Deadline Hollywood is reporting that Oscar producers Adam Shankman and Bill Mechanic have put the word out to the Best Original Song nominees that their services won’t be required this year. Instead, “there will instead be music from [the nominated] songs, interspersed with footage from each movie.”
Naturally, word is that nominees are upset, and we can imagine music label suits are none too pleased either. But to be fair, as much as we are big music fans at the Playlist (duh), the Best Song performances were never our favorite part of the Oscarcast either. With Shankman and Mechanic now having to spotlight ten Best Picture nominees intead of five, and trying to boost ratings for a show that continually seems to be declining in viewership, we can’t entirely blame them for dumping the one part of the show that usually brings things to a grinding halt. And we have to admit, their solution actually presents the songs at least in the context of the films from which they are nominated.
In order to keep things moving, Shankman and Mechanic have also told nominees to prepare two speeches: one 45-second one for the broadcast about “what the Oscar means to them” and a second one where they can thank individual people that can be delivered to a “Thank You” cam backstage. Yeah, we expect no one to stick to that time or format but it’s nice of them to try.
While, Shankman and Mechanic continue to tinker, it appears that they are keeping the worst and most time consuming innovation of last year’s awards – having the five previous year’s nominees read the nominees for the Best Actor and Actress categories this year. Ugh. We found it painful, awkward and slow last year and hope they end up ditching it. Apparently, they are also trying to incorporate tween stars like Taylor Lautner and Channing Tatum into the show but if we barely have the patience for the telecast, not even Lautner appearing for thirty seconds can convince girls to stick around for the Best Costume Design award. And in another move to try and get an increase of viewers, there are rumors flying around that contestants from “So You Think You Can Dance,” on which Shankman is both a judge and choreographer, will be brought into the show to help add some pizzazz with some dance numbers. Blech.
The Oscars will be broadcast on Sunday, March 7th. Here are the Best Song nominees and a link to listen our fave and the pretty much locked in winner, “The Weary Kind” from “Crazy Heart.”
MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)
“Almost There” from “The Princess and the Frog” Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
“Down in New Orleans” from “The Princess and the Frog” Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
“Loin de Paname” from “Paris 36” Music by Reinhardt Wagner Lyric by Frank Thomas
“Take It All” from “Nine” Music and Lyric by Maury Yeston
“The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart)” from “Crazy Heart” Music and Lyric by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett
“The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart)” from “Crazy Heart” Music and Lyric by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett