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Oscar Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

by Andrew McDonald 8 years ago

The viewer’s pressure during award season.

Is it wrong that at this particular point in time my anticipation for seeing films and forecasting films of which I expect will be a worthy option, is in most cases outweighing the exhilaration of the actual films themselves? For even once they’re playing right before my eyes somewhere deep in the overstimulated and certifiably dark recesses of my mind I have begun selecting another film from the mental shelf and respectably scratching it from the mental list. This seemingly unending and bogus cycle is not necessarily limited to a certain film that I assume will be infinitely more entertaining than the one I’m currently watching but nevertheless I’m insisting to myself that I really must endeavor to make time to also see whatever other film has popped up in there screaming for my attention. I would rarely abandon the film playing at that very moment but it’s curious that this incessant, uncontained desire to ingest multiple films in one sitting wasn’t a problem six months ago. Further internal study reminds me that I was suffering this exact condition approximately one year ago and the same time a year before that and so on. So how is it that this time of year, every year, I find myself on an excruciatingly eager quest to compulsively watch movies whilst simultaneously hungry for more without any reprieve where as any other time of year movies are enjoyed at an even, steady pace without any sudden fear that I may be missing out on something far greater or just simply something else? I believe there’s a culprit for this obsessive compulsive film disorder and his name is Oscar.

 

 

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This constantly unsatisfied notion is undeniably topical to the eve of The Academy Awards. The need to see everything that I anticipate will be good is based on a period where we are inundated with a barrage of incredible films all thrown out into the stratosphere, each making sure they fall into the date range that will achieve them award recognition. I’m not saying there’s a flaw in the process, I’m sure in most cases the big-blockbusting-hitters, the life-affirming-dramas, the surprise-hits-of-the-year and the indie-gems in most cases have to undergo a rigorous procedure that somehow lands them onto screens within a certain timeframe but unfortunately that date range never strays. Perhaps they need to be applauded and hailed at festivals, snapped-up, hyped-up and distributed in a certain manner before securing a spot as Oscar contenders. Whatever the reason, to the poor enthusiast who’s feelings are unlikely spared, it’s a case of too much all at once, and as a militant observer, be damned if I’m going to let a heavily touted film slip from my paws before the coveted prize is announced.

 

The game in this period I could perhaps argue is as intense as a Wall Street crash (unless you’re clever enough to profit from it), as crazy as the weather conditions for which Leonardo DiCaprio was subjected to for the last year, as severe as a post-apocalyptic car chase, as dire as being left for dead on Mars or as manic as a the Boston Globe’s deadline for an article on abuse…  For the viewer who likes to be well-informed and up-to-speed with the Oscar race, our intake has switched from a plateauing, even flow of carefully chosen and slowly digested films throughout the year to an excessive binge session, a teeth-baring consumption flooding the senses whilst draining the wallet and it continues to pull the strings until, and with aid of its looming deadline. Universally, the time these films are likely to grace our screens is conveniently anchored within a month or so of The Oscars and as the films reach their deadlines we’re under enormous pressure to meet our own. Here in Melbourne, we’re still often brushing off the hangover from our own mid-year film festival and suddenly a whole new wave of films all declaring they are the year’s finest sets the fire alight once more and suddenly, with thanks to heavy marketing, a subsequent overwhelming hysteria takes hold all over again forcing the film fanatic to either sink or swim in the weeks leading up to movies’ night of nights.

 

Throughout the year in 2015 I distinctly recall making absurd remarks suggesting it had been a weak year in cinema. Hell, I said the same thing the year before, and just as I was about to achieve vindication I was suddenly engulfed by more trailers and film posters for more heavily-toted films featuring all my favourite actors and directors all flying at me all in rapid succession. With the exception of The Grand Budapest Hotel, 2014 had been a touch ho-hum but I quickly retracted such inane thoughts as not only quaint gems but game-changers Whiplash, Boyhood and Birdman erased the droll of the last eleven months. So where does this all end, for as long as I eagerly watch the generally recognised years best films will I have to undergo such ridiculous lengths and assured stress to prepare for the main event? Judging by the releasing schedule in recent year’s it’s an unfortunate yes. Is there any way studios can get their shit in a neater pile and spread their year’s opus’s a little more evenly? I can happily wait until the following year considering in most cases these films are virtually unknown, let alone anticipated until the superfluous marketing eve of their releases. What I don’t know can’t hurt me, right guys?

 

I’ve often overheard people snigger at the very awards that I so cherish and I seethe as the casual film goer complains at the ridiculous length of the ceremony. I do however have to relent as they confess to not having even heard of half the nominees for Best Picture (since of course they are most likely yet to be released). I wish the movie race was that easy to simply dismiss and that I could elect to disregard the entire ceremony, condemn it as pointless, silly and view it scornfully as a definitive exercise in how art cannot be judged. I could then shake off this parasite that plagues me into becoming well-versed in everything nominated – for the obsession runs deeper than six or so revered films. It’s not just the best pictures category that keeps me on my toes, but every film by nominated directors, actors, editors – the foreign language category, the documentaries and everything in between (shorts can often take a wide berth, but it’s unfair to think that that won’t change). I’d even won an Oscars sweep stakes among friends, my answers were no-brainers for I’d studied the nods and nominees, was privy to the academies tactics and predictable turns and knew every aspect of every performance to every progressive achievement in sound before the envelope had even been read out.

 

All of this madness makes me consider whether I even need to see the damn ceremony once it airs since I have a fairly good sense of who gets to leave with a statue. But here’s the other sad part, educated guesses and sure-fire predictions aside – I love the televised ceremony. In Australia I’d argue that most TVs are tuned into the cricket awards which always seem to successfully compete the same evening, but if you ask me the awards aren’t long enough. I love pointing out ‘thing-o from that film’ after the camera has flashed on an actors face for half a millisecond. I love judging the host’s performance, particularly if they are a newcomer to such a privilege – long live Billy Crystal, death to James Franco etc. I love triumphant acceptance speeches as much as the awkward unrehearsed ones and don’t get me started on the tongue-twisting-light-speed-wrap-ups as the ‘we’ll be right back’ music chimes in. If anything, this ceremony full of people I completely idolise doesn’t go for long enough!

 

This whole award season isn’t limited to the Academy Awards either, a while back I became not just an avid fan but a helpless awards junkie, vigorously avoiding spoilers and making sure I had pre-recorded everything on offer as it played at some absurd Australian hour televised live from the other side of the earth. BAFTA’s, SAG’s, Globes, AFI’s and any other direct-from-some-prestigious-concert-hall event that had been picked up by the cable channels that I had at my disposal, I was on to. By Oscar’s arrival I was so excited that I had considered renting a tuxedo just to watch it. And whilst digesting awards ceremonies with the same vivacious joy as the nominated films themselves, I suddenly became one smug step ahead of the Oscars, content that all this obsessive, compulsive viewing had finally conceived a purpose. I dutifully called out the winner at the television while the award-presenter was still fumbling with the envelope, much to my wife’s delight.

 

I can’t be certain as to how these award season’s compulsions even began to manifest for it doesn’t seem that long ago that I detested the win for Crash as it won best picture in 2006 and threatened to turn my back on such events once and for good. It wasn’t a pinch on Brokeback Mountain or Capote also released that year, and although the academy made a conscious decision and sent a clear message that it favoured anti-racist sentiments (ironically the real crash this year has been Oscar’s all-white line-up) the same could not be said for gay authors and cowboys. If I recall my awards angst had developed even earlier when in 2002 Denzel Washington won for Training Day. I was certain Russell Crowe was going to win for A Beautiful Mind because… errr…. he was legions better! Now I get that it was post September 11 and it felt right that the award go to an American not some bar-brawling aussie who had won the previous year anyway, and on average I’d take Denzel over Rusty any day (it’s called American Gangster – not American Pursuer), but Denzel didn’t deserve it. In fact there’s a long historical line of times the academy got it wrong, most of our all-time-faves didn’t win awards and my examples are the ones that I witnessed firsthand (through the TV) but my point is why didn’t I just dismiss the awards and put Oscar to bed knowing that it’s about what the picture means to you not about the awards it receives etc etc and yet I’ve become even more obsessed over time! In fact I’m relieved when the seasons well and truly over, but I have no doubt that I’ll be making the same frantic film-watching arrangements next year. In fact, I can already guess this far in advance that it may be a win for the non-racist-sound-version of Birth Of A Nation.

 

 

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Perhaps films are simply more accessible now days, the response time between cinema and DVD, Cable-TV and even regular-arse TV are far greater than what they were. I can attest that in the 80s the wait between the cinema release and seeing it chock full of commercials and bad edits for colloquialisms on the tele, was an absolute eternity. There’s a good chance that if you saw it in the 80s on the big screen you most likely saw it in the 90s on the small. The great thing about our current response time is that the old films are all archived, no longer do we have to hope like hell that one of three neighbouring video stores has what old or obscure film you’re looking for, now you can watch it or ship it straight to your door at the click of a button. But the serious downside to all this is that there’s far too much access and far too much choice. Gone are the days where ‘the video store didn’t have it’ or ‘I’ll just wait until it comes on TV next’ and then you can carry on and forget all about the film and you’re none-the-wiser if you never did see it. Now it’s: ‘slightly interested?’ ‘Vaguely curious?’ ‘Here it is!’

 

The problem at hand that bears little reconciliation is that during this crucial film watching period I long to be in the moment, savour the experience and simply enjoy one of the year’s best films, but I can’t help that all the while I’m making a checklist of everything else I need to make time to see.  Before I’ve even seen the damn picture I’m caught up in the advertising and siding with the critics who have already had the pleasure of critiquing and confirming it’s the best of the year. I repeat what I hear and read, simply changing the tense to ‘this will be the best film…’ and revel in the safety of knowing I’ve made a sound decision when it’s playing before me. Therein lies the sickness, for each film released has now fewer than 5 stars, the quotes all sound the same ‘amazing’ ‘two thumbs up’ ‘a triumph’. Beside each quote are multiple logos from Cannes, Venice and a ton of other film festivals and finally they’ve all been nominated for ten academy awards each – so the only sane thing to do is to get moving!

 

It’s a painless process and the pent up anticipation is invigorating, until of course you actually see the film. Providing it shakes you to your core you might suggest it to a friend or if brought up in conversation, recognise that you’ve seen it and give it a quick ‘it was good / great / fucking awesome’ but rarely do you elaborate. Whereas if something you’re yet to see or have been looking forward to seeing should come up then you’re on the verge of a colossal verbal explosion. ‘I can’t wait to see it! That movie looks sick! ____directed it who made_____ and it’s got ____ in it too!  It’s about ___ I think it comes out ___ we should totally go!’ and so it continues in this pattern and the disorder continues and feeds until one day when it became virtually impossible to stay ahead I’m sure I’ll persist as I end up in a bunker with nothing more than a Smart TV and pillars of discs.

 

 

 

 

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Posted by: Andrew McDonald

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