There are many aesthetic symbols of Oscar success: Black and white; Period setting; Biographical subjects; Classical music; Queer subject matter. Bradley Cooper’s newest film Maestro has all of these: It’s a partly black and white, period piece, biographical romance about Leonard Bernstein, perhaps the most famous American conductor and composer, exploring his relationship with his wife and identity as a queer man.

Today, by analysing the film through two of these aesthetic markers, its treatment of queer subtext and classical music, we’re going to tease out exactly what makes something Oscar Bait at its core, beyond just the black and white.

Chapter times:
0:00 - What makes something Oscar Bait?
00:45 - Is the Queer Story Oscar-Worthy?
04:31 - Is the Music Oscar-Worthy?
07:43 - Bradley Cooper's Intentions

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