by Nathaniel R
Over the years The Film Experience has provided the Academy with brilliant ideas for Honorary Oscars that they've ignored until it was too late and the worthy recipient died. We're talking luminaries like movie stars Max Von Sydow, Albert Finney, and Doris Day, cinematographer Michael Ballhaus, and voice artist Marni Nixon. (At least they heard us on Maureen O'Hara, Harry Belafonte, Liv Ullman, David Lynch, and Angela Lansbury in time!). So here we are again trying to sway them. They make such strange decisions. Why did Sophia Loren who was already a (deserving) Oscar winner, need an Honorary when she was only in her fifties? Why did they refuse to honor Doris Day because (the rumor is) they knew she wouldn't show but then went ahead and honored Jean Luc Godard who they also knew would never show?
For our suggestions we're limiting ourselves to people over 70... though you could make valid cases for several late 50something or 60somethings if you wanted to like Michelle Pfeiffer, Eddie Murphy, Jim Carrey, Antonio Banderas, Willem Dafoe, Hugh Grant, directors Sam Raimi and Todd Haynes, producer Christine Vachon, or craftspeople like costume designer Sharen Davis or composer Marc Shaiman.
20 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE HONORARY OSCAR...
JEAN HERSHOLT HUMANITARIAN AWARD
Superstar Dolly Parton She has a few major films in her resume (Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Nine to Five, Steel Magnolias) and has written songs for other features too. But for decades she's also been the shining example of using celebrity for good. She helped bring the world the COVID vaccine, has raised or donated regularly to support Tennesse's education and medical facilities including children's literacy, college scholarships, and women's health wards and new hospitals and donations for existing hospitals.
JEAN HERSHOLT or REGULAR HONORARY OSCAR
Actor Sir Ian McKellen - A two time Oscar nominee (Lord of the Rings, Gods and Monsters) and a gay icon and advocate for LGBTQ rights. Oscar has not been kind to the gays in so very many ways over the decades so this would be a smart gesture. Not to mention that he should already be a competitive Oscar winner! He turns 83 this month.
REGULAR HONORARY OSCAR
Director Zhang Yimou - He's 72 and has a enviable amount of classics under his belt. He's been up thrice for the Best Foreign Film Award (Hero, Ju Dou, Raise the Red Lantern) and should have been up for the prize more often than that. What's more none of his films have taken that prize despite all three nominations being quite deserving. Oscar has also given more of his movies random nominations in craft departments like Shanghai Triad, House of Flying Daggers, and Curse of the Golden Flower. In addition to his regularly sensational movies, he's helped boost or shape the legends of global superstars like Michelle Yeoh, Gong Li, Zhang Ziyi, and Tony Leung. He would be an absolutely perfect fit for this prize.
Production Designer Bo Welch. He was nominated four times across very dissimilar pictures: The Color Purple, Men in Black, The Birdcage, and A Little Princess. What's more those were hardly his only deserving designs. Other films include Edward Scissorhands, Batman Returns, Thor, and Beetlejuice. Bonus points: If you honor Bo Welch, you get Emmy winning brilliant comic actress Catherine O'Hara (his wife) in attendance at your events.
Legend Catherine Deneuve -She's a total screen icon and former nominee (Indochine). What's more her bonafide classics stretch across four decades (1960s-2000s) and she's still acting, too, and often with fine or challenging directors in France. She's 78 which is a perfect age for Honoraries; That's old enough to be unlikely as a competitive winner but young enough to truly enjoy the honor.
Movie Star Harrison Ford. While he never had the dramatic ambition that can help make you an Oscar favourite, he's also a better actor than he ever get credit for since he always made movie star magnetism and carrying entire films look easy. Most crucially, in terms of the Honorary, is that he's a genuine global movie icon. He helped create two household name characters (Indiana Jones and Han Solo) and he totally earned that one Oscar nomination for Witness (1985). Other notable classics in his filmography beyond Witness, Star Wars, and Raiders include The Conversation, Bladerunner, Working Girl, The Fugitive, American Graffiti, and Apocalypse Now. He's 79 years old
Actress Glynis Johns - She was only nominated once (The Sundowners) but she has a really fun filmography across several decades (Mary Poppins, While You Were Sleeping, The Court Jester, The Ref). Plus she was one-of-a kind on the screen. She turns 99 this year and we've been suggesting her for a decade now. What is the problem? Is it that she wasn't a big enough star? If so they should reconsider their parameters since character actors are also worthy of honors.
Directors John Waters & David Cronenberg- Like David Lynch, who was just awarded, they're singular filmmakers. It would be a daring nod to truly maverick filmmakers who create their own worlds onscreen and change the culture and/or influence other filmmakers and genres. The fact that they've embraced "trash" (Waters) and 'disreputable' subgenres (body horror) well outside of Oscar's interest (Cronenberg) is a perfect reason to go the "Honorary" route since the general voting body, enamored of prestige dramas, is never going to go there. They are 76 and 79 years old respectively.
Cinematography Caleb Deschanel. He's been nominated six times (The Right Stuff, The Natural, Fly Away Home, The Patriot, The Passion of the Christ, Never Look Away) and was a strong DP right out of the gate with unnominated work in late 70s early 80s classics like The Black Stallion, Being There, and Personal Best. He has yet to win gold at 77. Bonus points: he also brought us Zooey Deschanel and Emily Deschanel.
Producer/Director Ridley Scott - Always a bridesmaid at the Oscars (4 nominations) despite unassailable classics like Blade Runner, Thelma & Louise, and Alien and a Best Picture winner in Gladiator. Plus he makes movies that awards bodies continueto notice in random ways (The Martian, House of Gucci, American Gangster). And on top of that he is a super active producer of other filmmakers work, too. Though he's 84 years old he still makes movies regularly. Oscar take note: He's not going to live forever!
Actresses Sigourney Weaver and Glenn Close. Sigourney was an Oscar darling in the 1980s (Aliens, Working Girl, and Gorillas in the Mist) and they missed a great chance to reward her in the 1990s (The Ice Storm). Glenn was an even bigger Oscar darling in the 1980s (5 nominations) and in the 2010s returned to their favour (3 more nominations!). Sigourney is 72 and Glenn is 75. They've both made legendary films and created indisputably iconic characters. They're regularly brilliant and skilled in both drama and comedy. This should be a no brainer. Why wait until they're both in their 90s?
Production Designer Jeannine Oppewall. She was nominated for LA Confidential, Pleasantville, Seabiscuit, and The Good Shepherd. Her filmography also includes good looking pictures like Catch Me If You Can, The Bridges of Madison Country, Snow Falling on Cedars, Wonder Boys, and Desert Hearts. She's 75
Actor James Hong. Okay jumping on the bandwagon for this one. But he's back in the spotlight thanks to his small grandfather role in Everything Everywhere All At Once. He's the very definition of "enduring character actor" and given that Oscar is starting to recognize actors of color whose film careers weren't as gigantic as their talent deserved due to lack of opportunity (recently: Wes Studi and Cicely Tyson), he'd be a good choice. He has been doing supporting roles in movies for literally 65 years. In addition to arguably his best known role in Big Trouble in China and numerous other genre films that Oscar wouldn't have ever been interested in, he's made contributions to numerous films that Oscar voters did like including Flower Drum Song, The Sand Pebbles, The Hawaiians, Chinatown, Mulan, and Blade Runner.
Costume Designer Michael Kaplan He's never been nominated but that's not from lack of talent but the Academy's blindspots. His most famous films tended to be in contemporary-set style pictures like Flashdance, Burlesque, Mr & Mrs Smith, Miami Vice, and Fight Club or broad well-loved comedies like Big Business and Clue. His crowning jewel was surely sensational Oscar-worthy work in Blade Runner (underappreciated when it first premiered) but he's costumed several other famous sci-fi fantasy or franchise pictures too (3 Star Wars pictures, 2 Star Trek pictures, 1 Mission: Impossible) Age unknown so we're assuming he's in his 70s?
Actor Ed Harris. Like Glenn Close people always just assumed he'd win and then it never happened. He's been nominated 4 times (Apollo 13, The Hours, Pollock, and The Truman Show) and should have won already. And that's just the roles Oscar noticed. He's been working non-stop since the late 70s and he's super dependable. Other fine performances include: Swing Shift, Mother!, A History of Violence, A Beautiful Mind, Glengarry Glen Ross, The Abyss. He has a brief role in this summer's Top Gun Maverick. He's 71.
Actress Alfre Woodard. The Academy is running out of black superstars of typical Honorary Oscar age (again... living people over 70) since they've been making up for lost time in that regard. We doubt they'd go for Diana Ross since she retired so long ago and only had a short film career so their most famous and underhonored option is surely enduring brilliant character actress Alfre Woodard. She turns 70 later this year, she is a former nominee (Cross Creek) and surely almost snagged a second nomination for Passion Fish a decade late. She was worthy yet again very recently for Clemency (2019) though Oscar voters didn't notice. She's been at it since the 1970s and is remarkably consistent. She's game for so many different genres and sizes of roles. The Emmys have noticed, regularly honoring her, but Oscar has yet to say hello a second time.
Actor Bruce Dern & Actress Diane Ladd. She's 86 and he's about to be. They haven't been a couple in quite some time but their careers are similar in that they've both been up for Oscars multiple times and have had incredible careers that have stretched across decades with fine work in classic films by important filmmakers. Plus they gave the world the inimitable Laura Dern. Why should Laura be the only Oscar winner in her family?
Who is your dream for an Honorary Oscars this year? They'll be held on Saturday, November 19th.