Who Invented the Oscars?
TrendPK.com: The founders of the now infamous Academy were a motley crew as individuals, but when they first converged in Hollywood, then just a small town with dirt roads, sparks flew and fueled a common dream: to bring artistic validity to their beloved new medium.
Today, movies are so ingrained in our culture it is hard to imagine a time when former cowpunchers, prospectors, vaudevillians, even junk dealers made up the rules as they went along. Prohibition and the Great Depression were keeping everyone on edge, and the business was rife with murders and drug scandals. Something had to happen. And so on January 11th, 1927, thirty-six members of Hollywood’s elite and not-so-elite came together at the behest of MGM chief Louis B. Mayer. From Cecil B. DeMille to Mary Pickford, Harry M. Warner, who owned a bike shop before launching the revolutionary “talkie” The Jazz Singer, even Joseph M. Schenk, freed from jail just in time to discover Marilyn Monroe – each guest was more colorful than the last. Although they didn’t know it yet, these thirty-six achievers and dreamers gave birth to a golden child.
Who were these movers and shakers who would change movies forever? And what about Oscar, their famous son? He is fast approaching his 100th birthday, and is still the undisputed king of Hollywood. Yet with such dynamic parents, what else could we expect?
In Debra Pawlak’s new book, Bringing Up Oscar, readers will learn, as Pawlak tells USA TODAY in an interview, all about these 36 founders. “They were from all walks of life, but in 1927, these were all people who were at the top of their game in Hollywood,” Pawlak says. And what was their motivation? “Movies were getting bad press. Temperance groups had succeeded in outlawing alcohol, so they turned their attention to Hollywood. There was no place in the industry where people could come with their disputes, and people in the industry needed to support one another,” Pawlak continues in the interview. The Wall Street Journal explains further that “to a great extent, the formation of the Academy was an act of aspirational pride. Within little more than 20 years, the American movie itself had morphed from a parlor amusement into an art form of subtlety, grace and astonishing commercial success. The Academy’s founders wanted recognition for their life’s work, and they knew they wouldn’t get it from New York, whose theatrical and literary hierarchies would never admit that the movies had achieved a standing equivalent to that of the older arts.”
Critics, newspapers and industry insiders have all welcomed Pawlak’s efforts and bringing the life stories of these great figures in film history to the forefront for a new generation of readers. Michael Deeley, the Academy Award-winning producer of The Deer Hunter and the author of Blade Runners, Deer Hunters, and Blowing the Bloody Doors Off says that Pawlak’s book is “a thoroughly researched and very entertaining portrait of the men and women whose energy and talent created today’s world-wide American film industry.” Booklist has called Bringing Up Oscar a “fascinating account” and Publishers Weekly raved that “by skillfully weaving these highlights of Hollywood history throughout this Tinseltown tapestry, Pawlak succeeds in recreating that colorful era when flickers turned into features and silents converted to sound.”
ABOUT DEBRA ANN PAWLAK…
Debra Ann Pawlak has spent over ten years writing about Hollywood history. She is the author of Farmington and Farmington Hills, for Arcadia’s “Making of America” series, and has written a screenplay about Clara Bow. She lives in southeastern Michigan and is available for interviews at any time.
More information at: www.SpecialGuests.com
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Priyanka Chopra to attend 48th Annual Grammy
Priyanka Chopra, currently attending 62nd Berlin International Film Festival to promote her film Don 2, which is being showcased there, will be attending the 48th Annual Grammy Awards at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles on Sunday evening.
Everyone knows Priyanka’s passion for music, so it is obvious that she is really excited to attend the award ceremony that honours outstanding music. She will be joined by heavyweights like Jimmy Iovine, the CEO of Interscope Records, and Troy Carter, the owner of her management company Atom Factory, at the event.
The actress who is in the process of releasing her international album feels this is the best global platform to meet and interact with people from the international music fraternity. She is also thrilled about meeting her favourite singing sensations at the award function.
Big B and Sanjay Dutt to star together again
After Department where the Big B and Dutt don’t have any scenes together, the two are expected to come together for an out-and-out action outing for director K. S. Ravi Kumar’s film.
Ravi Kumar has so far never done a Hindi film. The film has heavy duty action scenes for the Big B as well.
When contacted, producer T. P. Aggarwal confirmed, “Yes, Sanjay Dutt is doing an action film directed by K. S. Ravi Kumar. We’re also in talks with Mr. Bachchan for the film. It’s Ravi Kumar’s first film in Hindi. But it’s an original subject. It’s not a remake of one of his Tamil hits.”
What clinched the casting combination of the Dutt and the Big B was the director’s formidable reputation.
Says Aggarwal, “Ravi Kumar has done a number of films with Tamil cinema’s top most stars Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth. In fact he was directing Rajinikanth in Rana when the star fell ill. Almost all of Ravi Kumar’s films are big hits in Tamil. We’re hoping he would deliver a big hit in Hindi as well.”
John gets busy with Housefull 2 and Vicky Donor
While mystery continues to shroud around ‘Is he or is he not married’, there is a lot more in John Abraham’s life that will is bound to keep him busy for months to come. While he would be returning to the big screen with Housefull 2 in two months from now, he would also be debuting as a producer in the very next week with Vicky Donor, hence seeing a double bill of sorts.
“Yes, Housefull 2 releases on 5th April while Vicky Donor arrives on the next Friday. John would be ultra busy for next two months since both films are really important to him. After a modest last year where his Force and Desi Boyz did reasonably well, he now has to up the ante with Housefull 2 since it is his biggest film till date. On the other hand, he has put his own money into Vicky Donor and hence can’t afford to lose concentration there”, informs a close associate.
While a lot has been spoken and written about Sajid Nadiadwala and Sajid Khan’s Housefull 2, not many are aware that Vicky Donor is a film which deals with the subject of sperm donation. As per director Shoojit Sircar though, ‘The film is not a serious take on the subject but a light-hearted look at the taboo attached to infertility and artificial insemination’.
The film marks the debut of VJ Ayushmaan Khurrana, a popular face on TV. Yami Gautam, an upcoming actress who has also worked in a Telugu, Malayalam and a Kannada film each, also makes her Bollywood debut here. Surprisingly, John won’t be making coming in front of the camera for the film despite being a producer here.
“What is all the more surprising though is the fact that John decided to release Vicky Donor exactly a week after his own Housefull 2“, wonders a trade source, “He may be probably having some real good reasons to do that. However, do expect some hectic times ahead for him since now he would now have to promote both films almost simultaneously.”
As per insiders though, John has spared no expense in giving this film an international look by ensuring good production value. Also, despite a not-so-commercial-sounding theme, John promises that Vicky Donor would be – in his own words – ‘breakthrough commercial cinema’.
Mallika Sherawat in Sudhir Mishras home production
Mallika Sherawat seems to be on a movie signing spree. While the Haryanvi babe already his films like Kismat, Love, Paisa, Dilli (KLPD) and Lucky Unlucky in her kitty, the buzz is that Mallika has even signed a project to be made under Sudhir Mishra’s banner.
Mallika will be paired opposite Irrfan Khan in the film directed by a debutant director. The actress has already started shooting for the film in which she will be seen in a de-glam role as an ordinary housewife.
Oscars: Can George Clooney upset Jean Dujardin in the Best Actor category? – AWARDS ALLEY
By Sean O’Connell
TrendPK.com: With the Oscars on the horizon, only a handful of races remain up in the air … at least, if you pay attention to the “experts.”
Michel Hazanavicius’ “The Artist” appears to be this year’s Best Picture frontrunner, with momentum still swinging between “The Descendants” and “The Help.” Martin Scorsese could steal a few key votes away from Hazanavicius in the Best Director race. And if you put your ear to the ground, you’ll hear more than a few people asking if George Clooney can prevail over Jean Dujardin in the Best Actor category.
Why not? Clooney is beloved, and few are better on the Oscar campaign trail than the endlessly charming actor. He’s also won a few choice awards along the way, from the Critics Choice Movie Awards for Best Actor to a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama. Tide seems to be sweeping up Dujardin as “The Artist” marches to the podium, and Dujardin – as well as his winning co-star Berenice Bejo – are working the circuit. Hard. So anything’s possible.
Clooney’s performance in Alexander Payne’s “The Descendants” has stood above the fray from the minute this rewarding drama world premiered at the Telluride Film Festival in September.
“There’s plenty to chew on regarding family connections, heritage, loyalty to one’s location in life, the cycles we go through when confronting death, and the challenge of being a stable force during trying times,” I wrote from the Toronto International Film Festival after seeing Payne’s film. “But Clooney’s an outstanding guide on this journey, and I’m confident we’ll see his name in the Best Actor race as the marathon continues.”
“The Descendants” is a special film. An honest film. It addresses personal issues, and offsets them with Payne’s quirky humor. And it boasts a jaw-dropping performance by Clooney, who somehow ignores every trick in his acting arsenal yet still wins our heart with a vulnerable side that solidifies him as one of our strongest working actors.
If you ask him, though, he’s just lucky.
That was Clooney’s message when he accepted the Hollywood Actor Award for his “Descendants” performance in October. It’s an extremely humble speech, one laced with wit and self-awareness. Just like the man, himself.
Here’s exclusive video of Clooney from that gala, as his latest film, “The Descendants,” competes for the Oscar.
Awards Alley brings you the best Oscar coverage. Click below to read our exclusive interviews with:
– Harvey Weinstein
– The cast of “The Artist.”
– Kenneth Branagh for “My Week With Marilyn.”
– Bennett Miller talks “Moneyball.”
– Producer Jim Burke for “The Descendants.”
– Sir Ben Kingsley and Chloe Grace Moretz for “Hugo.”
– Tilda Swinton for “We Need to Talk About Kevin.”
– David Fincher, Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara on “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.”
– Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer for “The Help.”
– Tate Taylor for “The Help.”
– Woody Harrelson for “Rampart.”
– Gavin O’Connor for “Warrior.”
– Gary Oldman and Colin Firth for “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.”
– Charlize Theron, Patton Oswalt, Jason Reitman and Diablo Cody for “Young Adult.”
– Steve McQueen for “Shame.”
– Glenn Close for “Albert Nobbs.”
– Seth Rogen and Will Reiser for “50/50.”
– Producer Grant Heslov for “The Ides of March.”
For complete Oscar and Film Festival coverage, visit our Awards Alley for the latest news items, reviews and interviews all season long.
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Arunoday and Randeep in Jism 2
Pooja Bhatt has roped in Arunoday Singh and Randeep Hooda to star opposite Indo Canadian porn star Sunny Leone in her most ambitious project Jism 2.
Sunny Leone has two men in her life. While one is a man from her past, the other is a man from her present. Arunoday and Randeep play the two men in her life.
Mahesh Bhatt was so impressed by Randeep’s performance in Vishesh Film’s Jannat 2 (yet to release), that he recommended him to Pooja. As for Arunoday, they felt that he had the physical attributes and sensitivity that were required for the role.
The makers of Jism 2 have also roped in lyricist Neelesh Misra to write all the songs for the film.
Jism 2, directed by Pooja Bhatt, is jointly produced by Pooja and Dino Morea and will go on floors in April this year.
Anil Kapoor to star in Rensil DSilvas film
Rensil D’Silva surely has managed a casting coup of sorts for his next film. After first getting Emraan Hashmi on board (for the first time in a Dharma Production film), Rensil has managed to rope in Anil Kapoor too for a pivotal role in his forthcoming film. Incidentally, this is the first time that Anil too would be working in a Dharma Production film. Besides Emraan and Anil, Rensil is in the process of finalizing other cast members.
The film will be Rensil’s second directorial venture after Kurbaan. Shooting of the film is expected to commence in July this year.
Raaz 3 makers create mammoth Award function set
Vishesh Films have erected a huge set for an award function at the convention centre of Mumbai’s Renaissance Hotel, for their forthcoming film Raaz 3. They have rolled out the red carpet along with huge hoardings that read ‘Golden Screen Awards’.
The set has been created for an important scene in the film, wherein an upset Bipasha Basu storms out of the Award function after a heated argument with her beau Emraan Hashmi.
Raaz 3, directed by Vikram Bhatt is a love triangle starring Emraan, Bipasha and newbie Esha Gupta. It will release on 31st August.
Kendall Jenner wants to follow in Kim Kardashian’s footsteps
TrendPK.com: Kendall Jenner is already becoming a rising star like her older sister, Kim Kardashian, but now she wants to tackle a new project just like Kim.
Kendall recently revealed that she’d love to try acting, especially something like ‘Disaster Movie’ which Kim was a part of, states E! News. “I would love to be in a horror movie or a horse movie. Or you know the ‘Disaster Movie’ that Kim was in? That seems like so much fun,” Kendall commented.
Do you think she’d be any good in a movie?
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