Back in January, everybody was shocked (some were even outraged) to hear that The Martian won the Golden Globe award for “Best Comedy or Musical Selection”. The sci-fi/drama film won over the hit comedy from veteran director Judd Apatow, Trainwreck. It’s not that The Martian was a bad film – in fact, it made many critics’ ‘Top Ten’ list for last year. However, it wasn’t exactly a real ‘comedy’, and Apatow has noticed this.
The Guardian cited Apatow’s criticism:
“Trainwreck director Judd Apatow said dramatic movies with humorous content should not be able to ‘pick whatever category’ they wanted to be in, and pondered whether movies with Asian cast members might now be able to compete for best foreign film.”
In response to the wide protests, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced an eleven-page set of improved rules on Monday. The association also revealed January 8, 2017 as the date for the 74th edition of the awards:
“In order to be nominated as a musical, a submitted film must be a ‘comedy or drama in which songs are used in addition to spoken dialogue to further the plot’. And to prevent a film like The Martian appearing in the same category as a film like Spy, the Globes have set forth a new rule in which ‘dramas with comedic overtones should be entered as dramas,’ not comedies” (Entertainment Weekly).
Here’s hoping that these new rules help brilliant comedy films like Trainwreck get the recognition that they deserve. You can check out the full list of modified eligibility rules on the Golden Globes’ website.
