There's always one or two unexpected surprises that gets everyone talking about the Oscars the next day

So why was actress Farrah Fawcett omitted from the memoriam sequence at the 2010 82nd Academy Awards?

Such was the question, not to mention surprise that occurred at this year’s ceremonies. The reason, as inexcusable as it sounds, is because Fawcett was best known for her “remarkable television work”, according to Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences executive director Bruce Davis.

“In every category, you’re going to miss some wonderful people,” Davis told the Associated Press.

I suppose I could accept that in the cases of actress Bea Arthur (“Maude” 1972-1978, “Golden Girls” (1985-1992) and actor Edward Woodward (“The Equalizer” 1985-1989) who also passed away in 2009 and were more known for their television work than their contribution to motion pictures.

Granted, I am the only one in America who loathed “The Cannonball Run” (1981) but there is still no disputing it was a box office hit for Fawcett along with her brief appearance in the sci-fi film, “Logan’s Run” (1976). She received a Golden Globe nomination as a rape victim who exacts revenge on her attacker in “Extremities” (1986) in 1987 and had supporting roles in such notable independent films as “The Apostle” (1997) and Robert Altman’s “Dr. T. and the Women” (2000). Fawcett’s death last June 25 was shrouded by the untimely passing of singer Michael Jackson. Her being overlooked by the Motion Picture Academy now lands her a double blow.

Even more insulting was the omission of three-time Oscar winning composer Maurice Jarre. What was the Academy thinking when they put this montage together? Jarre composed the musical scores for “Lawrence of Arabia” (1962), “Doctor Zhivago” (1965), and the 1977 television mini-series “Jesus of Nazareth” (1977) for God’s sake!

If there is one thing I can say about the Oscars every year it is how remarkably consistent they have been in delivering at least one unexpected surprise like the Fawcett omission that gets everyone talking the next day, if not, hours after they’ve aired. In some cases, people were already talking about the Fawcett snub on the web as the Oscars was still being televised.

Therein lies the problem I continue to have with these yearly ceremonies. I thought the Oscars was about getting excited that your favorite film was nominated though the odds were against the picture that it would sweep all categories. The last time I got excited about a favorite film of mine being nominated was James Cameron’s “Titanic” (1997) back in 1998.

If last summer’s “Star Trek” (2009) had received other nominations as Best Picture, Best Director, and even Best Screenplay, I’d have been excited even if it didn’t stand a chance. The same goes for if “Paranormal Activity” had gotten nominated. All right. So I am being prejudiced because they are the ONLY two movies I could justify buying on Blu-ray last year along with this year’s Blu-ray release, 2012.

Despite the Motion Picture Academy’s attempt at upping the Best Picture number to 10 films in hopes of winning over more viewers, there was not a single movie in that category I was rooting for. Avatar had great effects. It was NOT a great film.

Although I was happy the Ex-Mrs. James Cameron – Kathryn Bigelow won Best Director, I am still at odds embracing her anti-Iraq war movie, “The Hurt Locker”, which does not honor the nation’s troops despite her thanking the armed forces on stage not once, but twice.

Today, the Oscar nominations and the awards shows are still more about who the Motion Picture Academy thinks should be recognized versus what audiences want to see nominated and win. If people had their say back in 2005, Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ” and Michael Moore’s “Fahrenheit 9/11” from 2004 would have nabbed nominations for Best Picture and Best Director. Very few people saw “The Hurt Locker.” Critics loved it. Audiences embraced “Avatar” but it didn’t win Best Picture or Best Director. Cameron had already crowned himself “King of the World” once.

Until another multi-nominated film that I personally enjoyed like “Titanic” comes along again that I can root for, I am always going to watch the Oscars looking for something unexpected to happen that gets everyone talking the next morning.

That’s not what the Oscars should be about.

©3/10/10