Catching Fire has wrapped on production, and now the long arduous task of post-production is likely getting underway early in the new year, otherwise known as next week. Now that the feat of filming the story is in the proverbial can, or more like many many cans, we’re left speculating until we’re ready to be squeezed out like Violet Beauregard. We have expectations for this next installment in the series, and I’m not one to keep things in so– I have bloated expectations. I personally think that The Hunger Games was just a taste of where our fantastic series can go in the audio-visual medium of film making, especially where it comes to the visual art of hair, makeup, and costume design. I’m a sucker for hair, makeup, and costume design, and coincidentally all three of those things are now separate categories at The Academy Awards.
I bring up the Academy Awards not only because nominations will be announced in only a couple of short months, but also because I believe that those are the categories that The Hunger Games has the best chances of being acknowledged in. Hair and makeup, however probably have a better chance of being ranted, and raved about when the Oscar buzz starts getting really loud. Why? Three words, Seneca. Crane’s. Beard. We all know how popular it is, right? That the Facebook page dedicated to it, has over 28,900 likes, and it keeps on growing. It has to be the most iconic statement facial hair since, well– Hitler’s mustache. And, I’m sure we’re all glad that Seneca, although a Gamemaker in charge of the worst reality show ever imagined, he was well– easier on the eyes than the undiagnosed sociopath Adolph Hitler.
So, here’s to Seneca Crane and his stupendous beard, it holds hopes and dreams inside of it, also Wes Bentley under it.
Them There Eyes
Victor's Village 
Not sure how anyone could ever top that beard! Is it just me, or is it possible that the Oscars changed the categories because of The Hunger Games?
I thought hairstyling and makeup were still the same category? Various websites reported a a couple of weeks ago that the the shortlist for the makeup and hair awards were announced. Sadly, THG is not on it. This is the list:
“Hitchcock”
“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey”
“Les Misérables”
“Lincoln”
“Looper”
“Men in Black 3”
“Snow White and the Huntsman”
http://www.examiner.com/article/oscar-s-best-hairstyling-and-makeup-shortlist-revealed
I saw that when it was first announced and it made me angry. It’s an absurd snub. I kind of understood why THG didn’t make the short-list for the special effects category, as they didn’t really have the budget for exceptional SFX work, but this one hurts. Ve Neil is more than deserving of a nod. (And, totally off-topic, it’s also absurd that Cloud Atlas was left out, which makes me really wonder what’s going on with this category.)
At this point, I’m thinking the movie’s only real shot for nominations is the music. I’d love to be surprised by Elizabeth and/or Woody getting supporting nods, but I’m not holding my breath. The Academy voters can be snobby about certain categories of movies.