He’s not nominated this year and won’t get the chance to say a few words at February 24’s Academy Awards, so Russell Crowe has instead delivered a pre-emptive half-time speech to the event’s producers.

In the latest PR disaster to engulf the most shambolic and potentially disastrous Oscars ceremony ever, an apoplectic Crowe was one Hollywood heavyweight who took to Twitter to slam the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

At issue? The decision to relegate the announcement of winners in four categories – cinematography, film editing, make-up and hairstyling and live-action short – to ad breaks.

“The academy is removing cinematography, editing and make up from the televised show? This is just such a fundamentally stupid decision,” Crowe, the 2001 best actor winner, tweeted on Wednesday.

“I’m not even going to be bothered trying to be a smart arse about it. It’s just too f—–g dumb for words.”

Director Alfonso Cuaron – whose Roma is tied with The Favourite for most Oscar nominations, 10 – also weighed in: “No one single film has ever existed without cinematography and without editing.”

In the history of CINEMA, masterpieces have existed without sound, without color, without a story, without actors and without music. No one single film has ever existed without CINEMAtography and without editing.

— Alfonso Cuaron (@alfonsocuaron) February 12, 2019

In a since-deleted tweet, filmmaker Guillermo del Toro (whose The Shape of Water won best picture and best director last year) said cinematography and editing are “at the very heart” of showbiz.

“They are cinema itself,” del Toro said.

In a letter to members, the president of the American Society of Cinematographers Kees van Oostrum called the academy’s decision “most unfortunate”.

The academy returned serve by clarifying in a statement that, “No one is being removed from either the in-theatre or the ABC [online] live broadcast” and they will instead “be slightly edited off-line”.

The winners’ speeches will air in a shortened form later in the broadcast, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

And the loser is … the Oscars

For organisers, the attack on the Oscars by powerful industry figures just over a week before the curtain goes up at the Dolby Theatre is the latest plot twist in a clunky, hugely entertaining unscripted series of events.

Beset by controversy from the get go, the 91st Academy Awards began to attract negative publicity in August when the academy announced a new category, most popular film. After an outcry, the decision was reversed a month later.

Despite an extensive search, it took producers until early December to lock down comedian Kevin Hart as host, but just two days later he gave up the gig after old homophobic tweets emerged.

A mad scramble to find a replacement saw A-listers actively shy away from the gig. On February 5, the academy admitted failure and said the show will go on with a team of presenters including Tina Fey and Brie Larson instead of a host.

The Oscars’ desperate grab for prime presenters had a ripple effect. Last month, the Screen Actors Guild accused bosses of using “self-serving intimidation” to secure presenters at the expense of other awards nights.

Another problem? Flabby running times (last year, at a couple of minutes shy of four hours, the Oscars were deserted by viewers), which have this year seen a promise from ABC entertainment president Karey Burke to deliver a “brisk, three hour” telecast.

The need for speed was hammered home at last week’s annual nominees luncheon by academy president John Bailey.

“When you head to the stage, move quickly. Show us how eager you are to get up there,” Mr Bailey said, instructing winners they will have 90 seconds from when their name is called to complete their speech.

Ms Burke said she thinks the “lack of clarity” around the Oscars will see  a ratings spike: “The mystery is really compelling. People really care.”