120 Invited to Academy Membership
Well, you have two chances: There's the yet unreleased Hounddog mentioned below as well as Peter Jackson's upcoming film adaptation of The Lovely Bones in which the main character gets raped and murdered.Eric wrote:I can't wait to see Dakota Fanning get raped.
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anonymous1980
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Here's the reason the Academy invited Fanning to join: so she can vote for herself! From the NY Daily News:
All shook up over Dakota's 'Hounddog'
Twelve-year-old Dakota Fanning deals with rape and child abuse in 'Hounddog.'
Cute-as-a-button child star Dakota Fanning, who turned 12 in February, is venturing into sexually disturbing territory in a movie being filmed in North Carolina.
The screenplay for "Hounddog" - a dark story of abuse, violence and Elvis Presley adulation in the rural South, written and directed by Deborah Kampmeier - calls for Fanning's character to be raped in one explicit scene and to appear naked or clad only in "underpants" in several other horrifying moments.
Fanning's mother, Joy, and her Hollywood agent, Cindy Osbrink, see the movie as a possible Oscar vehicle for the pint-size star. But despite Fanning's status as a bankable actress - whose movies, including last year's "War of the Worlds," have earned more than half a billion dollars since 2001 - the alarming material seems to have scared off potential investors from the under-$5 million indie project.
"The two taboos in Hollywood are child abuse and the killing of animals," a source close to the situation told me. "In this movie, both things happen."
Fanning's carefully choreographed rape scene has already been filmed. But then the production - which also stars Robin Wright Penn, David Morse and Piper Laurie - was shut down for lack of funds. Penn, who's also an executive producer, gave a pep talk to the dispirited cast in the days leading up to the shutdown. The desperate producer, Jen Gatien, daughter of former club czar Peter Gatien, sent out an SOS to New York entertainment entrepreneur Lawrence Robins. Robins located emergency investors, filming resumed, and the movie is scheduled to wrap tomorrow.
"The subject matter is very tough," Robins told me, "but I was attracted to it because in the end it's a story about human understanding, about a little girl who's dealt a very bad deck of cards, but finds solace in the music of Elvis and survives."
The script requires the preteen actress to confront tougher challenges than Brooke Shields and Jodie Foster did when, at Fanning's age, they played child prostitutes.
"It's not just the rape scene - the whole story is challenging Dakota as an actress," Fanning's longtime agent, Osbrink, told me. "And I've never been so proud of her in my life. I've seen the dailies, and in every scene she gets better and better."
All shook up over Dakota's 'Hounddog'
Twelve-year-old Dakota Fanning deals with rape and child abuse in 'Hounddog.'
Cute-as-a-button child star Dakota Fanning, who turned 12 in February, is venturing into sexually disturbing territory in a movie being filmed in North Carolina.
The screenplay for "Hounddog" - a dark story of abuse, violence and Elvis Presley adulation in the rural South, written and directed by Deborah Kampmeier - calls for Fanning's character to be raped in one explicit scene and to appear naked or clad only in "underpants" in several other horrifying moments.
Fanning's mother, Joy, and her Hollywood agent, Cindy Osbrink, see the movie as a possible Oscar vehicle for the pint-size star. But despite Fanning's status as a bankable actress - whose movies, including last year's "War of the Worlds," have earned more than half a billion dollars since 2001 - the alarming material seems to have scared off potential investors from the under-$5 million indie project.
"The two taboos in Hollywood are child abuse and the killing of animals," a source close to the situation told me. "In this movie, both things happen."
Fanning's carefully choreographed rape scene has already been filmed. But then the production - which also stars Robin Wright Penn, David Morse and Piper Laurie - was shut down for lack of funds. Penn, who's also an executive producer, gave a pep talk to the dispirited cast in the days leading up to the shutdown. The desperate producer, Jen Gatien, daughter of former club czar Peter Gatien, sent out an SOS to New York entertainment entrepreneur Lawrence Robins. Robins located emergency investors, filming resumed, and the movie is scheduled to wrap tomorrow.
"The subject matter is very tough," Robins told me, "but I was attracted to it because in the end it's a story about human understanding, about a little girl who's dealt a very bad deck of cards, but finds solace in the music of Elvis and survives."
The script requires the preteen actress to confront tougher challenges than Brooke Shields and Jodie Foster did when, at Fanning's age, they played child prostitutes.
"It's not just the rape scene - the whole story is challenging Dakota as an actress," Fanning's longtime agent, Osbrink, told me. "And I've never been so proud of her in my life. I've seen the dailies, and in every scene she gets better and better."
"...it is the weak who are cruel, and...gentleness is only to be expected from the strong." - Leo Reston
"Cruelty might be very human, and it might be cultural, but it's not acceptable." - Jodie Foster
"Cruelty might be very human, and it might be cultural, but it's not acceptable." - Jodie Foster
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The Original BJ
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Amy Adams was my pick this year . . . but even I think Michelle Williams deserves selection before her. (Although BOTH deserve to be in the Academy before people like Fanning and Keira Knightley.)
What makes Williams's exclusion so frustrating to me is that I have a strong hunch she will be around for a LONG time. Given her track record, she has already laid the groundwork for a strong career as a character actress in interesting films. I think she'll be nabbing strong parts (and Oscar nominations, methinks) for many years to come.
Although I felt Amy Adams gave the best nominated performance in 2005, I also think that of all 20 nominees, she'd get my vote for least likely to ever be in the running again. Knightley will fade as soon as her looks do, and Fanning's inexplicable popularity will end with puberty.
Of course one can't predict the future, but in years to come, I bet Williams will seem like a MUCH more sensible choice for permanent membership in the Academy than of-the-moment stars like Fanning and Knightley. (Then again, selecting of-the-moment favorites rather than selections worthy of history seems to be what the Academy does best these days.)
What makes Williams's exclusion so frustrating to me is that I have a strong hunch she will be around for a LONG time. Given her track record, she has already laid the groundwork for a strong career as a character actress in interesting films. I think she'll be nabbing strong parts (and Oscar nominations, methinks) for many years to come.
Although I felt Amy Adams gave the best nominated performance in 2005, I also think that of all 20 nominees, she'd get my vote for least likely to ever be in the running again. Knightley will fade as soon as her looks do, and Fanning's inexplicable popularity will end with puberty.
Of course one can't predict the future, but in years to come, I bet Williams will seem like a MUCH more sensible choice for permanent membership in the Academy than of-the-moment stars like Fanning and Knightley. (Then again, selecting of-the-moment favorites rather than selections worthy of history seems to be what the Academy does best these days.)
Maybe Lead nominees get invited automatically, even if they have no other film credits? Maybe Amy Adams got the invite and Williams didn't because Adams had been in an Oscar-nominated film (which was a big hit) and Williams hadn't? Maybe Oscar voters just got tired of Williams' perpetual scowl at every event she appeared at during Oscar season? (I know I did.)
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Mister Tee
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Amy Adams does have a significant role in Catch Me If You Can, so it's not like she has nothing backing up Junebug.
But you'd think The Station Agent would be enough of a credit to pull Williams along (esp. with the Catalina Moreno example offered below).
Fanning has certainly been in enough widely-seen efforts to merit inclusion -- except, of course, she's a child, and it seems silly to add someone so young to the roster.
But you'd think The Station Agent would be enough of a credit to pull Williams along (esp. with the Catalina Moreno example offered below).
Fanning has certainly been in enough widely-seen efforts to merit inclusion -- except, of course, she's a child, and it seems silly to add someone so young to the roster.
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Big Magilla
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Not inviting Michelle Williams was mean and the back-handed slap against her by the Academy spokesman was meaner. I'd say her work in Dick, But I'm a Cheerleader, The Station Agent, Imaginary Heroes and The Baxter as well as Brokeback Mountain is superior to anything Amy Adams or Dakota Fanning have done, but unlike those loquacious actresses Michelle Williams is quiet and unassuming, not pushy, and I guess that's a sin in today's Hollywood.
At least she didn't have to wait until she died, like Dorothy McGuire and Martha Scott, to find out how little the Hollywood establishment thinks of her.
If they want to limit the membership of the actors they should start throwing out those members who publicly admit they either don't see all the nominated performances and/or have surrogates fill out their ballots, but then they might have to actually give their statuettes to people who deserve them instead of thsoe who'll look the best on Entertainment Tonight and its clones..
At least she didn't have to wait until she died, like Dorothy McGuire and Martha Scott, to find out how little the Hollywood establishment thinks of her.
If they want to limit the membership of the actors they should start throwing out those members who publicly admit they either don't see all the nominated performances and/or have surrogates fill out their ballots, but then they might have to actually give their statuettes to people who deserve them instead of thsoe who'll look the best on Entertainment Tonight and its clones..
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OscarGuy
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What has Amy Adams done, BTW?
The thing we also have to think about is that the decision to include on the list comes from the board of governors. A potential member must have support of two existing members and the board of governors have to vote to offer membership.
Dakota Fanning was obviously a ploy to make sure the Academy has broad support among non-film enthusiasts. Why Michelle Williams wasn't invited doesn't make any sense, but guaranteed the fall out this year will trigger her invitation next year.
I'm still wondering why Santaolalla wasn't invited. Unlike Michelle, he actually WON an Oscar.
The thing we also have to think about is that the decision to include on the list comes from the board of governors. A potential member must have support of two existing members and the board of governors have to vote to offer membership.
Dakota Fanning was obviously a ploy to make sure the Academy has broad support among non-film enthusiasts. Why Michelle Williams wasn't invited doesn't make any sense, but guaranteed the fall out this year will trigger her invitation next year.
I'm still wondering why Santaolalla wasn't invited. Unlike Michelle, he actually WON an Oscar.
Wesley Lovell
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both." - Benjamin Franklin
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both." - Benjamin Franklin
Catalina Sandino Moreno was invited to join the Academy last year. Remembering Ric Robertson´s words regarding the criterion of selection used, I tried to messured her body of work and I found Just ONE SINGLE movie in her filmography!!!! On the other hand, at the time Williams was rejected, she had already added 15 films on her credits.
I quite liked Michelle in But...I'm a Cheerleader and Imaginary Heroes; if anything, ya gotta hand to her for supporting queer cinema. And, yeah, I would be insulted if I were an Oscar nominated actress who had been passed over for membership in favor of that freak child.
"...it is the weak who are cruel, and...gentleness is only to be expected from the strong." - Leo Reston
"Cruelty might be very human, and it might be cultural, but it's not acceptable." - Jodie Foster
"Cruelty might be very human, and it might be cultural, but it's not acceptable." - Jodie Foster
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Precious Doll
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Michelle Williams is great in a small English film called Me Without You. If I didn't know she was American I would have sworn she was English. Good film - great performance.
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anonymous1980
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