The Artist :0)

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.telegraph....e-Academy-Awards.html

'The Artist' wins an Oscar for the best film???????????????

Er, let's get this right in 2012 a Black & White, Silent Film, wins best film.

The last time a black & white silent film won an Oscar was back in 1929.

In this age of wide-screen, brilliant colour, stereophonic all round sound, and even 3D. this wins best film?

Tell me is this a case of 'The King's New Clothes'?

Must dash off to my local Currys now, they have the latest in music players, it requires no electricity to play it, you just wind it up, and put the new 78rpm record disc on it.

They say they are absolutely brilliant, and must come No 1 in the 10 best audio players list.

[rojash]

Presumably you also think art galleries should get rid of the paintings as digital cameras can produce much more realistic results.

[ummmm]

People are raving about it. Personally, it doesn't appeal.

[pastafreak]

I've not seen it...but why do people assume that because a film is silent,there is no acting?
Quite the opposite I would think,as it is down to expression,gesture,emotion-to convey the story. Acting is not just about the spoken word.

[jackthehat]

Why should it be 'The King's new clothes'?

It was judged to be the best film amongst those nominated.

I doubt that there will be a sudden outpouring of silent films because of it.

[jake-the-peg]

To be fair I don't think AOG is querying the acting

It's the best film award - not quite sure what that's judged on

I've not seen it, was going to but it was in the cinemas so briefly - anybody here actually seen it?

[Gromit]

It is a very good film. If it were in 3D it would not make it any better.

[Gromit]

Raging Bull, 1980, about the boxer Jake LaMotta was also in Black and white and was nominated for 8 Oscars, but did not win best picture.

[ludwig]

What's your problem with it AOG? - too much black and not enough white in it or something?

It's not a technical award, or even about the acting - there are separate categories for those. It's about how much the members of the academy liked it. Clearly they liked it alot.

[MadFerret]

Think Schindlers List was black and white 1993

[MadFerret]

Schindler's List is a 1993 American film
The film was a box office success and recipient of seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Score, as well as numerous other awards (7 BAFTAs, 3 Golden Globes). In 2007, the American Film Institute ranked the film 8th on its list of the 100 best American films of all time (up one position from its 9th place listing on the 1998 list).

[sp1814]

I have a colleague whose seen the film and has raved about it. It just doesn't appeal to me.

Very sad to see Gary Oldman lose out in the Best Actor category to Jesn Dujardin (who subsequently got his knuckles wrapped for accidentally saying the 'F' word during his acceptance speech (in French).

[sp1814]

Actually - there IS a feeling amongst some in the film community that the film has been rewarded largely on novelty value - but I can't say...not seen it.

I would however, like to point out to all and sundry that I predicted Meryl Streep's win at the point I saw the trailer for 'The Iron Lady'. Only wish I'd put some money on it at the bookies.

Annoyed.

[sandyRoe]

The King's new clothes... He makes a speech and then wants a new rig out?

[jno]

most Best Pictures have some sort of novelty value, sp1814 - it's what makes them stand out from the crowd. The Artist did take this further than most, but it's also beautifully made.

I suspect aog might enjoy previous collaborations between this actor and director

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0464913/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1167660/

Dujardin plays a spoof James Bond, a bit like Maxwell Smart but also French, pompous and massively politically incorrect. They're both very funny.

[sandyRoe]

I've always thought 'Triumph of the will' a much underrated film. Can't understand why it never won an award.

[anotheoldgit]

Crikey what is the matter with some of you, are you void of any humour?

This was supposed to be a humorous thread on the Film 'The Artist', notice the smiley, how else can I encourage some of you you to enter into sensible debate, without the need for snide remarks, some have managed to do so, so why not you?

It seems that I have constantly got to explain myself.

This type of thing below is what I am referring to.

/// Presumably you also think art galleries should get rid of the paintings as digital cameras can produce much more realistic results. ///

My reference to the wind-up gramophone was to me obviously in jest, NOT FACT.

My reference to 'The King's New Clothes' would be self explanatory to anyone who has seen the film "Hans Christian Andersen" or read 'The Emperors New Clothes'.

As for this:

/// What's your problem with it AOG? - too much black and not enough white in it or something? ///

Another one for the ED to consider.

However to get back on track,

No I have not seen the Film, and I am in no doubt that it is a very good film, and being brought up on Black & White films, just like Black & White photography, I personally think that most films just like photographs, would benefit from the absence of colour.

But one has to ask why the need for no sound, could not this film have been equally successful had it been in sound?

[jackthehat]

Who can possibly answer that?

This disciplines of acting 'with' and 'without' dialogue are different from each other.

Possibly the film would have lost some of its charm, had it had dialogue?