Back in 2008 I posted an article headlined “2014 MTV Movie Award nominees and one of the first comments was, “Since when does ROS cover the MTV awards? This doesn’t feel right.” I can understand the sentiment, but in this day and age is there much of an argument that makes an award show such as the Oscars any more prestigious than the MTV Movie Awards?
Just a couple days ago, John Horn at the “Los Angeles Times” quoted two Oscar voters who privately admitted they didn’t see 12 Years a Slave but voted for it anyway. They didn’t watch it because they felt it “would be upsetting” but voted for it nonetheless “because, given the film’s social relevance, they felt obligated to do so.”
Earlier today I asked on Twitter who determines the MTV Movie Award nominees to which I learned (and confirmed) they are “determined by producers and executives at MTV.” This isn’t surprising and gives good reason as to why populist films are mixed with prestigious films, largely in hopes of convincing as many of the high profile nominees into attending. Hell, I wouldn’t even be surprised if the voting results are fudged every so often depending on whom they can get to attend.
One difference between the Oscars and the MTV Movie Awards, however, is the voting process. The execs may put together the nominations, but the voting is handled online by MTV viewers, which inspired the following tweet on my timeline this morning:
@cine_phile82 @ropeofsilicon So noms r decided by those whove seen the films & the winners r decided by those whove seen the films' TVspots?
— Drexl (@Drexl_tweets) March 6, 2014
Funny and most likely true, but the reply, however, is priceless:
https://twitter.com/cine_phile82/status/441622860743073792
Considering the MTV Movie Awards usually result in a populist film taking home Best Movie — Twilight, The Twilight Saga: New Moon, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 and The Avengers — it’s easier to dismiss them, but consider another comment from my write-up of the nominations this morning, “Wait, hold on a damn minute, the MTV awards nominate Michael B Jordan for something and the Oscars don’t even mention Fruitvale Station.”
Also consider in 2009 the MTV Movie Awards nominated The Dark Knight for Best Movie. Following the “snubbing” of The Dark Knight at the Oscars the Academy changed their entire Best Picture nomination process.
Another consideration of note. In 2011 the Oscars gave Best Picture to The King’s Speech over The Social Network, to the chagrin of many. For those upset about that result just know the MTV Movie Awards nominated Social Network and not King’s Speech.
One final consideration, the voting at the MTV Movie Awards is open to anyone. Did you vote? Did you get your friends together to vote? Will you gather friends to vote for 12 Years a Slave or The Wolf of Wall Street? Because that’s what Hunger Games fans are going to do and when it comes to the Oscars, that’s exactly what the parties, special screenings and For Your Consideration campaigns are intended for.
Yes, the MTV Movie Awards are largely a marketing convention and popularity contest, but are the Oscars really any different?
Certainly categories such as Best #WTF Moment, Best Shirtless Performance and Best Kiss diminish the prestige of the MTV Movie Awards, but once you start to learn more about all the shady backdoor dealings at the Oscars and hearing reports of Academy members not even seeing a movie and yet voting for it, is one really all that much better than the other?
It’s quite obvious both have their massive failings, but at the same time I don’t see MTV pretending they are anything more than what they are, which is a superficial lovefest, while the Oscars clearly place themselves higher than the rest. Is such arrogance warranted?
