Will Hairspray Get Any Oscar Nominations?- Page 3

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 10:34am

I don't know, Capn. I think you just might be eating your words come Oscar nom day next year as I did mine last year regarding LMS.
Oh, and I think LMS started pretty slow and gained by word of mouth. I don't remember it making "headlines" until much later in the summer/fall when people were still going to see it.

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 10:36am

Little Miss Sunshine filled that annoying Oscar spot the voters LOVE to fill. An Indy road movie---with a bunch of actors "acting up a storm" in a moving vehicle of choice---made for five dollars. One comes along almost every year now, and I'm bored with it. But the Academy certainly isn't!

Hairspray is a big splashy FUN musical. It's not Indy or cheap. Oscar voters rarely go for splashy and FUN, so I think it's chances aren't great. Still, it's impressive enough to swing a few nods, perhaps.

Updated On: 7/23/07 at 10:36 AM

[jasonf]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 10:39am

Capn - I wasn't saying Sweeney's its only competition - but do you really see the Academy nominating TWO musicals? In voters' minds, the two would be in direct competition with each other. If Sweeney is good, Hairspray has no chance. If Sweeney isn't - I rethought this - with the DVD coming out, it has a little bit better of a shot given that the Academy DOES like musicals and may want to make a statement saying "this is how it's done"

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 10:41am

Just to be clear, how many NEW songs are in the film?

[CapnHook]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 10:43am

Perhaps I will be eating my words. Perhaps. But right now I think you're all just way too anxious and excited for it because it's "our" movie - a Broadway musical that's now in the mainstream - and a GOOD one at that, a GOOD movie musical in a mix of recent flops (RENT, PRODUCERS, PHANTOM).

Yes, it was a good film. Yes, it's the best reviewed film of the year so far. But in the grand scheme of things, it's just not an "Oscar film." Of course there are always exceptions and the Oscars can be very unpredictable (remember when their slogan was "Anything Can Happen"?). But mostly when the buzz narrows in on just a few selective films, they are very predictable.

I'd love for HAIRSPRAY to be recognized, but it for the major awards I just don't see it happening. Sure, the DVD will bring it back into the spotlight - but will that spotlight be overshadowed by OTHER films? Can you imagine if the HARRY POTTER movie, the final HARRY POTTER book, and the HAIRSPRAY DVD all came out on the same day this winter? In the mixup of awards season and Potter-mania, HAIRSPRAY would be in the background.

[bschneid76]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 10:44am

It's always a crap shoot with Oscars. Look back in the 1960s where we had 4 musicals win, the movie musical is making a comeback in the past couple of the years and Hairspray so far has been the best reviewed one. So, we will just have to wait and see. I am always for comedy and musicals (when done right) being nominated, as they can be the hardest to do.

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 10:44am

jason---I agree it's likely that voters will lump the two musicals in a side-by-side comparison, like it or not. I don't think it makes any sense at all, but it's a small and highly visible (and volatile) genre these days... people are quick to embrace or dismiss them... but lump them together? They will.

One could drag the other down or even elevate it, either way. I could see them both up for some Oscars, IF Sweeney is good. If it's not, I do think it will indirectly affect the support for Hairspray.

[madbrian]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 10:48am

Sueleengay - there are three new songs:

"LADIES' CHOICE"
"THE NEW GIRL IN TOWN"
"COME SO FAR (GOT SO FAR TO GO)"

Looking back, Grease only received one nom, for best song (Hopelessly Devoted To You). I am hopeful, but it would take a lot of luck for Hairspray to break into the major categories.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 10:50am

"The New Girl In Town" is not eligible for an Oscar nod for Best Original Song because it was not written specifically for the movie. It is a cut song from the Broadway musical. While it's a new song for the HAIRSPRAY musical, it's not a contender.

And someone help me on this - wasn't there a new Academy ruling that songs from credits can no longer be nominated? They have to be used IN the film now, correct? That would only leave "Ladies' Choice" eligible.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 10:54am

God knows the rules for songs seem to change every year so who knows.

And Capn. I am NOT one of those "Oh,we NEED this to WIN OSCARS because it will do SO MUCH for BROADWAY!" type people at all. I have not seen the film yet, but even if I end up hating it (which I doubt) I still think it can not be blown off so easily.

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 10:57am

"The New Girl In Town" would still be eligible if it hasn't been published or performed anywhere publicly.

If it has, then it's ineligible. "Trunk" songs (meaning songs that previously existed but were symbolically, at least, pulled from a trunk) can and have won Oscars, because they were first performed or "introduced" publicly in the movie.

But it's the "published and/or performed publicly in this or another medium" thing that would make it ineligible.

As for the "no songs over credits" rule, Capn, I'd heard rumblings about that for years. I don't know if it's gone into effect yet.

[Kringas]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 11:00am

"The New Girl In Town" would still be eligible if it hasn't been published or performed anywhere publicly.

You'd know better than I, but I thought that if it could be proved it wasn't written specifically for the film, a song would be ruled ineligible.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 11:01am

I think as long as it is sung by Celine it can be nominated no matter when it comes in the film or who sang it before.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 11:13am

Or Beyonce.

I thought back when RENT was out, "Love Heals" was ineligible because it wasn't written for the film (proven because of Larsen's death). I'm not sure if that was a "trunk" song or if it was in another show of his.

Suleen - I didn't think you were. But we can't just as so easily say it WILL be nominated because of its good reviews. Who knows which way the wind will blow? But as someone who has friends in both the Hollywood business and the theatre business, and as someone who is an Oscar tracker and awards guru, I can say that HAIRSPRAY just isn't the TYPE of film which would get Best Picture attention (but again, anything can happen). Too soon to tell yet. Wait til Thanksgiving for a better outlook.

[jimnysf]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 11:22am

but the new songs in the movie aren't really "Oscar" songs.

How soon we forget, "It's Hard Out There For A Pimp". The new songs in "Hairspray" are much better than that awful song.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 11:23am

Keith Carradine won an Oscar for Best Song for Robert Altman's masterpiece NASHVILLE back in 1975 for the song "I'm Easy" which he had written years earlier -- it was not written for the film.

[bschneid76]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 11:27am

jimny-- I tried to forget "It's Hard Out Here for Pimp" But you've reminded me!!!!

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 11:27am

Hamlisch wrote the melody (exactly as it ended up) for "The Way We Were" when he was around 13 years old. He never found a place to use it until that film came along.

jim---You can dispute the "taste" of that "Pimp" song, but it was strongly integrated into the film, and I would definitely say it fits winning Best Song for a movie way more than something that's just tacked onto a scene, or a credits roll at the end.

Updated On: 7/23/07 at 11:27 AM

[CapnHook]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 11:36am

Brody - the rules have changed since 1975. In fact, in the past three years, the rules have changed for the Best Song category every year.

If you look at Oscars' history - there are awards no longer given, awards added, rules changed repeatedly, and several controversies.

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 11:45am

Anyone, yes, I mean ANYONE who thinks Hairspray will get a nomination for Best Picture is living in a crazy delusional dreamworld.

I can name 20 other movies that will be ahead of Hairspray in the horse race. If they had released it in December, it MIGHT have had a small chance, as it will definitely get nomiations at the Golden Globes, including Best Picture, but no way in hell it's gonna get nominated at the Oscars for Best Picture.

[bschneid76]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 11:51am

You're right, because I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry will sweep the Oscars...I feel it!!!

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 12:11pm

You're all being way too kind.

It will NOT be nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars; that you can bet on. And Travolta will NOT be nominated.

As far as the Golden Globes go, though, expect nods for Best Picture -Musical or Comedy-, Best Actor (Travolta), Best Song (probably 'Come So Far') and possibly Best Actress (Blonsky).

If ANYTHING, it will be nominated for Best Original Song at the Oscars which, IMO, is still a bit of a longshot.

Read the reviews again, I read probably over 50 of them and none of the ones I read even alluded to any kind of awards ceremony bowing down to it. It's getting good reviews because it's entertaining, upbeat, and a nice diversion from the typical summer blockbuster. Not because it's must-see Oscar material.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 12:13pm

People actually think HAIRSPRAY is a viable contendor at the Oscars?

HAHAHAHHAHAHAH.

It was a great film, but come on.

It has a great shot at Best Sound Mixing.

Perhaps Best Original Song, maybe Best Costumes, possibly Best Art Direction.

IT's a lock for a best picture nom at the Globes, but doesn't have a prayer at getting a best picture nomination at the Oscars unless everything else that opens this year is horrible.

The only cast member that has a shot is Pfeiffer (and it's a longshot) but Oscar Watch has Travolta and Pfeiffer down on their shortlist for Best Featured Actor/Actress.

[seaweedjstubbs]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 12:26pm

I read in a review that "Come So Far" would not be eligible to win Best Song because to be eligible, the song must be tied into the actual film and not just tacked on to the end credits. Is this true?

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 12:29pm

Hmm...I don't think so.

Last year's winner "I Need To Wake Up" was played during the credits of AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH.