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Saturday
21Nov2009

Snubbed 'Tyson' Director Claims Oscar Extortion

DateSaturday, November 21, 2009 at 3:23AM
Earlier this week, the Oscar shortlist for documentaries was unveiled. It's the fifteen films that can wind up making it to the final round of five. There were omissions: This Is It doesn't qualify because it was released too late. The other music doc, Anvil was excused for no reason that anyone can figure. Capitalism, contrary to our best guess at the time, did file an extension to get past the August 31st deadline but still wasn't nominated, and then there was Tyson.

One theory was that Mike Tyson's recent punch-out in Los Angeles hurt its chances, but I don't buy that. Too close to the announcement of the semi-finalists to have that kind of impact. The other theory, propagated by no less than the movie's director, James Toback, is that the Academy is guilty of chicanery. You don't hear that everyday.

Toback tells The New York Times that something in the connection process didn't quite sit right with him and he declares it falls "fully in the category of extortion." He adds that he was "furious" for "having chosen to be passive and quiet in the face of that extortion."

Wow...that's some accusation. The Academy claims that no such thing happened and that the 15 films in the running were chosen by a pool of 150 voters from a crop of 89 films. And I would imagine there was no real wrongdoing. I mean, there could be, and if there is, someone should make a documentary about it, but I can't see any reason, politically or otherwise, to not put Tyson on the list of the best documentaries of the year.

But stranger things have happened.

AuthorColin Boyd | | in , | Print ArticlePrint Article | | Comment1 Comment |

Reader Comments (1)

I kinda buy it.. I mean such things have happened before especially politically...

I dunno maybe the Academy figured Jamie Foxx is doing a biopic at one time or another and probably may nominate him for best actor, if the film is good and well written...who knows...

Saturday, November 21, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterSEAN

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