Irish Movie Once Wins Oscar
Since being one of the very 1st sites to announce Irish movie Once’s win at the Sundance Film Festival, through to its immense popularity in the US on general release, and the Oscar nomination last month where I told you it was worth a bet, it’s been a blast watch watching John Carney’s little Dublin movie garner awards and accolades culminating in Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova now winning the Oscar for Best Song with Falling Slowly.
Here are Hansard & Irglova performing at the 2008 Oscar ceremony, a couple of hours ago as introduced by Colin Farrell:
And here are the acceptance speeches by Glen and Marketa, with thanks to Jon Stewart:
We first spoke of Glen and Marketa performing music together - as the Swell Season - back in 2006, and just watching their journey has been fun.
It’s worth mentioning though that a lot of people, particularly in Ireland, don’t like Once, and even more people don’t like Hansard. For some it’s because of some things he’s been quoted in Irish interviews as saying, and for others it’s because the Frames have been around for so long being successful but not that successful. If that makes sense - and it doesn’t so I don’t have a problem with him, but then I’ve been in exile for most of the last 9 years.
Now with the Oscar win this is where the Irish public might indulge in a bit of a backlash to that backlash. Or not.
In other Irish-related Oscar news, Daniel Day Lewis did win for Best Moustache With Joint British And Irish Citizenship, as the world and his moustached dog knew he would.
See More on Once:
• Once: Interviews, Reviews, and Trailer
• Live Music From Once
• Frames & Once on Tour
• Once stars in ‘06
Eolaí gan Fhéile:
For a minute there, when they closed her mic too soon, it looked like an RTÉ production.
Yes, a horrible moment. And RTÉ seem rather slow on reporting this, which rounds the story off nicely.
There was a funny moment on the red carpet with Colin Farrell and his mother. He was telling Ryan Seacrest that his mum never lets him forget that he didn’t lick his talent up off the sidewalk, that he owed it all to her. You know she says that, too.
Why don’t people like Glen Hansard? He’s got one of these faces that’s fierce and sensitive all at once. I think the pair of them together are magical and moving and completely unassuming. John Stewart having Marketa Irglova come back on to say thanks was the best moment of the night for me. Plus Marion Cotillard’s acceptance speech.
You;re right. I did hear about Once here first and I have to say I really liked the film. What were the criticisms against it?
I am stoked that they won! Truly deserving. I posted a review of Glen and Marketa’s concert in Portland, a Once movie review and also a bit about last night on my blog. You’ll just have to scroll down on the right side and click on the “Glen Hansard” label to find all of it. http://isorski.blogspot.com
Medbh - That red carpet business looks exhausting. I’m impressed with those who can in any way be entertaining in the face of the exact same unimaginative questions over and over again. George Clooney pulls it off immaculately.
Sam - I wonder if those extra moments for Irglova before she got to make her speech, made it easier for her. You know I’ve never really heard any specific citicisms of the film beyond it simply not floating people’s boat. The people that I’ve met or read who don’t like it just say it didn’t engage them, and left them with a so what feeling. So I suspect the strength of the reaction against it is based on the reaction in favour of it, sort of like a corrective thing - but I can’t speak for them. Personally I like Hansard, from the Commitments, through to the Frames, and his many collaborations, but he’s been a public figure for a long time (that I haven’t been closely exposed to for half of it) and some people just don’t like some of the things he says.
Isorski - It was definitely a very popular win - which is no great surprise seeing the reaction it caused on the film’s release in the US. And hers’s the link to those reviews and posts in your Glen Hansard category.
Sam - here’s a former fan’s criticism of Glen HERE long before his interviews caused problems.
And here’s an interview that some people didn’t like.
Nothing earth-shattering though.
Cheers, Eolai
Hello there,
(Basically I lurk, but felt like commenting this time, go figure)
I loved the music from Once (as I like the Frames) but did not care for the movie at all. They are an adorable couple, and I love the fact that this movie was made and out there, but it left me cold. It was basically an over long music video with not much plot pushing the story. Parts were fine, and it was nice to look at…but it was disappointing. I saw it very early in the US (as I live in Los Angeles and we tend to see everything - can’t be helped really) and I just kept my mouth shut when people raved and told me that I must see it (irish American background so people steer things they consider irishy stuff towards me) didn’t want to sway opinions etc…
I don’t think it’s backlash so much as being honestly underwhelmed.
Forgot to mention - Did you see the Independent Spirit awards? They had a nice showing at that.
http://filmindependent.org/spiritawards/video_gallery.php?bcpid=1312377130&bclid=1430101296&bctid=1430856544
Hi Susan, and thanks for de-lurking.
Yes what you describe as underwhelming is the most common reaction I’ve heard and what I was trying to get across when I said it simply didn’t engage some people and left them with a “so what?” feeling.
But at home in Ireland, some people who felt the same as you, unlike you, didn’t keep their mouths shut and said it sucked once it started being successful in the US. And that success definitely brought out the anti-Glen brigade, which Sinead Gleeson acknowledges here on her own Sigla blog.
I had seen the Spirit Awards, thanks, but decided to let it pass (mistakenly I think now) due to its proximity to the Oscars which I was expecting it to do well in. That’s a great video clip of the director John Carney you have linked to there. Thank you very much for that.