Category Archives: Academy of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences

Joe CRANKS UP the Oscars

The Academy Awards listened to its audience and decided after all to give credit where credit is due: to those who make cinema the exciting and stunning medium that it is.

On February 12 the Academy announced it would not show four award categories to home viewers (to be presented during commercials at the event) in order to trim the show to a shorter length of time:

  • Cinematography
  • Editing
  • Live Action Short
  • Makeup & Hair

There was quite an uproar—read these tweets, some of which are quite funny—which lead to the Academy to reverse its decision and include all the awards in the telecast.


CLICK HERE
for a COMPLETE LIST of the 2019 OSCAR NOMINEES


As Alfonso Cuarón, who is nominated for producing, directing, writing & cinematography for his film Roma, said on Twitter:

In the history of CINEMA, masterpieces have existed without sound, without color, without a story, without actors & without music. No one single film has ever existed without CINEMAtography & without editing.

That pretty much describes Silent Cinema, doesn’t it? No sound, no color, sometimes no plot…but always cinema.


Here’s a poster paying tribute to Cinematography & Editing…and the ampersand, stylized here in the tradition of classic movie title lettering. You can view a full-size version to download and print, at AmperArt.com.

#141 Cinematography & Editing

To see full size, and download for printing and framing, visit AmperArt.com


Did you see Joe Rinaudo cranking his 1909 Powers Cameragraph at last year’s Oscars? Here are some scenes:

Next is Gary Oldman cranking Joe’s vintage Powers Moving Picture Machine:


CLICK HERE
for a COMPLETE LIST of the 2019 OSCAR NOMINEES


Enjoy the Show

 

April 27: Professor Plays Fotoplayer at Turner Classic Film Festival

 

 TCM Classic Film Festival 2015: Dream Machine behind the scenes

HAROLD LLOYD: NEW DIMENSIONS IN SIGHT AND SOUND

2018 Turner Classic Film Festival
Friday, April 27, 2018
2:30 pm

Admission:  All Pass levels are eligible for this event. No Individual tickets are available for this passholder exclusive event.


Once again Professor Rinaudo will be in grand performance at the Turner Classic Movies Film Festival in Hollywood, but this time he won’t be cranking a projector.

1927 “Sunrise” March 26, Samuel Goldwyn Theater

Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans 1927

George O’Brien and Janet Gaynor in Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927). Image: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

In celebration of Oscar’s 90th anniversary, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will present the premiere of a newly struck 35mm preservation print of Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927).


Excerpted from the Oscars.org events page:


Monday, March 26, 2018
7:30 pm
Samuel Goldwyn Theater

8949 Wilshire Blvd.
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
TICKETS & INFORMATION

Preceded by the short film Steamboat Willie (1928), with a post-screening dessert reception.

Hosted by Academy President John Bailey and Oscar-nominated production designer Jeannine Oppewall.

In June 1926, German filmmaker F.W. Murnau (1888-1931) traveled to Los Angeles under contract to producer William Fox, who offered the highly coveted artist complete creative and financial independence to direct Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927). Shot at the peak of silent cinema, the film was inspired by a short story written by Hermann Sudermann and adapted by frequent Murnau collaborator Carl Mayer.

The story is centered on the life of a married couple from a rural town (George O’Brien and Janet Gaynor), whose apparent perfect love is stirred by the arrival of a city woman (Margaret Livingston). Considered a masterpiece of American-German cinemaSunrise’s striking visual imagery combined filming on location (including Coronado Beach and Lake Arrowhead) with intricate artificial sets built with expressionistic set design techniques at exorbitant expense by production designer Rochus Gliese at Fox Hills in West Los Angeles), and shot by cinematographers Charles Rosher and Karl Struss. Although it is a silent film, Sunrise featured a synchronized Movietone soundtrack with a musical score and sound effects.

The film was awarded three Oscars during the first Academy Awards ceremony, which was held in 1929, and honored films released in 1927 and 1928.

Read full article and purchase tickets at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences website.

Purchase Tickets


Speaking of the Academy…
Did you happen to read the recent post about Professor Rinaudo at the Oscars, along with photos of Laura Dern and Gary Oldman cranking the projector?