Re: Touring machine, was Re: Movin' Out - not doing well?

srrnewport@xxxxxxxxx (Steve Newport) articulated in
news:24710-433D4F45-419@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx:

>
>
> NoelKatz@xxxxxxx
> Doctor Doolittle was a successful children's book and then a mostly
> forgotten musical movie (from my childhood).
> ----------------------------------
> SN: Nominated for Best Picture.

That nomination and its other eight noms that year were bought and paid
for by 20th Century-Fox.

There was hardly a year that 20th Century-Fox didn't get a Best Picture
nomination. Their employees were instructed to vote for the picture
they were told to vote for -- or else. (If you think the ballots are
kept secret, you probably also believe that politicians are scrupulously
honest.)

Look at 1951 -- "The African Queen" (an independent production) isn't
nominated for Best Picture and 20th Century-Fox's "Decision Before Dawn"
is -- isn't that an all-time classic?

1954, Best Picture nom NOT for "A Star Is Born" but for 20th's "Three
Coins in the Fountain," an average soap opera at best.

1955, same thing -- no Best Pic nom for the independently produced
OKLAHOMA! -- but there's 20th's average soap opera "Love Is a
Many-Splendored Thing."

Obviously, some years -- like 1956, with THE KING AND I -- 20th's
nominee was deserving.

But more were questionable --

1957 - "Peyton Place"
1963 - "Cleopatra"
1966 - "The Sand Pebbles"

Which brings us to the most notorious year of all -- 1967 -- with DOCTOR
DOLITTLE, with really poor reviews and shaky business, getting no less
than nine nominations, including Best Picture. It was widely recognized
at the time that there was something rotten in Century City.

It all happened again in 1969 with HELLO, DOLLY!

And they came close in 1968 with STAR! -- which got seven nominations.
The executives must have been outraged that it missed out on Best
Picture, and I bet heads rolled.

> and IMO the best original song score (DOCTOR DOLITTLE)
> ever written for a movie musical.

Oh, it's ok -- but I think you're prejudiced in its favor because it's
about animals. I think GIGI has the best original score. I'd also rank
MARY POPPINS higher than DOLITTLE, with the exception of "Step in Time,"
which should be gouged off the CD.

Spelvin
.