By Alex Deleon
In the course of the Oscar night festivities on Sunday a slightly sombre note was sounded with a brief section reminding viewers of the recent passing of celebrated film personalities, among them Seymour Philip Hoffman, Feb. 2, of substance abuse at 44; and thirties child star Shirley Temple; Feb. 11, of natural causes at 85. The Hungarian press wryly noted that two truly towering figures of world cinema, directors Alain Resnais of France and Hungarian motion picture maestro Miklos Jancso's recent passing was not even mentioned.
Par for the course in a country where subtitled films are seen by less than 1% of the populace.
There is in fact a prize for the best foreign language film but this a decidedly minor category these days. An italian romcom called "La Gran Belleza" took the subtitled cake. belleza was popularball summer long in Europe but will not be seen by nany in The States.
In the heated documentary feature race the many avid followers of Jehane Noujaim's resounding account of the Egyptian Tahrir Square Uprising "Al Medan" (the Square) are in shock to see this documentary masterpiece aced out by much lighter fare, a film entitled "20 feet from Stardom". It seems that current events in Ukraine have reduced the situation in Egypt to something of a sideshow.
Finally, if Wall Street Wolf went nowhere, another Leonardo Dicaprio starrer from the beginning of the Year was not completely overlooked. Australian Baz Lurman's Bollywoodesque invocation of "The Great Gatsby" took two awards for its dazzling Production Design (sets, etc.) and colorful period costumery.
Lurman's Gatsby was adorned by splendid costumes and decor.
Pictured l~r, indian megastar Amitabh Bachchan, Leonardo Dicaprio, and Tobey Maguire.