My Trip to the Academy Awards

I have a very good friend who works at the Academy and each year she gets to attend the Academy Awards with a guest.  She has been rotating the honor amongst her friends and this year she invited me!!!  It was a once in a lifetime chance that I couldn’t pass up.  The first major thing I obsessed about was what I was going to wear.  I collect vintage gowns from the 1920s - 50s, so I decided to focus on trying to look like a Hollywood star in the 1930s.  Myrna Loy was my key fashion inspiration. 

I have to give credit where credit is due.  Charlotte Del Rose is a fantastic vintage clothing expert, designer and stylist who selected my dress and helped to put the look together.  Then the amazing vintage hairstylist Reina Salas did my hair and helped with the make up!  If you want to work with either of these brilliant ladies, I will gladly give out their information.

I wore a dark blue velvet bias cut dress that was made in the 1930s that I purchased at Playclothes.  It has a gold deco belt buckle with faux diamonds and saphires.  I also wore gold t-strap 1930s style high heels and carried a gold beaded clutch purse on loan from a friend.  I found a fantastic hair dresser who made my long hair look much shorter, as that was the fashion at the time.  The hair and make up took close to 3 hours, but here is the result…..

We drove in my friend’s car and believe me, the process of getting there took a long time!  There were a bunch of protesters standing at the corner of Highland and Sunset holding up really hateful, cruel, homophobic signs.  One of the signs even read, “Heath in Hell.”  That was horribly mean, insensitive and entirely out of line.  Those people were just complete fools.  We pulled up to the valet area and they had bomb sniffing dogs and numerous security people open up our car.  They even had mirrors on sticks that they ran under the car and they opened the trunk and went through everything.  After we checked the car in, we had to get our tickets and IDs out and check in for the show.  Then the fun part….we got to walk the red carpet.  I used to work for a publicity executive at a studio and have been on red carpets before, but it was always as an employee.  This was my first time to be there as an actual guest.  It was a nice change of pace.  The red carpet was very very crowded.  They tell everyone to keep moving all the time, but no one really does.  Everyone was just walking around very slowly to watch what was going on.  The stars of course were constantly stopping for photographs and interviews on the carpet.  Somehow, I ended up walking in right behind Robert Downey Jr. and his wife and someone told me I was even visible on the E! Channel.

When we got inside, someone from the Academy took all of our pictures in front of one of the giant Oscar statues.  We went upstairs and attempted to get some hors d’œuvres, but that proved to be very difficult.  The waiters kept zipping by so fast and by the time I would grab them, the tray would be empty.  My friend and I literally hung out by the kitchen so we could pounce on the waiters immediately when they came out with the food.  While some people there were intent on gazing at Brad Pitt, I was more focused on eating crab cakes. 

Being that my friend and I are not famous, our seats were pretty much in the attic of the theatre.  We were waaaaaaaaaaaaay up high at the back of the highest balcony.  It was steep, dark and there was not much railing…and I am clumsy by nature and was wearing heels.  I was afraid I was going to fall and tumble off the balcony and plummet to my death.  During the commercial breaks, tons of people in the balcony kept getting up to get drinks and hang out at the bar on the floor level where the stars all congregate.  We decided not to do this.  Seeing stars is ok and all, but we just preferred to stay put and enjoy the show. 

I’ve read on the internet that most of the critics hated it.  Personally, I really enjoyed it!!  I think the problem is that people just expect too much!!!  It is an awards show and not a work of masterpiece theatre or something.  Besides, the critics have hated Chris Rock, Ellen, Jon Stewart and pretty much everyone who has ever hosted in recent memory except Billy Crystal.  There is just no pleasing the critics.  I thought the show had a great energy, it moved along quickly and I loved having 5 past winners from different eras present the acting awards.  I thought that was an excellent new addition to the show.  I also loved Hugh Jackman.  He was fantastic.  I liked how the production designer of the show re-imagined the stage, which was set up to look like a 1930s style cabaret.
I have some friends who watched the show on TV at home and most of them didn’t like it at all.  Perhaps it was something that was much better live than on TV.

As for the winners themselves, there were few surprises.  The only big upset for me was that WALTZ WITH BASHIR was totally robbed of the Foreign Language Film Award.  That really shocked me.  Otherwise, everything else was pretty much predictable.  I was thrilled that SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE won.  I was also thrilled for Sean Penn and Dustin Lance Black, the screenwriter for MILK.  Those awards were well deserved and their speeches were very moving.  I just wish there weren’t so many other award shows leading up to the Oscars, as it makes everything so anti-climatic!

From where I was sitting the stars looked about like the size of ants, so I often had to rely on watching the monitors that were up near the balcony.  I was really hoping to see at least one old movie star up close and as I was leaving the show, I got my wish.  Jane Russell was standing outside the Kodak theatre all by herself.  I’ve seen many of her movies, so I walked up to her and said, “Hello Ms. Russell, I’m so glad to see you here this evening!”  She gave me the nastiest “go to hell” look I have ever been on the receiving end of in my entire life.  She didn’t say a word.  I smiled, shrugged and walked away. 

All in all, I had a really great time with my friend and I was grateful to have experienced this 81 year old Hollywood tradition live!!

8 Comments:

1. Back in 1938, Clark Gable was dubbed King in a popularity poll. That same poll dubbed Myrna Loy as Queen.  So, I’m happy you were saluting Hollywood royalty, Karie!

   One shouldn’t take the Oscars too seriously but it’s hard for a movie trivia nut like myself.  How did “Brad Button” did nominated over “The Dark Knight” and “Iron Man”?  I know it’s a matter of opinion but come on now, really.

   I’m glad “Slumdog Millionaire” won but due to other shows, the element of surprise, even suspense, was taken out.  And I agree with one nitpicky friend I have.  It starts off with torture of the main character that’s never properly explained.  That same main character, different actor, purposely gets himself covered with excrement to get an autograph.  That’s funny? Oh, well.

   Generally, the public don’t go to see foreign language movies or documentaries and I think that’s too bad.  “Okuribito” (Departures), the winner of foreign language, got little exposure here and most, including myself, haven’t see it.

   “Man on Wire” was actually a hit for a documentary but I loved “Trouble the Water” and “The Betrayal” too.  Mostly unseen maybe because they’re depressing.

   I won’t nitpick the show itself.  Again, I’m glad you got to go and who knows?  You might have to give an acceptance speech for winning the Oscar for Best Movie Website.

   Posted by James J Cremin on 02/25 at 08:08 AM

2. Sounds like you had a blast!!!  I am so happy for you.

   Posted by Sara on 02/25 at 11:09 AM

3. Definitely your best blog post yet. I suppose it would be too contemporary to say “you go girl”, considering how hard you worked to be retro. How about “absolutely smashing”?

   I am sorry that you were treated so shabbily by Jane Russell. I have bumped into numerous film people over the years and I have never had an experience like that. When I am 88 years old my manners will be much better, I promise.

   Posted by Jack Maxfield on 02/27 at 02:11 PM

4. The Academy Awards for the moviegoing public are designed to be broadcast on television, but for the guests are they choreographed differently or did you sense you were experiencing a comparatively unscripted event? (BTW the one thing your outfit lacked was a string of pearls - maybe then Miss Russell migh have been slighly more cordial.)

   Posted by Randini on 03/06 at 09:18 AM

5. this would have to be so much fun. I am so glad that you got to go.

   watch friends online

   Posted by john on 03/07 at 08:42 PM

6. Happy happy joy joy for you! You MOST certainly deserve to be invited EVERY YEAR and better seats! You do so much for movie lovers. Even though my time and money limited, and rarely get out or bump into you these days, I always enjoy your wonderful email newsletters. Are you going to Doug Fairbanks “Iron Mask” with the AH-MAZING KEVIN BROWNLOW speaking, March 23 at the Academy?? I wouldn’t miss it for the world!

   IN fact, dear Karie, I must share a story about being on your email list. I found out about the Forrest J Ackerman tribute at the Cinematheque, March 8, cos of your newsletter. I told a friend about it, and three of us attended. He was being weird to me, so I walked up to the front row balcony where I met a charming man. We are dating! OMG!

   PLUS without your email newsletter I never would have found out UCLA moved their film preservation series to NOW, rather than the summer (I think I met you at one of those events, I know it was up at the campus before Hammer).

   So see, you not only keep us up to date as to rare events, series, your experiences, special screenings, but also are a matchmaker, in your own way!

   What a thrill for me to find a smart, funny, handsome, younger, nice man and so into the movies I’m into. AND we’ll go to some of the UCLA film preservation films together too (or when he can’t, a new Facebook pal, who was surprised to find the series moved earlier too).

   ALL because of YOUR work, enthusiasm, and good stuff.

   Oscar:
   I AGREE: having five former winners present the Oscar was a thrill! Sophia Loren! OMG. GREAT idea!!

   The biggest problem with the Oscars and TV was the direction. I read that Jerry Lewis was serious, til the end he made a funny face and the live audience laughed. TV audiences ONLY saw the audience laughing, but not Jerry Lewis.

   That’s indicative of why TV live broadcasts are often more disappointing than what you saw live from the audience. Stoopid directors and sloppy editing. ALSO camera work: often times cameras will zoom in or out, when it’s better to do the opposite. Of course that all has to do with the director!! YOU saw and felt a different show than we TV audiences.

   ALSO, as a former live rock photographer, I CANNOT stand music vids or performances on TV. It’s one thing to see vintage footage and be grateful in some cases, but in most cases, I feel so little. I was electrified taking live photos, and my photos show that, but sitting passively watching filmed rock shows, bores me to tears.

   The Ramones, Clash, Pistols, Patti Smith are about the only exception, but their footage reminds me of seeing and shooting them live. Something is just missing, the crowd, being in the moment, the wonder of watching it all unfold in front of you, in the room, feeling the HEAT—it’s energy and vibes you just can’t get translated onto a TV screen.

   I’m in a Clash live taping from 1980’s “Fridays” TV show—it’s on youtube. I couldn’t sit still so the camera person shot me dancing, which was cut out when shown in LA—NY was three hours ahead of us. The camera person actually got into trouble for showing me dancing, the only one in the crowd who refused to sit during the taping. But when I watch that video, I sit there. Except when I see myself, cos whatta a trip to see myself dancing live to the Clash on TV. What can I say?

   But that’s one reason peeps are let down by the Oscars. The thrill of a live, collective experience cannot be transmitted through electrons of film or video. Not the whole experience, the whole adrenaline rush, which stays with you the rest of your life. I think STILLS actually transmit better, in many cases, but said as a photographer. OF course when the winners speak, that’s thrilling, but the TV audience simply can’t fathom the WHOLENESS, the huge space, stage, all the activity, that you experienced, from walking the red carpet to leaving.

   I pray you are a regular at the Academy Awards ceremony! YOU deserve it! Work at it. You can do it!

   Posted by Jenny Lens on 03/16 at 12:25 PM

7. Next time you are photographed, remember “ready for my close-up!” Your photographer should have turned the camera from landscape (who needs to see the door) to portrait, full body, then shots breaking your body into segments, head to shoulder, head to waist, waist to shoes, just the shoes, just the belt and purse, things like that so we could see all the details and the lush blue velvet. Also, don’t roll your eyes up (the profile you are looking to our right), look straight ahead or downward (like your fab inspiration, Myrna, you was so good at looking downward or straight at us, with half-closed vamp eyes). I am glad to see your hair, but not in the car!!!

   YOU ARE SUCH A MOVIE QUEEN HERE. You deserve to be photographed like one. A photographer who gives good direction too, would help!

   It’s so weird to me, I have art degrees but never studied photography EXCEPT for movie stills. Peeps who take pix should know this. Everything I ever learned about photography was from old movie books.

   Oh, I met a man who curates George Hurrell’s estate!!!! He invited me to check out photos (they are blowing them up to about 3 x 4 feet or something). Are you interested in doing that with me?? Write me (jenny at jennylens dot com).

   Posted by Jenny Lens on 03/16 at 12:32 PM

8. Fantastic site! As a professional in the film and radio industries, it is important for me to stay focused on the film industry in it’s cradle of production. Karie’s astute and in depth professionalism can be a valuble tool for me as someone who’s weekly show features movie music. Karie, talk more about the musical aspect of movie production and the artist (composers and conductors) involved and I can get you much more involved as we are an international entity via the internet. If you like, I can MP3 you 2 special programs I produced for the Oscars on our radio station. Keep up the fantastic work! Your website is awesome! Incorporate more info about Movie Music! You will have that desirable source cornered! You can figure it out!

   Respectfully,

   Ed Blaylock

   Check me out on the IMDB website.

   Posted by Ed Blaylock on 05/02 at 06:49 PM