The “Art” of Hollywood

April 27, 2013 at 7:51 am · Filed under Film and tagged: Acting, film, Holllywood, Leonardo DiCaprio, Oscars, Tarantino

Just watched Django Unchained, a Quentintino-esque look at pre-Civil War slavery and revenge (with blood, guts and non-sequitur rap music thrown in)…

As someone who has been enthralled and fascinated with film from a very early age, I find it most curious how talent is identified and recognized in Hollywood.

When an actor manages to infuse such complexity into a character that you find yourself feeling intrigue, fear, hatred, compassion, disgust, shock and unexpected sympathy (as I found with the short amount of time DiCaprio contributed to Django), you have to wonder how the Oscar-film-powers-that-be continue to snub him. (With only three Oscar nominations, the supreme talent has yet to walk with a statue.)

I know I don’t write an entertainment column, but there is something petty and profound in this. Hollywood reminds me of a high school popularity contest (and so did working in a corporate office). Granted Life of Pi, a stunningly beautiful film adaptation, justly garnered some attention at the Oscars, but the very talent who were responsible for the film’s phenomenal lifelike effects were hurried off the stage by the orchestra’s “Jaws” theme music, while Anne Hathaway was permitted to go on and on to eternity with an over-practiced saccharine speech about having a dream. She has a small bit of talent, but Hollywood politics once again trumps all. And don’t get me started on some of the other less talented winners.

I have a sneaking suspicion this is why theater continues to garner a different sort of respect in the world of arts; although, I’m relieved that big stars like Joseph Gordon-Levitt wisely sprinkle their box-office careers with independent masterpieces like Hesher, a quiet film about a heavy metal-head who transforms the lives of two grieving people (and gently relates to a sweet grandma) in a very loud way. And by the way, as incredible as the “Beasts-of-the-Southern-Wild-youngest-actress-ever-to-be-Oscar-nominated” was, the child lead in Hesher easily puts her to shame.

I guess it’s up to the more discerning audience to throw our rotten tomatoes at celebrity perpetrators, and know (regardless of the tabloids and Oscars) where true talent lies.

One day they will give DiCaprio a lifetime achievement award when he is dead. But isn’t that always just the way.

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