2011 Oscars bridge the gap between old and new
By Kim Palacios
hollywoodnews.com: From Tom Hanks giving a history lesson on the Best Picture/Best Cinematography/Best Art Direction trifecta, to the appearance of Kirk Douglas as the second presenter, the Academy Awards are bridging the gap between old and new. This year’s producers chose shorter vignettes for nominated films and shorter acceptance speeches for winners in favor of showcasing winners of years past.
Even the show’s closing was an homage. The 5th grade chorus from P.S. 22 in Staten Island, New York ended the show with a harmonized version of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” while an Emerad City set background from the first popular “Wizard of Oz” film sparkled behind them. Tactics such as these (not to mention new ones, such as enlisting the mothers of nominees to tweet their real-time reactions to the event) are designed to boost interest across viewer demographics given the transitioning audience of the show.
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