AT 11 24/7

'Blood' score wasn't eligible for an Oscar: so that explains it....

Posted about 1 year ago
  • Artist:
    Johnny Greenwood
  • Album:
    There Will Be Blood
In an age of jukebox musicals, sampling and mash-ups the Motion Picture academy is rather antiquated in their voting policies for best song and score. As AP movie writer Christy Lemire explains: It looked like a glaring snub when Jonny Greenwood's music for "There Will Be Blood" wasn't among the five Academy Award nominees for best original score.Turns out it wasn't eligible - because it wasn't entirely original.Much of the searing music from the Radiohead guitarist had appeared elsewhere previously, said Charles Bernstein, chairman of the music branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which chooses the nominees."The Oscar is given for the best original score - 'original' meaning written for the picture - and the majority of the music in 'There Will Be Blood' was not eligible because it was not written for the picture," Bernstein said Wednesday.Some of the score came from a performance Greenwood had done for the BBC, titled "Popcorn Superhet Receiver." Some of it came from Estonian composer Arvo Part; still other parts came from a Brahms violin concerto.Paul Thomas Anderson's dramatic oil saga received eight Academy Award nominations Tuesday - tying it for the most with "No Country for Old Men" - including best picture, best director, best actor (Daniel Day-Lewis) and best adapted screenplay. Had Greenwood's score been nominated, it would have given "There Will Be Blood" the most nominations, a promotional boon to the studio.Paramount Vantage, which released the film, did not have an immediate comment.The five films whose scores were nominated are: "Atonement," Dario Marianelli; "The Kite Runner," Alberto Iglesias; "Michael Clayton," James Newton Howard; "Ratatouille," Michael Giacchino; and "3:10 to Yuma," Marco Beltrami.

Comments (18)

  1. BgFOOT323 says laaaaaaame.
    Permalink posted 01/24/2008
  2. Misstee says I know they also said Eddie Vedder wasn't eligible for 'Into the Wild' because his score was too song based. Okay then.... That said, I'm now routing for Michael Giacchino who was ROBBED of an Oscar for The Incredibles.
    Permalink posted 01/24/2008
  3. RGM says I wannana see 'There Will Be Blood,' so I don't get the context of this statement... 'original' meaning written for the picture - and the majority of the music in 'There Will Be Blood' was not eligible because it was not written for the picture," Is it because the soundtrack is made up of previous released songs?
    Permalink posted 01/24/2008
  4. Misstee says The score was made up of different parts from alternate sources and for other projects - hence why they disqualified it...scores needs to be written solely and specifically for the film. Like I said they need to change the rules a bit.
    Permalink posted 01/24/2008
  5. RGM says Picky they are aye...
    Permalink posted 01/24/2008
  6. hawaiianpunch says It's them stupid rules. The MPAA itself is such a secretive, not-of-this-world, group of suits that it shouldn't matter, but they always seem to stick their noses out at the most inopportune moment. Jonny Greenwood's score, whether it was culled from other material he wrote elsewhere or in collaboration with someone else, was a perfect fit for "There Will Be Blood". Same goes for Eddie Vedder's soundtrack for "Into the Wild". It's not eligible because it's song-based? Ugh. The whole thing just leaves a really bad taste in my mouth. But, I agree, with them out of the picture, my next best bet would be Giacchino for Ratatouille. I loved the music for both The Incredibles and the Ratatouille. I even had the theme to the Incredibles as my ringtone for a little while.
    Permalink posted 01/24/2008
  7. Misstee says the MPAA is an entirely different entity than the Academy voters but they have their own set of insane rules.
    Permalink posted 01/24/2008
  8. hawaiianpunch says Oh, but yeah. Same difference.
    Permalink posted 01/24/2008
  9. Bartleby says I guess there must be a logic to the criteria for considering music somehow. Sorry to hear that Mr Greenwood didn't qualify. Ancillary question: do you the Oscars will go ahead even with the writers' strike?
    Permalink posted 01/24/2008
  10. hawaiianpunch says Apparently so. Liek the Golden Globes before it. I think it won't be the humugous overblown spectacle that it usually is, but that doesn't mean it won't still be a waste of your precious time. I just wait til the day after for the highlights and go on youtube for the scandalous stuff ;) .
    Permalink posted 01/24/2008
  11. AA Coppertop says I only watch the Oscars for the gowns.

    Permalink posted 01/24/2008
  12. szanujzielen says Yeah, that definitely sucks that Greenwood's score isn't eligible for nomination. It was perfect for the movie, maybe they should have a soundtrack category. What do you think?
    Permalink posted 01/24/2008
  13. madrid spacestation spain says ah, semantics. that is too bad, there were some really interesting parts of score and movie tightly meshing in that movie
    Permalink posted 01/25/2008
  14. Misstee says Bart - rumor has it that the writers strike is going to be over in the next 2 weeks so they will happen. Punch - The GGs are not nearly as 'weighty' as the Oscars but they're more fun. Celebs like going to it b/c they can get drunk during the ceremony and they cut to the chase - no heinous production numbers or tributes - just awards one right after the other and all done 3 hours later(normally) and then its off to the parties. the Oscars DRAG on, we don't need to see a tribute to special effects or a 5 minute interpretive dance on the 'generosity of Hollywood' Thank goodness for Tivo. AA - Ditto. I live for the dress parade. I couldn't tell you who won best supporting actress last year but I can tell you what they all wore. Sz - yes i think that would solve the problem but its a slippery slope - academy folks(who are of a far older demographic than 90% of the movie going public) like their tradition...thats why it took many many years to add new categories.
    Permalink posted 01/25/2008
  15. RGM says
    Permalink posted 01/25/2008
  16. RGM says
    Permalink posted 01/25/2008
  17. Misstee says I heart them...
    Permalink posted 01/25/2008
  18. ZZTodd says i was definitely wondering why "Blood" wasn't nominated for original score. thanks for the info.
    Permalink posted 01/25/2008

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