Meow

[fpb]

I found Lauren Bacall's outburst against Nicole Kidman just incredibly depressing. Just a matter of who she is. For decades, Lauren Bacall has managed to project an image of aging with class and grace, of being by far the most impressive of the remains of golden-age Hollywood. And in one burst of senile jealousy, she has blown it all: showing herself to be nothing more than one aged actress, foolishly resentful of a much younger, successful and still radiant colleague. And let us be honest: who would ever have cast Nicole Kidman as Lauren Bacall's rival, until, by her unnecessary outburst, Ms.Bacall herself both made her one and handed her the victory?

Comments

[threeoranges.livejournal.com]

Ah, but an Oscar is not an award for merit, it's a popularity contest. Is it possible to argue that Gwyneth Paltrow's performance in SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE was "better" than Cate Blanchett's performance in ELIZABETH? "Apples and oranges, you can't compare" doesn't really apply here; one of them was a light role with little depth and the other was a role with numerous complexities, rendered superbly. Blanchett should have won it, no question. But Paltrow looked far prettier, so she got it instead.

And don't we agree that Dench's Best Supporting Actress Oscar - for a 10-minute CAMEO!! - was awarded for political reasons, not for a superlative performance?

Oscars rarely mean anything. And if Nicole Kidman were to drop out of acting now, I'm not sure she'd be a "legend" based on her current body of work. Put it this way - of what I've seen her in, I liked TO DIE FOR and THE OTHERS the best. The first has the feel of a TV-movie that's far better than it ought to be; the second has the feel of a cult-movie, detailed and atmospheric, but, like its close sibling THE SIXTH SENSE, there's not much reason to watch it again once you know the "twist". These aren't "legendary" movies, and no-one ever became a "legend" through appearing in mediocre movies.

Then again, ithat's just my opinion - I haven't seen THE HOURS, and maybe that's a masterpiece.