[Betting Poll] Will The Fabelmans win the Best Original Score Oscar?

[Disco Stu 15,483]

Well, 76.92% of you were correct!  John Williams' score for The Fabelmans has been nominated for the Best Original Score Oscar.

 

Will it win?

 

Lock in your vote now, the betting poll closes on Feb. 3rd!

[Jay 34,934]

Of course he won't win, but it's great that he got the nomination!

[mrbellamy 5,990]

Not sure if this has been pointed out but --

 

John Williams is the first nonagenarian to ever be nominated for an Academy Award, and therefore the oldest person ever to be nominated. 

 

The first person to have been nominated for films released within seven consecutive decades (60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s, 10s, 20s). Rise of Skywalker had previously gotten him nominations in seven consecutive decades for Oscar ceremony years (2020 for a 2019 release)

 

And he has once again beaten his own record for the most Oscar nominations for a living person with 53. As ever, he is second behind Walt Disney with 59.

[Jay 34,934]

Wow, those are all amazing stats

[Disco Stu 15,483]

2 hours ago, Jay said:

Of course he won't win, but it's great he got the nomination!

 

Looking at these nominees, I do think it's the best chance he's had in many years.  But still, I vote no.

[mrbellamy 5,990]

Babylon did so poorly that Hurwitz might not win, but I think it could actually swing to Everything Everywhere All At Once now. 

[Jay 34,934]

Yep

[Disco Stu 15,483]

6 minutes ago, mrbellamy said:

Babylon did so poorly that Hurwitz might not win, but I think it could actually swing to Everything Everywhere All At Once now. 

 

Would be the first rock band to win in the category.  An indie band I listened to a bunch in college to boot.

 

The soundtrack features Randy Newman, so I wouldn't be too cut up if it won  

[TheUlyssesian 2,447]

There's basically no chance in hell he wins. 

 

But it's great he got recognized with a nomination. 

[BB-8 2,942]

If he wins it will be even harder to understand why he only got one Oscar for Star Wars and none for JP, IJ and HP.

[Not Mr. Big 4,533]

49 minutes ago, BB-8 said:

If he wins it will be even harder to understand why he only got one Oscar for Star Wars and none for JP, IJ and HP.

SL deserved it over JP

[Romão 2,241]

1 hour ago, BB-8 said:

If he wins it will be even harder to understand why he only got one Oscar for Star Wars and none for JP, IJ and HP.

 

 

Different scores have different competition in different years and have to contend with different circustances. It's pointless to compare the award recognition of scores released in different eras

[Jay 34,934]

2 minutes ago, Romão said:

 

 

Different scores have different competition in different years and have to contend with different circustances. It's pointless to compare the award recognition of scores released in different eras

 

This.

[Thor 6,721]

The real bet we should be having is, who will he bring with him to the ceremony? Jennifer? Samantha? Both?

[Jay 34,934]

Depends on how many cookies ASM gives him...

[Erik Woods 482]

Babylon is winning this one. 

 

-Erik-

[Edmilson 6,105]

According to THR, 90-year-old John Williams is the oldest Oscar nominee in history! 

 

Quote

The Fabelmans’ legendary composer John Williams, at 90, just became the oldest Oscar nominee in history with his original score nom, the 53rd nom of his illustrious career, which extends his record for most noms for a living person.

 

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/2023-oscar-nominations-andrea-riseborough-campaign-analysis-1235308100/

[Jay 34,934]

2 minutes ago, Edmilson said:

According to THR, 90-year-old John Williams is the oldest Oscar nominee in history! 

 

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/2023-oscar-nominations-andrea-riseborough-campaign-analysis-1235308100/

 

5 hours ago, mrbellamy said:

John Williams is the first nonagenarian to ever be nominated for an Academy Award, and therefore the oldest person ever to be nominated. 

[rough cut 1,639]

It’s a crime the man hasn’t won in 29 years, since Schindler’s List in 1994.

 

Not that it takes anything away from JW. He’s the man no matter who takes home the trophy.

[Tom 4,161]

Predictions for 2023: John Williams wins an Oscar; the Cleveland Browns go undefeated; Russia and Ukraine become friends; and the Brits make a car with a decent electrical system.  

[Edmilson 6,105]

I want JW to get seven more Oscar nominations so that he may pass Walt Disney (who had 59) and become the most nominated person in all of history, period. For that to happen, he will need to start writing some songs alongside the scores so that he may be nominated for 2 rather than 1 Oscar every year.

[crocodile 7,668]

Don't really care about Afterthought Awards. Watched a full ceremony in its entirety only once almost 20 years ago and was bored to tears. 

 

Karol

[Tom 4,161]

17 minutes ago, crocodile said:

Don't really care about Afterthought Awards. Watched a full ceremony in its entirety only once almost 20 years ago and was bored to tears. 

 

Karol

Yes, but now the participants get to slap one another.  

[Disco Stu 15,483]

If I posted in every thread where the subject of the thread doesn't interest me and I wanted to make sure people know it doesn't interest me, my post count would be much higher.

[crocodile 7,668]

I am interested in post count, yes. 

 

Karol

[DangerMotif 984]

In an official statement regarding his nomination, Williams said, "I'm very grateful to the Academy for their kind recognition, and I'm enormously grateful to Steven Spielberg for offering me the opportunity to compose the score for this very special and personal film."

[Richard Penna 3,176]

3 hours ago, crocodile said:

Don't really care about Afterthought Awards. Watched a full ceremony in its entirety only once almost 20 years ago and was bored to tears. 

 

Karol

 

I last watched them live in 2007, so not far off your period of indifference. I'm sure that's when it was because it was my last year of uni, so staying up until about 3/4am wasn't particularly difficult or overly unusual.

 

And I'm sure there must have been some serious ranting on the forums or whatever chat facility we had back then, as Babel won music that year.

 

Nowadays I'll have a look at the winners out of pure curiosity, and would only watch an actual clip if something actually happens, like last year.

[Disco Stu 15,483]

I don't watch them live anymore because I'd have to stay up past my bedtime .  I record the show and skip through it the next day to watch the speeches and whatever, turning the 3 hours show into a 30 minute thing.

[geom_00 15]

Completely honest post:

 

Do I expect Williams to win?  No.

 

Do I want him to win one more Oscar?  Darn Tootin, I do!

[King Mark 3,505]

I still voted no, but I think he has a better chance than a few weeks ago when Hildur was still in the mix.

 

Williams should actually campaign actively that's he's the first 90 year old person to be nominated instead of being his usual modest self.

 

But truth be told, the biggest thing against The Fablemans is that it's not really one of Williams best works . Might work in the film but as music it's average . I listened to the OST 3 times  and it's quite boring and nothing grabbed my attention and I don't remember the main theme

[Edmilson 6,105]

I still think Hurwitz will get the award. But I dunno... Last year I was 100% sure that Jonny Greenwood would win, only for the award to be given to an older, more experienced composer. 

 

Then again, I think Dune was much stronger last year than Fabelmans is this year. 

[King Mark 3,505]

Yeah but Babylon is kind of a failure compared to Dune as a movie, so I'm not so sure on Hurwitz chances

[Sandor 753]

I'm convinced by now Babylon will win the award. 

 

I felt Williams had a very good chance a few weeks ago, but there is no momentum left behind his work for The Fabelmans. The stars just aren't aligned anymore in his favor.

 

Despite this: I really enjoy his work for The Fabelmans and regard the main theme as one of his most beautiful compositions. 

 

And that is more important to me than another Oscar win. 

[mrbellamy 5,990]

20 hours ago, Edmilson said:

I still think Hurwitz will get the award. But I dunno... Last year I was 100% sure that Jonny Greenwood would win, only for the award to be given to an older, more experienced composer. 

 

Then again, I think Dune was much stronger last year than Fabelmans is this year. 

 

Plus Zimmer won the Globe and the BAFTA so he was already the frontrunner by Oscar night 

 

I think there's a chance All Quiet wins BAFTA so it could end up being a bit of a toss-up. The British voter base seems to really be pushing that one uphill since the movie in general didn't get nominated by the other US awards, so I would still be suspicious of it winning the Oscar. If Hurwitz or Son Lux win BAFTA then Oscar is probably theirs to lose.

 

Overall my most likely to least likely would be Babylon, EEAAO, Fabelmans, All Quiet (but if it wins BAFTA then I'd at least put it third), and then Banshees which is the only one that feels like there's no chance, even though it is a Best Picture frontrunner. Effectively, though, I think Babylon and EEAAO are pretty much the only ones in the running. 

[Naïve Old Fart 9,097]

Not a snowball's chance in Hell. Sorry.

[Edmilson 6,105]

I had a dream today where The Fabelmans won the Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director and, of course, Best Original Score. But for some reason JW's sixth win wasn't well received among JWFans, who weren't fond of mentioning this score in the same breath as ET, Star Wars, Schindler's List and Jaws.

 

Was it a prophecy? Or just too much JWFan?

[Disco Stu 15,483]

I still say that while it's unlikely, it's his best chance in many years

[Richard Penna 3,176]

2 hours ago, Edmilson said:

I had a dream today where The Fabelmans won the Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director and, of course, Best Original Score. But for some reason JW's sixth win wasn't well received among JWFans, who weren't fond of mentioning this score in the same breath as ET, Star Wars, Schindler's List and Jaws.

 

Was it a prophecy? Or just too much JWFan?

 

I'm a strong believer in the idea that dreams are your subconscious processing your true feelings about something or highlighting a fear you have.

 

Hence I think that your mind actually acknowledges that the idea of this score being Oscar worthy, especially compared to those four, is a bit silly  

[mrbellamy 5,990]

On 02/02/2023 at 1:39 PM, Disco Stu said:

I still say that while it's unlikely, it's his best chance in many years

 

I agree, he's obviously not the frontrunner, but it wouldn't be unsurprising. 

 

It's probably his best shot since at least Lincoln when he won the Critics Choice, Life of Pi won the Globe, and Skyfall won the BAFTA, so you had a split race between critically acclaimed films with two BP nominees. Danna had the edge bc Life of Pi had the most musical novelty, maybe the most emotional use of music, and the movie checked a lot of boxes as a technical achievement. And it turned out Ang Lee had the edge over Spielberg in Director, so the movie was probably #2 in the Best Picture race after Argo (which was also score-nominated and could have won, but the score was an afterthought.) 

 

I think John Williams' score is also understandably an afterthought with Fabelmans, but I think there is a lurking sentimental factor with him. But Oscar sentiment is very fickle, sometimes it's the whole reason for winning and sometimes it's not even enough to get nominated. It's just that there's not really a smash movie-score combo so there is wiggle room. Babylon is the most attention-grabbing score but a divisive movie. Son Lux could easily ride EEAAO's coattails but I don't know that people are necessarily talking about the score. Whereas there are emotional ties with John Williams and Fabelmans. 

 

Obviously Memoirs was as close as he could ever have possibly gotten without winning. 

[Richard Penna 3,176]

To some extent I think you can compare Fabelmans to Forrest Gump - both being about someone's life story and where pre-existing music really takes the musical focus. Stylistically BTTF could also be seen somewhat in the same vein although what little score there is makes far more impact than either FG or Fabelmans in my view.

 

Although I will say that one thing Fabelmans doesn't do is outstay its ideal playing time, which Forrest very much does for me. JW has a couple of ideas and restates them a few times within the 20 mins or so, whereas Forrest is basically the same couple of themes over and over again.

 

19 minutes ago, mrbellamy said:

Obviously Memoirs was as close as he could ever have possibly gotten without winning. 

 

I reckon Hook, HPPS and War Horse were as close as he sensibly got, turning in thematically stunning, complex scores. Perhaps another half dozen if we're talking scores that were some way above the general standard of scoring in their year.

[mrbellamy 5,990]

He wasn't nominated for Hook! 

 

I'm just talking purely in terms of the nuts-and-bolts awards race, Memoirs he won every award going and lost the Oscar. Obviously he would have been deserving plenty of times. 

 

I think Gump's score is a much more essential player in its film than Fabelmans and its thematic ideas more fleshed out, even if they do repeat themselves. 

[Richard Penna 3,176]

I wasn't talking about scores he was nominated for necessarily, just those I feel he should have won.

[Disco Stu 15,483]

Forrest Gump rules

[mrbellamy 5,990]

Great score!

[KK 3,292]

It's his best chance since Lincoln, but no. Considering it hasn't won a single award in the race, it won't win this one either.

 

My bet is on Justin Hurwitz, unfortunately.

[Edmilson 6,105]

Forrest Gump is a great score. In Brazil, its themes have been used time and again on a few TV ads that were aiming for "the feels", more recently for a bank.

[mrbellamy 5,990]

On 26/01/2023 at 1:25 PM, mrbellamy said:

I think there's a chance All Quiet wins BAFTA so it could end up being a bit of a toss-up. 

 

And it just did. So we have a race here.

 

I think I'm still going with Babylon as the very slight frontrunner and that if there's an upset, it'll be EEAAO. But there's such a lack of consensus that JW could benefit if he has just enough old-school voters and sentiment on his side.