SubscribeNew 'Valkyrie' date puts Tom Cruise back in the Oscars derby
United Artist denies that Tom Cruise's film "Valkyrie" is being given a new, Oscars-friendly release date of Dec. 26 because of high kudos hopes, but now the Nazi thriller is back in the derby, like it or not.
Variety reports: "Sources close to events said the move was made for purely commercial reasons, after a screening of the film went well. The studio sees it as a holiday pic and award consideration was not a factor, they say."
Even if you believe that party line, Oscar expectations are inevitable. It's based upon a real, heroic person in a World War II flick (think past winners Adrien Brody in "The Pianist" or William Holden in "Stalag 17"), a guy with a handicap, no less (that eye patch — voters are suckers for stars who adopt a physical or mental disability, of course, like Daniel Day-Lewis in "My Left Foot" and Al Pacino in "Scent of a Woman") and it's directed by a chap who got Kevin Spacey that Oscar in the supporting slot for "The Usual Suspects" (Bryan Singer).
Originally, "Valkyrie" seemed like such obvious Oscars bait that it was set to open right at the start of derby season (Oct. 3), but then the first trailer came out and bloggers started lambasting Tom Cruise for not bothering with a German accent while portraying a Nazi officer who plots to murder Hitler. Director Singer had made that creative decision. He asked all of his actors to speak in their natural voices. But once the kvetching started, the studio pushed "Valkyrie" out of Oscar alley and moved its release to Presidents Day weekend next February where it would compete against Disney’s "Confessions of a Shopaholic" and Sony’s "Pink Panther 2."
But now it's moved back. Hmmm . . . the timing of the decision is rather curious, coming less than a day after Tom Cruise's biz partner Paula Wagner left her management job at UA. Coincidence?
Tom Cruise is ridiculously overdue for an Oscar, having suffered three defeats so far ("Born on the Fourth of July," "Jerry Maguire," "Magnolia"). But up until now, "Valkyrie" seemed more like Razzie than academy fare. Indeed, a photo of Tom Cruise in "Valkyrie" was shown at the tail end of last year's Razzie ceremony when that award's chiefs announced what movies they expect to see at the next fete. And when the Razzie audience saw the pic of Tom Cruise in that eye patch, it cheered.
Last year Cruise fans had high Oscar hopes for United Artists' "Lions for Lambs," but it flopped.
(Photo: United Artists)
I have the strange feeling that this film became the new ETG or Moemoirs of a geisha... Technical categories but any lead, many supporting category-Van Houten and a british actor-but not very likely.
I don't think Cruise is overdue. Overdue is Winslet, Langhella, even Streep. And he's not the no. 1 star right now, that's Will Smith
Posted by: Xavi Rodriguez | August 15, 2008 at 10:21 AM
Overdue for an Oscar ? -- guess you folks on the west coast have officially lost whatever braincells you had left. Since Cruise/Wagner have taken over UA it has not produced a decent movie yet, forget a blockbuster. I also read he is not wanted in any new Mission Imposs. movies and was beat out by Jolie for a new spy movie. Is it over yet? Mr. DeMille - I am ready for my closeup.
Posted by: Oscar-Who | August 15, 2008 at 08:38 AM
'Overdue for an Oscar'? Seriously? Cruise is just a ham at this point. His career is deader than disco.
Posted by: PMMJ | August 15, 2008 at 05:18 AM
I feel that Tm O'neil has received and deserves allot more razzies., I assume he works for fox news also because he is certainly fair and balance???? NOttttttt!!!!
Posted by: ted | August 15, 2008 at 05:02 AM
...According to The Omniverse Almanac, Johnny Depp is actually one of the few very cool people inhabiting this planet, along with Steven Splielberg, Riccardo Mariti, Tom Cruise, Will Smith, Jessica Biel, Justin Timberlake, Angelina Jolie, Tim Burton, Terry Gilliam, Bill Gates, Stephen Hawkings, Laurence Dale, the Dalai Lama...
Posted by: Almanac | August 15, 2008 at 02:35 AM
Accent? That is soooo lame. He's playing a German, speaking to other Germans. THEY don't have accents!!!
Posted by: HughHarrison | August 14, 2008 at 04:17 PM