Hallo Oscar!
Am Sonntag wurden in Los Angeles die Academy Awards, die sogenannten “Oscars”, vergeben, und pünktlich zum Weltfrauentag gelang es endlich einer Frau, den Film-Olymp zu erklimmen: Kathryn Bigelow erhielt als erste Frau den Oscar für die beste Regie. Ein Blick auf die neue “Königin der Filmemacher” und andere bezaubernde Oscar-Preisträgerinnen…
Sie übertrumpfte alle, sogar ihren Ex-Mann James Cameron: Kathryn Bigelow
Drei Frauen im Oscar-Glück: Kathryn Bigelow (Beste Regisseurin), Sandra Bullock (Beste Hauptdarstellerin) und Mo’Nique (Beste Nebendarstellerin)
Den Oscar für die beste Regie überreichte Barbra Streisand…
… die selbst genau weiß wie es ist, einen Oscar überreicht zu bekommen.
Dass ausgerechnet Barbra Streisand den Oscar für die beste Regie an Kathryn Bigelow überreichen durfte, erschien vielen insbesondere deshalb passen, weil sie selbst nach Meinung vieler Film-Experten um einen Regie-Oscar bzw. zumindest eine Nominierung betrogen wurde. Denn dass sie für ihre Filme “Yentl” (1983) und “Herr der Gezeiten” (1991) in der Regie-Kategorie nicht einmal nominiert wurde, gilt heute als einer der größten Affronts in der Geschichte der Oscars. Allzu sehr muss sie sich allerdings nicht grämen, denn immerhin hat sie schon zwei von den Goldjungs zuhause: 1969 gewann sie den Oscar als beste Hauptdarstellerin für den Film “Funny Girl”, 1977 für den besten Filmsong (“Evergreen” aus “A Star Is Born”).
So oft wie sie wurde noch keine Schauspielerin für den Oscar nominiert: Meryl Streep (hier 1983)
Auch wenn Meryl Streep in diesem Jahr erneut leer ausging, zweimal durfte sie sich schon freuen: 1980 gewann sie in der Kategorie “Beste Nebendarstellerin” für “Kramer gegen Kramer”, 1983 wurde sie – hochschwanger – als beste Hauptdarstellerin für “Sophies Entscheidung” ausgezeichnet (siehe oben).
Hatte den Oscar schon zweimal fest im Griff: Jode Foster
Auch Jodie Foster ist zwar Regisseurin, ihre beiden Oscars hat sie jedoch als Schauspielerin gewonnen: 1989 für “Angeklagt”, 1992 für “Das Schweigen der Lämmer”, jeweils in der Kategorie “Beste Hauptdarstellerin”. Zum ersten Mal für einen Oscar nominiert war sie übrigens 1977 für den Film “Taxi Driver”, und zwar im zarten Alter von 14 Jahren.
Nennt ebenfalls einen Oscar ihr Eigen: Marlee Matlin
Vielen gerade jüngeren Fans von “The L Word” dürfte gar nicht bekannt sein, dass auch “Jodi” Marlee Matlin eine Oscar-Preisträgerin ist. Sie gewann 1987 mit nur 21 Jahren den Oscar als beste Hauptdarstellerin für den Film “Gottes vergessene Kinder”. Anders als die Damen auf dem vorhergehenden und auch auf dem nachfolgenden Bild liebt die vierfache Mutter allerdings (leider) nur vor der Kamera Frauen…
Flirt mit Oscar: Melissa Etheridge
Für Melissa Etheridge ist der Oscar “der einzige nackte Mann, der jemals in mein Schlafzimmer kommt”. Auch Gattin Tammy dürfte die Anwesenheit des Goldjungen, den Melissa 2007 in der Kategorie “Bester Filmsong” für “I Need To Wake Up”, das Titellied von Al Gores Film “An Inconvenient Truth”, gewann, kaum stören.
Und last but not least: Sie hat zwar keinen Oscar gewonnen, aber für die Moderation der Oscarverleihung im Jahr 2007 hätte sie ihn mindestens verdient gehabt:
Im Partnerlook: Ellen DeGeneres und Oscar
(Ich gebe zu, ich konnte es mir nicht verkneifen, ich liebe diese Frau einfach… 
)
Tags: Barbra Streisand, Ellen DeGeneres, Jodie Foster, Kathryn Bigelow, Marlee Matlin, Melissa Etheridge, Meryl Streep, Oscar, Sandra Bullock
Tweet
I’m elated to see Kathryn Bigelow and Sandra Bullock winning Oscars for directing/producing and acting respectively. But I’m not too happy with the media’s constant asking of what it means for Kathryn to defeat her ex-husband and being the first woman director to win several prestigious awards. Stop it, guys, it’s annoying and awkward. Even the Oscars people got in the same bandwagon briefly with a somewhat condescending cheer, they played Helen Reddy’s I Am Woman when Kathryn was exiting the stage after receiving her Oscar form Barbra Streisand. Don’t get me wrong, I like Helen Reddy and the song. It’s just that, I would’ve preferred if they played a gender neutral tune so as not to underscore the fact that a woman just kicked the big boys’ as—. Better yet, I would’ve liked it more if they played a Led Zeppelin or other badass rock music. Why can’t it just be about a talented filmmaker who is not a man? Then again it will be highlighted since she’s the only woman to win so far in the 82 years of the Oscars. I can’t help but be torn between all these contradictions, though. My point is, Kathryn is a good director who is very capable of making a muscle and testosterone driven film. She knows her way around action-packed movies with dudes in the lead. For me, her Oscar win validates the fact that women can do everything just as good as the men, and it shouldn’t be trumpeted as a gender thing. Kathryn won because she did an excellent job. Period. Still, it gives me great pleasure she, uh, castrated her ex. Sorry Jim, I do love your movies, but you are indeed a smug fathead.
And it’s great seeing Jodie Foster here.
Dorothy Snarker dreams of a Kathryn Bigelow and Meryl Streep movie. I want a Kathryn and Jodie movie instead. That’s my big dream. Kathryn loves action films. Jodie is (according to some Hollywood experts) the only female actor who can carry a big-budgeted action film on her own. I don’t really care about these things. I just want the two of them together in my fantasy, er, dream movie. I want to see them collaborating in the ultimate chick movie- action-filled, lots of stunts and some good drama. And lesbians. None of those syrupy, cheesy romance where the dorky guy gets the lovely lady. Heck, I won’t disagree with some off-camera romance between the director and the lead star. Jodie’s single and Kathryn can take some cue from her ex who was smitten with an awesome Linda Hamilton. 
I understand your frustration. It shouldn’t matter if a male or female director wins, it should just be the best director. Unfortunately though, it took such a long time for the members of the Academy to get over their prejudices and realize that women can indeed direct great films.
Oh, and I totally share your opinion on James Cameron. Great movies, but so arrogant. And please, someone give his wife something to eat. Unless it’s a medical condition (which I hope for her it is not), she’s way too thin.
I believe Kathryn can do other genres as well, not just action films. I’d like to think she would someday consider deviating from her norm and direct a good drama or a dark comedy. I love the fact that she’s somewhat of a trailblazer, and she does thrive in this male-dominated segment of the industry. One of my favorite writers said:
“Speaking of action directors, it has been noted that Kathryn Bigelow won the Oscar for Best Director because she made the kind of movie male directors would do, while Nancy Meyers and Nora Ephron are overlooked for their work because they make chick flicks. That’s a good point, but the simple reason is that The Hurt Locker is just better than anything Meyers and Ephron have ever done. It’s Jane Campion and Penny Marshall who have reason to gripe.” -Jessica Zafra
Yes, the Academy and Hollywood is still very much prejudiced. Sad but true. I think the studio executives and movie producers simply don’t trust women. They don’t think women can deliver just as good as the men. That’s why big budget films with excellent scripts are still given to the likes of Spielberg, Cameron, Scorsese, etc. But I’m hopeful things will get better, slowly but surely, women will get to direct more compelling stories, and be given more power and financial backing. There’s also another director I follow and she’s just as good as Kathryn- Kimberly Peirce. So, I hope whatever Kathryn achieved recently will be duplicated many times in the near future.
Thanks for this Oscar post. I look forward to next year’s edition.
I forgot to post the links to two excellent articles about Kathryn. The first one is from the blog where I quoted Ms. Zafra. The second one is a profile which further shows how amazing Kathryn is. Yes, I am a little obsessed with Ms. Bigelow right now. I hope you’ll enjoy reading them, in case you haven’t yet.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/14/movies/14dargis.html?th&emc=th
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/21/movies/21darg.html
Thanks for the links, very interesting articles. I have to admit that “Strange Days” is the only one of her movies that I actually know, it’s a bit too violent for my taste, but still a very good movie. But of course, I intend to watch “The Hurt Locker” now as well.
You’re welcome.
Have you watched it? It’s not too graphic for a war movie, you won’t see that much gore unlike in recent terrorist flicks or spy thrillers- Syriana, Body of Lies, The Kingdom, etc. Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan was much more violent and graphic with all the limbs and guts flying around if you ask me. The Hurt Locker is told mostly in the lead’s (Renner as Sgt. James) perspective. We get to witness more of what happens to him as he deals with his job, his addiction to extreme danger than what we’d see after a bomb goes off.
Miriam Merkel’s interview on Spiegel was a good read. I never knew she was ill not too long ago. Thanks for the link and thanks for the recent recaps.
Any chance you could feature more women in sports?
And more fascinating bits about Kathryn. I promise these will be the last.
http://www.newsweek.com/id/202730
http://www.vancouversun.com/entertainment/movie-guide/Hurt+Locker+director+Kathryn+Bigelow+mess+with/2667346/story.html
I haven’t watched it yet. It’s on the list for the DVD online rental service, though, hope that I will get it soon.
I have to admit that I’m not very interested in sports (I know, bad lesbian), that’s why I don’t write about women in sports very often. But let’s see what I can do.
You call yourself a bad lesbian? Ha! I’m even worse than you are. I’m probably the worst there is. I haven’t watched a single episode of Buffy and Xena. I just can’t bring myself to do it. And to top it all- I would never ever go to any event at the Dinah Shore weekend. It just doesn’t appeal to me. There I said it.
As long as the sportswomen are insanely hot and incredibly ripped; I wouldn’t care if they’re playing cricket or croquet, I’d still watch them. And it doesn’t matter if she sucks at playing, never having won anything, not even a coin toss. Kidding. I can’t stand watching the Anna Kournikova’s of the world. Give me Steffi and Annika anytime. Hammerseng, Nyberg, Landstrom, Bird, and so on… Kidding aside, it’s okey if you’re not into sports. We all have our own cliches. Still very much grateful for all the good stuff here.
My apologies to Ms. Miriam Meckel. I’m sorry I sometimes confuse her last name with Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Corrections: I meant “…the Anna Kournikovas of the world.” And confusing Ms. Meckel’s last name with that of Chancellor Merkel. Have a fine weekend.