Golden Raspberry Awards
| Golden Raspberry Award | |
|---|---|
 36th Golden Raspberry Awards | |
|
The Golden Raspberry Award statuette. | |
| Awarded for | Worst in film |
| Country | United States |
| Presented by | Golden Raspberry Award Foundation |
| First awarded | March 31, 1981 |
| Official website | www.Razzies.com |
The Golden Raspberry Awards, often shortened to the Razzies or GRA, is an award ceremony in recognition of the worst in film. Co-Founded by American copywriter and publicist John J. B. Wilson and Mo Murphy, the annual Razzie Awards ceremony in Los Angeles precedes the corresponding Academy Awards ceremony by one day. The term raspberry in the name is used in its irreverent sense, as in "blowing a raspberry". The awards themselves are in the form of a "golfball-sized raspberry" which sits atop a Super 8 mm film reel, the whole of which is spray painted gold.
The first Golden Raspberry Awards ceremony was held on March 31, 1981, at John J. B. Wilson's living room alcove in Los Angeles to honor the worst in film of the 1980 film season. The 36th ceremony was held on February 27, 2016.
History
American copywriter and publicist John J. B. Wilson traditionally held potluck parties at his house in Los Angeles on the night of the Academy Awards.[1] In 1981, after the 53rd Academy Awards had completed for the evening, Wilson invited friends to give random award presentations in his living room.[1][2] Wilson decided to formalize the event, after watching a double feature of Can't Stop the Music and Xanadu.[3] He gave them ballots to vote on worst in film.[3] Wilson stood at a podium made of cardboard in a tacky tuxedo, with a foam ball attached to a broomstick as a fake microphone, and announced Can't Stop the Music as the first Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Picture.[3][4] The impromptu ceremony was a success and the following week a press release about his event released by Wilson was picked up by a few local newspapers, including a mention in the Los Angeles Daily News with the headline: "Take These Envelopes, Please".[1][2][4]
Approximately three dozen people came to the 1st Golden Raspberry Awards.[4] The 2nd Golden Raspberry Awards had double the attendance as the first and the 3rd awards ceremony had double this number.[4] By the 4th Golden Raspberry Awards ceremony, CNN and two major wire services covered the event.[1] Wilson realized that by scheduling the Golden Raspberry Awards before the Academy Awards, the ceremony would get more press coverage: "We finally figured out you couldn't compete with the Oscars on Oscar night, but if you went the night before, when the press from all over the world are here and they are looking for something to do, it could well catch on," he said to BBC News.[1]
The term raspberry is used in its irreverent sense, as in "blowing a raspberry".[5] Wilson commented to the author of Blame It on the Dog: "When I registered the term with the Library of Congress in 1980, they asked me, 'Why raspberry? What's the significance of that?' But since then, razz has pretty much permeated the culture. We couldn't have done it without Hollywood's help."[5] Wilson is referred to as "Ye Olde Head Razzberry".[6]
Format
Paying members of the Golden Raspberry Award Foundation vote to determine the recipients.[7] For the 29th Golden Raspberry Awards in 2009, award results were based on votes from approximately 650 journalists, cinema fans and professionals from the film industry.[7][8] Voters hailed from 45 states in the United States and 19 other countries.[9]
The ceremony, typically held one day before the Academy Awards, is modeled after the latter but "deliberately low-end and tacky".[1]
Collecting in person
Most winners do not attend the ceremony to collect their awards.[10] Notable exceptions include Tom Green (Worst Actor/Worst Director), Halle Berry[10] and Sandra Bullock (Worst Actress), Michael Ferris, Joe Eszterhas (Worst Screenplay), and Paul Verhoeven (Worst Director).
Two people won both the Razzies and Oscars the same weekend: Brian Helgeland in 1998 and Bullock in 2010, although for different films.
Categories
Current Awards
- Worst Actor: 1980 to present
- Worst Actress: 1980 to present
- Worst Supporting Actor: 1980 to present
- Worst Supporting Actress: 1980 to present
- Worst Screen Combo: 1994 to present
- Worst Screenplay: 1980 to present
- Worst Director: 1980 to present
- Worst Picture: 1980 to present
- Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-off or Sequel: 1994 to present, except 1996 and 1999
- The Razzie Redeemer Award: 2014 to present
Retired
- Worst Original Song: 1980 to 1999, 2002
- Worst New Star: 1981 to 1998, except 1989
- Worst Musical Score: 1981 to 1985
- Worst Visual Effects: 1986 to 1987
Special categories
Special categories have also been introduced for specific years. Such special awards include:
| Year | Category | Winner | Nominees |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Worst Written Film Grossing Over $100 Million | Twister—Michael Crichton & Anne-Marie Martin | The Hunchback of Notre Dame—Tab Murphy, Irene Mecchi, Bob Tzudiker & Noni White Independence Day—Dean Devlin & Roland Emmerich Mission: Impossible—David Koepp and Robert Towne A Time to Kill—Akiva Goldsman |
| 1997 | Worst Reckless Disregard for Human Life and Public Property | Con Air | Batman & Robin The Lost World: Jurassic Park Turbulence Volcano |
| 1998 | Worst Movie Trends of the Year | 58-year-old leading men wooing 28-year-old leading ladies | Trailers that give away the film's entire plot Longer movies, shorter plots THX Deafening Audio Mega-zillion-dollar cross-promotional overkill: Armageddon, Godzilla, etc. |
| 2002 | Most Flatulent Teen-Targeted Movie | Jackass: The Movie | Eight Crazy Nights Crossroads Scooby-Doo XXX |
| 2003 | Worst Excuse for an Actual Movie (All Concept/No Content) | The Cat in the Hat | 2 Fast 2 Furious Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle From Justin to Kelly The Real Cancun |
| 2005 | Most Tiresome Tabloid Targets | Tom Cruise, his baby, Katie Holmes, Oprah Winfrey's couch and the Eiffel Tower | Tom Cruise and his anti-psychiatry rant Paris Hilton and... "who EVER!" Mr. and Mrs. Britney, their baby (Sean Preston Federline) and their camcorder The Simpsons: Ashlee, Jessica and Nick |
| 2006 | Worst Excuse for Family Entertainment | RV | Deck the Halls Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause The Shaggy Dog |
| 2007 | Worst Excuse for a Horror Movie | I Know Who Killed Me | Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem Captivity Hannibal Rising Hostel: Part II |
| 2010 | Worst Eye-Gouging Misuse of 3D | The Last Airbender[11][12] | Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore Clash of the Titans The Nutcracker Saw 3D |
Anniversary Awards
Every decade-closing ceremony includes an award for the worst actors and movies of the decade—though the 2000 ceremony put the actors as worst of the 20th century instead. Special prizes for the 25th anniversary of the Razzies awards were also given out in 2005.
Other types of awards
Worst Career Achievement
This award has been given five times, to Ronald Reagan in 1981, to Linda Blair in 1983, to Irwin Allen in 1985, to "Bruce the Rubber Shark" from Jaws[13] in 1987, and to director Uwe Boll[14] in 2009 who received this for his achievement as "Germany's answer to Ed Wood".
Governor's Award
This is a special award given by Razzie Award Governor John J. B. Wilson to an individual whose achievements are not covered by the Razzies' other categories. It was awarded in 2003 to Travis Payne for "Distinguished Under-Achievement in Choreography" in the film From Justin to Kelly.[15]
Barry L. Bumstead Award
This was award is given to a critical and financial failure that would've been nominated if it had received an eligible release. It was awarded in 2015 to United Passions.
Criticism
The Razzies have received criticism in recent years, including from news sources such as Indiewire[16] and The Daily Telegraph,[17] for several issues, including that members of the Golden Raspberry Foundation are not required to watch the nominated movies,[16] and that seemingly anyone can join the Golden Raspberry Foundation, so long as they pay at least $40,[16] which is different to the invitation-only Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.[18] Critics take issue with the Razzies picking "easy targets" and mainstream films instead of those which are perceived as less popular but more deserving productions,[19] continuing to appeal to celebrities, seemingly for publicity and attention, over other, worthier films and performances.[16]
Sam Adams of Indiewire has said the Razzies are "like hecklers hurling insults at comedians or a concertgoer yelling out 'Whoo!' during a quiet song, they're not-so-secretly crying out to be noticed. The Razzies, properly enough, avoid pouncing on the little guy; they don't trash no-budget indies no one has seen for having bad lighting or terrible sound".[16] Robbie Collin of The Daily Telegraph has said "the Razzies' ongoing failure to train its sights on anything but the most obvious targets means it grows more tired and redundant by the year".[17] CraveOnline's William Bibbiani stated that the Razzies follow "a cheap shot of pranksterism", and "with only a handful of exceptions, only seen fit to nominate the most infamous movies of the year, and not necessarily the worst."[19]
See also
- Academy Awards
- Stinkers Bad Movie Awards
- The Golden Turkey Awards
- List of films considered the worst
- List of people who have accepted Golden Raspberry Awards
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Lindrea, Victoria (February 25, 2007). "Blowing raspberries at Tinseltown". BBC News (BBC). Retrieved 2009-05-04.
- 1 2 Larsen, Peter (January 20, 2005). "The Morning Read – So bad, they're almost good – A love of movies lies behind the Razzies". The Orange County Register. p. 1.
- 1 2 3 Germain, David (Associated Press) (February 26, 2005). "25 Years of Razzing Hollywood's Stinkers". South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Sun-Sentinel Company). p. 7D.
- 1 2 3 4 Marder, Jenny (February 26, 2005). "Razzin' The Dregs of Hollywood Dreck – Film: Cerritos' John Wilson Marks His Golden Raspberry Awards' 25th Year With A Guide To Cinematic Slumming". Long Beach Press-Telegram. p. A1.
- 1 2 Dawson, Jim (2006). Blame it on the dog: a modern history of the fart. Ten Speed Press. pp. 48–50. ISBN 1-58008-751-5.
- ↑ Crouse, Richard (2005). Reel Winners: Movie Award Trivia. Dundurn Press Ltd. pp. 103, 208. ISBN 1-55002-574-0.
- 1 2 Marrs, John (February 25, 2009). "'They have no excuse to be as bad as they are' – The Golden Raspberry awards aren't just a refreshing antidote to the Oscars, they can help sell films too. John Marrs talks to the Razzies' founder, John Wilson". The Guardian. Retrieved 2009-05-06.
- ↑ Margulies, Lee (February 21, 2009). "Film Industry Razzes 'Love Guru,' Paris Hilton". Los Angeles Times.
- ↑ Telegraph Herald staff (February 22, 2009). "Hilton, Myers top Razzies". Telegraph Herald. p. A2.
- 1 2 Bushby, Helen (February 27, 2005). "Berry gets worst actress Razzie". BBC News (BBC). Retrieved 2009-01-19.
- ↑ Chris Tookey (February 21, 2011). "Over-priced, over-hyped – and they even make you feel ill. Are 3-D films the biggest rip-off in cinema history?". Daily Mail. Retrieved 2011-02-27.
- ↑ "M Night Shyamalan's Last Airbender wins Razzie Awards". BBC News. February 27, 2011. Retrieved 2011-02-27.
- ↑ Razzies.com, visited 2007-04-30.
- ↑ John Wilson (January 21, 2009). "Razzies 2008 Nominees for Worst Career Achievement". Retrieved 2009-01-22.
- ↑ "Razzies.com - Home of the Golden Raspberry Award Foundation". razzies.com.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Sam Adams (5 January 2015). "Why the Razzies Are the Worst Awards Ever". Criticwire.
- 1 2 "Why I hate the Razzies". Telegraph.co.uk. 1 March 2016.
- ↑ "HOW TO BECOME A MEMBER". Oscars.org - Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
- 1 2 Which Easy Targets Did The Razzies Pick This Year?, CraveOnline
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Golden Raspberry Awards. |
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- Golden Raspberry Official Website
- Razzie Awards page on the Internet Movie Database
- Razzie channel on YouTube
- All Time Razzie Champions List
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