CORMAN 2009!!!

Every year after the Oscars, I read articles about how that year was the lowest rated ever. Everyone has an opinion on how to fix this. Make them shorter. Pick movies people know better. No musical numbers. I think those are all horrible suggestions.

If the Oscars were shorter they’d be nothing. ‘Oh they’re over already?’ Picking movies that people know better makes ABSOLUTELY no sense. ‘Yeah guys let’s compromise our reputation as a serious film organization by picking “Transformers” for a best picture nod instead of “There Will Be Blood”.’ As for cutting the musical numbers…I guess that would be OK but they do kind of help break things up and make it a SHOW.

So what can be done to get people to watch? I have an answer but it will only work once:

GIVE ROGER CORMAN AN HONORARY OSCAR!

In the summer of 2002 MOCA was doing a huge show of Andy Warhol’s work. The American Cinematheque at the Egyptian decided to follow suit and was showing a bunch of his films. It was this amazing two-fronted assault. If you were of the right artsy mind you couldn’t go anywhere without encountering Warhol. I think the Academy as well as independent theatre owners and entrepreneurs could generate the same type of synergistic campaign around Roger Corman getting an Oscar.

Roger has had his hand in so many different pies over the years. Entrenched in both high and low art. The man who made “A Bucket of Blood” was also the American distributor of Ingmar Bergman’s “Cries and Whispers.” Imagine in the month before the Oscars having the New Beverly showing a series of Corman double features while across town at the Egyptian they’re showing “Amarcord” and “The Tin Drum”.

The Academy itself would also have to contribute to all of this by advertising around town like gangbusters. How cool would it be to see lurid grindhouse-esque banners hanging from the street lights promoting Roger’s Oscar?

The last and final step would be to make more of a production out of the actual presentation of the Oscar. Roger is a showman and the presentation should reflect this. Lots of cool clips, maybe some nice set design and let’s not forget – Hollywood stars o’plenty. Roger helped so many now legendary people start their careers that they should all likely want to participate in giving him this award.

Oh man if something like this could actually happen it would be awesome.

So how do we make it happen?

Well first we need to get the Academy to decide they’re going to give Roger the Oscar and that’s a bit tricky.

According to the letter I received from Academy President Sid Ganis, the person to receive the Honorary Oscar is selected by the Academy’s Board of Governors in December. Who is on the Board?

http://www.oscars.org/academy/governors.html

So if you are reading this and somehow have access to anyone on that list please sing the praises of Roger Corman so that they’ll vote for him come December. That’s really about all that we can do right now. Hopefully my letter to Mr. Ganis at least planted the idea in his head. Let’s see if it takes.

If they do decide to give him the award we’ll then have to start a new phase so that this can become the big brouhaha that it should be.

Remember kids…