Multiple Recent Deaths Puts Extra Pressure On Academy
The Oscars are a time in which not only great achievements of acting, directing, writing, and other filmmaking aspects are recognized, but also a period in which reflection takes place. The event is a cause for great celebration for the films that have been able to ascend above the other productions in the past year, and overall it can be looked upon as a fantastic gathering and honorable evening. While filmmakers may be so good at their craft that they may come across as invincible walks of life, the improbable fortune of death faces us all as humans, and the recent deaths of many cinematic greats has the Academy scrambling for the In Memoriam portion of the Academy Awards.
Early 2014 has brought a whole lot of misfortune to filmmakers. Just in the past two months Philip Seymour Hoffman, Shirley Temple, Tom Sherak, and Harold Ramis have left this earth for the great unknown. Many people are expecting their talents to be recognized in this highly regarded segment of the Oscars, and these names alone are not including other deaths from the past year such as James Gandolfini, Peter O’Toole, Deanna Durbin, Joan Fontaine, Roger Ebert, Ray Dolby, Ray Harryhausen, Paul Walker, and Elmore Leonard.
There is only so much time that can be dedicated to this portion of the awards ceremony, and the order of sequence in which these names will appear for viewers and even the simple fact of the matter of who will make the cut has people biting their nails. It's an emotional sequence of the ceremony, and a lot of people find that certain selections of applause and silence when names flash on the screen make it unfair and almost like a celebrity popularity contest. While the distribution of the little golden statues should be of utmost importance for the Academy, it seems that these deadlines may be the cause of controversy with the awards handed out this year.
[via Variety]
Phillip Seymour Hoffman's Death To Have Little Impact On Hunger Games
The late Phillip Seymour Hoffman's passing caused many who knew him sorrow from his loss. However, it has been reported by Lionsgate that his tragic departure fails to affect much of the Hunger Games trilogy's final stretch with Mockingjay.
Playing the former gamemaker turned rebel leader Plutarch Heavensbee, it appears that Hoffman was done with his performances for the film before his death. Lionsgate said that with the exception of one scene that has yet to be released to the public, there remains no need to work around his absence.
"We're all extraordinarily sad," said the executive of Lionsgate to The Hollywood Reporter. "But as it relates to production, it's going to have no impact. Obviously, we're going to have a couple of work-around issues but the movie will be creatively whole. His performances in both [remaining] movies will be up to the best of his craft. We feel it will be a good tribute to him."
The final two films are still set to premiere at their intended times, with Mockingjay -- Part One to premiere in November, with the second part to be released in November 2015.
Hoffman was found dead in his New York City apartment on the morning of February 2 of an apparent drug overdose. The award winning actor of Capote, The Big Lebowski, The Master, and other major cinematic works, was born in Fairport, New York and pursued an interest in acting since he was in high school. He leaves behind three young children with ex-partner and fashion designer Maggie O'Donnell. He was 46.
[via MTV]