Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Oscar buzz for LOTR: Return of the King?

This is topic Oscar buzz for LOTR: Return of the King? in forum Film-Yak at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://ft-forum.com/ft/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=8;t=002775

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 12-15-2003, 05:45 PM:

I was really pretty surprised to find out the New York Film Critics Circle voted "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" the best film of 2003.

Normally the NY Film Critics circle can be a very stuffy bunch, opting for whatever Merchant-Ivory dress-up period pic might be playing during the holiday season. I figured they would slap their endorsement on a film like "Cold Mountain." Well, surprise.

Only one sequel in film history has won the Best Picture Oscar, "The Godfather: Part II". The original "Godfather" film was also awarded with the Best Picture Oscar. To be fair, "The Return of the King" is really not quite a sequel of sorts, just the final third of a very large epic. The NY Film Critics Circle nod could give it an early boost on that Oscar competition.

It would seem kind of strange if "Return of the King" actually won the Best Picture Oscar since neither of the first two LOTR installments won. That may work against it greatly in the voting.

Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 12-15-2003, 07:37 PM:

There has also been speculation that the Academy has been waiting for the conclusion of the trilogy before giving an award.

This is a bit different than the other trilogies in that it has been known from the beginning that there would be 3 films released 1 year apart. There was no such advance plan on STAR WARS, INDIANA JONES or GODFATHER. BACK TO THE FUTURE made 2 & 3 only after 1 was successful.

I'm not seeing a lot of competition this year...there are very VERY few films I'm lookng forward to seeing this holiday season. I think Peter Jackson will be making a lot of trips to the podium come the awards.

Posted by Paul Linfesty (Member # 214) on 12-15-2003, 09:18 PM:

Wasn't Oscar-winning SILENCE OF THE LAMBS an "unofficial" sequel to MANHUNTER? Different production companies and individuals, of course, but LAMBS was a sequel to book RED DRAGON.

Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 12-15-2003, 09:33 PM:

This trilogy is an incredible achievement in filmmaking. It would be criminal for the industry not to recognize the efforts of everyone who worked on it.

A news blurb I read on Yahoo News quoted someone of the New York Film Critics saying "Return of the King is easily the best film of the 3". That's saying quite a lot, considering the first 2 were not exactly stinkers.

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 12-16-2003, 12:00 AM:

Yes, I thought about the "Manhunter" tie in with "Silence of the Lambs." But I can't really acknowledge "Manhunter" being a real prequel to "Silence". Aside from the differences of studio, production company, crew, etc., they're both extrememly different in terms of style, quality and how they interpreted the text of the novels being represented. I view the recent "Red Dragon" release as being a much more legitimate "prequel" or "sequel" to "Silence" than Michael Mann's overly stylized "Manhunter" version. Mann's movie was okay and pretty entertaining in parts. But it was more about him demonstrating mood and music video stylings than dealing with the book properly.

I really enjoyed the novel "Red Dragon" and was kind of pissed at how it was handled on the big screen. "Silence of the Lambs" was actually a lesser book than "Red Dragon" and IMHO the film actually improved on the book. The "Silence" movie also lifted tidbits from "Red Dragon" that Mann's "Manhunter" chose to ignore, such as Doctor Chilton's explanation how Lector's pulse never got above 72, even while he ate the nurse's toungue.

Posted by Adam Fraser (Member # 1074) on 12-16-2003, 01:06 AM:

I think there is more of a general buzz about this movie than the past two. People have been asking about it since we put up the first one-sheet this summer. If it lives up to expectations, I would think it would take best picture.. Look at the competition, Hulk, Legally Blonde, Matrix and the list of the great movies this past year goes on and on. [uhoh]

Posted by Jeff Stricker (Member # 224) on 12-16-2003, 05:51 AM:

I'm hoping LOTR wins the Oscar for best picture, at a minimum. Hey, of course this is a fantasy, it requires special effects to tell the story, but its GREAT film making. My hats off to Peter Jackson for this excellent effort of bringing the Tolkien trilogy to film. When I first read this stuff 40 years ago, I could never have believed that it would ever make it to the screen. [thumbsup]

Posted by Aaron Garman (Member # 1653) on 12-16-2003, 02:51 PM:

Best picture would be nice, but give Jackson the directing award. Without him, this project would never have worked as it has. He is the driving spirit behind this film and trilogy. I don't even think Lucas influenced the Star Wars films as much as Jackson influenced his LOTR films. Tremendous work Mr. Jackson.

AJG

Posted by Chris Hipp (Member # 1788) on 12-16-2003, 06:12 PM:

This double thread stuff is annoying, will someone please close one of them?

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 12-16-2003, 06:22 PM:

Yes.

Continue discussion in this thread