Eighty-Five Years Ago Today...

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... this happened:

"The notion of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) began with Louis B. Mayer, head of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). He wanted to create an organization that would mediate labor disputes and improve the industry’s image. So, on a Sunday evening, Mayer and three other studio big-wigs - actor Conrad Nagel, director Fred Niblo, and the head of the Association of Motion Picture Producers, Fred Beetson - sat down and discussed these matters. The idea of this elite club having an annual banquet was tossed around, but there was no mention of awards just yet. They also established that membership into the organization would only be open to people involved in one of the five branches of the industry: actors, directors, writers, technicians, and producers.

After their brief meeting, Mayer gathered up a group of thirty-six people involved in the film industry and invited them to a formal banquet at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles on January 11, 1927. That evening Mayer presented to those guests what he called the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and it was open to those who had contributed to the motion picture industry. Everyone in the room that evening became a founder of the Academy. It wasn’t until later, when Mayer’s lawyers wrote up the charter, did the name change to "Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences".

Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. was elected as the first president of the Academy. As one of his first acts, he added an activity of bestowing “awards of merit for distinctive achievement.” However, they were on the brink of forming something historical. A year later the voting system for the Awards was established, and the nomination and selection process began. This "award of merit for distinctive achievement" is what we know now as the Academy Award."

History, yo! I know that most of the movie-centric sites are non-stop Oscar talk these days, while I've had pretty much jack to say about them. It's amazing what a little Crash can do, huh? I used to find the awards fun, and I still watch all of the shows for sure - I look forward to Ricky Gervais offending someone and then maybe getting punched by Judi Dench at the Globes this weekend just like the rest of us - but they just mean less and less to me every year with the actual best stuff of the year getting routinely left to rot in the cold for a million ridiculous reasons.

But, all that said, when something or someone worthy wins (and I am of course the one who really deems them worthy, natch) then I do smile. I don't know how much of a hypocrite that makes me - I sure do spend a lot of words talking about something I don't care about! - but whatever, it's complicated. Me and the Oscars are at that love-hate Katherine Heigl rom-com part of the relationship. Although it feels more like Straw Dogs to me. And to Kim Novak, apparently! (Hooray for an excuse to post that shirtless William Holden shot.) (Also for the record that me saythat I struggled the same as Kim with the use of the Vertigo score in The Artist, I talked about it a bunch in my review way back when, but she maybe could have toned down the histrionics a tad? Maybe?)

So anyway I do have a point. I pay attention to what's going on with the awards, and with today being the 85th anniversary of them, I might as well do something. And something positive, eventually, at that! So here off my head are six of the things that are actually in the conversation for winning actual statues or at least maybe getting nominated that I am happy to see in the conversation for winning statues or at least maybe getting nominated. There are actually a few more I could list, but let's stick with six. Henceforth.

Albert Brooks in Drive

"Life's A Happy Song" from The Muppets

Melissa McCarthy in Bridesmaids

Jeff Nichols for writing Take Shelter

And the awards for "Duh, of course these make me happy"

goes to Fassy in Shame and Charlize in Young Adult. 
Duh. Of course these make me happy.

Also, and this too is a given, I look forward 

to seeing Jean Dujardin dancing up on stage.

What future nominees and/or possible winners 

are hitting your happy bone?

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