While winning one Oscar in any category is an achievement for any celebrity in a lifetime, Ben Affleck has laid his hands on the coveted golden statuette twice in two different disciplines. The actor won his first Oscar with Matt Damon for the pair’s brilliant screenplay in Good Will Hunting. Years later, Affleck picked up his second award when his directorial Argo which he also produced, won Best Picture.
While the true story impressed many critics and audiences, it also led to polarizing views and divisive opinions regarding the execution of its narrative in certain parts. Nevertheless, one seemingly irrelevant moment featuring a Led Zeppelin track proves that the film and Affleck deserved to win top honors.
Ben Affleck Expertly Used A Led Zeppelin Track in Argo
Ben Affleck’s 2012 film Argo won him the coveted Best Picture award on Oscar night. This true story which followed the thrilling rescue of 6 American diplomats orchestrated by the Canadian government and the CIA, opened to a lot of critical acclaim and box office success which led to it becoming one of the favorites for the Oscars.
The screenplay based on the 1999 memoir The Master of Disguise by U.S. C.I.A. operative Tony Mendez, was masterfully adapted for the screen by Affleck who played the author himself. Apart from his directorial touches, the Good Will Hunting star’s keen ear for music also added nuance to the film.
Affleck who is a self-confessed admirer of Led Zeppelin, was keen to use the band’s popular track When The Levee Breaks in a pivotal scene that depicted the victims’ last night before their attempt at escape. Led Zeppelin who are famously known to never give permission for their tracks to be shared, had one specific condition for their biggest fan Affleck.
The scene required a character to play the song on a vinyl record on the first track. Since the Led Zeppelin track was the fourth song on the second side of the album, the band requested Affleck to direct the shot in such a way that it looked like the needle was being placed at the exact spot on the record. Affleck recalled these intricacies which also added to the production cost and told Los Angeles Times,
“So not only did we have to pay for the song. we had to pay for an effects shot. You have to appreciate their attention to detail, though.”
While this may not seem like a significant aspect in the larger scheme of things, the fact remains that these small nuances all add up to transporting a film from good to great. Argo was a classic example of that.
Why Was Argo’s Oscar Win Controversial?
While Ben Affleck’s Argo was considered a worthy Best Picture winner at the 2013 Oscars, it also faced its share of backlash and controversies. Based on a true story of the daring escape of 6 diplomats, the film was questioned on many factors including its depiction of realism.
Few criticisms pointed out the lack of historical accuracy in the film’s climax which featured a tense chase and a narrow escape at the Tehran airport. In addition, many Iranian nationals and the Iranian government believed that the stereotypical depiction of the country’s citizens as aggressive and uncivilized gave a false picture of their values.
Dr Steve Hewitt, Senior Lecturer in American and Canadian Studies put forth a significant argument in the University of Birmingham website. Speaking of how the film changed the narrative completely to ignore Canada’s influence in the rescue, the professor wrote,
“Argo provides what is essentially a completely different version of a story that to many Canadians is a well-known and celebrated victory for their country; one which has also generated considerable pride in much of Canada along with a great deal of gratitude from the United States. In the Affleck version, the Americans and the CIA occupy the forefront of the story with the Canadian diplomats, who courageously sheltered the six Americans, and the Canadian government sitting on the margins.”
Despite these criticisms and negative responses, Argo found enough supporters across the country and the world to cement its place in Oscar history.
Argo is streaming on Apple TV.
