New Oscar Rules

[Big Magilla]

None of this analogizes to Hamilton, which is strictly a TV event -- though who knows what rules will be in effect this year.

Which is why it's difficult to fathom what it would be nominated for if it is declared eligible. Best Picture and Acting is probably about it. Nothing else, including the direction, would have been original to the production.

Unless it is a huge hit with no strong competition, I doubt it would be nominated for Best Picture even if eligible. Filmmakers would not want to see filmed stage musicals become the norm over productions made expressly for the screen. Acting nominations would be a tough sell for the same reason, although I suppose it could compete in categories in which musical and comedy performances are separate from dramatic ones like the Golden Globes where the competition is often light.

[OscarGuy]

Keep in mind that the studios have been bumping numerous films. Those are completed films that can go from can to cinemas fairly quickly. If this does drag on into 2021 (which it's looking like it might), then there will be enough content to get it all out there. Besides, I keep seeing films start production, film for a few weeks and then release all within the same year. It's definitely possible and as long as shooting starts before summer, I would expect there will be plenty eligible for next year as well.

[Big Magilla]

I forgot that The Man in the Glass Booth was an AFT film.

I wouldn't pay too much attention to Anne Thompson, but as of now there are enough films in the can to qualify for 2020 Oscars even if the awards have to be mailed to the recipients. 2021 depends on how bad this gets and how long it lasts. If it's over by early next year, there will plenty of time to make enough qualifying films. If not, there may not be a 2021 Oscars.

[Mister Tee]

You're probably thinking of Ely Landau's American Film Theatre which were newly acted and filmed versions of stage plays that were given subscription based theatrical showings from 1973-1975. They were ineligible for Oscars because they did not play in Los Angeles for the requisite one-week run.

I have nothing beyond my memory to prove this, but my recollection is that Landau initially had failed to qualify the films in late 1973, but then rush-exhibited them to make the eligible. (I recall a sheepish trade ad that went something like "We spent all our time making these quality films but, oops, we almist forgot to qualify them for Oscars, so here we're doing it and please come see them.") I also recall a terse "None of the America Film Theatre entries received any nominations" in the nominations reporting -- meaning not that they'd been ineligible but that they'd been ignored. I think there was some expectation that Ryan would get a posthumous nod for Iceman.

The real oddity was that the AFT was a cultural cause celebre in that 73/74 season, but never got any Oscar attention -- and then, in 1975, when everyone had moved on, Maximilian Schell got a surprise best actor nod for The Man in the Glass Booth.

James Whitmore had been doing live performances of Give 'Em Hell Harry around the country, much the way Hal Holbrook had done Mark Twain Tonight, before filming it. It was one of the first nominations I saw on HBO prior to its Oscar run.

None of this analogizes to Hamilton, which is strictly a TV event -- though who knows what rules will be in effect this year. Pressed to make a call, I'd bet on there being no Oscars this year -- I think 2020 will be a lost year on almost all fronts, partly because of the inability/unwillingness to reopen theatres, and partly a corresponding lack of production. We may have to think of this as freezing in place, picking up next year and starting anew (with any films that did/do make it out this year included in the 2021 Oscar, a la the 1932/33 situation when the Academy moved to a calendar year).

Anne Thompson is moaning If there are no Oscars this year, there never will be again, This is the parochial concern of someone whose income depends largely on the Oscars. Baseball went without a World Series in 1994 and everyone thought it would change things forever...but everyone came back the next year and just started back up.

[Big Magilla]

Correct me if I'm misremembering, but wasn't there a period in the 1950s or 1960s where this kind of thing happened regularly? I know that Fathom has done it recently, but I could have sworn I read somewhere that filmed theatrical performances were shown in movie theaters in the past.

In 1975 James Whitmore was nominated for best actor in Give’em Hell Harry which is basically a filmed stage play

Lots of films are "basically" stage plays. I had thought that Whitmore had performed this strictly for the camera, but according to the film's trivia page on IMDb., it was filmed before a live audience in Seattle. According to Roger Ebert, as quoted on the page, "the editing was done live, as the show unfolded onto a special videotape process called Theatrovision". This process of "Theatrovision" was promoted on movie posters for the film like other screen gimmicks such as Panavision, Odorama, VistaVision, Sensurround etc. Ebert added that this "process provides a fairly high quality color picture, the equal of a good 16mm print blown up to 35".

I found that comment a little funny since the copy I saw on VHS ages ago was pretty crappy.

Maybe the film's length of run in L.A. is the only consideration as long as the film opened on or before the day it was shown in other media.

Hamilton, which was filmed over three days from three separate performances of the live show, was originally scheduled to open theatrically in October. It has been moved up July 1 on Disney and Hulu.

[mlrg]

Correct me if I'm misremembering, but wasn't there a period in the 1950s or 1960s where this kind of thing happened regularly? I know that Fathom has done it recently, but I could have sworn I read somewhere that filmed theatrical performances were shown in movie theaters in the past.

In 1975 James Whitmore was nominated for best actor in Give’em Hell Harry which is basically a filmed stage play

[Big Magilla]

Is there a list of movies with confirmed release dates? One could then get some kind of idea who the major players will for nominations next year.

Go here:

https://www.movieinsider.com/movies/2020

[Big Magilla]

Correct me if I'm misremembering, but wasn't there a period in the 1950s or 1960s where this kind of thing happened regularly? I know that Fathom has done it recently, but I could have sworn I read somewhere that filmed theatrical performances were shown in movie theaters in the past.

You're probably thinking of Ely Landau's American Film Theatre which were newly acted and filmed versions of stage plays that were given subscription based theatrical showings from 1973-1975. They were ineligible for Oscars because they did not play in Los Angeles for the requisite one-week run. They were, however, eligible for most other awards. Robert Ryan, for example, won the National Board of Review for The Iceman Cometh and Kate Reid was nominated for a Golden Globe for A Delicate Balance.

Filmed stage versions of plays have been released in theatres in the recent past, but usually for a one or two night showing. Hamilton would have been the first to receive an unlimited theatrical run. I'd have to check the rules, but I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be eligible for Oscars or other awards except maybe honorary ones.

[Reza]

Is there a list of movies with confirmed release dates? One could then get some kind of idea who the major players will for nominations next year.

[OscarGuy]

Correct me if I'm misremembering, but wasn't there a period in the 1950s or 1960s where this kind of thing happened regularly? I know that Fathom has done it recently, but I could have sworn I read somewhere that filmed theatrical performances were shown in movie theaters in the past.

[FilmFan720]

It won't. Hamilton is not an actual film...it is a filmed performance of the original Broadway company.

[nightwingnova]

Cool. Hoping this means Hamilton will be eligible!

[Big Magilla]

https://variety.com/2020/film/awards/ne ... lMo0AZfUho