Final DRAFT of Magazine AD...and Press Release

[BBMGrandma]

Here's the link to the final draft of the Brokeback AD!!!   Scroll all the way down for the press release!!  It's going to Variety this morning!!

http://davecullen.com/forum/index.php?topic=1721.msg86680#msg86680

[Aussie Chris]

Thanks for posting this Nancy, and for the head's up yesterday.

I'm so glad that I was able to contribute some funds towards the AD, and that it turned out so great.  Maybe the awards "loss" is really a blessing in disguise?  Without it we wouldn't have had the opportunity to come together and make this stand?  I feel so honoured to be a part of this amazing BBM community, the fact that we came together like this in such a constructive way, and with such dignity.  Now all I have to do is try to get a copy sent down here to Australia - I don't know if Variety is distributed here with the ADs in tact?

Lot's of love, Chris.

[Impish]

Dave Cullen is also running an email campaign in which we contact the Academy directly.

Here's the one I sent in a few minutes ago:

I am shocked and disappointed that you allowed homophobia to steal the Oscar from what everyone knows was the true "Best Picture."

When academy members such as Tony Curtis explicitly state they refused to even see Brokeback Mountain, how can it be anything but homophobia?

When "Crash" excludes gay bashing in a film about bigotry, how can it be anything but homophobia?  I wonder what Tony Curtis and his ilk would have done had Crash included one gay character:  He would have seen only "Good Night and Good Luck" and therefore voted for it.

Your rules need to be changed.  As a scientist, it astounds me that voters for best picture are not required to see all nominated films.  Without this requirement, the Oscars cannot possibly be representative of what it claims to honor.   

As the ONLY organization not to recognize Brokeback Mountains greatness, he Academy should be embarrassed.

Shame on you.

[Aussie Chris]

Yep, and here is the one I just sent:

I am so very disappointed, but alas not surprised, that CRASH was awarded best picture over BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN at the academy awards on Sunday night.  Although CRASH is not a film without some merit, it is clear to the public that it was chosen more for its political safety than its quality.

The AMPAS has seriously discredited itself by this poor judgement, and all of the self-congratulatory rhetoric we have been force-fed about being progressive and an influential force for good is at best delusional.

The simple fact that members of the academy are not required watch all nominated films, in my mind, should disqualify those members from voting in the BP category, as being allowed to make a determination of a film's merit solely based on media-hype or personal bias (read: homophobia) is insulting to both the film makers and the viewing public.

By being the ONLY major awards group to not recognise BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN as being the best film of 2005, you have demonstrated that a BP OSCAR is of little significance and nothing for a film maker to be proud of.

[BBMGrandma]

Hi Chris....I found THESE Australian papers who have been sent the press release.
Australia   The West Australian - WA
Australia   The Sydney Morning Herald - NSW
Australia   The Australian - National
Australia   The Age - VIC
Australia   The Advertiser - SA
SO hopefully you'll at LEAST see that in one of your local papers.  Variety is checking the "AD" now for any last minute changes. 

Love....Nancy

BTW...how do we contact the Academy directly with our own personal comments? 

[Aussie Chris]

BTW...how do we contact the Academy directly with our own personal comments? 

Thanks Nancy.  Post 3 on Dave Cullen's e-mail campaign topic (http://davecullen.com/forum/index.php?topic=1732) has links to a number of relevent addresses.  It also contains the following link to the academy:

   http://www.oscars.org/contact/general.html

I'm still going to need to get a vopy of Variety though - the press release is important but not the most important item!

[BBMGrandma]

.  Now all I have to do is try to get a copy sent down here to Australia - I don't know if Variety is distributed here with the ADs in tact?

Lot's of love, Chris.

Chris....I tracked down the ONLY place up here that carries Variety. (I kinda live in the boonies)     I JUST called them and they are setting aside some copies for me!!!  <hopefully....they WILL>  If you can't get ahold of a copy....email me with your addy....and I'd be HAPPY to send one to you via 'snail mail'   

Hugs....Nancy

[BBMGrandma]

YAYYYY....thanks Chris for the ACADEMY address.  My keyboard is burning UP here!! 

Nancy   

[iristarr]

Nancy, I also live in the boonies, and no one up here carries Variety either.  If you get your hands on an extra copy will you hold it for me?  And that would be the March 11th issue, right? If not, I'll get someone in the Bay Area to pick up one for me. And where have I been that I didn't know about this ad until just today?  I serendipitously followed your trail right into that forum and there it was, the whole David Cullen site and everything.  And just when I'd been thinking perhaps my new path might include some gay rights activities. I do believe something is afoot here LOL ---- Iris \

[BBMGrandma]

Just got ahold of the AD placed by Focus Features in the BOSTON GLOBE!!!

Won't it be great if BBM's box office the next 3 days is bigger than Crash's!!  .... the Cullen group is encouraging ALL members to go to the movie tonight.

I'm attaching the AD....hope this works!!

Nancy

[BBMGrandma]

.  If you get your hands on an extra copy will you hold it for me?  . I do believe something is afoot here LOL ---- Iris \

YOU bet I will Iris...but I'm having one 'helluva-time' getting ANY copies.  I've been on the phone all morning contacting people I think MAY have access to the Daily Variety.  It seems it's more difficult to find than the Weekly Variety.  I have a cousin in New York City....he's a writer/publisher...and GUESS WHAT?  Dangit....he's in California right now....and NOT in Los Angeles where I KNOW it would be readily available.  He's going to LA tomorrow though...and promises he'll try and track down some copies.  (fingers crossed here) 

Stay TUNED.....I'll let you all know ASAP!!  I told my cousin if he finds it....to buy ALL the copies he finds!! 

Waiting anxiously.......Nancy

[iristarr]

I thought I read earlier today that the edition had sold out.  I left messages with my Bay Area contacts, but haven't heard back from them.  That ad in the Boston Globe was sure a beaut!!