Oscar Show 2016: Music Choices to Introduce the Award Presenters……

March 1, 2016 by

Who chooses the background music when the presenters of awards are introduced on stage?

Most Oscar viewers don’t pay attention to the orchestral music playing during the show–except when it interrupts the winners during their speeches to signal that they have overstayed their welcome and this need to leave the stage.

The selection of music choices playing as the various presenters walked up to make their speeches was strange and eccentric, to say the least.

According to the Hollywood Reporter‘s survey, Julianne Moore walked out to present the award for best actor to the tune of Simon & Garfunkel’s “Mrs. Robinson,” from The Graduate, about an older woman who seduces a younger man.

Another perplexing choice was “La Bamba,” which played after Chris Rock’s bit featuring three young Asian children posing as the Academy’s accountants.

Richard Wagner’s “Ride of the Valkyries”
“Ride of the Valkyries” got the most exposure, playing off the winners who spoke too long. Though this year, the Academy implemented the use crawl for the thank yous, intended to cut down on the list of names read during winners’ acceptances, it didn’t cut down on the length of the actual speeches.  The famous melody popped up nine times.
The “Ride of the Valkyries” was an odd choice of song to interrupt speeches read by notable figures in the industry, particularly when the speeches  dealt with serious issues, as director Inarritu (The Revenant) talking about prejudice.
Winners who got the “Valkyries” play-off included Michael Sugar, Steve Golin, Nicole Rocklin and Blye Pagon Faust, producers of best picture winner Spotlight; Alejandro G. Inarritu, best director winner for The Revenant; Alicia Vikander, best supporting actress winner for The Danish Girl; Mark Rylance, best supporting actor for Bridge of Spies; Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, best documentary short winner for A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness; Mark Mangini and David White, best sound editing winners for Mad Max: Fury Road; Jenny Beavan, best costume design winner for Mad Max: Fury Road; and Charles Randolph and Adam McKay, winners for best adapted screenplay for The Big Short.

The second most used song on the night was the Mad Max: Fury Road theme, as the film won six Oscars.

The theme from the violent Tarantino movie, Pulp Fiction, resonated throughout the theater as host Chris Rock introduced … the Girl Scouts.

The boastful Indiana Jones franchise theme song served as the musical backdrop when Vice President Joe Biden’s presented Lady Gaga’s performance.

Other noteworthy musical choices:

Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe walked out to The Verve’s “Bittersweet Symphony” to present the best adapted screenplay award.

Last year’s best supporting actor winner, J.K. Simmons, entered the stage to the tune of Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes’ “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life,” from Dirty Dancing, to present the best supporting actress award.

Cate Blanchett, who presented the award for costume design, walked onto the stage to Huey Lewis and the News’ “The Power of Love,” from Back to the Future.

Best production design presenters Tina Fey and Steve Carell entered to “Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be).” But they weren’t the only ones: Presenters Jennifer Garner and Benicio Del Toro got the same music.

Chadwick Boseman and Chris Evans presented the sound editing award after getting serenaded with The Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive” from Saturday Night Fever.

Jacob Tremblay and Abraham Attah got the Superman theme.

Olivia Wilde and Sacha Baron Cohen (in character as Ali G) got Simple Minds’ “Don’t You Forget About Me,” from The Breakfast Club. They exited to B.J. Thomas’ “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head.”

Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs walked out to talk about the diversity efforts to the tune of “I Will Always Love You,” known for the Whitney Houston version in The Bodyguard.

Filed Under: OSCAR