Godard Refuses Honorary Oscar
Not surprised, since it seems likely it’s a decision made as much for health concerns as it is for ideological reasons.
Tarantino should accept it in his place.
Or Jane Fonda.
They only said they’d give it to him as they knew he’d refuse it – the oscars are the fucking pits
He hasn’t refused it. He (or actually Anne-Marie Mieville I think) already made a statement a week or so back along the lines that he almost certainly wasn’t going to attend because he’s too old to travel so far (heck, he didn’t even make it as far as Cannes).
He’ll just send a video message like everyone else.
edit – Oh here we go:
Sep-7th 2010
“Jean-Luc won’t go to America; he’s getting old for that kind of thing,” she said. “Would you go all that way just for a bit of metal?”
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2010/sep/07/jean-luc-godard-honorary-oscar
Why would he do that? An award is an award. I love Godard but he should put his ego aside and accept the award if not for himself but for his fans. Unless he is on his deathbed he should just go and accept it
It’s a separate ceremony from the 2011 awards show, so I don’t blame him. The Oscars telecast would be an opportunity to give him exposure to tens of millions of people who have never even heard of him and then some of them might be curious and check out his films.
If the Honorary oscar was given to him during the Oscar Ceremony, and not in a separate and if he attended it I know all that he would do:
“The honorary oscar for a life of achievements in film blah blah blah… Jean-Luc Godard!” (Godard walks into stage, takes the Oscar, approaches the microphone and says this: Merci beaucoup
That wouldn’t make people look for his films, a heart-breaking speech would.
Why would an 80 year old man not travel half way across the world to appear on stage for a minutes when he can simply broadcast a video message in which he can say exactly what he wants without fear of going a few seconds overtime and being ushered off stage by Hollywood security guards??!!
Is that a serious question Steve?
Sanjuro
I’m sure that if he sends some video where he attacks the academy/the united states of america they wouldn’t air his message at all. Simple solution.
If he was going to do that, why would he bother accepting the award? That makes no sense at all.
He’s accepting the award. He’ll send a video saying thanks. He’s too old to travel to LA.
I’m only surprised that he didn’t bitch out the Academy people. Or go to the ceremony just to yell “penis!” or maybe “revolution!”
Oh wait, I get what you said previously. My bad.
Oh, don’t worry about it. You wouldn’t be the first person I’ve confused with my poor writing.
How could I not see this coming… sacré Godard!
“Why would he do that? An award is an award. I love Godard but he should put his ego aside and accept the award if not for himself but for his fans. Unless he is on his deathbed he should just go and accept it”
So his fans are waiting for him to accept a despicable award? WOW, AMAZING!!!!
Who needs an Honorary Oscar?
These are the same lame people who crapped on great directors like Welles, Kubrick, Renoir, Nic Ray, Tarkovsky, Scorsese (in his early years) and a number of other greats.
Godard don’t need no stinkin award!
The Oscars are taken far too seriously; why go in person for one particular razzmattazz event, when there are so many other awards too. Especially if you’re getting on and travel and such hoopla may be a physical strain. None of the greatest directors ever won the Best Director award. The Oscars are a celebration of ignorance, mediocrity, insularity and US cultural flag-waving
@Kenji
Ya damn right
Well said Kenji.
May be JLG should go there and say something to the Academy… The best scene will be the smile on Jessica Alba or Tom Cruise’s faces…. They will be thinking ’’what’s the f*** this strange swiss french guy is saying’’… Or the red carpet with a moody JLG could be the best picture of this year of cinema.
I remember seeing Godard as a guest on Dick Cavett’s PBS show (half-hour, one-on-one interviews). He was great. That was in the late ‘70s, I think. Somehow I don’t think Godard would be able to pull off such a great interview today. If he was, I’d want to see him do a TV show while he was here for the Oscar. But who’s smart or clever enough to interview Godard today? Certainly not Charlie Rose, or Jay Leno, or Conan O’Brien, or Jimmy Fallon, or Jimmy Kimmel, or Larry King, or the cackling hens on “The View,” or Oprah…all mental midgets who probably have never seen a Godard film.
In short, Godard is staying home, exactly what he should do.
In his own mind he’s god and sees this prize as a mockery. Good riddance I say, he don’t even deserve it.
Dude wins Oscar.
Accepts Oscar.
Cannot attend because of his age.
And that is either considered self-deification on one side, or a grand statement against the Oscars on the other.
In short, whatthefuckchuall talking about?
Dressed up in flame-resistant clothing,
—PolarisDiB
“But who’s smart or clever enough to interview Godard today? Certainly not Charlie Rose, or Jay Leno, or Conan O’Brien, or Jimmy Fallon, or Jimmy Kimmel, or Larry King, or the cackling hens on “The View,” or Oprah…all mental midgets who probably have never seen a Godard film.”
i wouldn’t rule out Conan necessarily. i’m not really a fan but he has the best chance out of that lot.
i agree he should just stay at home. he is an old man now. he probably doesn’t care
Why an 80-year old man would travel all the way to a festival just to get a statue is beyond me. But whatever.
If Godard is an old man, what does that make de Oliveira or Shindo???
Shindo’s attending the oscars this year?
Just go accept the award and don’t be such a pussy
Zachary George Najarian-Najafi
http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/25/godard-watch-ends-director-wont-attend-honorary-oscars-ceremony/?src=twt&twt=nytimesmovies
Anyone surprised? Honestly, I’m not.
EDIT: He’s not actually refusing the Oscar, just refusing to go to the ceremony. I can’t blame him for it honestly, especially since the ceremony isn’t even during the actual awards show.