Oscar diversity

[sadoldgit]

It’s kicked off again. Another year at the Oscars, another row about lack of diversity. Stephen King made what seemed to be a reasonable remark about art and diversity and has been pilloried for it. Why should it matter who made the film? If the best films are up for an Oscar and the best one wins it (given that choices are always going to be subjective) what does it matter what gender or what colour the director is? Perhaps they should have a male/female category for directors as they do for actors? Perhaps they should just let normal cimemagoers vote instead of academy members? Maybe they should just do away with awards all together? Instead of being a celebration of the cinema it just seems to end up being an excuse for a row nowadays.

[Manuel]

If you're going to strive to equalise the outcome of everything for everyone, then yes, you might as well scrap the awards altogether.

 

I doubt any lack of diversity is due to prejudice.

 

Anyway, this is what King said....“For me, the diversity issue–as it applies to individual actors and directors, anyway–did not come up,” King wrote on Twitter. “That said, I would never consider diversity in matters of art. Only quality. It seems to me that to do otherwise would be wrong.”

[whelk]

The BBC journos were in mourning as if to a man we’d all be disappointed or outraged.

[sadoldgit]

I think there are two issues here. I agree that the prejudice doesn’t seem to effect the choice of winners. You can only vote for what’s in front of you. Where the problem seems to lie in is opportunities to direct the biggest movies, have movies made, have screenplays accepted etc. A studio isn’t going to give their latest potential blockbuster to someone lower down the food chain so you can see where the glass ceiling comes from. When no one comments on a black person or a woman being nominated because it is the norm (because there are plenty to choose from) then we know we have cracked it. If people progress in the film industry (or anywhere) should be because they have ability. If you constantly have a procession of white males on the ballot forms you can see why diversity is called into question.

[Turkish]

Rather than address the symptoms shouldn’t the causes be addressed? Namely why is it women are crap artists?

[whelk]

I think there are two issues here. I agree that the prejudice doesn’t seem to effect the choice of winners. You can only vote for what’s in front of you. Where the problem seems to lie in is opportunities to direct the biggest movies, have movies made, have screenplays accepted etc. A studio isn’t going to give their latest potential blockbuster to someone lower down the food chain so you can see where the glass ceiling comes from. When no one comments on a black person or a woman being nominated because it is the norm (because there are plenty to choose from) then we know we have cracked it. If people progress in the film industry (or anywhere) should be because they have ability. If you constantly have a procession of white males on the ballot forms you can see why diversity is called into question.

 

Cracked it have we? FFS did you start this thread planning that post?

I won’t rest until a Muslim wins best director.

 

Probably movie direction is an area where punts are constantly taken on young hopefuls.

 

I think the actress at the Nuffield should be paid at least as much Tom Cruise. Fcking sexism

[sadoldgit]

Cracked it have we? FFS did you start this thread planning that post?

I won’t rest until a Muslim wins best director.

 

Probably movie direction is an area where punts are constantly taken on young hopefuls.

 

I think the actress at the Nuffield should be paid at least as much Tom Cruise. Fcking sexism

 

Planned? I was just curious about what people thought about what has been said recently re the Oscars and the criticism that Stephen King has received over his comments. Cracked it? Hardly. Any sensible thoughts or are you just doing a Batman?

[whelk]

Planned? I was just curious about what people thought about what has been said recently re the Oscars and the criticism that Stephen King has received over his comments. Cracked it? Hardly. Any sensible thoughts or are you just doing a Batman?

 

I actually was surprised with sensible opening post then you came back as the SOG we know and love.

[hypochondriac]

It seems you have to have an acceptable percentage of women and minorities shortlisted every year or the woek crpd on, twitter shout at you. I don't pay much attention anyway and normally the best film nominations are a load of pretentious cr*p (the sea creature love story from a few years back and birdman for example) but green book was good last year. I'd generally just give it to a woman director or and black actors every year to stop the whining.

[Fan The Flames]

The BBC journos were in mourning as if to a man we’d all be disappointed or outraged.

 

Hardly, stopping chatting ****.

[sadoldgit]

I actually was surprised with sensible opening post then you came back as the SOG we know and love.

 

I love you too Whelk. Kathy Bates has joined the fray today by saying that there are no parts in for “beautiful women over the age of 40.” Hollywood only seems interested in making comic book movies nowadays. There are some really good films being produced elsewhere so perhaps the whole Hollywoodcentric thing is dying off anyway.

[percy windham]

I love you too Whelk. Kathy Bates has joined the fray today by saying that there are no parts in for “beautiful women over the age of 40.” Hollywood only seems interested in making comic book movies nowadays. There are some really good films being produced elsewhere so perhaps the whole Hollywoodcentric thing is dying off anyway.

Monica Bellucci banged James Bond in the last film and she’s over 40.

[whelk]

I love you too Whelk. Kathy Bates has joined the fray today by saying that there are no parts in for “beautiful women over the age of 40.” Hollywood only seems interested in making comic book movies nowadays. There are some really good films being produced elsewhere so perhaps the whole Hollywoodcentric thing is dying off anyway.

 

Because Hollywood used to always have loads of old ladies as the stars of films.

She has a point but always been same - money talks.

[shurlock]

It seems you have to have an acceptable percentage of women and minorities shortlisted every year or the woek crpd on, twitter shout at you. I don't pay much attention anyway and normally the best film nominations are a load of pretentious cr*p (the sea creature love story from a few years back and birdman for example) but green book was good last year. I'd generally just give it to a woman director or and black actors every year to stop the whining.

 

Get Out was good. I’d happily have a film like that every year.

[hypochondriac]

Get Out was good. I’d happily have a film like that every year.

Yeah was pretty good but the next one he did was rubbish I thought. Happy for black directors or minority actors to get nomonations and wins just as long as their skin colour or minority status isn't a factor. Sadly that is increasingly not the case.

[shurlock]

Yeah was pretty good but the next one he did was rubbish I thought. Happy for black directors or minority actors to get nomonations and wins just as long as their skin colour or minority status isn't a factor. Sadly that is increasingly not the case.

 

Yep thought it was flat and boring and didn’t go anywhere.

[sadoldgit]

Because Hollywood used to always have loads of old ladies as the stars of films.

She has a point but always been same - money talks.

 

Which is the point Whelk. Hollywood hasn’t changed much. Older women get character parts but once you are no longer young and desirable you are not allowed to be older and desirable, unlike men. Some things have moved with the times and some haven’t.

[hypochondriac]

Which is the point Whelk. Hollywood hasn’t changed much. Older women get character parts but once you are no longer young and desirable you are not allowed to be older and desirable, unlike men. Some things have moved with the times and some haven’t.

That's because most older women aren't viewed as particularly attractive by society. On average men tend to age better. It's a numbers game and generally you aren't going to get a load of men flocking to see Charlie's angels with a woman in her 60s in a bikini, but plenty of women are still going to find some of the older Hollywood heart throbs wildly sexy.

[sadoldgit]

So we are to believe that older women are no longer sexually attractive. I hope my wife isn’t reading this.

[hypochondriac]

So we are to believe that older women are no longer sexually attractive. I hope my wife isn’t reading this.

That isn't what I said was it. It's a fact that the average 60 year old woman has less sexual appeal in society than the average 18 year old. It's an evolutionary thing really, if the objective is to procreate then it's quite natural for animals to be attracted to those most likely to be fertile. Edited 18 January, 2020 by hypochondriac

[sadoldgit]

That isn't what I said was it. It's a fact that the average 60 year old woman has less sexual appeal in society than the average 18 year old. It's an evolutionary thing really, if the objective is to procreate then it's quite natural for animals to be attracted to those most likely to be fertile.

 

I was messing around.

[Weston Super Saint]

I was messing around.

 

I hope your wife isn't reading this

[sadoldgit]

I hope your wife isn't reading this