Jeff Wells: Naysayers are wrong, Oscarcast was 'OK'
"Every morning after the Oscars, from Tom Shales to David Poland, many people often have many nasty things to say — the pacing is bad, they'll say the writing is clunky. I didn't find this year's show that difficult to watch," says Jeffrey Wells of Hollywood-Elsewhere.com in our podcast chat. "I thought it was OK. (Ellen DeGeneres) was kind of TV-talkshowish, but that's what she does. I was waiting for something to really irritate me and nothing did.
"After over-analyzing and over-predicting for — what? — four or five months or longer, when it finally happens, what you'd like to see is any surprise," he adds. "I would really have loved to see Peter O'Toole win. Forest Whitaker didn't need another win. He didn't need to win the Oscar after all of the other accolades. He could easily have survived emotionally and he would've been fine. Peter O'Toole's life would've been a little sweeter and finer." Hear the full chat: CLICK HERE (Note: You may need to hold down your computer's Control key while clicking, then wait a few moments for the file to download.)
(Photo: ABC)
Hi Junior,
Sorry if I overloaded on the info. But as you can see, I am a huge fan of Mr. O' Toole. I just don't really understand what types of roles you think are more spectacular or will get more attention than playing Lawrence of Arabia, King Henry II etc. The very fact that he was nominated shows they captured people's attention (and I would argue that his performances were more than just technically brilliant), but his inability to win one has to do with other things: in his earliest nominations going up against the likes of Peck, Harrison, Brando etc. But then again, he lost to Cliff Roberts and John Wayne who won more for his career than a truly outstanding performance. I'm not sure how playing Idi Amin is any more spectacular than playing Lawrence or a monarch etc. So I don't think the problem is Mr. O'Toole's choice of roles at all. Honestly, what sorts of roles do you think he should/should have done do that would capture him an Oscar? I'd be interested in knowing. Thanks.
Posted by: K.S. | February 28, 2007 at 05:56 PM
Um, thanks K.S., I think for all the information on Mr. O'Toole but it all had nothing to do with my point. Of course Peter O'Toole is a fantastic actor. His name is practically in the dictionary under "actor." My point is that if he wants to win an Oscar (which his comments before the ceremony suggested that he may) the FILM roles he was been choosing since the 1960s maybe are techincally brilliant but don't capture people's attention in order to shoot him to the podium. Clearly, that has to be the case because he's still Oscarless. Plus, writing does not win acting little gold men. It just doesn't.
Posted by: junior | February 28, 2007 at 12:12 PM
"I'd hate to say this but if Peter O'Toole, after multiple times, cannot seem to win an Academy Award for a performance (not the lifetime achievement) maybe it should show him that he should branch out and do something new and exciting for people to notice. That's what Forest (and the other guys who have won and not O'Toole) did. I feel like I may be writing this same sentence for "Kate Winslet" too soon if she doesn't branch out and do something spectacular soon."
I had to check my eyes to see if I was reading this correctly. Peter o'toole needs to do something exciting and different to get peopel to notice him?!!! Please check the man's filmography - it is diverse. The roles for which he has been nominated make most of today's roles look paper thin. Even in lesser movies, Mr. O'Toole somehow manages to ennoble the film and stands head and shoulders above the rest. Then he's also an accomplished stage actor (how many of Hollywood's current stars can say that?) Then he's also an accomplished writer (his two volumes of autobiography are witty, literate and funny - how many current Hollywood stars can write a highly praised account of their lives?) Then he was also on TV - Masada is one of the best mini-series ever and his performance as Flavius Silva is spectacular. He was also in two musical movies (one quite well received - Goodbye Mr. Chips.)
The man is a prodigiously gifted actor and writer and if people have overlooked him or don't notice him, that's their fault, not his. He may or may not have deserved to win for Venus, and Forest Whitaker may have deserved to win for LKOS, but to say that O'Toole needs to do something spectacular to win people's approval is a bit ridiculous, no offence. He does what he's expected to do, and he does it better than most - he acts spectacularly. If he hasn't won after multiple nominations, that's not a reflection on him but a reflection on the voters. I don't know how Lawrence of Arabia, King Henry II, Eli Cross, Alan Swann and his other nominated roles don't qualify as exciting or spectacular.
Posted by: K.S. | February 28, 2007 at 09:12 AM
E Douglas - you make a good point. We have hardly seen Arkin in anything except this little movie and was very quiet about campaigning wasn't he?Does winning mean more work and more money? It hasn't helped Jamie Foxx any....I think after the Oscars the actors/actresses' agents price their clients out. And the muvee business is getting more competitive with no-name actors making small budgeted movies that go on to make godzillions in profits.
I get the feeling the Arkins and Murphys could care less about getting an Oscar. Murphy had so many trophies, what's another one? They probably see the award(s) for what they are - just a diversionary time to eat, drink, be merry, get congratulations...because tomorrow when they wake up, they still have to find a job.
Posted by: Chicago48 | February 28, 2007 at 08:49 AM
The show overall was okay...Ellen was a safe host....a likable person and lesbian at that...non-threatening to the celebs because if she got caustic with them, they'll probably turn on her and not appear on her show again. The Oscars needs to narrow a host's monologue down 5-8 minutes. Those shadow dancers--totally unnecessary....please academy no more of that...or any other unnecessary fillers. Best Song numbers are fine to have and montage of film clips are good because after all we're celebrating movies. The Jack Black/Will Ferrell number was really unnecessary...and Jerry Seinfeld (totally unnecessary period...he's TV guy not a movie star) needn't go into any schtick to present an award--he's not funny to begin with..and that sound choir..not a good thing...Next year bring in Robin Williams or Joan Rivers--she'll trash everyone and that would be good for sh*ts and giggles...
Posted by: Frankie R. | February 28, 2007 at 08:35 AM
I'd hate to say this but if Peter O'Toole, after multiple times, cannot seem to win an Academy Award for a performance (not the lifetime achievement) maybe it should show him that he should branch out and do something new and exciting for people to notice. That's what Forest (and the other guys who have won and not O'Toole) did. I feel like I may be writing this same sentence for "Kate Winslet" too soon if she doesn't branch out and do something spectacular soon.
Posted by: junior | February 28, 2007 at 08:00 AM
Peter O'Toole really didn't need an Oscar either. He's received mutliple nominations and a lifetime achievement/honorary Oscar so he's already been honored by his peers. Forest Whitaker on the other hand is a great actor who has been mostly overlooked for years and his performance in that movie deserved to receive the highest honor. What? Getting a Golden Globe and a SAG award are enough? BULLSHIT. No one cares about those awards really in the industry and I'm sure it doesn't get anyone more work or money for their work. I thought the unappreciative Alan Arkin should treasure his award cause after his flippant speech about the Oscars after winning, he deserved it even less than Murphy. Maybe that's why Arkin wasn't doing any interviews beforehand, cause they knew he'd ruin his own chances.
Posted by: EDouglas | February 28, 2007 at 04:48 AM
Poor Peter, oh well you know what they say..."peter o'toole never wins"
Posted by: AJ | February 27, 2007 at 07:27 PM