As they say, you can’t make this stuff up. I speak of the Academy Awards’ embarrassing mistake
of naming La La Land Best Picture,
only to have to retract that in the middle of La La’s acceptance speech, naming Moonlight. This is all
because Price Waterhouse Coopers gave the presenters the wrong envelope. Perhaps the Academy is shopping for a new
accounting firm? In this era of “fake
news” the mistake only feeds the Zeitgeist.
Maybe it was Russian hacking? It's
one thing to tamper with the election and it’s quite another to mess with the
Academy!
I have not seen Moonlight,
but it does sound like award-winning material, adapted from a play. However, I loved La La Land, particularly Emma Stone’s rendition of the song “The
Audition” which I have made part of my piano repertoire. I also admired the film as a throwback to filmed
musicals of the past, albeit updated for our times.
Our friends Betty and Claudia were visiting this weekend,
both movie buffs, and they had not seen Fences
(nor had we) and I was surprised to find the film being offered on pay-per-view
so we watched it before the Academy Awards yesterday. I was stunned. August Wilson stands among the greatest
American playwrights. Although the movie
rights to the Pulitzer Prize winning play were bought soon after the play opened
in 1987, it was only recently produced as Wilson had insisted that the film
have a black director. His wishes
continued to be honored after his death in 2005. It was Denzel Washington, one of our finest
actors, who finally was chosen to direct and star in the play – he was in the
2010 revival of the play on Broadway with Viola Davis as well. I was surprised that Washington was not even
nominated for best director, although he was up for best actor. Until I see Moonlight, which won for the “best” film, I can’t comment, but what
Washington accomplished as a director and as an actor has to be greatly
admired. Viola Davis was spectacular as
well. I will not easily forget this
film, Wilson’s writing, or the performances.
When you think about it, how does one chose between a La La Land, Fences, or Moonlight –
all award deserving in their own right?
It’s one of the reasons why the Academy Awards doesn’t resonate with
me. I watched part of it, but did not
see the controversial ending; both Moonlight
and La La Land deserved better. But so did Fences and Denzel Washington.
I mentioned this before, but never went into any
detail. We attended the 1980 Academy
Awards as a guest of the Academy. Their Annual
Motion Picture Credits Database was published by my firm at the time. In those days, such information was in
reference book form. I used to visit the
Academy and the American Film Institute searching for publishable material.
When I received an invitation to attend the Awards, I was
able to combine the trip to LA with one of my editorial efforts, and, of
course, Ann wanted to join me so I accepted.
Unfortunately, this is way before cell phone cameras and I thought it a
little tacky to arrive with my full-size Nikon hanging from my shoulder, so I
have no photographs to record the experience.
I had a rented car (not very fancy) and wore just a plain
suit. Ann was dressed nicely but no
designer dress or even borrowed jewels.
A valet took our car and in spite of being unknowns (and looking the
part), we walked down the red carpet to some applause. No one asked for our autograph, though : - ).
This was Johnny Carson’s second year as host and the big
film, winning most of the awards was Kramer
vs. Kramer. Coincidentally I had met
the author of the book on which the film was based, Avery Corman, a year or two
before. He politely autographed a
pre-production copy at the American Booksellers Association meeting after we
discussed why I felt a special connection with his book: I had been divorced
ten years earlier with similar custody issues.
Back to the Academy Awards, I remember standing next to
Gregory Peck during one of the brief breaks, I wanted to say something, but felt
it would be intrusive. So we just stood
there, admiring all the screen actors I recognized and he knew well. It was a lot of fun to attend this major
Hollywood event, but Ann and I were outsiders, looking in.
After watching the film Fences we took Betty and Claudia to our favorite Sunday night place,
Double Roads Tavern in Jupiter to listen to the Jupiter Jazz Society’s weekly jam
session. Professionals play but other
musicians can sit in for a set or two. I’d
like to do that myself but as most of my piano playing has been solo; I don’t
have the skills for impromptu jazz accompaniment. So, we go just to enjoy and support such a
worthwhile effort. Organizer Rick Moore, who plays the keyboard with the best of them, gathers a
wide range of musicians, ones just starting out, but oh so talented, to retired
and seasoned professionals who just like to jam. It is Rick (and his wife, Cherie, a
co-founder of the Society) who drive the mission to preserve jazz for future
generations. And future generations are
responding. Ava Faith, a 13 year old
singer, made a surprise appearance last night after singing the National Anthem
at the Marlins’ spring training game.
She already has the right stuff, a great young jazz voice and a personality
that is impressive. Wonderful to hear
that generation perform the Great American Songbook and to know it will endure. I tried to capture a brief clip with my
twitter feed…
To round out yesterday, in the morning Claudia and I took a walk on the beach in Juno, watching the sun rising over the pier…Ava Faith at the Double Roads, Jupiter! pic.twitter.com/4vOLEOxWNM— Robert Hagelstein (@lacunaemusing) February 27, 2017
