FALLING SLOWLY WINS ACADEMY AWARD
In case you missed it, here's the live peformance of "Falling Slowly" from Once at last night's 80th Annual Academy Awards ceremony.
Granted, this song faced the weakest competition in its category recent memory. Those three songs from Enchanted? Exhausting, tuneless, unmemorable. God bless the Enchanted actors for dutifully performing them with soldier-like focus, but yeesh.
"Falling Slowly" is from this year's "little indie that could." Once is the story of a Dublin busker and vacuum cleaner repairman who meets and falls in love with a young Czech singer. It was made on hand-held cameras for a near-zilch budget. The acceptance speech of lead actor and Frames frontman Glen Hansard was an exhortation to "make art, make art," no matter the obstacles.
And then the awards show producer did what they always do without fail, which is ruin a potentially genuine moment during an acceptance speech by interrupting soaring, obnoxious music to "PLAY THEM OFF!" Memo to the Oscars: how about dropping just one or two pointless, lengthy montages (e.g. that horrendously dull "How we decide on the winners" instructional video) in favor of allowing the winners -- especially those lesser known -- their moment or two in the spotlight.
To Jon Stewart's credit, he brought out the other Once lead actor Marketa Irglova after a commercial break to complete her truncated speech. Justice!
The best part of a dull show, and inspiring to independent musicians and filmmakers alike.
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Mark Holman says
I have ART all over my page. No other songs sound like a Holworks song so if you are ready to brave the Harbor Horn, stop by and listen. We may surprise you or catch you off guard as we have been told. - MarkThe Sonic Messiah says
It's good to know that 'art' is still around. I'm tired of cookie-cutter music!