ROTTEN TOMATOES: Annie Proulx Gives Delightfully Bitter Recap Of "Brokeback" Oscar Snub

Annie Proulx Gives Delightfully Bitter Recap Of "Brokeback" Oscar Snub

by RT Staff | March 14, 2006

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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.

Related Items

Movie:	King Kong
	Brokeback Mountain
Celeb:	E. Annie Proulx

(1-20 of 51 posts) | Reply

chakaKAAAHHHN! writes:
on Mar 14 2006 01:04 PM

What a bitter hoe...

(Reply to this)

pyramid_head writes:
on Mar 14 2006 01:21 PM

Get. Over. It.

(Reply to this)

just_improvise writes:
on Mar 14 2006 02:20 PM

If all Proulx cares about is winning, then she's defeated the whole purpose in writing/filmmaking, which is to write/create good books or movies. I believe that Martin Scorsese has had his films nominated for best picture about 4-5 times, and has been snubbed each time, but he doesn't sit and complain about it. I, for one, enjoyed Crash much more than I did Brokeback. In fact, every person I've talked to about the two movies has said they liked Crash better. Brokeback was a good film, but to sit and think it's so much better than everyone else's by having the nerve to talk down to a movie like King Kong is beyond arrogant. Ledger and Gyllenhaal delivered great performances, and Gyllenhaal probably should have gotten the Oscar over Clooney, but Philip Seymour Hoffman's portrayal of Truman Capote was far more impressive than a cold-hearted cowboy. It's a real shame that a good movie like Brokeback, that won so many awards, had to have this kind of reaction over an Oscar.

(Reply to this)

synergyred writes:
on Mar 14 2006 04:51 PM

She is over-reacting? Yes. But damn that was a funny read!

(Reply to this)

ffinixs writes:
on Mar 14 2006 05:08 PM

The woman is brilliant! Her observation can only come from a non-middle of the road idealistic, honest, and refreshing mind. Good girl!

(Reply to this)

Horstradamus writes:
on Mar 14 2006 06:31 PM

Wow. What a tool. Sounds like jealousy got the best of her... or the worst that is.

(Reply to this)

RadioTom writes:
on Mar 14 2006 07:31 PM

wow....talk about twisting the facts around and using them in inappropriate ways. So many stereotypes were used that it is impossible to take that seriously.

(Reply to this)

VML writes:
on Mar 14 2006 09:37 PM

Woah, some of the comments posted here are the same as the ones on Entertainment Weekly's PopWatch blog.

Anyway, I do agree with her comments, sort of. I wouldn't say the montages, live performances, etc, were bad.

(Reply to this)

Paul_Is_Drunk writes:
on Mar 15 2006 01:14 AM

Overeaction? Yes. Damn funny? Yes. Somewhat true? Yes.

C'mon. Crash sucked. I'm done writing long exposition explaning why the movie was sub-par. It sucked. I still can't believe people chose to show up and protest gay themes. Did they do this to Philadelphia?

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Hideaway writes:
on Mar 15 2006 01:27 AM

[b]Way to go![/b]
Sorry majority, I'm on her side. "Crash" = Trash. It's good to know they're not taking losing Best Picture lying down. It's a dumb award voted on by obviously dumb people but it was clearly deservingly "Brokeback Mountain"'s award. Racism is bad?! No f&^% sh!t, Sherlock.

I'm also grateful that she mentioned the Independent Spirit Awards. These are the only televised awards that really matter anymore, IMO.

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lonechicken writes:
on Mar 15 2006 05:22 AM

[b]Who cares[/b]
Nobody will care about Crash in 5 years. Anybody talk about American Beauty these days? How about Chicago, or A Beautiful Mind?

(Reply to this)

RedRoostr writes:
on Mar 15 2006 05:38 AM

Everything she said was dead on. And it's not that I'm some rabid Brokeback fan either. Crash was just a horrible movie.

This years Oscars just solidified my general feelings towards Hollywood: It is filled with pompous, self-congratulatory egomaniacs, who constantly pat themselves on the back for what basically amounts to playing make believe.

A personal thanks to George Clooney for pointing out that blacks, gays, and women have Hollywood to thank for all of their advancements in the past 60 years or so. Next up for Hollywood: curing cancer and ending world hunger.

(Reply to this)

jeremyd4 writes:
on Mar 15 2006 08:28 AM

"Hollywood loves mimicry, the conversion of a film actor into the spittin' image of a once-living celeb."

totally agree.

(Reply to this)

dracus writes:
on Mar 15 2006 08:29 AM

In reply to this comment (#832200)
Yeah, I do. Chicago was unique in it's storytelling style and American Beauty and A Beautiful Mind were brilliantly written, acted and directed. You may not like them, but that much can't be denied.

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Mike writes:
on Mar 15 2006 09:23 AM

Bravo Annie! I don't call it bitter, I call it honest, and she was right-on about so many things, including that offensive POS winning "Best Song." Also, she's right about the Independent Spirit Awards. They are so great. I wish they were bigger, like the Golden Globes at least. They should start airing them on a major network and make a bigger deal out of them than they do. They are so much more entertaining than the Oscars.

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skinkrawl writes:
on Mar 15 2006 10:02 AM

[b]It's All Fun and Games Till Someone Loses an Oscar[/b]
Point #1

Crash had a decided advantage over other films due to its early release. Many companies hold back films they believe Oscar-worthy until late in the year, hoping to garner attention in the months before the Academy votes. This remains one of the major reasons we hit such a lull in quality new releases in Late Winter/Early Spring (January, February, March). Crash had been out on dvd for several months, and this allowed Lion's Gate to send out as many promo copies as possible without the fear of pirating. Maybe more film companies should release their films earlier in the year so that they are able to use a dvd campaign...or, decide not to worry about the pirating and send out dvds to the voters anyway.

Point #2

Saying King Kong won as many awards as your movie may look good in print, until one realizes that Kong wasn't up for Best Picture, Best Director, Actor, or any major award. It won special effects type awards. Comparing the awards Brokeback won (and was nominated for) with those of King Kong is a complete apples to oranges comparison.

Point #3

Why is there suddenly a debate of racism vs. gay rights over these two films? These are two very debated subjects in America (and the rest of the world, for that matter)...it's not as if Brokeback lost to Deuce Bigalow or some superfluous subject matter.

Point #4

Don't compare one style of acting versus another. If Hoffman had f#@!ed up Capote, we would have all known, because of all the evidence you bring up. Actors in a movie such as yours have more of a free reign to define the mannerisms of their particular character, but Hoffman or Strathairn must adhere strictly to the source material. I don't believe one to be more difficult than the other (both have their own equally daunting set of tasks to accomplish).

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RadioTom writes:
on Mar 15 2006 10:17 AM

I with skinkrawl. Comparing Kong and Brokeback is completely pointless. She should try arguing logically if she wants to be taken seriously.

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dracus writes:
on Mar 15 2006 11:26 AM

I thought she was being sarcastic when she said that Brokeback was on equal footing with Kong.

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the_NatureBoy_WOOOOO writes:
on Mar 15 2006 12:29 PM

F*CK BROKED1CK, KONG SHOULD HAVE WON BEST PIC. AND F*CK THAT BITTER B1TCH.

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lonechicken writes:
on Mar 15 2006 01:35 PM

In reply to this comment (#832203)
I liked all three. Have two of them on DVD. But I don't have a desire to see Chicago, American Beauty or A Beautiful Mind again anytime soon, let alone discuss them to any depth with people. There are at least 25 movies in 1999 (AB's year) that I've repeatedly watched or hear people bring up more regularly than American Beauty.

(Reply to this)