Oscar Interest Wanes With Time

Friday, February 10, 2006

Page 11

AT THE SIDEBAR (Column)

Oscar Interest Wanes With Time

By J’AMY PACHECO

Hey, how about those Oscars?

The nominations are out, and the big ceremony is set for March 5. I suspect A-Listers everywhere are lining up for designer gowns and designer hair in preparation for the big night.

The Oscars used to be the Super Bowl of movies for me, and I never missed it. This year, I’m not sure I’ll even watch.

I used to love the Academy Awards, and looked forward to the Oscar-cast with great anticipation. I used to watch them every year with great pomp and circumstance, and even had a special Oscar shirt that my mother made for me. It was a sight to see — jet black, with a big, gold beaded Oscar statuette on the front.

Once the nominations were out, I used to go on an annual Oscar-Quest, making sure to see every film nominated for best picture, actor, actress and director. Just to be supportive of my fellow ink-slingers, I made certain I saw every picture nominated in a writing category as well.

On Oscar night, we’d chill champagne even before the pre-pre Oscar festivities began. My husband and I would watch the celebrities walk down the famed red carpet while we nibbled on strawberries. We’d ignore the telephone and enjoy chocolate éclairs while watching celebrities be funny, inspiring, emotional, goofy and downright dumb. We’d stay up until the last award was given, the last agent-director-producer-hairdresser thanked.

But then, I had a child.

When I became a parent, my perspective on the Oscars changed. Because my premature daughter arrived shortly before the 1996 Oscar ceremony was broadcast, I was too tired to care who won.

As she got older, my movie-watching time was dedicated to viewing films she could see with me. Fortunately, the Academy added an animated feature category, so I could be assured of having seen at least one nominated film.

There were years when I made an attempt to watch. We even put out our traditional Oscar night spread — a feast my fledgling movie-watcher seemed to enjoy as much as I did.

But I found that when you haven’t seen most of the nominated films, the ceremony isn’t as interesting. It’s kind of like watching the Super Bowl when you don’t know anything about the teams in the game, and absolutely nothing about the season that led to the year’s greatest football clash.

That happens to me a lot. I went to a Super Bowl party this year, and didn’t even know who was playing. In fact, when someone mentioned the Sea Hawks were in the game, I asked if they were still in Seattle. (Hey, it’s not like a move is without precedent.)

The most exciting parts of the game for me were waiting to see if my brother was going to win the football pool from his work (he did), and sampling the chicken wings he made.

When it comes to the Oscars, I have history. Back when the presenters said, “And the winner is…” instead of “And the Oscar goes to…,” I was watching. I watched as David Letterman flopped with his ridiculous “Uma…Oprah” shtick, and as Rob Lowe horrified Disney execs by kissing a tarty-looking Snow White.

When Goldie Hawn mistakenly thought Kurt Russell was proposing, I was there to share her embarrassment. I roared with laughter at Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg and everybody else (except David Letterman) who hosted.

Today, I couldn’t begin to guess who hosted — or won — last year. I’m not even sure I watched.

As I examined the list of this year’s nominations, I felt that old excitement returning. Until, that is, I realized that the only films I’d seen that made the list were nominated for “achievement in makeup” and “sound mixing.”

I enjoyed “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” far more than I enjoyed “War of the Worlds.” But watching to see if the makeup person wins just doesn’t draw me to a three-hour telecast.

Perhaps that’s the problem. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve become less patient with going to the movies. I still love to see a film on the big screen— I just resent paying $15 for two tickets, twice that for some nachos, sodas and popcorn, and not getting to sit on the aisle.

So, will I make it to the Oscars? Who knows. Maybe we’ll chill some champagne, rinse some strawberries, whip up some éclairs — and pop in a nice DVD. I understand Bambi 2 is out this week…