I have decided to republish an updated version of this popular blog post from last year, because it has again proved relevant.
Okay, first off: Wrong might be a harsh word. It was used to get your attention. And got your attention it did. Extremely flawed doesn’t make an interesting headline. This year’s award winners had a strong bias to films and or stars with foreign origin and or following, at the expense of better movies.
Every year we watch the Globes but Why? Does anyone even have ANY slightest bit of an idea of who decides the winners and losers? Let’s take a look, you might be shocked at what is revealed (or at least you’ll have some interesting trivia to impress people with next year).
Did You Know that the Academy of Motion Science (the guys who vote on the Academy Awards) consists of over 6,000 members?
Pop Quiz: How many people make up the group that decides the Golden Globes?
Shocking Answer after the jump!
Answer: 86
Is it just a little shocking that the group that determines the second biggest award show in Hollywood is so small? I mean who are these people anyways?
Pop Quiz #2: How many of the members of the HFPA write for a United States publication?
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Answer: 0
Amazing isn’t it? Not really. The HFPA stands for The Hollywood Foreign Press Association. There are no U.S. members, but two of the critics are from our neighbors to the north - Canada. Better yet, I haven’t heard of even a handfull of these names, probably because the members of the HFPA aren’t even considered the top of their field.
86 People you’ve never heard of (they aren’t even the best of the best foreign critics) deciding who wins the “Golden Globes”, yet every year we line up in front of our little (now bigger) televisions to see who won. Every year critics associations from around the country give out awards (which are considered far less biased). But that is all done in a press release. There is no actual award show even though some of these associations have a membership that rivals the HFPA. In fact, if you look at the list of HFPA members, you probably wont recognize anyone. At least a critics society like the New York Film Critics Circle has names you can trust, like J Hoberman of the Village Voice, or Rex Reed of the New York Observer. In fact, the majority of names on the HFPA list are not even considered well-regarded foreign reviewers.
Do you really care or TRUST what Ray Arco has to say about movies? Because I sure don’t. Yet every year I watch the awards. I hate this to come off as super right-wing patriotic, because I am anything but that… I’m super liberal, and I love films from all countries. I probably see more American films because of where I live, but at the end of the year I put everything on an even table. I just wish these “Global Awards” were what they claim to be.
Because, just think, if they called it what it should be called (A Small Sampling of Un-notable Foreign Press Film Critics Awards) no one would watch it, attend, or even care.
Bottom Line: The Golden Globes is a FLAWED concept. How can we expect a group of foreign press to be unbiased towards films and stars with foreign ties in playing field that consists of over 85% American films? What if I started up a “Global Movie Awards” voted on by a small sampling of average American critics you’ve never heard of? Even if 85% of the films nominated were created outside of the U.S. system, I’d bet that mostly American friendly stars and films would win out.
UNLESS you choose only the top American film critics as members of said jury. People with reputations on the line. Referees with merit. Than the best film would win out reguardless of country of origin.
It’s also been well documented in the past that the HFPA is easily influenced. I’m sure flying the HFPA members to events like say for example, the Sweeney Todd junket in England, probably had no result on the final award decisions… Many of the HFPA members have reputations as star-struck fans and moochers more than as serious reporters/critics.
January 13th, 2008 at 8:50 pm
You’re just angry because the clearly better movie (No Country) took home the best screenplay, while your clear favorite (Juno) did not.
I am not happy with Atonement winning though.
and there is where I agree with the “Extremely Flawed” Argument.
January 13th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
Let me get this straight. The HFPA puts on the show each year, which some network then televises. Because non-Americans are the ones deciding the awards, that makes it all ‘wrong’. The fact that they are not American means you can’t trust them?
I’m guessing that you don’t watch anything produced outside the states, or without god-fearing American actors/writers/directors.
Get Real.
January 13th, 2008 at 9:08 pm
Derek: No Country was an adaptation, Juno was an original screenplay. They shouldn’t even be considered in the same category.
Some Guy: You’re not understanding what I’m saying. As a concept, the Golden Globes is flawed. How can they expect American movies or American actors to win out when the awards are picked by an all foreign press? Thre is a clear biased here. Also there is a lot of well reported stories in the past about how the Hollywood Foreign Press is easily influenced. I assume that flying all the HFPA to the Sweeney Todd Junket in England, had no effect on their decisions?
January 13th, 2008 at 9:17 pm
who cares?
January 13th, 2008 at 9:21 pm
they don’t even have a category for best -adapted- screenplay. and no country was based off of an american book, by an american author, and was an american production. you should be happy juno even got a nod. if the foreign press were as biased as you claim them to be, we’d be hearing you complain about some obscure european film winning best screenplay, instead of no country for old men.
January 13th, 2008 at 9:27 pm
THANK YOU. I honestly thought, “What’s with all the foreign wins?” The entire time I watched. Believe me, I’m a huge fan of foreign films and I think they’re great, but I thought there was a huge bias tonight,Isn’t it unfair? This is really a nonsensical comment, but I completely agree with you.
January 13th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
@Some Guy
it’s not that you can’t trust them (entirely) There needs to be a more open pool of voters though. Maybe if we reversed it you’d get the point. Imagine if the largest award show in Europe was only voted on by Americans. Don’t you think the Americans would show a little favoritism tword American stars? Don’t forget the fact that… other countries HATE us.
There should be voters from all over the world
January 13th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
Idiots!
January 13th, 2008 at 9:59 pm
The only qualm I have with your post is.. I don’t think I’ve ever even HEARD of anyone watching the Golden Globes. I honestly don’t think that many people care about the Golden Globes.
January 13th, 2008 at 10:29 pm
Freddie: Golden Globes is actually one of the highly rated broadcasts each year, which is why the network was so pissed about the WGA decision to picket. They lost a ton of advertising dollars with this press confrence.
Andy - WRONG. The Coen Brothers are the darlings of the foreign press. How many times have The Coens graced Cannes with a premiere? They might be American born filmmakers, but they are extremely loved abroad (think Johnny Depp as well). Don’t get me wrong, No Country was a great movie, but when I watched the movie I never once thought “This is a great screenplay.” Actually to be honest, I’ve talked to tons of critics and moviegoers and not once had anyone cited anything other than Javier Bardem or Josh Brolin’s performances. However, everytime I hear anyone talk about Juno its all about the screenplay, then Ellen Page.
January 13th, 2008 at 10:30 pm
I thought the problem with The Hollywood Foreign Press Association was that they don’t actually include any of the well-regarded foreign reviewers in their organization. And resists efforts from them to join.
At least that’s what I learned from Nikki Finke. I have no problem with the foreign press giving awards - why not? But if their organization keeps out good reviewers…
January 13th, 2008 at 10:59 pm
@ peter: while I don’t agree w/ your picks this year (which is always everyone’s own opinion) I absolutely agree that the system is flawed. I feel that while awards do not define a performance, they certainly do acknowledge the hard & superb work of the time. Sometimes a nomination is very satisfying when a category is stacked with brillance, but (for example in male tv drama) when I saw Hall & Meyers lose to the guy from ‘mad men’ I couldn’t help but think that something was way out of line. To me the talent spoke for itself, and while i was rooting for Hall, meyers would have been fine, as he is powerful in the tudors. By the way, I haven’t heard where you stand on dexter…the books & show are amazing.
January 13th, 2008 at 11:02 pm
sorry, I started to ramble, my point was that sometimes this year talent seemed to take a back seat to…shit, something else!
January 13th, 2008 at 11:11 pm
Are the critics of United States unbiased?….
COME ON!!!
America gives too damn importance to this awards. Awards isn’t a good parameter of movie’s quality.
Movie Awards really matters only in respect to money, advertising, etc.
January 13th, 2008 at 11:11 pm
prize culture in general is flawed and biased… “prizing otherness” by Graham Huggan is a really relevant article to this discussion
January 13th, 2008 at 11:18 pm
Dr. Malo: I never said that if it were the other way around, it might not be biased towards American films and stars. That might very well be true. My point is that the awards are decided by a small group of un-renowned foreign critics who always seem to choose foreign friendly stars/directors/films over quality films.If you look at the top critic association lists from around the U.S., you will see a clear difference in opinion compaged to these winners. And looking at such listsI don’t see the same intense bias. Heck, most of the critic awarded Diving Bell, a foreign film.
January 14th, 2008 at 2:47 am
Your post does give the impression that there are two countries in the world: USA and the United States of Foreigners. Alright, the Globes are chosen by foreigners, but is that such a big problem? Atleast it gives some diversity to the awards season.
But that been said, I do think that with no doubt will this give a bias toward foreign films, if for no other reason, but simply from cultural standpoint.
Maybe the Globes should advertise it’s origins a bit more, so it would not be such a big surprise, or maybe the american critics awards should be televised & celebrated instead.
But in the end, who really cares?
January 14th, 2008 at 2:56 am
I may be a lone voice here but i actually think they were pretty close to the mark this year
There is no category for adapted screen play the category is screen play there fore open to all
I wonder how many of those film are US financed at the back of the deal
January 14th, 2008 at 2:58 am
“Your post does give the impression that there are two countries in the world: USA and the United States of Foreigners.”
Dr Lagging: Exactly! Why call an award show the Golden Globes if one of the biggest countries in terms of film production is left out of this so called “Global” Award. Sounds to me like they are the ones that are splitting the world into two, not me.
The big problem, as mentioned by commentors aboe are the small selection of “Global critics” “have reputations as star-struck fans and moochers more than as serious reporters/critics.” Where are the reputable foreign critics on this list?
January 14th, 2008 at 3:02 am
McGuffin: You believe that Atonement was the best film of the year over No Country For Old Men or There Will Be Blood? That Sweeney Todd is a better comedy/musical film than Juno? That Julian Schnabel deserved to win Best Director over The Coen Brothers? That Johnny Depp had a better performance than Philip Seymour Hoffman of Ryan Gosling? That Marion Cotillard was more deserving best actress than Ellen Page? Or Cate Blanchett over Amy Ryan in Gone Baby Gone? And why wasn’t Johnny Greenwood’s music for “There Will Be Blood” even nominated?
January 14th, 2008 at 3:36 am
Come off it. Why should foreign people favor foreign movies? If your favorites didn’t win, that’s too bad, but non-american movies and non-american actors are just as deserving of recognition as american ones. Marion Cotillard and Cate Blanchett have made headlines around the world for their performances, Ellen Page and Amy Ryan? Not so much. Sure, they did a good job, but why whine when they don’t win? It’s already an honor to be nominated. Plenty of people did amazing jobs and lots of other movies were great but they didn’t get nominated. And that’s true of the Golden Globes, the Oscars, and every other movie awards you can think of.
January 14th, 2008 at 3:42 am
HappyEvilDude, You really honestly believe that Atonement is a better movie that No Country or There Will Be Blood?
The fact of the matter is that the Hollywood Foreign Press have a long history of being highly impressionable star struck fans of whomever pays them the most attention. This article was less about this year’s awards (actually it was written last year, if that matters), its more to shine a light behind the curtain. We all think it’s like a highly reputable organization with hundreds of really respected film journalists and critics, but it isn’t. Do some research. And I highly recommend the documentary “The Golden Globes: Hollywood’s Dirty Little Secretâ€.
January 14th, 2008 at 4:20 am
This is without a doubt the most disappointing thing I have read on this site.
It is pretty obvious that the Globes are organized by the Hollywood Foreign Press, everybody thanks them when they win.
But, why to have to prejudiced to believe that New York critics opinions must be better than people from non-US countries. Like “foreigners” are lower class citizens. This is an awful piece of writing.
Peter Sciretta: I have seen the documentary “The Golden Globes: Hollywood’s Dirty Little Secretâ€. and I understand the star-struck thing does put the awards into disrepute, which is more to do about the lack of professionalism than the fact that they are “foreigners”.
Furthermore, you do realise that not all non-US countries agree. Do the Canadians agree with the French? Do the Japanese agree with the Italian? Who knows, I suspect they all have their own opinions.
All foreign countries don’t HATE the US, this is a statement of ignorance. US pop culture is the dominant one in the world. US movies continually dominate foreign box-office. So the HATE isn’t there.
Even the most divisive issue between the US and the rest of world in the last decade (the Gulf War 2), isn’t as evenly split between the US and every other country, countries like Britain, Spain, Japan and Australia made up part of the “coalition of the willing” and all have members in the HFP.
I believe that “foreign” is irrelevant here, the bigger issue is the lack of professionalism of the voters.
PLEASE LEAVE YOUR (RACIAL) PREJUDICE OUT OF POSTS - IT LESSENS US ALL.
Oh and yes, I am Australian - one of those foreigners you can’t trust. Even though I don’t hate the US.
January 14th, 2008 at 4:24 am
You are all questioning movie award shows too harsh…It’s all about getting more media publicity and getting the stupid golden globe icon in the front cover of the dvd for better selling…as Dr. Malo said.
P.S. The Golden Gloves is nothing but a poor show for extra cash…
A comment from a “foreigner”…
January 14th, 2008 at 4:43 am
Takashi Miike Myers: Great name BTW. First off, I’m sorry that you feel this blog post was disapointing.
#2 Most average award watchers have no idea who votes on the Golden Globes. I quiz people all the time, and they think its a large group of critics from around the globe, and includes some of the top US critics. Believe it or not, I have found this to be true. The point of the intial quiz aspect is to point this out, and to suck these type of people in. Because truth is, only 80 or so people decide these awards, and those 80 or so people have been shown to be easily impressionable and not representative of the top of their field.
#3 I’m a very liberal minded person, not racist in the least. I live in a section of San Francisco where I am a minority (race and ehnicity). I apologize if this post came off that way, but it was written to explain why the awards this, and every year, slant towards stars and films that are foreign friendly and not neccessarily the better performances/films. If you look at any of the sites that compile the top 10 lists from all the critics from around the world (there are a few of them) you will see that the selected movies are not in line with the HFPA’s choices. You’ve seen the documentary, so you very well understand how an invitation and trip to the Sweeney Todd event in London could easily influence these people. And with only 80-or-so people in the entire group, you only need to inflence a small percentage to garner a win.
#4 “All foreign countries don’t HATE the US” I’d like you to point out where I said they did? I don’t believe this to be true.
I’m sorry that this somehow came off the wrong way to you, but I think I wrote clearly in lines like: “In fact, the majority of names on the HFPA list are not even considered well-regarded foreign reviewers.”
I would love to see an award show that represents the opinion of the rest of the world, but The Golden Globes is not that award show. And I think you would even agree.
January 14th, 2008 at 6:08 am
Peter,
Thank you for replying to my comments.
I think you explained yourself well here, and I understand where you are coming across more.
Actually when making some of comments - such as foreign countries hating the US - i was referring to comments made earlier by other talkbackers. So sorry if you felt I was referring to you personally.
I have since re-read your post, and don’t think it was as bad as I first thought, and instead I got mixed up with a lot of the very disappointing comments by other talkbackers. I guess my main concern was “foreigners” coming off derogatory.
So I hope that is sorted.
PS: Love the site, and Love the US, have had a great time every time I have been there, would live in Nevada in a heartbeat - nice heat in Summer
January 14th, 2008 at 7:10 am
Takashi Miike Myers: Word! :)
Sciretta: I hope you will make a similar post after the Academy Awards, pointing out the bizarre fact that Dakota Fanning, Paul Beauregard, Jordan Houston and Phil Collins to name but a few, will decide who wins Best Sound Editing, Best Visual Effects and Best Art Direction etc.
My point is that any award show is just another opportunity for the studios to advertise their movies. Don’t pay them too much attention. :)
January 14th, 2008 at 7:31 am
I do agree with your statement. I justo don’t agree with your arguments.
Giving awards to foreing films is better than giving away to american films. I’m sorry, but there are a few foreing films that nobody will watch and are far better than Juno or whatever…
I agree that the awards should be given away to those who really deserve it, but sounds like that is only valid for american films.
Have you watched “Piaf” or “Le Scaphandre et le papillon”?? Two of the best films I’ve watched this past year… And “Atonement” is right next to them on my list!
January 14th, 2008 at 7:43 am
LOL! I wouldn’t give a squirt of piss for either the Globes or the Oscars. Meaningless to me. A handful of self-important (likely) douchebag’s opinions should matter to me why exactly? Not saying they shouldn’t have them if they want to (everyone likes to have their ass to be kissed form time to time), but try and keep it in perspective (which is what I think you are attempting to do by this entry) and don’t get so emotional about it. God knows what these people’s criteria and standards are. Just like the MPAA.
January 14th, 2008 at 8:16 am
I never find myself watching the Globes anyway, but I learned a lot from this post. The Academy Awards is more my thing, and i’ll more than likely be interested in the lesser critic awards than anything televised. thanks for the enlightenment!
January 14th, 2008 at 8:53 am
You got me Peter you made a list of the who you want to win V,s who won
solid argument and i have no come back so your choices must be correct
damn this blog is good :-)
January 14th, 2008 at 8:55 am
Well…Atonement shouldn’t have won for Best Picture. But I very much prefer it over the borefests of No Country and There Will Be Blood.
I’ve never really been on the Juno bandwagon but it really should win Best Picture at the Oscars. It’s definitely the only movie that’s actually entertaining. I hope it’s like last year when The Departed won over that fiasco called Babel.
January 14th, 2008 at 9:12 am
Also…this news post is not racist. I mean there’s no mention about white, black, Asian, Indian etc (which exist in every country). Foreigner is not a race.
January 14th, 2008 at 11:23 am
It’s been well-documented in various press articles and documentaries that the HFPA is a closed organization that is extremely secretive about its practices, how its members are chosen, what credentials their reporters possess and how tight-lipped their administrators are when placed under scrutiny. Because the process and the people involved is averse to public accountability and the reputation of its reporters as junket whores is known by people who’ve done what investigation can be done, the integrity of the Golden Globes must come under question.
The Golden Globes have risen to receive a level of unmerited prestige that questioning their integrity is absolutely proper and needed. If this organization were properly exposed, they would finally return to their proper position as an obscure organization of sub-par writers looking for self-aggrandizement. If you’re not interested in the truth, then you deserve to be duped year after year.
January 14th, 2008 at 11:41 am
I can say that the brazilians critics that votes in the gg are far from being the best from our country. Paula SOMETIMES writes for a teenager magazine, and Ana maria is an old woman with old thinkings that writes for a big, but bad, journal. But, in fact, Ana thought There will be blood better than atonement.
January 14th, 2008 at 2:10 pm
Isn’t it amazing that a small group of 86 foreign idiots are able to come up with basically the same lists of nominees than those from an enlightened crowd of the *best* 6,000 movie experts?
Julian Schnabel as best director? Shocking! And to think they could predict the oscars director winner in 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007…
January 14th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
@foreign guy
I’d venture to guess that the HFPA isn’t so much a predictor as much as an influencer. Even the members of the Academy can be swayed if persuaded convincingly by the false perception of legitimacy on the part of the Foreign Press.
Miramax could be said to be a marvelous predictor for who will get the most prestigious nominations (including Best Picture) at the Oscars, but the fact is that they lobby hard for the nods they get, deserved or not and they’ve managed to get votes for some pretty inexplicable nominations (eg. Chocolat? Shakespeare In Love? Secrets and Lies? Puh-leeze).
January 14th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
I actually read the link of the members of the HFPA and found some critics that I did recognize. I don’t know if you read any reviews that are not from Americans but on that list there are people who “have merit” and are very experienced on their field. The fact that they don’t hold american citizenship doesn’t make them less knowledgeable. I am glad there are awards in the United States given by foreigners, it provides a more ample perspective from people who are not subjected as much to the marketing of pictures and can make a more objective decision.
January 14th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
Does any of this really matter? Who cares who votes or what they vote for? If studios keep producing movies that entertain me, I really don’t care what votes they do or do not get, whether those votes do or do come from American judges.
Is there a reason why anyone (even the average movie-goer) should give a rat’s tush about this?
I don’t mean to rain on anyone’s parade because I’m a film lover as well. But, honestly, something like the Golden Globes just doesn’t bother me at all. It may be flawed; it may be biased; it may even be wrong. I’m having trouble seeing why it matters, though.
January 14th, 2008 at 5:31 pm
@Gary H
I won’t argue whether its more predictive or influential, probably the later, you’re right.
The point is: if this post is not a right-wing patriotic one, it sure sounds like it. Why are the globes supposed to be completely unbiased? Aren’t the oscars biased? Don’t the foreign press members have different sensibilities, backgrounds?
You just have to reduce these award ceremonies to the importance they have, and try to refrain from writing right-wing looking posts when you’re not pleased with the results. That will sound like simple lack of fair-play.
January 14th, 2008 at 5:35 pm
If you’re so upset, then why don’t you hold your own awards show? It’s not the HFPA’s fault for putting on the Golden Globes; based on the reasons you’ve listed I’d say it’s more the public’s fault for getting into all the hype.
January 14th, 2008 at 6:37 pm
Wow. the discussion is heating up.
@foreign guy: In defense of the author, I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. If there is a chance that this article may be viewed as pro-American/anti-foreign, there’s a chance that he can be taken out of context and I think we can just assume that his concern is about nationalist bias, just like Olympic judges or the exclusion of countries from voting for their own competitors in international competitions.
I’ve already written off the HFPA for its lack of integrity and professionalism and can’t take their nominations seriously simply on that basis. But I do agree that it is inappropriate to create conspiracy theories simply because of dissatisfaction with the nominees or winners. The whiners who cried foul and cited homophobia over Brokeback Mountain’s loss to Crash last year fro best picture is just sour grapes in the worst way.
January 14th, 2008 at 10:03 pm
That explains it, JUNO lost because the HFPA don’t understand American comedy. It’s similar to why Rush Hour performs badly in China.
January 15th, 2008 at 1:04 am
Preach on brother. Preach on.
The Golden Globes are a bunch of crap based on who has the biggest star power, not who did the best acting or directing job.
January 15th, 2008 at 2:15 am
I honestly can’t say which movie I prefer between Atonement, There Will Be Blood and No Country For Old Men, because I haven’t seen any of them yet (Atonement came out last week here, There Will Be Blood isn’t out yet), but from what I’ve read, I suspect they are all great movies, and different movies as well. And different people will feel differently about them. Take the 2005 Oscars: everyone was up in arms about Crash winning over Brokeback Mountain, but not me. While I thouroughly enjoyed Brokeback, Crash was a whole other expereience for me, and way up on my list of best movies of all time. Brokeback wasn’t even my second favorite, that was Munich. Brokeback was third, Capote fourth , and GN&GL fifth. Does me favoring Crash make the other movies bad? No, not at all, but I did prefer it.
PS: Before, additional comments to posts I’ve commented on would pop up in my e-mail, but not any more…what gives?
January 15th, 2008 at 7:18 pm
You erased my Post! You Fascist Bastard!
January 15th, 2008 at 11:08 pm
So you’re suggesting that the Golden Globes are biased against all American cinema because… they are biased towards the Coen brothers? That doesn’t make any sense. Any establishment is going to have biases and tendencies towards certain writers, directors, etc., than other ones. And as far as you (or, for that matter, they) know, they may have swayed towards ‘No Country For Old Men’ rather than ‘Juno’ whether or not they were, as you say, prejudiced against American cinema.
You starting off your rebuttle against me by saying “WRONG” just shows what your problem is; you think your opinion is infallible, and anybody who forms a different one than you is surely just misinformed and prejudiced.
January 15th, 2008 at 11:51 pm
Me starting my rebuttal with WRONG does not mean that I think my opinion is infallible, because I honestly don’t. I actually don’t see the corralation. I wrote WRONG because your claim that “if the foreign press were as biased as you claim them to be, we’d be hearing you complain about some obscure european film winning best screenplay, instead of no country for old men†is inherently wrong. The Coens premiere films at Cannes. The Coens are loved and respected by the European countries. I may be wrong about other stuff. But that is fact.
January 17th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
You all are aware that the 6000 Academy members don’t have to actually see the movies before they vote, right? The only categories they have to see the films for (and prove it) are Documentary, Documentary Short, Short Film (Live Action & Animated), and Foreign Film. Otherwise they can vote willy nilly for whoever they want, perhaps never having seen all the nominees in each category. It’s a sham.