DARK Knight fans can thank Harvey Weinstein and Oscar voters historic weakness for Holocaust flicks for yesterdays shocking snub of The Dark Knight for a Best Picture nomination.
Im not the biggest fan of the hugely popular comic-book blockbuster, but its a travesty The Dark Knight got edged out and believe me, it did by The Reader, a sleazy piece of Holocaust porn that even the New York Times dismissed as fatuous.
The motion picture academy has handed a loaded rifle to critics who complain the Oscars have become elitist by honoring a flick about a former concentration camp guard Kate Winslet, Oscar-nominated for arguably her worst performance ever who seduces a 15-year-old boy.
Audiences are supposed to sympathize with this Nazi pedophile monster, who locks Jews in a burning building, because shes illiterate.
If you ask me, Heath Ledgers scarred, psychopathic killer in The Dark Knight for which he picked up a posthumous Best Supporting Actor nomination is Mr. Congeniality in comparison.
But the Joker is a two-bit villain compared to Darth Weinstein, the once-mighty mogul who bullied his way into this years Best Picture race in a Hail Mary pass to save his studio, the Weinstein Co. (which everyone thinks is faltering following a slew of flops, despite repeated denials).
Harvey rushed The Reader into contention, reportedly over the vehement objections of its director (Oscar-nominated Stephen Daldry) and producer Scott Rudin (who ultimately took his name off the picture), both of whom wanted to wait for a 2009 release.
Winslet who did not thank Weinstein when she won a Golden Globe for The Reader was said not to be terribly happy, either.
Her nomination for The Reader cost her a Best Picture nomination for her far superior work in Revolutionary Road which was directed by her husband, Sam Mendes.
Weinstein did attempt to placate Winslet by trying to gerrymander her lead-role work in The Reader into the Best Supporting Actress category something that worked at the Globes, but not with the Oscar nominations.
Warner Bros. has already made untold hundreds of millions off The Dark Knight, so there were not many tears shed there yesterday.
But it remains to be seen whether the nominations will much help Weinstein and The Reader, which grossed slightly less than $8 million through last weekend the lowest figure for any of the five Best Picture nominees.
Thankfully, The Reader doesnt have a snowballs chance in hell of beating the Oscar front-runner, Slumdog Millionaire.
Already, there is talk among the furious fanboys on the blogosphere about boycotting this years Academy Awards show.
Given the actions of Darth Weinstein and the dubious taste of academy voters, I say: Go for it.