Retro-Oscars - The Eighties

[homer]

This may sound odd but I thought there were some noteworthy comedic performances in The Big Lebowski....Jeff Bridges was brilliant in that movie.

[dadofandrew]

I had no idea Hanks was nominated for Big. That's as close as any.

[RobertR]

Finishing off 1986

 

Best Supporting Actor

Michael Caine - Hannah and Her Sisters

Dennis Hopper - Hoosiers

Denholm Elliott - A Room With a View

Tom Berenger - Platoon

Willem Dafoe - Platoon

 

Other Notables: Dennis Hopper - Blue Velvet, Ray Liotta - Something Wild, Woody Allen - Hannah and Her Sisters

 

My choice of the nominees: Michael Caine

My choice overall: Dennis Hopper - Blue Velvet

 

Thoughts: Solid set of nominees overall, although I think there's a glaring omission. Michael Caine was a solid choice out of what was nominated and it was his first Oscar win in a long and distinguished career. At least when he wasn't just cashing paychecks, I think I'd rather see films of the house Caine bought with his paycheck from Jaws the Revenge than that movie. No really bad choices though and Berenger would only look slightly out of place in retrospect.

 

That said, there's no question in my mind that the performance of the year is Dennis Hopper's Frank Booth in Blue Velvet. And, I'd bet he'd walk away with that if the voting were held today. Frank Booth is one of the all time great movie villains, perverse, scary, funny, and undeniably human evil. And it wouldn't necessarily have worked even half as well in another's hands. Blue Velvet was a divisive move though and Hopper left the Academy an out by also being excellent in Hoosiers and A River's Edge. He clearly was the most important actor of the year and made a huge declaration that he was back in 1986.

 

Best Supporting Actress

Dianne Wiest - Hannah and Her Sisters

Maggie Smith - A Room With a View

Piper Laurie - Children of a Lesser God

Tess Harper - Crimes of the Heart

Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio - The Color of Money

 

Other notables: Barbara Hershey - Hannah and Her Sisters, Mia Farrow - Hannah and Her Sisters, Cathy Tyson - Mona Lisa

 

My Choice: Dianne Wiest

 

Thoughts: One of the few advantages of putting this down for awhile is that I got to catch up with some movies I missed. One of them was Hannah and Her Sisters. And, honestly, it was a missed opportunity to see such a flat out terrific film sooner. Heck, even Carrie Fisher is good in that movie. It's a terrific ensemble and manages to be funny and insightful in equal measures. Dianne Wiest is the heart of that movie though with nervous energy to match Woody Allen and yet self doubt and an inability to express herself artistically and the frustrations it creates giving her a real crisis to overcome. There are some fine performances that year, but Wiest's sticks with me the strongest. Good choice Academy.

 

Robert

[RobertR]

Since new nominations are out today, I'll try to finish what I started.

 

1987

(As always, winners listed first.)

 

Best Picture

The Last Emperor

Broadcast News

Fatal Attraction

Hope and Glory

Moonstruck

 

HM: Full Metal Jacket, Robocop, Wall Street, The Untouchables, Empire of the Sun, Ironweed, The Dead, Au Revoir les Enfants, My Life as a Dog, Raising Arizona, Lethal Weapon, Predator, Radio Days, Evil Dead II (ok, this would never have been nominated, but it's more influential than most of the actual nominees), Good Morning, Vietnam, Wings of Desire, House of Games, Matewan, Planes, Trains, & Automobiles, Dirty Dancing, La Bamba, Cry Freedom

 

My choice overall: Robocop

 

Thoughts: Fatal Attraction really sticks out like a sore thumb, doesn't it? The Academy went with a populist choice and that one really hasn't aged well. They'd have been much better off in the long run with Wall Street or The Untouchables.

 

Hard to believe that Full Metal Jacket wasn't nominated. At a time when Kubrick was hailed as a reclusive genius. Empire of the Sun's reputation has grown with time. John Huston's last film also seems like it would have been a fine choice.

 

There are some notable comedies, foreign films, and action films. The action films I lised above are three of the most iconic of the 80s, Robocop, Predator, and Lethal Weapon. I'm not joking about my choice of Robocop either. It's great social science fiction, maybe the greatest at actually predicting trends in media, corporate power, social trends such as the return of the gas suckers, and privatization. OK, we don't have cyborg and robot cops, but the world doesn't look a whole lot different than the vision of Robocop. (And I probably need to mention Howard Chaykin's American Flagg! comic book which Robocop was heavily influenced by.) It's worth noting that Robocop was nominated for 2 awards and won a special achievement Oscar for its special effects.

 

I really need to see more of the best picture nominees. Moonstruck and Fatal Attraction are the only ones I've seen, although I've seen bits of Broadcast News. From what I hear, I'd probably really like The Last Emperor and it's reputation is such that I don't think it was a mistake that it won. But, I don't have a whole lot to add about it.

 

More later.

 

Robert

[RobertR]

Continuing 1987

 

Best Actor

Michael Douglas - Wall Street

William Hurt - Broadcast News

Robin Williams - Good Morning, Vietnam

Jack Nicholson - Ironweed

Marcello Mastroianni - Dark Eyes

 

Other Notables: John Lone - The Last Emperor, Nick Nolte - Weeds, Nicolas Cage - Moonstruck, Nicolas Cage - Raising Arizona, Kevin Costner - The Untouchables, Steve Martin - Roxanne, Peter Weller - Robocop

 

My Pick of the Nominees and Overall - Michael Douglas - Wall Street

 

Thoughts: Kind of a weak year, IMO. Of the nominees, Douglas's character at least lives on in the popular consciousness as an iconic representation of 80s corporate excess. I don't think it's in the ballpark of all time great performances or roles, but it's a very good one. I haven't seen Ironweed, although it has a good reputation. Robin Williams is fine in Good Morning, Vietnam, but he's done better acting outside of his radio schtick parts. Really, it's more that he's a good fit for the requirements of the role than anything else.

 

I can't tell you how much I just love Nicolas Cage's turn in Raising Arizona. As far as his over-the-top performances go, I think it's perhaps his best. Arguably the second most iconic role of the year. I'd expect that there would be a good argument for him winning if the award was revoted today. Or at least getting a nomination.

 

Best Actress

Cher - Moonstruck

Sally Kirkland - Anna

Holly Hunter - Broadcast News

Glen Close - Fatal Attraction

Merly Streep - Ironweed

 

Other notables: Diane Keaton - Baby Boom, Holly Hunter - Raising Arizona, Faye Dunaway - Barfly, Barbra Streisand - Nuts

 

My Pick of the Nominees and Overall - Cher - Moonstruck

 

A pretty top heavy year. If my memory serves me right, the only reason Sally Kirkland got a nomination was because of behind the scenes campaigning and sending out video copies of her film to the Academy. Hard to argue with much of the rest of the nominees. I almost tossed in Jennifer Grey for Dirty Dancing in other notables, but it really wasn't a very good year for actresses. Glenn Close's performance seems over-the-top in retrospect, but it definitely touched a chord at the time.

 

Overall, I'm pretty satisfied with the choice of Cher. That's a good performance. And an entertaining one. And one of the few true female lead performances of the year.

 

Robert

[Patrick425]

I'll go Nicholas Cage - Raising AZ and Glen Close - Fatal Attraction.

Although, I'll readily admit that I have not seen several of the other films. Raising Arizona is one of my all time favorite films.

[Outlander]

I have to disagree on your assessment of Fatal Attraction. Glen Close did an excellent job and the movie holds up quite well. Just because it led to subsequent crappy movies of the same subject matter and spoofs doesn't diminish its greatness. I probably would have added Princess Bride to the list of the honorable mention. Also, Sally Kirkland was great in Anna.

[RobertR]

Yeah, I might be misrembering on Sally Kirkland. I know that there were a few years there where networking did matter who who got one of the last nominations though.

 

It's the ending of Fatal Attraction that kind of does it in for me. And perhaps I'm putting too much weight on that. There's no doubt though that Fatal Attraction did strike a nerve that year and if being a snapshot of the year is one of the criteria, then it fits perfectly.

 

Moving on for 1987

 

Best Supporting Actor

Sean Connery - The Untouchables

Albert Brooks - Broadcast News

Denzel Washington - Cry Freedom

Vincent Gardenia - Moonstruck

Morgan Freeman - Street Smart

 

Other notables: Robert DeNiro - The Untouchables, R. Lee Ermey - Full Metal Jacket, Ronnie Cox - Robocop, Kurtwood Smith - Robocop

 

My Choice: Sean Connery - The Untouchables

 

Thoughts: It probably would be a three man race if voting were held today between Connery, Washington, and Freeman. And you couldn't go wrong with either. I just love Connery in The Untouchables, even if the accent is off. It doesn't hurt that he has some great lines which he just nails. It may have been a career achievement award, but the performance is good enough that it doesn't matter.

 

There's a great quartet of movie villains that weren't nominated. R. Lee Ermey is a one trick pony as an actor, but that one trick was a show stopper.

 

Best Supporting Actress

Olympia Dukakis - Moonstruck

Anne Archer - Fatal Attraction

Norma Aleandro - Gaby: A True Story

Ann Sothern - The Whales of August

Anne Ramsey - Throw Momma from the Train

 

Other notables: Vanessa Redgrave - Prick Up Your Ears

 

My Pick: Olympia Dukakis - Moonstruck

 

Thoughts: Pretty weak year. Of what I've seen, Dukakis manages to create the most rounded character of the bunch. Can't say that I feel strongly about the rest.

 

Anybody else have some thoughts on 1987? I have to say that overall it might be the weakest year of the 80s, although I remember 1989 as being also weak.

 

Robert

[twobrewers]

Pat Morita and Tom Hanks were nominated for their roles in The Karate Kid and Big, respectively.

 

That makes my day. I had no idea.

[Godspeed]

Hey Robert, I wanted to let you know I've really enjoy this thread over the years.

 

So just the other day I was thinking about how badly American Beauty has aged since it came out and am currently re-watching The Insider. That got me to wondering, are you planning to keep on going into the 90s or is that the prequel mentioned in post 1?

[Katuluu]

I've been hounding Robert to continue this whole concept for my site for at least a year now. If not there, he better still do it here.

[RobertR]

Hey Robert, I wanted to let you know I've really enjoy this thread over the years.

 

So just the other day I was thinking about how badly American Beauty has aged since it came out and am currently re-watching The Insider. That got me to wondering, are you planning to keep on going into the 90s or is that the prequel mentioned in post 1?

Yeah, there's a prequel somewhere out in the internet aether now where I covered 1991 to 1999. Someone with better internet skills than I might be able to find an archive somewhere. Along with the material I wrote on the last Sight and Sound poll.

 

FWIW, you and me both on American Beauty. I just find the whole ending a cop out.

 

I might take Katuluu up on his offer one of these years. Only problem is that I might feel compelled to watch more of the films instead of shooting from the hip on some. I'm certainly going to continue in some fashion though. Maybe do the 70s next, although you might hear me say "The Academy did a good job" quite a few times. OTOH, the Annie Hall vs. Star Wars debate is always fascinating. Or I could do the 00s. I do like looking at things in blocks of time, easier to spot trends, but who knows, maybe I'll do requests.

 

Robert

 

[Godspeed]

I'd love to see the 00s if only to see the (deserved) venom for Crash. Worst selection ever.

[RobertR]

I'd love to see the 00s if only to see the (deserved) venom for Crash. Worst selection ever.

That's almost too easy. I've only seen 48 of the 82 Best Picture winners, counting 1927's 2 different Best Picture awards, but Crash is certainly in competition for the bottom of what I've seen. Along with The English Patient, pretty, well acted, and a total bore, Chariots of Fire, pretty, well acted, and a total bore other than them running on the beach to Vangelis, and Around the World in 80 Days, one of the most light-weight movies ever to win anything major.

 

While mentioning 1927, I think the first award is instructive to the split the Academy has always encountered. They had 2 awards, Best Picture, Production which went to Wings, a big popular picture with action and big stars and Best Picture, Unique and Artistic Production which went to the sublime Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans. They combined them shortly thereafter and you can still see the two currents competing at the Oscars. Avatar vs. The Hurt Locker. Star Wars vs. Annie Hall. Rocky vs. Taxi Driver and Network.

 

Robert

 

[RobertR]

1988

 

Best Picture

Rain Man

Dangerous Liaisons

Mississippi Burning

The Accidental Tourist

Working Girl

 

Other Notables: Big, A Fish Called Wanda, Die Hard, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Bull Durham, The Last Temptation of Christ, The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Gorillas in the Mist: The Story of Dian Fossey, Beetle Juice, Pelle the Conqueror, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Bird, Tucker: The Man and His Dream, The Accussed, Midnight Run, Running on Empty, Evil Angels

 

My Choice of Nominees: Dangerous Liaisons

My Choice Overall: Die Hard

 

Thoughts: We've had discussions in this topic about how some of the nominees have aged, notably Tootsie and Fatal Attraction. Working Girl belongs in that discussion and I have a hard time believing that it would be renominated today. Although it might not be alone. Rain Man is the only one of the nominees that's really lived on in the public consciousness with perhaps Dangerous Liaisons on the edge. You can look at the other notables list and find lots of popular and influential movies. Pixar's Tin Toy won animated short in 1987 and that's had more influence than all the Best Picture nominees combined.

 

1988 was a really solid year in terms of comedies, certainly in the running for the best. I could have very well thrown in Coming to America to the list. A comedy was chosen to make the Best Picture list, but looking back the Academy could have done better for itself. Heck, Women on the Verge of a Nervous breakdown is notable for not only being a good, funny movie, but Almodovar's breakthrough in America. Have fun figuring out a proper order for the comedies.

 

I have a tough time reconciling my thoughts on Rain Man. I do think it's a good movie, but something always feels phony about it to me. Is Hoffman's performance a portrait of someone unreachable and unchangeable or a serious of actorly tics? Does the Vegas sequence undercut the more serious strains of the film? It was a popular film and I was entertained when I watched it, but it's not something that I think I need to revisit. As I said, of the best picture nominees, Dangerous Liaisons still works for me the best, due to the sharp dialogue, acting, cinematography, and story twists.

 

It's probably worth pointing out that there was definitely some controversy in the air in 1988. The Last Temptation of Christ was particularly controversial, although I think it's reputation has outlasted the controversy. There was also the controversy about Mississippi Burning kind of whitewashing the FBI and relegating real activists to the sidelines. I think that has kind of stuck to the movie.

 

More later.

 

Robert

[Teatoe993]

Don't forget Less Than Zero. Downey Jr. did a great job at pretty much playing himself.

[RobertR]

1988 continued

 

Best Actor

Dustin Hoffman - Rain Man

Tom Hanks - Big

Gene Hackman - Mississippi Burning

Max von Sydow - Pelle the Conqueror

Edward James Olmos - Stand and Deliver

 

Other notables: Forest Whitaker - Bird, Tom Hulce - Dominic and Eugene, Robert Downey Jr. - Less than Zero, Willem Defoe - The Last Temptation of Christ, Daniel Day Lewis - The Unbearable Lightness of Being, John Cleese - A Fish Called Wanda, Bob Hoskins - Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Robert Deniro - Midnight Run, William Hurt - The Accidental Tourist, John Malkovich - Dangerous Liaisons

 

My Choice: Tom Hanks - Big

 

Thoughts: Tough to go wrong with just about anybody here. A really deep, well rounded year with great comedic performances right alongside great dramatic performances. I would imagine the Hoffman and Hanks would be nominated again if the balloting were retaken, but you probably could pull the other three out of a hat.

 

Heck, I thought long and hard about Bruce Willis in Die Hard. While it may not technically be great acting, it is a great character and a lot of that owes to it being Bruce Willis. I can't imagine Die Hard working with a Sylvester Stallone or Arnold Schwarzenegger in his place.

 

Best Actress

Jodie Foster - The Accused

Glenn Close - Dangerous Liaisons

Meryl Streep - Evil Angels

Sigourney Weaver - Gorillas in the Mist: The Story of Dian Fossey

Melanie Griffith - Working Girl

 

Other notables: Jamie Lee Curtis - A Fish Called Wanda, Susan Sarandon - Bull Durham, Michelle Pfeiffer - Married to the Mob, Amy Irving - Crossing Delancey, Christine Lahti - Running on Empty, Shirley MacLaine - Madame Sousatzka

 

My Choice: Jodie Foster - The Accused

 

Thoughts: I think that ultimately it was a fine choice and Foster really elevates the movie above "movie of the week" material. I suspect that Close and Weaver would be nominated again if balloting were held today. Honestly, I don't recall Evil Angels at all. And I don't believe Working Girl holds up, although undoubtedly it struck a chord at the time.

 

I'd probably substitute Jamie Lee Curtis and Susan Sarandon into the top 5 if I had my druthers. Both terrific comedy performances in a really fine year for comedies.

 

Robert