LOS ANGELES — In a desperate attempt to cut the running time of the Oscars show, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that it would cut the live presentation of Oscars in eight categories from the telecast that starts at 5 p.m. March 27. Instead, the awards for film editing, makeup and hairstyling, original score, production design, sound, documentary short subject, animated short and live-action short would be awarded in the Dolby Theatre in the hour before. There will be nominees, guests and presenters in the audience at that hour, and edited clips of winners accepting their awards will be woven throughout the televised show.
Bad idea. Oh, I get why they did it. These aren’t the awards won by glammed up actors and actresses and directors that most viewers want to see. These are the awards when some people take a bathroom break. So why not sacrifice them to shorten the running time of a show that regularly clocks in at more than three hours? But I suspect this move will not save the show from its precipitous ratings decline, and it probably won’t save that much time.
Whether you win an Oscar for actress in a leading role or for production design, you deserve a few minutes to walk up to the stage, get your Oscar and give your acceptance speech on the show. Chances are you’ve been writing that speech since third grade (who hasn’t?) and dreaming of the truly improbable moment you would be able to give it to an audience watching in person and on TV.
