When I reflect on the 85th Annual Academy Awards there are several things that will always stand out as Oscar highlights, making this a more than memorable evening. First and foremost will be the music which embodied the show’s theme of saluting movie musicals of the past decade.
An opening dance number by Channing Tatum and Charlize Theron set to the 1936 Academy Award Best Original Song Winner, The Way You Look Tonight, not only paid homage to the poster children of the movie musical, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, but signified the impact and importance of Oscar music. Covered by everyone from Billie Holiday to The Letterman to Doris Day to Tellison, the Jerome Kern classic has been featured in no less than 10 “modern” films since 1936, landed in multiple Billboard Top 100 charts over the years and even found it’s way deeper into the galaxy during the final tv episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Lovely, graceful, elegant. And Seth MacFarlane’s accompanying vocals – smooth as silk.
Who is still humming – or singing – We Saw Your Boobs? Although frighteningly politically incorrect, be it good, bad or indifferent, Seth MacFarlanefs number was an entertaining and uproarious delight.
Given that Chicago danced away with the Best Picture Oscar 10 years ago, you knew there had to be a musical performance, and performance there was as Catherine Zeta-Jones shimmied, sizzled and (sadly) lip-synched in a glitzy razzmatazz production of the film’s Cell Block Tango number and signature song, All That Jazz. Razzle Dazzle!
Show-stopping was the Les Miserables cast performance (live) of One Day More and the Oscar-nominated Suddenly. So moved by the tender and rousing musical blend, I wanted to jump to my feet in applause, and I wasnft even in the audience! Now, THAT’s entertainment! Cfest Magnifique!!
And with the theme saluting movie musicals, it seems only fitting that there be one trip and fall in the mix. Surprisingly though, it came not in the performance numbers, but thanks to Jennifer Lawrence who pulled one of my own signature moves, and fell “up” the stairs on her way to collect her Best Actress Oscar. While joking in the press room that she “absolutely” fell on purpose, Lawrence credited the voluminous haute couture Dior dress for the slip. “I tried to walk up stairs in this dress. . .I think I just stepped on the fabric and they waxed the stairs.” Graceful and fluid, she carried on with poise as if nothing had happened. My kinda girl!
A sweet touchstone, but lost on many, was the introduction of Christopher Plummer via a Sound of Music scene parody. However, call it serendipity or alignment of the movie gods, a small collective sigh could be heard when “Captain von Trapp” presented Anne Hathaway the Best Supporting Actress Oscar. After all, it was Hathaway’s performance with The Princess Diaries‘ Julie Andrews (Maria in The Sound of Music) that put her on the map.
Sure, there was Adele, Barbra Streisand and even Michelle Obama, but the real highlight? Captain James T. Kirk himself, the REAL Captain Kirk. William Shatner beamed in from the future wearing his Star Trek: Generations uniform, stealing the show, giving host Seth MacFarlane perfect comedic set-ups and being, well, William Shatner. I felt like Oliver (also a 1969 musical Best Picture Oscar winner) saying, “Please, sir. I want some more.”
Of course, with “highlights” come “lowlights” and Oscar had plenty of these, not the least of which was the sound mixing during the live musical performances, particularly with Adele and Barbra Streisand. (No Emmy nominations for the Oscar broadcast sound guys!) And in one of the biggest awards disappointments and disses, cinematographer Roger Deakins walked away empty handed for the 10th time despite his stellar and stunning work on Skyfall. Equally surprising, and personally disappointing, was Ang Lee’s win as Best Director for Life of Pi. From Day One, I wanted the tiger to eat Pi. Now, I wish the tiger had eaten Lee, too.
But all in all, Oscar, I loved the way you looked tonight…..
