Why the 1989 Oscars Are the Worst Ever

Backlash, Lawsuits, and Lore: Why the 1989 Oscars Are Considered the Worst Ever

https://www.metaflix.com/video/2020/08/15/backlash-lawsuits-and-lore-why-the-1989-oscars-are-considered-the-worst-ever/

The overwhelming consensus among film historians is that the 61st Annual Academy Awards from 1989 is considered the worst Oscars ceremony of all time. Why? Academics and armchair critics alike point to numerous missteps, but the crux of the criticism largely centers around a tone-deaf 12-minute opening duet performance by Rob Lowe and a then-unknown actress dressed as Snow White.

The blame and immediate backlash for the disastrous ceremony fell squarely on one man, Allan Carr, an unabashedly flamboyant, caftan-wearing producer who reigned over Hollywood’s social scene in the 70s and 80s, hosting outrageous bashes in a mansion dubbed Hilhaven Lodge, once home to Ingrid Bergman and presently owned by Brett Ratner.

Carr made his fortune in 1978 by producing the movie Grease, one of the top grossing and most profitable musicals of all time. By 1989, however, after a string of critical and financial flops, he was in need of a job.

Carr decided that producing the Oscars–even though it didn’t pay anything–would be the best way to vault himself back into the Hollywood limelight. In keeping with his ostentatious character, Carr was determined to create an evening that melded Broadway glitz with Hollywood glam. The Academy Awards, he predicted, would be a night to remember.

For both better and worse, his prediction would prove prophetic. Carr introduced a number of components to the Oscar ceremony that remain tradition to this day. Some of his successful innovations include the extended red carpet coverage, the individual presentations of the Best Picture nominees, and the famous line, “The Oscar goes to … ”.