Oscar-nominated shorts make their way to cable

Catch them on demand before Sunday's ceremony

By Kristopher TapleyWednesday, Feb 22, 2012 2:54 PM

A scene from Oscar-nominated animated short "Wild Life"

Credit: ShortsHD/Magnolia Pictures

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Many of you would really like to see the Oscar-nominated shorts prior to Sunday's telecast but can't make it to one of the theaters currently running the package. Well, better late than never, I guess. I'll let the press release speak for itself:

"Just days after the February 10th theatrical release of The Oscar Nominated Short Films 2012, and just in time for the 84th Academy Awards, ShortsHD, the only TV network dedicated exclusively to short movies, today announced the collection of Oscar nominated films will be available to cable subscribers on demand.

"Starting Feb 21st, the best of this year’s nominated shorts are offered in two special packages: Best Animated Short Films and Best Live Action Short Films, in both HD and SD. These films are presented to cable television subscribers by ShortsHD in conjunction with the nation’s leading Movies on Demand (MOD) distributor, iN DEMAND.

"With just the click of a remote, digital cable customers of Comcast/Xfinity, Time Warner Cable, Bright House Networks, Cox Communications, Cablevision, Bresnan and Charter systems will see the short movie compilations listed as: “The Best 2012 Animated Nominated Shorts” or “The Best 2012 Live-Action Nominated Shorts.”

With Movies On Demand through digital cable, viewers can watch movies instantly, pause, fast-forward and rewind. TV subscribers can also watch the Oscar Nominated Short Films 2010 and Oscar Nominated Short Films 2011 in both live action and animation genres."

So grab your remote and hunt them down if you have those services and then you can be in the know, too! Pity the docs aren't included, though they are on the theatrical package, which is still playing in select theaters nationwide.

Here are the Oscar Guides for Best Animated Short, Best Live Action Short and Best Documentary Short.

For year-round entertainment news and awards season commentary follow @kristapley on Twitter.

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Kristopher Tapley
Editor-at-Large

Kristopher Tapley has covered the film awards landscape for over a decade. He founded In Contention in 2005. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Times of London and Variety. He begs you not to take any of this too seriously.

matthias_zucker

It's really too bad that, every year, the shorts are so hard to track down. Especially outside of the US. Even iTunes is skimping on the releases this time. In both categories, two films are missing, and there are none of the documentaries.

Has there been any word if there will be more shorts releases on iTunes this week?
February 22, 2012 at 4:05PM EST Reply to Comment
- Kristopher Tapley I haven't heard, sorry.
  February 22, 2012 at 4:31PM EST
- jcpdiesel21 I didn't realize that iTunes had that many of the animated and live action shorts. Last time I checked, they only had one of each.
  
  It's a shame that these aren't more readily available for viewing. I wish someone like Netflix would strike a deal with the companies to stream them for a limited time leading up to the Oscars.
  February 22, 2012 at 5:01PM EST
True

I wish they'd just sell the discs. Prolly a copyright thing in the way, but I'd gladly pay $20 or $30 to be able to watch them more than once.
February 22, 2012 at 5:45PM EST Reply to Comment
John

On iTunes you can purchase 3 Animated Shorts are 3 Live Actions shorts - they are $1.99 each (or $2.99 for HD). Some can also be rented for $0.99.

And "The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore" is currently Free on iTunes.

Sadly, "La Luna" is not available on iTunes - I'd really like to see that one, but I'm not paying the cable premium.
February 22, 2012 at 8:00PM EST Reply to Comment
Danimal

Went to the theater tonight to see the doc shorts, which were presented by the above-mentioned ShortsHD. Only four of them ran. "God Is The Bigger Elvis" did not show. I asked the manager and was told that "they couldn't get the rights." I assume "they" meant ShortsHD. I don't think it had anything to do with the actual theater.

Anyway, if anyone knows of a way to watch that doc and would like to share, that would be swell. Thanks.
February 22, 2012 at 10:55PM EST Reply to Comment
- glebe The manager at the theater I saw them at yesterday (in DC) said that the filmmakers don't have the rights to Elvis's likeness. Steve Pond is reporting something similar.
  February 23, 2012 at 1:26PM EST
- Kristopher Tapley Yeah, that one's not able to be a part of the package, unfortunately.
  February 23, 2012 at 4:22PM EST
BeTheB

On iTunes, you can download the 'Oscar Nominated Animated Short Films 2012' and 'Oscar Nominated Live Action Short Films 2012'. As far as I can tell the animated shorts are only missing La Luna, and the live action ones should all be there. The documentary shorts are nowhere to be found. And yes, it is a shame and an outrage that in this digital day and age, where so many people could be easily reached AND are willing to pay for this content, they are simply not able to.
February 24, 2012 at 10:17AM EST Reply to Comment
Madeleine

Raju is available on iTunes here: http://itunes.apple.com/ca/movie/raju/id504628190

Pentecost is available on iTunes here: http://itunes.apple.com/ca/movie/pentecost/id503908112

not sure about the others...
February 24, 2012 at 4:13PM EST Reply to Comment