Posted on 02/28/2005 8:16:22 AM PST by robowombat
Sunday, February 27, 2005
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE ACADEMY AWARDS Scorsese disses Oscar ceremony Director warns of Christians' impact, rise of political correctness from left
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Posted: February 27, 2005 5:56 p.m. Eastern
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- © 2005 WorldNetDaily.com
Martin Scorsese
After three decades of waiting to win an Academy Award, film director Martin Scorsese says a victory tonight for "The Aviator" would be meaningless.
In an interview with London's Sunday Times, Scorsese was asked if there would still be any impact on him were his name to be read as the winner of the best director award at the Hollywood event.
"No longer," he said. "I studied for 33 years. Maybe in the '70s it would have been nice."
Scorsese directed classic films including "Raging Bull," "Goodfellas," and "Taxi Driver," the 1976 movie which helped inspire the real-life assassination attempt on President Reagan.
"The disappointment was overwhelming," Scorsese said of his failure to take the Oscar for "Taxi Driver." "By the time we got to Raging Bull [in 1980], which had seven nominations including me, but Robert Redford won, I just said, 'I will never win.'"
Scorsese told the Times many of his films, including the portrayal of mafia sadism in "Goodfellas" are "all about depicting human suffering."
He criticized the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for what he calls its tendency to reward safe and banal pictures.
"It is aimed at ordinary people: the thinking is 'you want to send them to see 'Goodfellas' rather than 'Dances with Wolves'? Sorry, that could be a problem.'"
He continued: "A lot of people said there was too much pointless violence in 'Goodfellas,' but to me there is no such thing." He maintains he tries to be honest about violence, not looking to glorify it. Responding to critics and censors, Scorsese told the paper "violence is still all right if it is stylized, but not the violence I do."
Scorsese is concerned freedom of expression is being encroached upon by political pressures.
Citing the British film "Vera Drake," which centers on an abortionist, Scorsese says because of the rise of Christian fundamentalism, "main characters in Hollywood films can't have abortions."
In 1988, Scorsese ignited the anger of many Christians with "The Last Temptation of Christ." At the crucifixion, the film showed Jesus tempted by an alluring image of a pleasant life with Mary Magdelene to try to prompt him to refuse his own sacrifice.
Scorsese also blasted political correctness from the left as being a strong censor.
"You can hardly say anything about minorities now. It has made it extremely difficult to open your mouth."
Editor's note: Scorsese did not win the Oscar for best director for "The Aviator." The prize went to Clint Eastwood for "Million Dollar Baby."
Why does he care if he wins or not?
Isn't his artistry the most important thing?
Many superb actors have turned their backs on the Academy Awards. Perhaps Martin should take a hint from them, ay?
No, main characters in Hollywood will have all the abortions they want. But we don't have to like it, or watch it. Art does imitate life, after all.
Whoa, he should have kept his mouth shut. he really is stupid. At least there use to be some doubt about his lack of intelligence.
I do agree losing to Costner for "Dances with Wolves" over "Goodfellas" was a major league travisty.
I love Marty's movies, but who the heck wants to go see movies with the main characters having abortions? I thought pro-choicers weren't "for" abortion--why would they want to see such story elements? How many movies can believably acoomodate a scene where the main character runs out for an abortion?
Considering how most of his movies feature men as the main characters why is this even a concern for him?
Yes, that was a total joke. Hollywood talks tough about their art but in the end they usually go for pretty pictures and After School Special-level pieties.
The Cider House Rules was all about abortion.
The Academy lost all credibility this year by not nominating "The Passion" for any major awards.
Even if a person were not a Christian, anyone with half a brain would have to admit that "The Passion" was one of the most if not the most powerful motion picture ever made!
And for the Academy to snub the picture only shows its present day hatred for Christianity and anything and/or anyone associated with it.
While the Hollyweird crowd has no problem wearing a cross...
just another accessory I guess.
Well for me, I can certainly see why a picture of Jesus, the Son of God, hanging on a crucifix for our sins,having the hots for Mary Magdaline didnt get an Oscar. Lucky lightning didnt strike the fool.
This guy not receiving the academy award after all the fabulous movies he's done just shows how bogus the award is.
His movies are classics and will be watched decades from now while the academy awards winners will fade from view
"The Cider House Rules was all about abortion."
Not all, but it was a good movie.
Yeah, right. He doesn't care. And I'm Joe Stalin.
Yes. Citizen Kane would have been so much better with an abortion scene. Someone may have even considered it a good movie.
If he didn't care, why was his face at the Oscars last night?
that Carey Grant and Alfred Hitchcock never received an Oscar has shown for a long time how bogus the award is... not to mention that Paul Newman didn't win for The Verdict, but won for The Color of Money because it was due him...
there are lots of actors who, having been looked over in previous years, won for lesser performances... and others who have to wait until their about to die to be awarded with a "special" Oscar...
Yesterday, a poster said that Scorcese's standing up for Elia Kazan (naming names of commies in the '50s) might have cost him this latest non-win. Sorta makes sense...
That's a pretty fair description of The Aviator.
Goodfellas is his last great movie.
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