Oscar night 2012

[dirac]

Coming up this weekend. Not too much suspense except possibly where Best Actress is concerned.

Douglas joins a list of previously announced Oscar presenters, including Halle Berry, Rose Byrne, Bradley Cooper, Tom Cruise, Penélope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Tina Fey, Tom Hanks, Angelina Jolie, Milla Jovovich, Ellie Kemper, Jennifer Lopez, Melissa McCarthy, Wendy McLendon-Covey, Chris Rock, Maya Rudolph, Ben Stiller, Emma Stone and Kristen Wiig.

Stars are seriously not what they used to be......

[Amy Reusch]

The suspense is over "Pina"!

[Quiggin]

Interesting sidelight on red carpet wear:

For James Grant, co-founder of Starworks, the marketing consultancy, the increasing pay-to-wear trend is partly a result of a changing business model ... “The revenue stream has changed in Hollywood,” he says. “Fewer movies are being made. Action and 3D movies are being invested in but there are less decent dramas and romcoms. TV shows have become reality-driven, rather than actor-driven, so actors have to look elsewhere to make money. With fewer studios backing movies there’s less budget to pay for red-carpet stylists, costume designers and artists. So actors are turning to brands.”

Hollywood's Pay List, Lucie Greene, Financial Times, February 24, 2012

http://www.ft.com/in...l#axzz1nQ8ZpRKI

[sandik]

Interesting sidelight on red carpet wear:

...So actors are turning to brands.”

Hollywood's Pay List, Lucie Greene, Financial Times, February 24, 2012

http://www.ft.com/in...l#axzz1nQ8ZpRKI

I'd been wondering about this shift, in the way you wonder about things while you stand in line at the grocery store, but hadn't put the little pieces together into the bigger picture -- thanks for posting this link.

[Quiggin]

I'd been wondering about this shift

There may have been a comedy there for Robert Altman or Preston Sturges.

[dirac]

Thanks for the link. It's pretty serious money for the actresses - the article refers to "actors" but it's mainly female actors who are facing the shortage of roles in the dramas and romantic comedies the article mentions and are thus looking to advertising for income.

Not to mention that the reaction can be reasonably described as savage when an actress chooses an unconventional or less than flattering frock, which has led to a certain sameness and conservatism in their choices. The glory days of Cher and Geena Davis are no more.

Altman tried it, more or less, with Pret-a-Porter.

[Quiggin]

Actually LA is fairly conservative in its dress - refined Italian fabrics, subtle patterns, understated colors, beautiful cuts of clothes. Part of it is the soft light which rules out the dramatic primary colors that look so good in steely New York - and part of it is uncertainty about taboos and going overboard (for which see Joan Didion and Scott Fitzgerald).

Plus with the Oscars you have to compete with the red carpet as background, and who could paint on a red canvas - except perhaps for Matisse? That's why black does well, the tuxedoed men especially.

The effect of this upper east side group, who go back to Holly Go-lightly, is totally unimaginable in LA:

"Fashion is commerce but ..."

http://video.nytimes...100000001350071

*

Altman tried it, more or less, with Pret-a-Porter.

But Sturges, who after all invented kiss-proof lipstick, would be good with the contradictions and reversals, such as the wrong watches worn.

[dirac]

The general trend toward conservatism in the actresses' fashion choices has been widely noted as the red carpet show has risen in importance. Certainly things weren't very understated in the go-go days of Bob Mackie and Nolan Miller. I don't think it's altogether a bad thing - it's a great benefit for men that they're able to wear a sort of uniform and a very flattering one, even if actors usually manage to find a way to mess up, cf. Robert Downey, Jr. One could argue that classically cut sheaths perform something like the same function for the women.

[dirac]

Thoughts?

[cubanmiamiboy]

Will Streep ever be able to equal Hepburn or even surpass her on winning times...? (Hepburn=4 vs. Streep=3)

Angelina's dress was beautiful. She looks emanciated, and she was trying too hard with that posing stuff...

[Natalia]

Stacey Keibler (George Clooney's girlfriend) won Best Gown, hands down, IMO, with that gold Marchesa with big bow at the hip.

http://news.yahoo.co...-012708828.html

I also liked Penelope Cruz, Jayne Seymour and Mila Jojovic (sp?). I liked Angelina Jolie's lighter hair color and red lipstick...but not that black velvet sack of a gown (sorry, cubanmiamiboy) and that idiotic pose.

Sasha Baron Cohen as 'The Dictator' rocked the Red Carpet, spilling Kim Il-Jung's "ashes" over Ryan Seacrest.

I can't wait for Cohen's movie in May.

In general, there were fewer glamorous gowns this year than in the past. If I were the Fashion Police, I'd arrest

Shailene Woodley (22-yr-old in matronly, long-sleeved polyester). What the heck was that? Ditto the 'stuffed sausages' who will remain nameless.

[Anthony_NYC]

Will Streep ever be able to equal Hepburn or even surpass her on winning times...? (Hepburn=4 vs. Streep=3)

I've heard Streep, with her self-deprecating humor, point out--accurately, I believe!--in interviews that she's lost the Oscar for Best Actress more times than anybody history.

[cubanmiamiboy]

Ha,ha...the "stuffed sausages"...

Then too much white against white with little makeup and no jewels-(Paltrow, Jovovich, Guliana Rancic etc...)

I vote for high drama and color...

Elie Kemper in Armani Prive.

http://perezhilton.com/galleries/oscars-2012-best-dressed-celebs/?id=218904&pic=15#gallery

Divine La Close in Zac Posen.

http://perezhilton.com/galleries/oscars-2012-best-dressed-celebs/?id=218904&pic=16#gallery

Rose Byrne in Vivienne Westwood.

http://perezhilton.com/galleries/oscars-2012-best-dressed-celebs/?id=218904&pic=11#gallery

J.Lo in her Zuhair Murad/Mae West inspired look-(vulgar and stunning at the same time. Let's note I pulled her out from Hilton's worst dress list

http://perezhilton.com/galleries/oscars-2012-worst-dressed-celebs/?id=218905&pic=4#gallery

Cubanmiamiboy's worst dressed list.

Sherri Shepperd.

http://perezhilton.com/galleries/oscars-2012-worst-dressed-celebs/?id=218905&pic=16#gallery

Livia Giuggioli in Valentino

http://perezhilton.com/galleries/oscars-2012-worst-dressed-celebs/?id=218905&pic=17#gallery

Penelope Cruz' "David's Bridal" blue wedding gown

http://perezhilton.com/galleries/oscars-2012-best-dressed-celebs/?id=218904&pic=6#gallery

Also, rather than the heavy ladies, I was more shocked to see the emancaited ones: Ripa, Rancic, Jolie, etc...

[cubanmiamiboy]

Adding Judy Greer in Monique Lhuillier to my "Best Dressed"-(also from Hilton's "Worst Dressed" one...)

http://perezhilton.c...&pic=10#gallery

[Helene]

Penelope Cruz' "David's Bridal" blue wedding gown

http://perezhilton.c...4&pic=6#gallery

I really like this dress: it looks like it can move, and she can sit in it. The color, though: I'm not sure who's supposed to look good in that.

[Natalia]

Oh, I loved Penelope Cruz' romantic gown and overall look. I agree on the funereal mauve/lilac color..."de luto," like we say in Pto Rico.

[cubanmiamiboy]

Worst Top Three.

Sofia Coppola (# 1 worst overall)

http://perezhilton.com/galleries/oscars-2012-fashions-from-the-viewing-parties/?id=219643&pic=9#gallery

Livia Giuggiali in Valentino

http://perezhilton.com/galleries/oscars-2012-worst-dressed-celebs/?id=218905&pic=17#gallery

Claire Danes in Valentino

http://perezhilton.com/galleries/oscars-2012-fashions-from-the-viewing-parties/?id=219643&pic=4#gallery

Best Top Three

J.Lo-(# 1 best overall)

http://perezhilton.com/galleries/oscars-2012-white-hot-celeb-style/?id=219839&pic=0#gallery

Rose Byrne's Vivienne Westwood

http://perezhilton.com/galleries/oscars-2012-best-dressed-celebs/?id=218904&pic=11#gallery

Ellie Kemper's Armany Prive.

http://perezhilton.com/galleries/oscars-2012-best-dressed-celebs/?id=218904&pic=15#gallery

[Quiggin]

The color range for dress seemed to be black or white or soft gold lame' - in sculpted statuette forms.

I saw a lot of the ceremonies through the online backstage cameras at oscars.com, through the Thank You Cam, Host camera or the one on Winners Walk. The press room interviews were interesting. Christopher Plummer was both humble and contentious - and very articulate. He said that it wasn’t true he was the oldest winner, Chaplin had been - unless you consider that not a real Oscar which he hoped wasn’t the case. He also said he hoped to act for ten more years and then die on stage or in front of a camera; that he had been rescued from his life as “a very naughty boy” by a recent marriage; and that, as a young Canadian, his greatest influences had been Louis Jouvet and Pierre Brasseur - both of whom starred in Children of Paradise. I missed a short interview somewhere with Gore Vidal.

There seemed to be some disappointment in the backstage halls when the best actor went to Jean Dujardin rather than George Clooney - that seemed to be the real moment of suspense. The onstage moments I saw seemed fairly staid except for the clip with Chris Rock. Billy Crystal was more like an august Claude Rains presence than a Bob Hope one, probably a reassuring touch. The Artist looks a lot like Singin in the Rain. It seemed like a very subdued year.

[Natalia]

Cubanmiamiboy, my husband said that Livia Giuggiali's top can serve as a basket to catch ping-pong balls.

Here's one of the worst for me, Maya Rudolph:

http://www.digitalspy.com/movies/i397484-8/the-oscars-2012-red-carpet-maya-rudolph.html

[Natalia]

.....when the best actor went to Jean Dujardin rather than George Clooney - that seemed to be the real moment of suspense. ....

Apparently the TV audience didn't see one of the most hilarious moments when Dujardin refused to leave the stage, even tap dancing and waving (much like his character in The Artist!). He was stopped only when a large front-curtain was brought down. It was about to hit him on the head, making him jump back and tripping Natalie Portman, who he scooped up just as she was going to hit the floor!

Portman and Benjamin Millepied also made the 'news' when they complained that Wolfgang Puck had not prepared enough vegetarian food for the Governor's Ball afterparty. Portman followed one of the waiters holding trays, hoping to find veggies. When she asked the waiter, "What do you have?" he answered, "People's dirty dishes, lady."

Source: http://movies.yahoo....-163736104.html

[cubanmiamiboy]

Cubanmiamiboy, my husband said that Livia Giuggiali's top can serve as a basket to catch ping-pong balls.

Here's one of the worst for me, Maya Rudolph:

http://www.digitalsp...ya-rudolph.html

He,he. What about those hard fabric dresses, like Madsen's and Fay's, which look like those you find at Ross...?

http://www.dailystab...Oscars-2012.jpg

http://totallycoolpi...ars2012_008.jpg

Can we rate Mena Suvari's...?

http://www.fashion.ie/imagebank/article_images/article_563/large/Mena-Suvari-Oscars-2012-Elton-John-AIDS-Foundation-Party-0212.jpg

[lmspear]

Will Streep ever be able to equal Hepburn or even surpass her on winning times...? (Hepburn=4 vs. Streep=3)

I've heard Streep, with her self-deprecating humor, point out--accurately, I believe!--in interviews that she's lost the Oscar for Best Actress more times than anybody history.

She still has a way to go before she her won/lost record for the Oscar matches Susan Lucci's record in the Emmy contest.

[dirac]

Cubanmiamiboy, my husband said that Livia Giuggiali's top can serve as a basket to catch ping-pong balls.

I was thinking that filled with seed Ms. Giuggioli's top would make an admirable bird feeder, enlivening the Firths' strolls through parkland, should they be inclined to take any.

[miliosr]

I've had some heavy things to say about Michelle Williams' past choices during awards season(s) but I really liked what she was wearing last night. The color worked very well for her.

Rooney Mara gets my worst dressed award. There was nothing wrong with the dress per se (although it did wash her out horribly.) No, my objection is to that perma-scowl she had (and always has) on her face -- it destroyed every effect she was trying to achieve with the dress.

Oh, J.Lo! The dress was vulgar but it did show that marvelous posterior of hers off to advantage. Which, I suppose, was the point.

When Natalie Portman was being interviewed on the red carpet, I was shocked that Millipied, given what a bold self-promoter he is, didn't muscle his way into camera range.

[dirac]

Christopher Plummer was both humble and contentious - and very articulate. He said that it wasn't true he was the oldest winner, Chaplin had been - unless you consider that not a real Oscar which he hoped wasn't the case. He also said he hoped to act for ten more years and then die on stage or in front of a camera; that he had been rescued from his life as "a very naughty boy" by a recent marriage; and that, as a young Canadian, his greatest influences had been Louis Jouvet and Pierre Brasseur - both of whom starred in Children of Paradise.

Very good taste on his part. Brits consistently give more polished acceptance speeches. They have something ready without any preliminary blather about Oh-gosh-oh-golly-I-wasn't-expecting-this, say something graceful, and get off the stage. I was rooting for von Sydow to pull off an upset in this category, since he's a great, great actor and from what one hears a nicer fellow (Alan Bennett on Plummer: "He's his own worst enemy - but only just"). But that was most unlikely.