"As they passed the rows of houses they saw through the open doors that men were sweeping and dusting and washing dishes, while the women sat around in groups, gossiping and laughing.
"What has happened?" the Scarecrow asked a sad-looking man with a bushy beard, who wore an apron and was wheeling a baby-carriage along the sidewalk.
"Why, we've had a revolution, your Majesty -- as you ought to know very well," replied the man; "and since you went away the women have been running things to suit themselves. I'm glad you have decided to come back and restore order, for doing housework and minding the children is wearing out the strength of every man in the Emerald City."
"Hm!" said the Scarecrow, thoughtfully. "If it is such hard work as you say, how did the women manage it so easily?"
"I really do not know," replied the man, with a deep sigh. "Perhaps the women are made of cast-iron.""
- L. Frank Baum, "The Land of Oz"
Sunday, February 29, 2004
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King swept the Oscars last night in all of its nominated categories. Read the story. An excerpt:
"The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" swept to a record-tying 11 Academy Awards on Sunday, including best picture and director, becoming the first fantasy to win the top Oscar . . .
After the first two installments of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy were shut out of major awards, "Return of the King" swept all 11 categories in which it was nominated. It matched the record 11 wins of "Titanic" and "Ben-Hur" and became only the third movie to sweep every nominated category, following "Gigi" and "The Last Emperor," which both went nine-for-nine.
I'm so honored and relieved that the academy and the members of the academy that have supported us have seen past the trolls and the wizards and the hobbits in recognizing fantasy this year," said Jackson, 42, who just a few years ago was an obscure New Zealander known mainly for one admired art-house film ("Heavenly Creatures"), a run-of-the-mill Hollywood horror tale ("The Frighteners") and a scattering of cult splatter flicks ("Bad Taste," the puppet massacre "Meet the Feebles").
Great news for some truly great films.
If you missed the Oscars, whether purposefully or not, you can check out my series of simul-blogs on the telecast currently posted at Mysterium Tremendum. Guaranteed to be more enjoyable than the show itself.
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Comments on "Sweet Justice for TLOTR":
2. Jared
- 03/01/2004 5:45 am CST
Jen's blog about the five worst films
Where is this post? I just looked for it and couldn't find it. Is it an old one?
I agree that Titanic was definitely not Oscar-worthy. It wasn't even nomination-worthy. That's definitely one the Academy blew it on.
Still, I don't get why people HATE the film so much. It didn't stink, I didn't think. I thought it was basically a good movie. Again, not worthy of Academy consideration, but I don't remember feeling the hatred for it that has become fashionable. Is this hatred just sort of an Oscar backlash thing?
My Mom gave me some Oscar ballot thing from the newspaper two weeks ago. In it, you check off who you think will win the awards, mail it in, and if you get it 100% right, it gets tossed into a pot for a drawing for free movie tickets for a year. I'm kicking myself because, even though I checked off all my guesses, I never mailed it in. I guessed correctly on all of them.
Oh well.
Given the nominations, I think this is one year the Oscars got it right. Meaning, if I were putting the nominees together, the lists would look differently, but given the choices available, the right people won last night.
3. Marla
- 03/01/2004 5:55 am CST
Jared, it was an old post but in the most popular posts section. I didn't say much--just that lust didn't translate into romance for me (same with the English Patient) and that exquisite cinematography/costumes/score couldn't make up for it. I actually went to Titanic really excited about the movie and was disappointed--I had no idea it was going to be so popular--I had just liked the storyline (I love movies set in previous eras), so it wasn't a backlash--just a genuine letdown. Same was true of English Patient (though I knew less about that film) and I loved the way Seinfeld captured that (did you see that one with Elaine standing up in the Theater?).
4. Jared
- 03/01/2004 6:01 am CST
Gotcha.
Now, "The English Patient." There's a movie I hated, Hated, HATED. I totally get the backlash on that movie and loved that episode of "Seinfeld."
Do you recall the ep of "Seinfeld" where George takes off early from work and goes to see "Titanic"?
George to Jerry -- So that old woman: she's just a liar, right?
Jerry -- And a bit of a tramp, if you ask me.
5. jen
- 03/01/2004 7:23 am CST
Marla, thanks for visiting my blog. I'll have to check your comments in that post.
I liked (and still do) Titanic. I was happy it won Oscars.
I also really liked The English Patient. I'm very intrigued to finally find a movie that Jared HATES! Did you write a review on that one way back when? I'd love to read it.
I'm planning to read through your blog-by-blog account of the Oscars later today (have to do a month's worth of bookkeeping--ugh--from now until we go to see the Passion this afternoon--Sundays and Mondays are my husband's days off). That's awesome that LOTR won all those awards--it's nonsensical (IMHO) that Titanic was in the same league (more about that in my comment on Jen's blog about the five worst films).