New Game: The Best By The Best

[Penelope]

Another suggestion would be: at the end of each “year,” each player ranks the nominees from 1 to 10, then these lists are tabulated, with 1 = 10 points, 2 = 9 points, 3= 8 points…10 = 1 point; then we post the results and we have a top 10 for each category for that year. Assuming, of course, that we get 10 people to participate.

[OscarGuy]

Yeah. That was one of the "new" category ideas I had, I just forgot it.

It would be Ensemble, not Cast and we wouldn't have that stupid "no two-people-on-one-title" rule.

[barrybrooks8]

I'd play. And I think IMDB release dates would be easiest, and easiest to research.

[Penelope]

I like that idea, Cinemanolis.

[Cinemanolis]

I leave the rules thing to you, since you are the creators of this new game. I would like to suggest to include a best cast or ensemble category like the SAGs have.

[OscarGuy]

I don't have a problem of using global release dates. However, we've only heard from three potential players. What does everyone else think?

[Penelope]

Please, please, IMDb release date!!!! As I indicated originally, my hope is that this game, or whatever it is, would be more reflective of the global film community than just the U.S.

[Big Magilla]

I meant to say a minimum of 10-12 includisons per category.

Limelight was a 1952 release in New York. More problematic are the films of Yasujiro Ozu, most of which were not released in the U.S. until 1972, 9 years aftrer his death, including his 1953 masterpiece, Tokyo Story.

Of course Tokyo Story is a timeless film that is one of the best of any year you place it in, but you have a point with Army of Shadows, which seems more of a 1960s film than a 2006 one.

If the purpsoe of the game is to shine a light on films that should have won been honored in their day then I still say only consider thsoe films that were released in the U.s. during the calendar year and thus more accessible to the majority of film-goers at the time. If, however, the purpose is to point out films from the vantage point of time, that is to say at the time we are making the selections, then it really doesn't matter and we can simply take the easy way out and use the imdb. date of release.

[OscarGuy]

My problem with category size is that if we have more than 10-12 players, some people don't get a say, which is antithetical to the purpose of the game.

Now, if you wanted to say "two choices per player (on two separate turns) unless the number of players equals 10 or more)", then I'd be more accepting of that.

My problem with the release date thing is we have films made from a different time (like Limelight or Army of Shadows) that doesn't fit in the year it was released because the culture surrounding the film's production is inherently different than the year in which it was released.



Edited By OscarGuy on 1211563497

[Penelope]

The problem I have with that, Magilla, is that many foreign films run into wildly different years, and would require hunting down dates in IMDb (for example, Violent Summer, a 1959 Italian release, didn't get a stateside release until 1961); and some were never released in the U.S. (The Great Silence, a 1968 Italian film, has, according to IMDb, never had a U.S. release); relegating these films to the Special Recognition category thus prevents us from filling other categories with what might feel to be worthy nominees--The Great Silence, for example, would get my votes for Picture, Director, Actor (Jean-Louis Trintignant), Original Screenplay, Cinematography, Art Direction, Costume Design, Film Editing, Original Score and Sound--I can't put all those in 1 category.

[Big Magilla]

I like most of your and Penelope's suggestions except in regard to foregin films. I think we should use U.S. release date (which is what I use for my Oscar shouldabeens) simply because when we get to the later years we may not be aware of a foreign film that hasn't been shown yet in the U.S. However, we could honor foreign films in the year of their initial release in the Speical recognition category. films only shown in festivals in teh U.S. could be honored in the same way.

I'd like to see 10-12 nominees per category so if there are 12 players we each get to chose one but if there are only six plyers we get to choose two each, three players four each and so on. We could set a limit the number of Special recognition entries to three regardless of the number of entries we're allowed to make in other categories.



Also I think we sholud go by strict calendar year starting with 1927. We could do 1927 and 1928 in one game, with separate entries for each since the choices in this still most pre-talkie year may be limited. For example, in my Oscar Shouldabeens I don't have supporting acting nominations which I only begin in 1929.

[OscarGuy]

Those sound like good solid suggestions.

I worry about strategy. Although the game is very limited, there isn't much in the way of strategy. But who knows...

What does everyone else think? And who is interested in playing?

[Penelope]

How about, instead of separate categories for Title Sequences/End Credits, or Stunts, or Choreography, we have a Special Recognition Category, where such achievements could be placed--but it would have to be an achievement that isn't honored elsewhere (for example, if someone wanted to honor Joanne Woodward's narration of The Age of Innocence, but she really can't go in Supporting Actress).

As for the rounds, I think doing all categories at once would allow us to really fly through the years, and might even help us in the other game, providing inspiration to seek out films some of us haven't seen.

[OscarGuy]

I think establishing a set of categories would be best.

Your list looks good, but I would recommend we see if there are some items that have never been recognized but should be. After all, these are The Best By The Best.

Some suggestions: Titles Sequence, Stunts, Choreography?

And since each player would take on the entire year at one time, the turns would go by pretty quickly. Unless you want to continue the current order and have everyone place one in each of three group of categories and then go through the turn order to let those who go first have a chance later in the game to place something else? There would never be a limitation, so they could get their favorites in in an early pass and then see where the action is later?

Just some thoughts. This is the beginning stage of the game, so we're in the design phase. After the Nom Elim game, we have learned a lot and should be able to apply that to this game.

[Penelope]

To expand on that, I humbly suggest that we just have the following categories:

Picture
Director
Actor
Actress
Supporting Actor
Supporting Actress
Original Screenplay
Adapted Screenplay
Cinematography
Film Editing
Art Direction
Costume Design
Original Score
Original Song
Sound
Sound Effects
Visual Effects
Makeup

That way, if a player feels than an animated film or a documentary deserves a Best Picture nomination, they don't have to just ghettoize it into an Animated or Documentary category.



Edited By Penelope on 1211556321