Tony Klinger

Most people will have noticed that the best films are always released around this time of year. The reasons for this is commercial. Starting in the USA there are the Thanksgiving holidays, followed by Christmas. These holiday seasons generate huge revenues to the film studios.

Also of huge importance to the studios and their potential revnues is the chance that they might win some Academy Awards. This achievement brings artistic credibilty to the studio’s output and within the creative community that will be bringing them their next generation of films and film makers. There is another big plus to an Oscar winning film, it generates a lot of additional money for that studio.

Therefore a sub industry has evolved in which films are promoted specifically to win the coveted Academy Awards. The studios and the film stars employ the best Press and Public Relations companies to enhance their chances within the comparatively tiny voting community.

In this context certain types of films and performances within them are likely to have better chances than other contestants. Comedy movies almost never succeed for the big prizes. It is clearly easier to be dramatic, even melodramatic than it is to be funny and be taken seriously.

In this rarified world historical drama is a good starting point for the main film prizes and the Second World War is the best for harvesting Academy Awards. If you’re trying to win the best actor prizes its great to play someone with a handicap, or someone from a minority. You have a tremendous emotional advantage when you give a great performance portraying a great personality. That’s why it’s likely that Sean Penn as the gay rights activist Harvey Milk has such a great shot at beating out Mickey Rourke playing The Wrestler. Both actors give remarkable performances but Mickey Rourke’s is one of the best given by any actor in any era.

Similarly Kate Winslett as The Reader has every chance of winning her category because the role she’s in is both sexual and historical. It panders to every instinct and, in the name of art, displays the naked charms of the sensual Kate.

Perhaps the measure of the Academy Awards should also be evalatuated in an historical context. How was it possible that it took Martin Scorcese and Steven Spielberg almost their entire careers before they won the personal kudos their amazing film histories had deserved?

There is seemingly a political and emotional balancing act that takes place with the Oscars. That is why Gran Torino, one of multi Academy Award winning Clint Eastwood’s best films, has very little chance of winning any major awards this year.

The campaigns to win these important, prestigious awards will continue and grow and we, the audience, will reap the rewards of watching the wonderful menu of films this competition provokes.