The Hollywood Foreign Press choices for the Golden Globes awards were clearly votes affirming the sentimental history of cinema. Top winners like "The Artist" for best film, and its leading man Jean Dujardin for Best Actor were well-deserved celebrations of the glorious silent era.
The winners continued to highlight the movies’ great past as Martin Scorsese won best director for "Hugo," another tour de force chronicling the French origins of cinema.
Even Michelle Williams' victory performance as Marilyn Monroe celebrates the glory of studio actresses and the legendary movie star.Woody Allen’s screenwriting kudos for "Midnight in Paris" awards a story commemorating the artists and writers of 30’s gay Paris. Obviously Paris as a backdrop as well as the older formats of filmmaking did very well as subjects for winners. Not surprising members of the foreign press voted for this artistic capital.
The way films used to be made won out at the Golden Globes, and hopefully the streak will continue with the Oscars.
But there is one sad story looming that ends a tradition in filmmaking. That is the expected bankruptcy of the Kodak Company, that supplied us filmmakers bought reels upon reels of celluloid. Not only will it push Rochester into a Detroit like one industry depression, it symbolizes the digital age’s dominance over film.
I doubt we will ever return to celluloid of the past like the Golden Globes did on Sunday night.
