125 days until the Oscars...
Monday, November 22, 2021 at 11:00AM
NATHANIEL R in Malcolm X, NYC, Oscars (90s), Spike Lee, biopics

It's 125 days until the Oscars and when we do countdowns at TFE we like to play number association. What do you think of when you hear the number "125"?  I personally think of 125th street in Manhattan since I have lived in Harlem for 16 years. The most famous attraction of 125th street might well be The Apollo Theater but curiously searching for articles or a list of movie scenes set there comes up a big blank. How is there not a big article about this already? There's not even a Wikipedia section for "references in film/tv".

The only things I could remember with the internet refusing to help (other than various comedy/concert films shot there) was the Emmy-winning recent documentary The Apollo (2019), a major Emmy submission from The Marvelous Mrs Maisel ("A Jewish Girl Walks Into the Apollo") and Denzel Washington giving good speech in Malcolm X (1992)...

Ruth E Carter became the first Black nominee ever in Best Costume Design

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Spike Lee's epic three hour plus biopic on the Civil Rights activist, was only nominated for two Oscars (Costume Design, Best Actor) and lost both. Costumes is understandable despite Ruth E Carter's sensational efforts (love those zoot suits) nothing was beating Bram Stoker's Dracula that season (or in most seasons, to be frank). But it remains supremely annoying that Denzel didn't snag his second Oscar statue right then and there. 

If Malcolm X were released in today's showbiz atmosphere, it would surely have been a bigger deal. Which Oscars do you think it would have been up for back then, transposed to the now?

Article originally appeared on The Film Experience (http://thefilmexperience.net/).
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