Tuning out: Believe it or not, there was once a time when a hit song from a movie became even bigger on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, creating a certain buzz around the Best Original Song category at the Oscars. Well, I don’t have to tell you the last time any of the songs nominated were that big of hit on radio stations was over 20 years ago, so those days are clearly behind us. Just in how the average music lover gets their music now has changed, helping to create a huge debate on the validity of this category as a whole. Just last summer, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) suggested they would eliminate the category for years where the eligible songs weren’t as prevalent, meaning not good enough. Problem is, how is that determined and when? Too often people, including the academy members, forget what a song can mean to a film, the true essence of the nomination. Occasionally, a song or overall soundtrack does in fact set a film apart from others, helping make that film more enjoyable. And those critical decisions around this category are still lingering, as just this week, a rumor has surfaced that the current slot of songs nominated this year would not be performed live during the ceremony, an unexpected and now highly ridiculed change. Maybe all this is good or maybe this is the beginning to the end of this category, but either way the tide is changing.
The reality is, more and more studies or going away from music being so prevalent in movies, but that doesn’t mean that out of the roughly 500 or more films that get released each year, there wouldn’t be at least five songs that made a difference in the individual film they were written for? I think we all can agree there could potentially be more than five given those odds, which is why this category should stay put. If anything, maybe the selection or rules around the eligibility of these songs should change, so that there is no doubt why this or that song is being nominated for that year. Either way, it’s hard to argue that a song can’t mean something to the film as ONCE proved a few years back with “Falling Slowly” winning. Not many had ever heard of that song or film before the ceremony that year, but if you were among the small population that happened to see it at a local film festival, you weren’t surprised.
But, that’s not the only way a song or musical score can help a film. A great song played during the trailer and/or preview can drive people to or away from the theater as well, so it’s very important for the producers of that film to choose their musical talent wisely. It starts with the main title track for the soundtrack, which will become the film’s energy and feeling. When I think of Best Original Song, I think of a song that reminds me of the film so much, that I want to watch it again. However, the trick is finding out which of the nominated songs each year does that. Maybe they should change the category to Best Soundtrack, since that’s what most people will want, to get the one song you can;t get out of your head. Doing this might solve a lot, actually, as it would eliminate the multiple nominations for one film and offer up more opportunities for films, not among the remaining nominated categories to be a part of the Oscars. Films like 500 DAYS OF SUMMER, for instance, which had great transitions of music in and out of places within the story. Just a thought, but one I would love to see come to fruition one day, given how many good soundtracks get forgotten about as quickly as they come out.
The songs lucky enough to be nominated: It’s always interesting when a film receives multiple nominations for songs played and if trust me, if it’s deserving I have no issue with it. Back in 2007 when DREAMGIRLS had not two, but three songs nominated, I was a bit surprised, but knowing the songs involved, I couldn’t argue too much then or now. All three were huge in that film, given its genre, so to see them nominated only made sense to me. Problem with this year and THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG is only one song should have made it, not two. I can get on board with “Down in New Orleans,” as a nominee, for a lot of reasons, including its source and how it was sung. But, to back that up with a second nomination for “Almost There” was too much in my opinion. The reality is they might cancel each other out as potential winners, leaving the final three to win. But to me, the only song out of the final three worthy of winning this year was “The Weary Kind.” Here’s a perfect example of what a song can mean to the story as this one did with CRAZY HEART, but it also shows the Academy voters can still get one right when it matters most. Of course, maybe I should hold off judgment until the envelope is read in a few weeks, but I have a feeling this one is already decided, and rightfully so. The remaining two nominees include “Loin de Paname” from the little-known foreign indie PARIS 36 and “Take It All” from the musical NINE. But, there can only be one, as my pick below suggests:
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original Song)
- “Almost There” from THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG, Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
- “Down In New Orleans” from THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG, Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
- “Loin de Paname” from PARIS 36, Music by Reinhardt Wagner; Lyric by Frank Thomas
- “Take it All” from NINE, Music and Lyric by Maury Yeston
* “The Weary Heart” from CRAZY HEART, Music and Lyric by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett
Scoring is more important than you think: Ah the forgotten art of movie-making, the one aspect people don’t appreciate enough, and yet nearly every film includes one. Choosing a song is easy compared to selecting an overall score for a film. And for those that don’t know, the score is usually the music that accompanies the entire film offering little to no vocals. Unlike Best Original Song, the score can truly set a film up for success if the music is carefully intertwined within the story. Being a classical music fan, I guess I get into this category a little more than others, but so many times I’ve watched a film and thought, “I have to get this score.” And there are even some films that have both a score and a regular soundtrack intertwined. So, it’s the best of both worlds, if you don’t care about the gentle touches of instruments as the invisible backdrop. Just think of a film in which music is playing while the camera pans across an extravagant landscape or background. That entire setting can be quite the dynamic feature to experience on the big screen. That’s the essence of a score and why this category should deserve more exposure than it gets, for it truly depicts the vision of a film in a whole different light.
The ‘Jekyll & Hyde’ list of nominees: This year we find a host of films nominated, many of which deserving of the nomination, but it seems every year there is one or two snubbed. I know, only five are lucky enough to be nominated, but when one of them is not STAR TREK, something is terribly wrong. Anyone who saw the J.J. Abrams’ revamp of the movie franchise knows how powerful the music was, mixing the old with the new so well. But, I guess when the composer is already nominated for his work with UP, it’s silly to put him in there twice, right? Well, to me, Michael Giacchino was just nominated for the wrong movie, so if he wins, at least his talents will be recognized. It’s just a shame it comes down to that, but that’s just one example of how politics rule this ceremony each year. In the end, however, it probably won’t matter as the other nominees are simply stronger.
AVATAR alone, composed by James Horner is most likely the front runner, given how the entire film seemed to be almost flawless. But, be aware of Hans Zimmer and his work for SHERLOCK HOLMES, a film that did quite well at the box office here and abroad, despite being released just before AVATAR. Its eclectic and dark movements of sound were uncanny to the story, making it the perfect dark horse in this category. And don’t forget about the final two nominees, FANTASTIC MR. FOX and THE HURT LOCKER. Funny thing is, I don’t even remember the music in THE HURT LOCKER, considering how intense the story was, so maybe that’s the same reason why the academy will bypass it as well. As for FANTASTIC MR. FOX, well, this is just a case where the theme was rewarded, but honestly, for two animated films to even be in this category is a tad bit ridiculous if you ask me. So, I would be shocked if it won, but I have seen crazier things before, so I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what happens. For now, this is how I see the award being handed out:
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original Score)
* AVATAR, James Horner
- FANTASTIC MR. FOX, Alexandre Desplat
- THE HURT LOCKER, Marco Beltrami and Buck Sanders
- SHERLOCK HOLMES, Hans Zimmer
- UP, Michael Giacchino
Friday: (Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing)
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