In Contention

Tag: Mary J. Blige

  • TECH SUPPORT: Best Original Song

    Jeff Bridges in Crazy HeartOver the last five months, Gerard has diligently canvassed and re-canvassed the various crafts categories here at In Contention.  The one category we have held back on all this time, as contenders have slowly fallen into place, was Best Original Song.  Today, it’s time to dig into the field.

    This has turned into something of a banner year for original songs in feature films.  We’ve had the great pleasure of bringing a number of hopefuls to you via our “listen to” posts, and look forward to continuing that into the new year.  But inevitably, frontrunners are bound to show up, and I think we can successfully narrow the field now.

    Before diving in, it’s worth reiterating the voting process in this category.  I’ll simply let the Academy’s rule book speak for itself:

    “An original song consists of words and music, both of which are original and written specifically for the motion picture. There must be a clearly audible, intelligible, substantive rendition (not necessarily visually presented) of both lyric and melody, used in the body of the motion picture or as the first music cue in the end credits.

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  • Enter AFI

    AFI FestI haven’t had a chance to preview/write-up AFI Fest due to some a dizzying weekend and family obligations, but I should probably do that with the festivities entering a fourth day.

    “Fantastic Mr. Fox” kicked things off last week and with the festival moving from the Arclight on Sunset to the historic Chinese Theatre on Hollywood, there is, I’d wager, a glitzier vibe to things this time around.  The galas are coming fast and furious, the most recent being a big spread for “Precious” last night.

    Speaking of which, at an after party for the film at the Chateau Marmont, Oprah Winfrey was on hand to introduce singer Mary J. Blige, who performed original song contender “I Can See in Color” to a standing-room-only crowd.  It was the first time the tune had been performed publicly.

    Tonight I’ll finally cross paths with “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus,” one of a slew of films I hope to catch up on at the fest. The only big reveal for me will be “Everybody’s Fine,” which screens tomorrow night and could instantly put Robert De Niro in the thick of the Oscar hunt (more on that in today’s Off the Carpet column).

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  • Listen to Mary J. Blige’s ‘I Can See in Color’ from ‘Precious’

    Mary J. BligeLast month we broke the news that Mary J. Blige would be in the thick of this year’s Best Original Song mix with the track “I See in Color” from “Precious.” Mariah Carey’s “100%” was originally going to be featured in the film (and was, in early festival screenings), but when Blige saw the film, it hit her on such a personal level that she wanted to contribute in some way.

    You can imagine the diva dispute that erupted, but things have been settled on that front and Blige’s track, which is featured int he context of the film during a key scene, will be the film’s representation in the category (which could be eliminated entirely, given new voting rules).

    Today I’m happy to offer the song up for your listening pleasure.  It’s raw, certainly emotional and reflects just the kind of honesty contenders in this category tend to lack.  Hear for yourself:

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  • Mary J. Blige joins the race for Best Original Song

    Mary J. BligeTwo weeks ago we were spit-balling contenders for this year’s Best Original Song category.  So far, the best bets seem to be tunes from “The Princess and the Frog,” “Nine” and “Where the Wild Things Are.”  There has been some movement since, however, so I thought it was a good time for an update.

    In that first piece, I mentioned Mariah Carey’s “100%” from Lee Daniels’s “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire.”  As it turns out, that song will no longer be included in the film.  Instead, a new contender has joined the fray: Mary J. Blige, whose original track “I See in Color” was included for the first time in a print of the film screened last week at Lionsgate in Santa Monica.  But it’s the story behind it’s inclusion that is most interesting.

    I’m told Blige reacted to “Precious” quite emotionally.  What she saw on the screen hit her so close to home that she became personally invested in the film and wanted to contribute in some way.  “I See in Color,” which plays during a key scene in the film (and therefore has a leg up with the music branch), is the result.

    Contenders in the original song category are beginning to firm up, so we’ll have more updates for you in the coming days.