Roundup: A history of Harvey's Oscar tactics

Posted by · 6:07 am · January 30th, 2014

Just as Bruce Broughton has been punished by the Academy for his questionable campaign tactics, Vulture has chimed in with a detailed timeline of strategies employed by the master of Academy manipulation, Harvey Weinstein — not all of them strictly by the Oscar playbook. Take this anecdote about Weinstein’s 1996 campaign for Billy Bob Thornton in “Sling Blade”: “John Ericson, a retired actor who lives in Santa Fe, N.M., said he was called several times recently by a representative from the studio. In the first call, this person asked Mr. Ericson if he had received Sling Blade and urged him to watch it. A few days later, the representative called back to gauge Mr. Ericson’s reaction … ‘He said: “Didn’t you think he was wonderful? I hope it will be something worthy of a nomination,”‘ Mr. Ericson recalled.” [Vulture]

Karina Longworth reflects on how Meryl Streep was a bête noire for Pauline Kael — a great read, this. [Vidiocy]

Alfonso Cuaron talks with Tim Gray about his early influences, from “Lost in Space” to “The Bicycle Thief.” [Variety]

Oscar-nominated cinematographer Philippe Le Sourd discusses the process of shooting “The Grandmaster.” [New York Times]

The Guardian shortlists 2013’s best lines of dialogue. None of them is from “The Heat,” but I shan’t weep. [The Guardian]

From Golshifteh Farahani in “The Patience Stone” to Scarlett Johansson in “Don Jon,” Gary Goldstein lists some dream Oscar nods he wishes had panned out. [LA Times]

Sam Adams talks to Philip Glass about his life in film music and his latest Godfrey Reggio collaboration. [The Dissolve]

Tinie Tempah and Laura Mvula will be performing at the BAFTA Awards. No, I’m not sure why either, but we wish them well. [Hollywood Reporter]




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