I legendarily fell asleep during the 1991 Academy Awards for about 25 minutes only to wake up and find out that Silence of the Lambs was in the midst of pulling off a One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest / It Happened One Night sweep. What the hell happened to Bugsy?! And more shockingly to my 15 year old self -- was that the most impressive cinematic achievement of the year, animation's one shot at Oscar glory, Beauty and the Beast would not win. (Obviously.)
Was it that the vast majority of Academy voters are actors who were frankly not interested in being drawn out of the business? That same argument proves why neither a documentary nor a foreign film has ever won. The Oscar is, after all, the award bestowed by a select group. They don't float down from above accompanied by the Cats score -- distributed by some divinity. They're voted on by a group of people with a vested interest in film making, their personal careers, and with a distinct opinion of the product. And I don't say that with negativity. That's just how it is. I'd imagine that's what Doug Fairbanks would say, too. And let's not forget -- this was Silence of the Lambs, the gold standard of serial killer pics -- masterfully acted, directed, and written. It wasn't well -- we know which movie I mean.
However, if you look at the Disney stranglehold from 1989 to 1995-ish on certain Oscar categories, it's amazing to watch the dance that took place to avoid simply becoming voice actors. Alan Menken won 8 Academy Awards! Elton John, Tim Rice, and Hans Zimmer stepped in to win for The Lion King. The Best Original Score Category was eventually split in two for a couple of years -- probably due to the fact that all the other composers were sick of the Disney monopoly. Uproar surrounded the fact that Robin Williams couldn't be nominated for his work in Aladdin. Menken took Beauty and the Beast to Broadway where it was a fantastic show. The Lion King is still running. (One wonders what they will open next.) They shut down Central Park's Great Lawn to hold an outdoor screening of Pocahontas sponsored in part by Mix 105! MIX 105!!!!!
And then, finally, John Lasseter made Toy Story.
Lasseter not only became the new hit on the scene, he became one of the few men in our lifetime to receive an honorary Oscar that was presented during the telecast. Toy Story was a legitimate "stop the presses" moment at the Shrine Auditorium. This man needed to be awarded. This film needed to be recognized. They certainly weren't going to give it best picture, but something had to be done.
Soon, the "best animated feature" category was created. Look what it has done for the amount of children's films released each year -- how much money it has brought to the industry -- and how many statues it has passed on to Pixar.
And here we are at Toy Story 3 -- the Michael Arndt written "Return of the King Woody" of animated films. This is after The Incredibles, after Nemo, after the heart-wrenching masterpiece that is Wall-E, after last year's nominated (in the "ten" so... "asterisk") Up, and long after my personal favorite Monsters, Inc. The amount of "story" in this particular Toy Story proved precisely what unwavering masters the folks at Pixar are. There is no one of any age who could watch that film without laughing, crying, reflecting, and worrying -- even if they had an extra-mini Grinch sized heart -- about the well-being of the toys they owned as a kid. Come on! This was no mere comedy. This was a film of joy.
But does it have a place at the Oscars? Will it ever?
All you need to do is scroll down to see that even I, lover of Toy Story 3, fearer of that damn baby-doll, have to admit that the folks over at The Social Network have it all tied up. But if there is an upset to be had -- and a fitting one at that -- Toy Story 3 is it. What other animated film will we (ever) award instead?
Wouldn't it be amazing if The Social Network took directing, screenplay, editing, score -- and then Toy Story 3 walked in and Driving Miss Daisy-ed the joint?
It may not be now or ... well... never. But it's clear this one should be the first.
- Matthew J. McCue
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