Don't want to get into the Oscar fight too much, and as a LOTR fan I of course want it to win, but I think what is happenning to ABM is a PC smearjob! So they don't show all the offensive things he said in his insane rantings, what is signifigant about that? As far as saying the character was gay and they didn't show it, my feeling is that he is more gay than Frodo and Sam and a lot less so than Ian McKellen. So the actual person didn't want this part of his life on the screen? Good for him!
Would winning the Best Picture Oscar because of this kind of a smear campaign be the decent and honorable thing? Can you think of any of the positive characters in LOTR who would support tactics like this? I don't think so!
--/rant!
I want Lord of the Rings to win, but if ABM or even Moulin Rouge wins I won't be upset. The problem with the Academy is they try to judge apples and oranges, and you can't.
Saving Private Ryan and Shakespeare in Love were both terrific movies... but the best picture of that year was A Beautiful Life. So, it's hard to judge between movies that are so different yet equally fabulous.
I wasn't aware that the "PC smear campaign" was conducted by anyone associated with LOTR. That's the only way it would bring dishonor to LOTR.