31 Days of Oscar
Encyclopedia
31 Days of Oscar is a programming franchise aired each Oscar season
by the U.S. and Asian Turner Classic Movies
cable networks during the month of the Academy Awards. However, even though the 2006 Oscars were broadcast in early March, TCM chose to run the festival at its usual month of February (the Oscars are now generally held in February, but moved to March 2006 to avoid conflict with the Winter Olympics).
", and in turn inspired by the film Six Degrees of Separation
). TCM determines an actor who has played a significant role in Oscar history, and builds its entire schedule around him, with each film linked to another actor, actress, director, or producer. In this case, the 2006 festival was centered around Austrian actor and Oscar nominee Eric Pohlmann
, with him starring in both the first and last films to air in the "31 Days" festival.
A similar tactic was used for a later campaign, in which the "31 Days/360 Degrees" festival was centered around Oscar winner Jane Wyman
, whom TCM determined was the actress who played the most significance among all actresses in Oscar history.
The 2010 edition will again use this theme, only this time it will revolve around the man who originated the "Six Degrees" game, Kevin Bacon.
Oscar season
Oscar season is the time period in which Hollywood studios release their more critically acclaimed films, hoping to win at the Academy Awards. Oscar season usually begins in the fall, around November, although the date in which the summer blockbuster season ends and the Oscar season begins are...
by the U.S. and Asian Turner Classic Movies
Turner Classic Movies
Turner Classic Movies is a movie-oriented cable television channel, owned by the Turner Broadcasting System subsidiary of Time Warner, featuring commercial-free classic movies, mostly from the Turner Entertainment and MGM, United Artists, RKO and Warner Bros. film libraries...
cable networks during the month of the Academy Awards. However, even though the 2006 Oscars were broadcast in early March, TCM chose to run the festival at its usual month of February (the Oscars are now generally held in February, but moved to March 2006 to avoid conflict with the Winter Olympics).
Premise
The criteria for films that air on TCM during the festival is that each feature that TCM airs can either be an Oscar winner or nominee. Films that air, of course, are those that TCM holds the broadcast rights to at the time, but mostly they come from the classic Warner/Turner/MGM library.360 Degrees of Oscar
In years past, the "31 Days of Oscar" festival has been centered around certain themes, such as "A to Z" and categorized days. For the 2006 offering, the theme was "360 Degrees of Oscar" (based on the theoretical game of "Six Degrees of Kevin BaconSix Degrees of Kevin Bacon
Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon is a trivia game based on the concept of the small world phenomenon and rests on the assumption that any individual involved in the Hollywood, California film industry can be linked through his or her film roles to actor Kevin Bacon within six steps. The name of the game...
", and in turn inspired by the film Six Degrees of Separation
Six Degrees of Separation (film)
Six Degrees of Separation is a 1990 play written by John Guare that premiered at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater, Lincoln Center on May 16, 1990, directed by Jerry Zaks and starring Stockard Channing...
). TCM determines an actor who has played a significant role in Oscar history, and builds its entire schedule around him, with each film linked to another actor, actress, director, or producer. In this case, the 2006 festival was centered around Austrian actor and Oscar nominee Eric Pohlmann
Eric Pohlmann
Eric Pohlmann was an Austrian theatre, film and television character actor.Born Erich Pollak in Vienna, Austria-Hungary, he was a classically trained actor who studied under the renowned director Max Reinhardt...
, with him starring in both the first and last films to air in the "31 Days" festival.
A similar tactic was used for a later campaign, in which the "31 Days/360 Degrees" festival was centered around Oscar winner Jane Wyman
Jane Wyman
Jane Wyman was an American singer, dancer, and character actress of film and television. She began her film career in the 1930s, and was a prolific performer for two decades...
, whom TCM determined was the actress who played the most significance among all actresses in Oscar history.
The 2010 edition will again use this theme, only this time it will revolve around the man who originated the "Six Degrees" game, Kevin Bacon.