12 January 2009

Recapitulation: The Golden Globes

So, the Golden Globe Awards, the annual Hollywood ceremony in which Hollywood outsiders who have borne more than their fair shares of negative scrutiny (see here) attempt to applaud the best in film of the year but usually succeed in only making a lot of fuss for stylists and make-up artists, were last night; and, though I can't say that I'm not happy that Kate has finally received some formal recognition for her abilities and contributions - however suspect the recognizing body may be - I have to say that not much else stuck with me from the ceremony. If I were to say anything more, I'd address the sincerely-delivered, but here comically-received, over-the-top accommendations delivered to Steven Spielberg upon his reception of the Globes' egregious Cecil B. DeMille award, accomendations thoroughly reiterated (with appropriate commentary) via GreenCine Daily, here:

Steven Spielberg. Humility is not an essential trait, but the 62-year-old blockbusterian came off unexpectedly pompous during his acceptance speech for the Cecil B. DeMille lifetime achievement award. In recalling the story of how DeMille's The Greatest Show on Earth inspired his desire to recreate and film the climactic train crash with his own model set (and thus, launching his love for moviemaking), he said: "I think what was on my mind when I was risking losing my Lionel train set was me thinking, 'Am I going to get away with this?' That anxiety has been haunting me throughout my entire movie career. Whenever I've tried to tell a risky story, whether it's about sharks or dinosaurs or about aliens or about history, I'll always be thinking, 'Am I going to get away with this?'" My question is, and I say this having admired and enjoyed plenty of his output (A.I., Jaws, Duel, Raiders of the Lost Ark), could Spielberg really be called a risky storyteller? As a sensational craftsman alone he deserves the DeMille honor, but has Hollywood's most sacred cow really been "inventing and reinventing cinema with each new picture" as his peer and pal Martin Scorsese claims he has for 40 years? Perhaps it's a silly question on a night of hyperbolic back-patting.

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