat dim LA crowd."
On other Best Actor nominees, who played characters based on real people:
"Hollywood loves mimicry, the conversion of a film actor into the spittin’ image of a once-living celeb. But which takes more skill, acting a person who strolled the boulevard a few decades ago and who left behind tapes, film, photographs, voice recordings and friends with strong memories, or the construction of characters from imagination and a few cold words on the page?…Cheers to David Strathairn, Joaquin Phoenix and [Philip Seymour] Hoffman, but what about actors who start in the dark?"
On the montage, live performances, and other presentations:
"There was a kind of provincial flavour to the proceedings reminiscent of a small-town talent-show night. Clapping wildly for bad stuff enhances this."
For the full text of Annie Prouxl‘s "Blood On The Red Carpet" commentary, click over to the Guardian.
