Re: Hugo Shortlist 2008

On Sun, 23 Mar 2008 18:24:44 -0400, acwheele@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
 (Andrew
Wheeler) wrote:

>MajorOz <MajorOz@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>
>> On Mar 21, 12:38 pm, David T. Bilek <davidbi...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>> 
>> > Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form
>> >
>> > Battlestar Galactica "Razor" written by Michael Taylor, directed by
>> > Félix Enríquez Alcalá and Wayne Rose (Sci Fi Channel) (televised
>> > version, not DVD)
>> > Dr. Who "Blink" written by Stephen Moffat, directed by Hettie
>> > Macdonald (BBC)
>> > Dr. Who "Human Nature" / "Family of Blood" written by Paul Cornell,
>> > directed by Charles Palmer (BBC)
>> > Star Trek New Voyages "World Enough and Time" written by Michael
>> > Reaves & Marc Scott Zicree, directed by Marc Scott Zicree (Cawley
>> > Entertainment Co. and The Magic Time Co.)
>> > Torchwood "Captain Jack Harkness" written by Catherine Tregenna,
>> > directed by Ashley Way (BBC Wales)
>> 
>> Has this been a category very long?
>
>The split into "Dramatic Presentation: Long Form" and "Dramatic
>Presentation: Short Form" dates to 2003.
>
>The original "Dramatic Presentation" category was first included in
>1967. (Though there was a "Special Drama" category in 1965, won by _Dr.
>Strangelove_.)

Prior to that, there were Oustanding Movie categories in 1958 (THE
INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN won) and 1959 (No Award beat out THE FLY,
HORROR OF DRACULA, and THE SEVENTH VOYAGE OF SINBAD). Then in 1960
there was a Dramatic Presentation category, won by THE TWILIGHT ZONE
(the existence of which may have been a prime motivator for Dramatic
Presentation replacing Movie as the category). The category stayed
through 1964, won by THE TWILIGHT ZONE for three more years, after
which No Award beat out THE TWILIGHT ZONE, BURN WITCH BURN, THE DAY
THE EARTH CAUGHT FIRE, and LAST YEAR AT MARIENBAD (!). 

I'm giving award dates, by the way -- the eligibility year was one
earlier. So in 1965 there was no dramatic presentation category, and,
as you say, in 1966 (for 1965 stuff) there was the Special Drama
category, won by DR. STRANGELOVE.

My favorite bit of Dramatic Presentation-related trivia involves
"Flowers for Algernon", which has been nominated for Hugos for four
different versions: the original novelette (which won in 1960), a TV
presentation, "The Two Worlds of Charlie Gordon", (nominated for
Dramatic Presentation in 1962, and which starred Cliff Robertson!),
the novel version, nominated in 1967, and the movie (CHARLY, nominated
in 1970). I think that may be a record for different forms of the same
story nominated for awards. (Though there may well be a short to novel
to movie example out there.)