eh. could they get a better singer?

ANYWAYS, these "changes" sound fishy. they talk and talk and talk, hoping we'll watch and watch and watch. and then nothing much is different at all. good thing no one will be watching to notice.

Some stars are officially being asked not to walk the red carpet and instead enter the Kodak through a backdoor, all in an attempt to reveal their dresses on stage and boost ratings?

http://theenvelope.latimes.com/awards/o ... 4841.story

Some stars who don't like the red carpet do skip it but for them to ask specific people not to walk the red carpet seems odd.

Less pictures of stars on red carpet = less pictures and coverage about Oscars the next day.

I wonder if the Academy are starting to think they made a mistake with Laurence Mark and Bill Condon.

Stupidest thing I have ever heard. Can't believe it's actually materializing.

I really think that move, in the end, will cost them more viewers than they will gain.

there's at least one good thing this year.

so they take away some of the red carpet arrivals just as ABC hires Tim Gunn to do the red carpet arrivals?

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/art ... gD969CQK80

I Tim Gunn!

Oh dear.

http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/p ... my-awards/

And I hope he wins too. That'll make it even sweeter.

props to peter gabriel. so the song category will be another slumdog montage?

Maybe, though they could always get someone else to perform it.

An M.I.A.-ized version of "Down to Earth" could actually be pretty badass.

or they could have WALL-E performing the slumdog songs. that would be excellent.

I hope it shows Hugh Jackman drinking milk and running down an alley in south central LA.

wow. have they ever shown such anxiety before?

No, please no.
Use an orchestral piece, please. The In Memoriam is for the ones that left, thus the music has to be less intrusive. I'm there not to hear someone singing, but to pay respect to the dead.

They should have nominated both and seen a financial/ratings bonanza, as well as rewarding non-mediocre craftsman filmmaking. That's all it's about anyway.

I like how the low the stage is. I also like how the close the awards podium is to the seating area.

I really like the new set and seating. These are good changes.

This will either be an embarassing mess or the best show in years.

I agree. As much as people are complaining about things, I REALLY like the physical set changes and the planning of the whole logistics of the show that is going on. It's creating a far more interesting, intimate set up.

The orchestra on stage makes total sense and I think is an excellent idea. It is far better than hiding them under the stage. The orchestra becomes part of the glamour. The hovering chandeliers is a great idea, as well, to add to the warmth of the show. And all the talk about the use of LED screens sounds interesting, even if I don't totally get what they mean.

All in all, I'm very impressed by the producers this year. I really think they are mostly moving in the right direction in trying to make the show more intimate, glamorous and fun, and ultimately more spontaneous and less staged. A lot of the changes are good changes. And Hugh Jackman strikes me as a great choice, mostly because of Jackman's comments on aiming to be an MC, someone who keeps the show flowing and works on the spot, as opposed to a stiff "host". I think that's a good philosophy to be going with. And Jackman just strikes me as someone who can have fun with, not just poke fun at, celebrities.

Really, the only downer for me with the whole set up of this years Oscars are the actual nominees. Imagine how exciting and "big" this year would be if we had The Dark Knight and Wall-E among the nominees, ALONG with these great producers and technical decisions that seem to point to a well-run, glamorous show?

I mean, the advertisements are talking about how the Oscars are the biggest movie event of the year, and the progressive decisions regarding production of the actual show point to a great one. But the nominees don't seem to jive with the rest of this. And I find it disappointing, because this year's show lost the great potential it really had, I think, in boosting the Oscars. It seems inevitable to me that the producers will be blamed for low ratings, when in reality, I think the Academy should be blamed. Meh.

Peace,
Mike

The vampire from Twilight is presenting

http://www.awardsdaily.com/?p=7218#comments

Fuck me in the ass

Fuck off.

I like that one comment about Pattinson probably presenting Oscar's Salute to Vampires